THURSDAY - 8TH FEBRUARY, 2024
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO
LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNE TIME
Read Luke 4:1-13
Luke 4:13, KJV
"And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season."
There's a Christian hymn that reads:
"Christian, seek not yet repose,
Hear thy gracious Savior say;
Thou art in the midst of foes:
Watch and pray.
Principalities and powers,
Mustering their unseen array,
Wait for thy unguarded hours:
Watch and pray."
That hymn reminds us of our enemy, Satan who seeks whom to devour. Without seeking to instill in us any fear of him, it also tells us not to seek rest, becoming too comfortable or sluggish as to be careless to give Him the upper hand.
"Christian, seek not yet repose,
Hear thy gracious Savior say..."
In today's reading, the devil keeps coming to Jesus in order to compromise Him. In three times symbolic temptations, Jesus was tempted but refuted sin. After Jesus' victory however, the Bible notes of the devil to have departed from Jesus just for a season. A "season" passes for awhile there. It means that one victory of Jesus won't always keep the devil at bay. He'll still look for moments, opportune times when he could come back again.
The devil might leave you to yourself for a season. He might allow you have a victory over him after much struggle. However, his thought are still of evil and not of good towards you. This one time surrendering of his is not an all time surrendering. He's still in pursuit of one thing - bringing you down. Many a times, once in a while personal victory over Satan and his temptations do cool Christians down and instills them with a sense of arrival or achievement that they have made it, and are now immuned to temptation or falling away. On this note, they just go to sleep. However, the title of Daniel Everett's book, the linguist and once a time missionary to the Amazon, "Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes..." ought come alive to them.
If you're in a reptile invested area, knowing how dangerous that is, I don't think you'd allow dizziness to descend on you once. The reason is simple. You want to watch out for your life by yourself. You're not waiting for someone to tell you, "watch out, that's a snake or a crocodile!" You want to have eyes that sees, senses that sense and mind that'll be prompt to take action. You want to keep awake to stay sharp and be able to beat the danger posed by those wild beasts. That's how sharp we ought be in spiritual warfare. Spiritual warfare is ongoing. Those of you who have once survived Satan because you once had food at home and could afford to live comfortably might be broken at a season of economic downturn if you'll give in to the pressure of the devil. The devil is like a football team that wants to equalize and so would begin to mount pressure on the opponent. What he's looking for is just a little mistake, an opening or inroad he can take to cause damage or wreck serious havoc. He's in need of an occasion; a foothold that you must not for once grant him. Because of that, the devil has mastered persistence. He goes to and fro to always come back. If he departs from you for a season, please don't mistaken it for an eternity. He's at the corner watching your steps and filing information on how to trip you down. Look at how persistent and constant madam persuaded Joseph on sleeping with her.
Genesis 39:7, 10, KJV
"7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her."
That's pressure. Satan will give you pressure. If your mind and your spirit can't withstand that pressure, you'll simply fall in that day of adversity. It's God's will that you triumph and beat the devil now and then and everyday he comes to you. The repeated triumph of Jesus over the devil in the wilderness provides a classical example of how Christians must always return in beating the devil when he blows or keeps it hot.
However, we're called to an observation. Satan only departed away for a season. He'll soon be checking in. Madam once spoke to Joseph and she seemed to have quiten down but she soon reoccur on Joseph's page making same old request, "come, lie with me". We are not commanded to befriend the devil who lurks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom to devour. We are rather told to rebuke or resist him firm in the faith.
I Peter 5:8-9, KJV
"8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith..."
I pray for you that you won't have a price. The devil won't be able to buy you. He came dangling pleasure and reward of being promoted before Joseph; dangled the world and its glory before Jesus too. However, they didn't fall for it. They resisted the devil still. May God grant you grace to resist still. No matter the intensity and repetition of the temptation, may you not succumb. May you keep waxing valiant in battle against the devil instead. May you always find succour and Word with which to resist the devil. I am praying for you just like Jesus, our intercessor is. Go, go against the devil. Keep holding the fort.
PRAYER: Lord, give me perseverance to resist the fierce and repeated temptations of the devil.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Exodus 23:14-25:40, Matthew 24:29-51, Psalm 30:1-12, Proverbs 7:24-27
Powered by Morning Wings Ministries. Share with others in English, French, Arabic, Swahili and Chinese. Enquire or counsel through +234 80 77 63 85 50 or +234 8137 04 68 12 II morningwingministry@gmail.com & Blog @ http://morningwingsministry.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment