Together Forever Vol.3
The Devil’s Strategy
Beloved friends, the devil’s major strategy is to do maximum damage - to humanity. He knows there’s only one item on God’s agenda - the salvation of mankind, so his priority is to ensure that this objective is not achieved.
One of the ways the devil does this is to distract Christians from fulfilling the purpose for which they have been saved. Rather than fighting the devil, who is our no one enemy, Christians fight each other, especially Christian couples.
Beloved, the devil is really smart, and we need to be aware of his tactics. He knows the power of synergy - 2 > 1, so his priority is to break homes into individual units. The point is this, marriage was God’s own idea. It was His making. God did not intend for man to be alone, hence He created a help meet, a suitable companion for man. But look at what the devil did, right from the Garden of Eden; he introduced confusion and suspicion into marriage. He created doubt in the mind of the woman - “hath God said”? Unfortunately, the woman allowed herself to be fooled into disobedience bringing a curse upon the human race. But thanks be to God for making a way of escape for us, through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He has redeemed us from the curse brought upon us by the disobedience of Adam & Eve.
Entertaining the Devil?
Rather than many of us learning our lessons from man’s original fall, many Christian couples still allow the devil to interfere in their relationships. The point is not to give him an audience at all. Eve entertained the devil, by engaging herself in a conversation with him. The Bible admonishes us to “resist the devil, and he will flee” from us.
The Bible describes Satan as the author of confusion, the accuser of the brethren. What he does is to accuse a man before his wife or vice versa. Many of us leave our minds open for the enemy to come in. Suspicion is something that takes place in our thoughts, and as we entertain it, it will manifest itself in so many ways. Once suspicion steps in, trust, which is the bedrock on which a marriage is built, begins to wane. Beloved, do not give the devil room in your home; don’t entertain him as a guest, neither should you give him a ride in your car. Otherwise, before you know it, he’d take over your home, or the driver’s seat of your car. This is why many marriages are in jeopardy today.
Who is the Foe?
Once the devil is able to distract us from focusing on our call and on what we’ve been saved to do - preach the gospel - he has achieved his objective. The devil never likes Christian couples to unite and fight against him. He prefers that they fight each other, and that way he is able to distract them fully. T.D.Jakes said “it is a regrettable state when men who have a common foe will fight each other”. The devil does this in the church as a whole, and much more in Christian homes. Tell me, how can you pray together or do things when you are busy fighting each other? The Bible says it is where there is unity that God commands His blessing.
Unity Commands Blessing
Do you want your home to be blessed? Then maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Love suffers long, and is kind. Love is not easily provoked. Much more, where true love is, there will be no room for fear - for perfect love casts out fear.
Take Stock!
As we slowly come to the end of another year, this is the time for you to take stock of your lives together; take stock of your marriage. What has it been like this year? Did you create room for the devil to come in and cause maximum damage?
The Christ of Christmas
The ‘Season of Goodwill’ is here again. It is the time for us to remember God’s love and eternal purpose for mankind. It is not His will for any to perish. Christ came in humility, not with pomp and piety as the Jews expected. Perhaps, we can learn from His example of humility and simplicity. Pride and the unwillingness to forgive are agents the devil uses to destroy marriages. Each one seeks revenge. We feel disappointed in the way our spouses have treated us because of the exaggerated value we have placed on ourselves.
Have the Mind of Christ
Perhaps if we can sit back and think of how often we have acted wrongfully toward God, and how often He forgives us, it will give us a totally different perspective to our marriage relationship. Therefore, as Paul the Apostle urges us, “Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus, who, though He was God, did not demand and cling to His rights as God, but laid aside His mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men. And He humbled Himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross. Yet it was because of this that God gave Him a Name which is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father’ (Phil.2: 5-11, Living Bible). Also, in Isaiah 53: 7-10, the Bible reminds us of the attitude of Christ, in the face of injustice: ‘He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He never said a word. He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He stood silent before the ones condemning Him. From prison and trial they led Him away to His death. But who among the people of that day realized it was their sins that He was dying for – that He was suffering their punishment? He was buried like a criminal in a rich man’s grave; but He had done no wrong, and had never spoken an evil word. Yet it was the Lord’s good plan to bruise Him and fill him with grief’. (Living Bible).
‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9:6).
It is my sincere prayer that you would invite the Prince of peace into your home, and give Him the opportunity to transform your home into the place of His abode. I pray that His peace, which passes all understanding will keep your heart and mind through the knowledge of Christ Jesus Our Lord. Beloved, if Christ overcame, in the face of the injustice He suffered, you will overcome in your home, as you take His yoke upon you and learn from Him. Remember, His yoke is easy; His burden is light.
Jehovah Shalom!