Some are afraid of relinquishing control, because they fear this is opening
the door to being bullied. This raises an interesting question: Once we give all
control to Jesus, should we let bullies get the best of us?
Not at all!
We need to resist them, especially the biggest bully of the all: the devil
himself!
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring
lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith,
because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same
kind of sufferings." (1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV)
However, in our resistance, we need to rely completely on the Lord. Why? Because
He is the One who vanquished the evil one! "Since the children have flesh and
blood, he (Jesus) too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might
destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil." (Heb 2:14 NIV)
Besides having conquered evil, Jesus is now in control over everything: "Jesus
came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to
me." (Matt 28:18 NIV)
The evil one now pretends he has power, but his real power only comes when we
listen to his lies! "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry
out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to
the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native
language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44 NIV)
Friends, when the bully comes near, you have nothing to fear! Resist him and
especially rely on the One who has total control. Then all you have to do is sit
back and watch the devil's roar change into a faint Chihuahua's yelp. Before you
know it, he will be running away with his tail between his legs!
We can stand like young David and challenge the evil one's intentions: "I come
against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel,
whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me…" (1 Sam
17:45-46 NIV) When we do so, we are being submissive towards God, but not
towards the evil one! We can roar with delight! Victory is ours through the
power of Jesus, the Christ! "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor 15:57 NIV)
God's power is evident as I face my mom's diagnoses of Alzheimer's. Initially I
was devastated. She was constantly being transferred back and forth between
hospital, where she received excellent care, and home, where nobody cared for
her. She was like a yoyo, being played by the hands of the devil, and I was in
turmoil.
Nursing homes in Belgium are overflowing and have very lengthy waiting lists.
There was no human way possible she ever would get admitted to one. It would
take a miracle.
I wanted her closer to me anyway, so I began searching for ways for her to be
moved from Belgium to Canada. I soon learned that this, too, was out of the
question. The immigration process was long and laborious, and she would have to
travel left and right to get the necessary papers. The biggest obstacle,
however, was that she would have to pass a medical examination, and because of
her diagnosis, she would never pass.
After investigating immigration legal aid, I finally turned her outcome over to
God. That day I had an urge to go online and fill in an immigration request for
information. The next day I received the verdict: "Having thoroughly reviewed
her credentials, we have determined that she is unlikely to qualify for
permanent residence."
I fell on my knees, and instead of pursuing my own desires, I asked God to help
my mom find a place where she would be well taken care of, no matter where it
was. And then I stood up and boldly declared: "Devil, in the name of Jesus, beat
it! You have no right to my mom! She is in God's hands now! He will take good
care of her!"
The next day she was admitted to a local nursing home in Belgium, and no one
could ever explain to me how it happened, how she was able to bypass the waiting
lists.
But I understood how it happened. I had to relinquish all control of solving my
mom's dilemma to God so that His glory could shine through. The devil was once
again defeated, as usual!
This was six months ago. My mom has never been so happy in her life. For the
first time since reaching adulthood, she has friends. The nurses are
tremendously well-mannered and caring. When asked if she would have wanted to
come to Canada, had she been a candidate, my mom's reaction was clear: "I never
would have wanted to leave Belgium! This is my home! This is where I belong!"
I cherish my daily moments with her over the phone, and am at peace knowing that
she is where she wants to be.
The same is true with all of our circumstances in life. If, for example, we
notice that we are becoming belligerent and negative, we must uncover the source
and hand the problem over to God. Tell the evil one: "You won't dominate me on
that one! In the name of Jesus: beat it!" As you do so, you will watch all
negativity quickly melt away from your inner self.
This is true of any problem we face! Submission to God and resistance to the
evil one will lead us to victory, for there is victory in the blood of the lamb!
"…for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has
overcome the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4 NIV)
"Why don't you …"
"Beat it, Satan!" (Matt 4:10 The Message)
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.