Don't Let the Enemy Steal Another Opportunity

Luke 4:5-8(NKJV)
“5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for [this] has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 "Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "

Fast and furious. That’s how many of us would describe the number of issues that are coming at us these days. It’s not just the simple stuff. Most of us can handle that. It’s issues that bring up things like insecurity, anxiety, and fear. They cause us to experience emotions that make us unsettled and doubtful about our happiness in the future. Perhaps thoughts of your past mistakes, childhood memories, or the heaviness of your current relationship continue to weigh you down. When these things are heavy on our hearts, our emotions begin to mirror the obstacles and problems we face. Going about our daily lives as if all is well becomes increasingly challenging to do. We might be wondering if things will get better. Our precious Lord and Savior promises that they will. 

When we were much younger, we had such high hopes and dreams. That is what young minds do. We think we’re invincible, and that life will cooperate with all our plans. As we mature physically and mentally, life teaches us that everything doesn’t turn out the way we expect. The Apostle Paul said in 1Corinthians 13:11(NLT),  “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.” As we mature, God intends that we will change, and do so in a way that our minds become sharper and our decisions and choices become wiser. To keep pace with everything around us, we are required to understand life on a whole other level. 

It doesn’t always happen that way. Sometimes we mature physically and mentally, but emotionally, we don’t keep pace; there’s still some growing to do. Our expectations don’t always make the leap from fantasy to faith, and this can lead to disappointment and heartache as we mature. This is especially the case when we don’t adjust our expectations for relationships and expect our partners to know exactly how to love us. On some level, we expect that things will be better than the dreams we’ve always had, and sometimes they are, but a lot of the times, they pull on us in ways we didn’t expect. We underestimate how much emotional maturity and spiritual strength and wisdom relationships require.  

Our partners are a mirror for us. They show us both the best and the not-so-pretty about ourselves. This is a truth most of us miss as we mature into adulthood. Through all the romantic movies, novels, and fairytales we consume, fantasy gets seeped into our brain cells, and this can impact our expectations regarding relationships. In fantasies, there are dastardly villains who attempt to sabotage a couple’s dreams, but there is always a happily ever after. In real life, our spiritual enemy is far more dastardly and evil than any villain, and he has no mercy. 

Faith is what we learn from God’s Word, and faith requires us to leave fantasy out of reality’s equation. Our faith in God requires us to feed our minds and hearts the truth, so that we can stand strong under enemy attack. Our Heavenly Father warns us in 1Peter 5:8(NLT), “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” Unity in any way, shape, form, or fashion is a target of darkness, and God hasn’t kept this a secret. He’s commanded us to stay alert and watch out. When it comes to maintaining and preserving any blessing in life, relationships or otherwise, we need to be hyper vigilant in prayer and the wisdom of God’s Word. 

Don’t let the enemy steal another opportunity by taking advantage of your lack of faith. Fantasies are not true. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we need to extract them from our expectations about relationships and every other thing, because our most precious treasures can be stolen if we’re not on guard. Our fear and doubt give the enemy an opening to disturb our lives, and if we don’t act wisely and swiftly, a small issue can magnify into something that spoils our blessings and causes them to fall apart. Faith is the answer! Our faith in the Lord must be strengthened. Often this is what our unsettling emotions are about; they point us in the direction of seeking God on a greater level. 

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that it is impossible to please our Heavenly Father without faith. It also tells us that God is a Rewarder, and He rewards those who diligently seek Him. He doesn’t cause the troubling situations that plague our lives, but what the enemy meant for our destruction, our Heavenly Father can turn it around and use it for our good. God is sovereign, and He is always willing and able to help, restore, and plant our feet on higher ground. 1 Peter 5:6-7(NLT) tells us, “6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” So, let’s not give in to disappointment or anxiety. Instead, let’s pray continually to our Heavenly Father in faith and stay strong. He promises that when we do, we will resist the enemy and position ourselves under the Lord’s protection, power, and grace.■  

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

"Don't Let the Enemy Steal Another Opportunity”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2023. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.