SATAN WANTS CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE?

“and give no opportunity to the devil.” – Ephesians 4:27 (ESV).

It is a little bit disturbing and concerning when you read that somebody broke into the house of a neighbor down the street. They snatched up a TV, computer, and cell phones and disappeared into the night.  It had to be a traumatic moment for the people who were home at the time because they could not prevent the unwanted entry into their house.

Satan is into breaking and entering. He is looking to find a way into your life. He is so committed to our destruction that if he doesn’t easily find his way into our lives, he will linger and wait for us to drop our guard so he can try again, perhaps trying a different tact.  The devil is often more committed to attacking us than most of us are committed to withstanding him. That’s why his success rate is as high as it is. And that is why the apostle Paul commands us to resist him and to give him no place.

 “and give no opportunity to the devil.”  The goal is to stop the enemy at the doorway rather than finding a way to extract him once he has found an access point to worm his way into some area of your life.  It is the idea of not giving the enemy a secure foothold from which further progress can be made.

Paul tells us to stay alert to see if we are truly serious about keeping him out of our lives. Part of keeping the devil out is knowing your blind spots: temptations, enticements, and triggers that he can use. The devil will not appear in your life dressed in a red jumpsuit with horns and a pitchfork. The “devil” will show up cool, calm, and collected. Whatever entices you will give him a starting point and a foothold, no matter how small in the beginning. All the devil is after is an entryway. Just a tiny space big enough to put his foot.

The good news is that Jesus not only took away your sins, but He also redeemed you from Satan’s power and dominion. Colossians 2:15 says, “In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.”

Jesus did not defeat the devil to prove He could. He defeated him for you so you can reap the benefits and have at your disposal everything you need to enforce the devil’s defeat in your life. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (AMP) says, “For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds.” 1 John 3:8 (AMP) adds, “…the reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done]”

Satan is already a defeated enemy. His authority was neutralized by the finished work of Christ on the cross.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can we accurately identify common entry points for the Devil into our lives?
  2. What are some things we can do to close those entry points?

JESUS PAID IT ALL

“Jesus paid a debt He did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay.” – Unknown.

Have you ever been a victim? Maybe somebody cheated you, or a crime was committed against you, or you have been accused of something you didn’t do. There are certainly people who have been victimized, but the biggest victim in all of history is God. Everyone has sinned against God, and God has sinned against no one. Rather than making us pay, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay our debt to God. This was necessary because the debt owed to God for sin is payable only by death.

The only person who has ever walked the earth and has never sinned or accrued any spiritual debt is Jesus Christ. He lived a life we have not lived, died the death we should have died, and paid the price we could not pay.

Most who are reading this are in some form of financial debt. Most of us owe money on a car, a home, a student loan, or something similar. Although it can be burdensome, most of us can at least see a light at the end of the tunnel. We are energized by the hope that it will be paid in full one day and freed from any further obligation. But to be burdened with a debt from which you will never be set free is psychologically devastating.

Such was the reality of our spiritual indebtedness to God until Jesus paid it all. Paul tells us in Colossians 2:13-14: “You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God’s people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins.God wiped out the charges that were against us for disobeying the Law of Moses. He took them away and nailed them to the cross. Jesus canceled the IOU of our spiritual obligation by “nailing it to the cross.”

Sometimes, people try to discount the necessity of the crucifixion. They believe there are other ways to be righteous in God’s eyes. But after Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He concluded that the cross was the Father’s unavoidable will for Him:” Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Luke 22:42). And on the road to Emmaus, Jesus asked two disciples, “Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” (Luke 24:26). Jesus bore our sins on the cross so that we could live holy lives.

We are no longer in default on the debt because Jesus paid it all. Whatever we owed, He paid. Whatever penalty we incurred, He endured. He paid it all.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is it so important that Jesus paid our debt?

GOD’S PROMISES ARE FULFILLED IN JESUS

“For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. – 2 Corinthians 1:20.

Malachi 3:6 says, “I am the LORD, and I do not change…” Exodus 3:14 says, “…“I Am Who I Am …” Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” And 2 Corinthians 1:”20 says, “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!”

All God’s promises are yes in Christ.  God doesn’t change, and His promises cannot fail.  They are “yes” because of Jesus. Every promise about the coming of Jesus was fulfilled – they were all “yes” in Him.  Because that is true, we can be confident that God’s other promises will also be fulfilled.

If we want to know how our Creator has fulfilled His promise of salvation and how He will complete our salvation, we need to look only to Christ, who has purchased our redemption by His blood. All the promises: the promises to hear your prayers, the promises to provide for every need, the promises to guide you through life, the promise to give you wisdom when you ask for it, the promises to be with you, the promise for all-sufficient grace for every situation, the promise to provide a way of escape in temptation, the promise of peace in our hearts and minds, the promise of eternal inheritance.

