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_________________________________________________________ My book, “Sings of Hope: Ways to survive in an Unfriendly World,” is an ideal Christmas present for those on your list who may be battling anxiety,fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, hopelessness, and the many other usual suspects. There is a special Christmas sale going on right now. In the stores the book is $19.99, but is you order from this site, it is only $15.99. The shipping is cut in half as well. You will need to order by December 17th to make sure you get the book in time.
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Today’s excerpt is chapter 15. It talks about how Satan is a real schemer, and will do what ever he can to sways you away from God. Prayer is one way to stay strong.
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Chapter 15
ASAP: Always Say a Prayer
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
Satan is a very methodical schemer. He will slowly change your thinking through doubts, fear, suspicions and nagging negative thoughts.
We all face rejection. I sure did as a child when I was around 8 or 9 years old. I think the word bully was created at my grade school! I was just a kid who wanted to be accepted by other kids, and there were some times when the school bully would find me on the playground and pick on me. He was relentless. He usually tried to get me in a fight with him and I’d crawl away like a snail trying to get away from salt. This made me feel helpless. It took me several years to overcome my fear of more failure.
What I didn’t know was that this same bully was just a person like me who had the same doubts and fears and was desperately trying to cover up for it.
The only bully I deal with now is Satan. He has challenged me to many fights, and I have taken him on, matching blow for blow. With God in my corner of the ring, I know I can battle with all the weapons I need.
First Corinthians10:13helps us by saying: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
I realize that Paul can be long-winded—like some pastors in our churches—but what he is saying in a few words is that God knows all the devious tricks that Satan can think of, and He will never let you be forced into anything you cannot handle.
I wish as a young child that I would have been told about this promise. I would not have backed down and would have taken on any consequences that may have happened, knowing that God was there for me.
Did you miss the line that says God will provide a way out—a way to escape? That is our ticket, and we never have to back down again. God is there for us. He will see us through and will not let us face more than we can endure.
The best way to fight Satan and all of his negative thoughts is through prayer—and lots of it. We need to praise God in our prayers. Nothing chases Satan away faster than praise to God. We can also seek the Holy Spirit to be there to help us and then depend on Him!
Of course, it’s much easier to quit—to give in or to give up. It takes mountains of faith and prayer to withstand the attacks of Satan. There will always be an avalanche of doubts and fears from Satan—he is a master at it.
It’s then we need to remember one extremely important thing: God is on our side.
Paul said if God is for us who can be against us (see Romans8:31). God wants to help us through the mire, because He loves us.
Another way to look at it is to think of God as a computer geek. When I first heard the word “geek,” I thought someone was calling another person something akin to a moron. But to be called a geek is a compliment in the computer world. It means that person is one smart dude!
God is an excellent computer geek. He can reprogram the computer that is your mind better than Bill Gates can reprogram a computer with his latest software. I have nothing but high praise for Bill Gates and his contributions to the computer world, but only God can reprogram minds—Bill Gates is limited to reprogramming computers.
God has the power to filter out the negative thoughts and replace them with positive spiritual thinking. As we allow God to help us separate out the garbage, we start to see how He can transform even the most depressed mind—one like mine was.
I was on the edge of the abyss. I was letting Satan control my thoughts, and when I saw the above verses, and others like them, I slowly fought back with God’s help. Now I have all the armor I need to withstand Satan’s attacks.
In with the new—out with the old. In with the cleansing fluid—out with the stench. In with the positive—out with the negative. In with God’s love—out with Satan’s hatred.
I think you get the picture. Now do something about it. Put on God’s armor and take on that bully right now. Punch him right in the nose, and send him packing.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:12
Further Adventures
I realize that I was very simplistic in my approach to handling life’s troubles. It is not easy to fight off the negative, undermining and persistent attacks of Satan and his merry men. But! Do not give in. NEVER give in! You have millions of angels, along with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to fight on your side. All you have to do is ask them to help you and they will be there. If they are all on your side, who can be against you? No one! (Read Romans 8:31.)
Something to Ponder
Isn’t it funny that we feel we are alone sometimes, even though God is with us all the time?