In the
Garden Satan commenced his ‘game plan.’ Distort God’s word plain and
straightforward word. Cause a person to doubt that God means what He says.
Destroy the relationship between the person and his or her Lord through
unbelief leading to disobedience and into despair. That’s all wrapped up in a
three letter word – sin!
The 39
books of the Old Testament record time after time how successful this approach
has been. Fortunately, there were those who stood true to the revealed word of
God, although they messed up in their personal lives. Then came Jesus! As the
Second Adam He faced the full force of the Devil’s master plan. How did Jesus
as the Second Adam prevail? By correctly interpreting, quoting and applying
Scripture. “It is written” was the Son of Man’s sword which sent the Devil
sulking to ‘lick’ his wounds.
Yahweh
has spelt out His masterplan. The Devil doesn’t want you to read it, believe it
or share it. He uses everything in his arsenal to deafen a person to God’s
word. As soon as the early Church began its outreach with “It is written” the
Devil tried to deface the message and offer either alternatives or adversaries
to crush it. The book of Acts is an account of the conflict. Perhaps the most
succinct book in the New Testament revealing his infiltration and perverting is
Jude. Revelation 2 and 3 also tells a similar story. What promises victory?
Summed up in the phrase “that which has been delivered once and for all (time).
That is, the message of the cross and the person and victory of Jesus! Righty
dividing and applying God’s word confronts the half-truths, misquoting and outright
lies of the deceiver.
However,
those who belong to the Lord have a personal responsibility necessary to ensure
victory. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ‘Though we walk in the flesh, we are not carrying
on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the
weapons of our warfare are not physical, but they are mighty before God for the
overthrown and destruction pf strongholds. [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments
and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up
against the knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive
into the obedience of Christ (Amplified version).
What Eve,
then Adam failed to do in Eden continues to be a challenge for their
descendants who follow Christ Jesus as Saviour and Lord. That is, lead every
thought and purpose captive by obedience to Christ and His word. I find this a
constant challenge. Whether it is pride, pleasure, ignorance or indifference I
will sometimes be led on a detour from doing what God’s word says. I then find that
my spiritual ‘arm’ is lead’ and my stamina as the Lord’s soldier had evaporated.
Getting off the detour, taking refuge in the grace of the Lord and accepting
His discipline is the only way to tackling the Devil’s strategies. We are only
overcomers by being faithful to the Overcomer, Jesus! We can only be faithful
through knowing His word and growing in His grace. We will ever only thwart the
Devil’s game place when we are people of sincerity and pure motives and speak
the word of God in Christ and in the sight and presence of God. (check 2
Corinthians 2:17)
Remember
as servants, we are accountable to the Master. As soldiers, the Lord of Hosts
will inspect. As saints, our relationship to the Redeemer will be scrutinized.
As witnesses to the game plan of the Lord our defence and promotion of it will
be evaluated.
Our
prayer must include “Lord, teach me your word. Lord keep me faithful. Lord,
stand with me so that I will stand true to you!”