Psalms 119:140: “Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much.” Then there is Psalm 145:13 which says, “For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations.The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.”  Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” 

God’s promises require faith. We must trust in God and believe He’ll follow through on His promises. Experiencing His promises to the extent God intends for you involves trust. Philippians 4:19 says, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”  

No matter how many promises God has made, they are “yes” in Christ.  We can count on them. Don’t allow discouragement or setbacks in your life to make you give up on God’s promises. Even if you do not see what God is doing, he is active behind the scenes. He is there, and He will fulfill His promise.

Discussion Questions:

  1. We can trust God, no matter how impossible the situation, because God always keeps His promises. Agree or disagree and why? 
  2. If you completely accepted God’s promises, how would that change how you look at fear?  

IT IS FINISHED

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.”A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips.” – John 19:28-29.

“It is finished.” It’s one of the most famous and essential phrases in the Bible. It is the last phrase the Lord Jesus spoke before bowing His head in death. He was exclaiming to the universe that He had faithfully fulfilled the Father’s will and that the mission was now accomplished.

“It is finished!” This was the most significant victory in the history of the human race. At that moment, the sacrifices of the Old Testament could permanently cease, for the perfect Sacrifice had laid down His life for the salvation of mankind. Up until the time of Christ’s death, there was a system set in place where sacrifices had to be offered for sin. It was complicated, and it was difficult. Frequent sacrifices were required for all types of things. It was the only way people could be forgiven; it was the only way to be made right again.

People sin every day. They did, then, and we do now. And that sin costs us significantly. It separates us from God, it sets up a barrier, it leads to further drifting away from what we know to be right.  But the hope we have now because of Christ’s death on the cross and His ultimate sacrifice on our behalf is this: He completed the work. He paid the sacrifice in full on our behalf. No other payment is needed. He asks that we accept His gift of forgiveness and life.

Because Jesus was willing to offer His blood for the full payment of our sinful debt, we are forgiven and utterly debt-free. “Paid in full” has been stamped on our past sinful record because Jesus paid the price for our redemption with His blood. When Jesus cried, “It is finished,” all the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus’ earthly ministry were fulfilled. The Lamb of God had fully satisfied God’s justice.

So, what does your “it isn’t finished” narrative look and sound like? How does your “it isn’t finished” narrative lead you to feel and act toward God and others? Does your narrative sound like, “It isn’t finished, I’ll never be holy, I’ll always be a slave to my sin, why try?”  Romans 6:10-11 reminds us, “When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.”

That means it is not up to us to add anything, complete anything, or finalize anything when it comes to our salvation—Jesus did it all. So now, when we have put our trust in Jesus’s finished work, we can rest in confidence in our salvation and pursue God with our whole hearts.

Discussion Questions:

  1. When Jesus said “It is finished,” He told us that His work on earth was done. The work of preaching the coming kingdom, living a life of perfect righteousness, and offering Himself as an appropriate sacrifice on behalf of humanity was complete. How does Jesus’ sinless human life uniquely qualify Him as our Savior?
  2. What does “It is finished “ mean to your walk with God? 

WHAT IS SO GOOD ABOUT GROWING OLDER?

Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise—even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old.  I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.” – Joshua 14:10-12.

Birthday parties are magical for children: the games, gifts, goody bags, everything. Will we have pizza or maybe hot dogs? Will we eat first or play first? Do you think there will be ice cream? Do you think she will have goody bags?  Birthday parties were awesome enjoying your special day with family and friends. But then the candles start adding up on the cake. Birthdays come and go – maybe there’s a dinner, a few cards, some well wishes. We move up one number, and it’s business as usual.

Too many birthdays means you are getting older  Some of us also fear growing older for physical reasons. Aging is often seen as a loss of control. Maybe our bodies can’t do what they once could; our memories aren’t as sharp; we begin to need more help than we used to. As the years pass, our fear of the unknown may grow stronger. How do we shift our focus from the fear that age means irrelevancy and uselessness to the rich, full lives God calls us into as the years pass?

God’s Word has much to say about growing old. For example, Psalm 92:12-15 declares, “But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”

This passage tells us that we are to celebrate growing older. Scripture repeatedly reminds that growing older is an honor. “Gray hair is a crown of glory…” ( Proverbs 16:31) . The more years we live, the more experiences we’re given to learn from, and the more wisdom and perspective we gain to see life in new and productive ways.  We can increase our contributions to God’s kingdom and grow stronger because of our spiritual roots and experiences.  The media leads us to believe that youth somehow has more value, the truth is, we are treasured by God at every age. Not only that, but He gives us specific gifts to share with the world in every season of our lives. In Titus 2:3-5, Paul reminds the older women of their great purpose, to bless and nurture the hearts of the younger women and their families. The generations to come depend on our willingness to share what God has given us.

