So You Think You Are Strong Enough?! ♡♡♡

 "Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present" - Luke 22:3-6

When I was growing up, a lot of times I would hear this phrase used a lot "don't let the devil use you". Truly, that is a very good word of caution. There's been lots of times in our world, that we marvel at outrageous crimes people commit. Sometimes from people that we don't even expect are capable of such. What can make a man murder his wife? or what can make a woman betray her bestfriend? Well, for one the sinful nature, but also two, we underestimate our desperate need for God to live righteously. Scripture tells us that Satan entered Judas, and after that he went to the chief priests himself, discussed how he might betray Jesus, agreed to an amount - It is this last part that gets me; he watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present - Dang! Painstakingly and very well crafted if you ask me. Please follow me here.....

"Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages. He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it" - John 12: 3-6

When people are found to be caught doing terrible things, some are quick to say "It is the work of the devil". Well kinda true, they make a point, but certainly not without thier consent to his partnership lol. The enemy, although prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom to devour [1 Peter 5:8], does not go about jumping into just every and any person. As you know, he is an opportunist who goes in search for "loose free' candidates for his assignments. Yes! scripture did prophesy that Judas will betray Jesus, but I believe strongly it was because of the kind of heart Judas had. He walked with Jesus as one of the twelve. He walked with the Saviour of the world, yet he won't be transformed by the daily dose of Jesus' life giving word. The bible tells us that at one time, Judas criticized Mary for her expensive splurge of fragrance on Jesus & said that it could be best used on the poor instead. But it wasn't genuinely because he cared about the poor, it was simply because he was a thief [no words minced here lol]. You see for as many times, as we ignore the life giving words of God and the HolySpirit in our lives, refusing to spend the much needed time with him: we get hardened in heart, we become very unlike him and even more prone to be vessels for Satan's mission and all of his terrible crafty works and schemes. Listen to this....

"In fact no one can enter a strong man's house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man's house" - Mark 3:27

"When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left'. When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first" - Luke 11:24-26 - Yikes

I once heard it said "Life is a battle field. We are all fighting whether we realize it or not, but who we are fighting along side, is the most important". Are you one to always say "It can never be me"? Or one to assume that you can handle every temptation in your own strength? Do you suppose that a day a week spent with God is sufficient? Or that listening to your Pastor tell you everything in the bible is sufficient? Yes I am calling you out, because I care :) This is not at all wise. There is no vacuum in life. If we are not reading, obeying and living out the scriptures, we are setting ourselves up to be used for the crafty schemes of the enemy. Judas walked with the Saviour but he won't let the life giving word transform him, and so he became a vessel for the enemy for his crafty schemes. How do you want to be used dear friend? By God or by Satan? Trust me, the latter never ends well. Let us consider before we start each day, that we need God so desperately in our lives, and that when he speaks to us we have the courage to take him seriously, obey his word so we don't get hardened & on the broad way that leads to destruction. So be filled with God and his word. Guard your heart against any kind of unbelief. Do not let Satan enter you, because it never always ends well...

"So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall" - 1 Corinthians 10:12

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" - Ephesians 4:30

Love,

SR