I am studying up for Sunday school tomorrow. We will be discussing the fall of Adam and Eve and what it means to us today. The guy that wrote the study guide said this..."The serpent's intention was clearly to incite disloyalty and rebellion in the man and woman by attacking God's character. He did this by first robbing them of their thankfulness for God's abundant provision”. (emphasis mine)
He also said that "the nature of sin has not changed, and the goals and strategies of the Evil One are essentially the same". (emphasis mine) That's right folks. We struggle and fight and Satan just sits back and plays reruns.
wouldn't you agree that it is such a waste, that if we would only learn from the thousands of years of history and hundreds of generations that have suffered before us, that we would have figured out that we are the ones allowing Satan to continually have a hold in our lives? He doesn’t even have to work at it. His strategies are the same. Every time we think or feel we deserve more, we have abandoned thankfulness and stepped easily into sin. Specifically to me, overdrawn checking, impulse spending, ingratitude for what I have and expectations of what I think I deserve. Do you have a laundry list of things that you continually struggle against? How do you feel knowing that Satan isn't on the other side struggling against you? He is just running the same plays he always has, knowing that if he fails, he will just start them all again.
I have also been reading in proverbs and it talks about the three kinds of people called by God to develop wisdom: the simple, the scorner, and the fool. Of those I can classify myself as the fool because I continually go back to old behaviors that I know are harmful in my spiritual growth. I have the wisdom to change, but I return to old habits and behaviors again and again. Satan wins!
That’s why I am disappointed in me. I keep giving things to God and then keep taking them back because I lack willpower to not continue in bad behaviors.
I refuse to let this be the end of the struggle. Isaiah 59:1 says,
" Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear".
What comfort to know that God is willing to reach for me, and to hear me when I cry out to him. Satan may be running the same old plays, but God has new ideas!
Philippians 1:6 (HCSB)
"I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus".
God is continually pressing us forward. The good work that he intends for us isn't something that holds us in place, doing the same thing. He pushes us forward, into new situations, challenges and blessings!
I invite you to look at where you are today. Has Satan convinced you that his "same old same old" is too hard to overcome? Or maybe, just maybe, can you trust God to press you on to the life that He has planned for you?
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