 Discussion Questions:

  1. How does one get good at getting older?
  2. What does God expect of us as we age?

AN UNWASTED LIFE

“If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it? So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.  Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles,or the church of God. I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. ” – 1 Corinthians 10:30-33.

When asked what the goal of the Christian life is, a typical response would be “to become Christ-like.” In other words, to live righteously means to conduct one’s life in a manner that reflects our relationship with the Lord and mirrors His ways. We can never share in Jesus’ deity, but we can share in His holiness and live a life that glorifies Him. That is the way to live an unwasted life.

So, how do we glorify God in our daily lives? Glorifying God is not a one-time event but a lifetime task that must be done consistently and daily. We can glorify God in our lives by being watchful of what we do with our lives daily. In Colossians 3:17, the apostle Paul says in his letter to the Church as Colossae, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (ESV).  He reminded the Colossians that their ultimate purpose on this earth was to give God glory by showing God’s love, walking in peace with one another, and doing all things with a heart full of gratitude.

In Philippians 1:20, we see that Paul’s attention was focused on one thing and one thing only.  While in prison, unsure of his sentence, he maintained that laser focus. He expected that Christ would be exalted in everything he did. His one focus was glorifying Christ in everything. And he meant everything. He taught this in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 

Whatever we do, in all things, our aim and highest goal should be God’s glory. His was a heart that wanted to glorify God above all else and love others fiercely for the sake of their eternal joy. It’s humbling to think that this kind of radical living will shape every one of our countless small words and actions. This is the Christian’s calling. In our every decision, activity, and pursuit, we do well to ask a simple, ever-present, overarching question, the question that should direct all we do: Does this glorify God?

 Discussion Questions:

  1. Do your life, actions, and words echo the glory of God?
  2. Think about your words and actions today and ask yourself, “How can I glorify God in this task, this moment, this conversation?”

BE FAITHFUL IN THE SMALL THINGS

“Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.  Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” – Mark 12:41-44.

Have you ever watched successful people? They all have at least one thing in common. Some people view things as trivial, but they view them as meaningful. The non-essentials seem to be essentials. We can learn from that viewpoint as Christians. Because with God, there are no little churches. There are no little people. There are no little tasks.

In Mark 12 we read that Jesus was in a place He could observe the actions of the worshipers who came to offer their gifts. Many rich people put in large sums, but then a poor widow quietly came to one of the boxes and let the two coins fall softly into the box with no noise or notice from those who hurried around her. She put in two small copper coins, which were less than a penny in today’s terms.

Jesus notices the small things. No one took notice of the widow who gave her whole livelihood except Jesus.  He saw the heart of a servant in the woman. Life was hard for the widow and giving up the small amount was a large sacrifice for her but she gave. It was not a matter of pride, for there was nothing to brag about.  Jesus says that she, “….has given everything she had to live on.”

The lesson from Jesus is not the amount of the offering but the offering of the richness of her heart. Jesus looks for the small things in life that define our character. He notices the small deeds of kindness, words of encouragement, thoughts of prayers, and those things that come from a heart that trusts in the love of God. He is a God of small things, too. Or rather, He is a God for whom nothing is small when it matters to His children.

In doing the little things, one becomes Christlike. You must remember that Jesus never pastored a large church. He was never a president, governor, or mayor. He took time for little children. He told simple stories about a flower, a bird,  a lost coin, and a young man who ran away from home. He takes note of a bird that falls. He clothes the lilies of the field. He is even interested in each hair on our heads. Hence, if we would be Christlike, we too must be willing to do the small things.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is it so easy to neglect the small things in life?
2. What small things can we do this week?

WHAT ARE YOU THIRSTY FOR?

“…Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!” – John 7:37.

Everybody is thirsty for something.  Some of us thirst for acceptance, for intimacy; for forgiveness or reconciliation, for a way out of our rut; others for reassurance from our fears; for relief from pain; for healing for one we love; peace from the emotional rollercoaster, or for justice and wrongs made right. Some of us know we thirst, but we’re not quite sure for what. Others describe a thirst for God.

The psalmist writes of his deepest thirst this way: “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water” Psalm 63:1). In another psalm, thirst is imaged this way, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God” (Psalm 42:1-2).

We all thirst for different things at different times, depending on our life circumstances. Sometimes, our thirst is so great that we are stuck wandering in a desert, in a dry and weary land with no relief in sight. And other times our cup is full, we are brimming with life and spirit, filled to overflowing. But consider for a moment—what are you thirsty for?

