Kingdom Secrets! 6

The plot thickens. Angels move in on the scene and there is much joy in what is being preached. The good news of the gospel of grace and the forgiveness of sin is awesome. There is a vibe in the air. God is great, life is good. Let’s do this. Let’s get out there and let the glory fall!

Wow, church was just awesome today! That sermon really touched my heart! Satan was definitely not able to steal that word! This is going to transform my life!

Have you ever experienced those happy moments where you have heard a sermon or song, or read it in the Bible or a book, and your heart just lights up with joy and expectation? This is good and should happen all the time. Jesus has been sowing again, drawing you closer to Him, calling you, wooing you.

Joy is always a sure sign that you have just heard Jesus speak. Joy comes directly from the presence of the Lord for, “in the presence of the Lord there is joy, and the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Joy is VERY destructive to Satan and his plans. Joy releases heaven. It is explosive. It is dangerous!

Satan and demons know this. They just lost round one in that they could not steal the Word from you. They may hesitate, but they are not quitting yet. They are fully aware of the seeds of faith that have just been planted in your heart. They can see them. They must stop them from becoming productive. Are you a threat? Maybe, maybe not. Must put this to the test.

“Get X to tell Y that they are a weak! Anyone that needs Jesus is weak! Besides didn’t Y just loose their temper! What kind of Christian are they anyway! …” Before long there is an argument and Y walks away feeling guilty and broken because of the persecution they just endured for loving Jesus. X was right. Y did sin, and Y did loose their temper and Y does have a problem with z (some or other sins).

Before long Y, feeling down and dejected, begins to question God’s love for them. Guilt for not being a good Christian arises in their heart and before long condemnatory thoughts flood their soul. And “Poof!” they joy is gone and the Word defeated.

This is a scenario that happens in all of us. We get excited about the Lord and then someone gets on our case and we fight back. Instead of recognising that we are under attack because of the very Word that made us happy, and going back to that same Word to let it encourage us, we withdraw ourselves from God and allow the spirit of satan to fill us will guilt and condemnation. After a while we cannot even remember what got us excited in the first place. Satan’s second strategy was successful.

I want you to notice something. Satan does not attack you because you sinned or did something wrong. He attacks you because you heard the voice of Jesus. Jesus’ voice is the most fearful and destructive thing in Satan’s world and it terrifies him. The only weapons he has to defeat Christ’s voice within you is some or other outward or natural circumstance to get your attention off Jesus and back onto yourself. As soon as you become self-focused again his arrows of doubt, guilt and condemnation will find a place to hurt you within your own heart and soul.

Also notice, Satan’s intent is always to get you into some or other position where you feel and believe you are not good enough before God, or that God is displeased with you. He will try convince you that you are not or cannot be forgiven for what you have done. You just have to “be better” next time.

Forget it! How can you do better than Jesus? He shed His blood on the cross, died and rose again, to purify YOU from all sin, once and for all! He dealt with everything! Everything is forgiven. If you want to defeat Satan, you have to come into the position of knowing that you are forgiven. This is the joy of your salvation – the forgiveness of sin!

1 John 2:12 I remind, you dear children: your sins have been permanently removed because of the power of His name! (TPT)

Hebrews Chapter 10

To be continued …