Jesus encounters the woman at the well and brings her the gift of living water. Consider some of the extraordinary elements of this encounter. The woman is a Samaritan, yet Jesus engages her in discussion and speaks to her of God, though she is a woman and a Samaritan. He treats her with such respect and dignity that God’s love spills over her and changes her life forever. The woman goes back to her community to share her experience of Jesus. Later, Jesus came to the Samaritan community.  Boundaries have been broken and bridged.

The woman experienced the transformative power of love. The living water of God’s grace has washed over her, and now she goes forth to bless others and to bring life to them.

We are all thirsty people. Thirsty to be known and loved for who we are. We are promised grace sufficient for our need, living water for our deepest thirsts. But we need to turn on the tap – to open ourselves to God, to those we encounter along our way.

We only have one trip through life on earth, so we must choose wisely and develop a hunger and thirst for God rather than the things of the world. We need a deep longing and abiding desire for an intimate relationship with Him because that’s all that matters at the end of the day. When we thirst for the Lord, we seek to know and understand more about Him. The focus of our lives should be on our love and devotion to Christ—to desire Him above all else. Human relationships can be lost, but the Lord will never walk away from us if we belong to Him because He loves us.

  

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does “living water” mean to you?
  2. What can we do this week to increase our thirst for God?      

I AM THIRSTY

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.”A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips.” – John 19:28-29.

Judas had betrayed Him. He had been rejected by those who had supported Him. A few days before, they hailed Him with hymns and songs. They welcomed Him into Jerusalem with shouts of ‘Hosanna, blessed is the King of David, He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Now, they they turned on Him.

Jesus had been mocked, beaten, and crucified. He had endured so much: the unbearable pain of hanging, held only by hands and feet, His body stretched and racked. He was thirsty, His lips dry, His palette parched after the loss of so much blood and sweat. Jesus didn’t accept a pain-numbing drink at the beginning of His ordeal: “They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it”  (Mark 15:23). His work of dying a sacrificial death was nearly complete. Jesus feels death coming, and He is desperately thirsty. Through wet parched lips and a dry throat He says “I am thirsty.”

When John records Jesus saying “I am thirsty,” he adds “and to fulfill scripture” (John 19:28).  Psalm 69:21 states “But instead, they give me poison for food; they offer me sour wine for my thirst.”  If you reflect on Jesus’s statement, “I am thirsty,” you will naturally get around to your thirst. On a physical level, most people have felt intense thirst, maybe even like Jesus felt to a lesser degree. But on a spiritual level, your thirst is nothing like that of Jesus. The reality is we should thirst for Him, for the living water He supplies. “On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! The Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’” (John 7:37-38). We should be thirsty for a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. We need to remember that Jesus suffered physical thirst on the cross—and so much more—so that our thirst for Him might be satisfied.

At first reading, the record of Jesus’ thirst might seem like a minor detail in the crucifixion account. But as we’ve seen, it reveals a great deal about the One who uttered, “I am thirsty.” Jesus provided for our thirst.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you respond to Jesus’s statement, “I am thirsty”? How do you feel when you read this? What do you think?
  2. What does this statement suggest to you about Jesus?
  3. What does it suggest to you about yourself?

PARADOXES OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” – Isaiah 55:8.

According to the dictionary, a paradox is “Something absurd or contradictory, but in fact…is true.” So, a paradox is an apparent contradiction that conceals a profound truth. If you study the Bible for any length of time, you will come across what seems to be paradoxes. It stands to reason that God would look at things differently from us, from a different vantage and perspective. That results in paradoxes — statements that appear to be contradictory but are actually true.

2 Corinthians 4:18  says, “We fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.”  Matthew 11:28-30 says we can find rest under a yoke. We can lead by serving, according to Mark 10:43. Luke 9:48 says we can become greater by becoming lesser.

Jesus didn’t say these things to confuse us.  The truth about God is that He often works in ways we see as improbable and impossible. As Christians, we seem to think God can’t work in some ways, situations, or through particular circumstances. People in the 1st century thought that, too. Jesus practices what He preaches. He is willing to serve to meet the needs of those around Him. He humbled Himself to be exalted.

Even God’s nature (one God in three persons) and the nature of Jesus (fully God and fully man) are paradoxical. Wrapping your brain around it is hard, but if we are to live as Christians, we must resist our natural inclinations and trust these paradoxes of God’s kingdom: that last is first, weak is strong, giving is receiving, loss is gain, and more.

Perhaps Paul summed up the paradox of the Christian life best when he wrote: “We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything”  (2 Corinthians 6:8–10).

If you have Jesus and nothing else, you have everything. But if you have everything except Jesus, you’ve got nothing. And that is the bottom-line paradox.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some paradoxes you have difficulty getting your arms around?
  2. What can we do to embrace these paradoxes?