Devotional for April 4

Know That the Lord Is God 

1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100:1-5 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Falling down, distractions, detours, obstacles, and other such things are common to every journey (John 16:33). Such things often take us by surprise, but nothing surprises God. God has already worked out all things for good from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10). The victory that overcomes the world is our faith (1 John 5:4). Here’s how to do it: God has promised, we ask God to fulfil His promise, then we receive the promise (Matthew 7:7-8). The battleground where the good fight of faith takes place is in between the asking and the receiving (James 1:2-8). The helmet of salvation is our assurance of ultimate victory in the war, but there are daily battles still left to be won. Receive the whole armor of God by faith (Ephesians 6:10-18). It is not something we can earn, nor do any of us deserve such a divine super suit. It is a promised gift of God. The Holy Bible is our belt of truth (John 17:17). The righteousness of Jesus Christ is our bulletproof vest (1 Corinthians 1:30), the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God living within us (Hebrews 4:12). The knowledge of the gospel makes us stand ready to resist the devil by raising the shield of faith. All who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ are destined by God to work in faith, to labor in love, and to be patience in hope. The work of faith is the salvation of souls. The labor of love is to bring all to know the living God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. The patience in hope is for the promised inheritance of an eternity where only righteousness dwells. Praise the Lord all you who have been delivered from the wrath to come by our Savior Jesus Christ. Who alone deserves every bit of love and reverence our heart can muster. He will provide you with the power to get His will done. Know the will of God as revealed in His Word and be determined to do it (Romans 12:1-2). Trust and depend on God. Be convinced of the truth, step up into the full armor of God, and take your place in the ranks of the saints (Ezekiel 37:1-10). 

Question

How do we resist the devil?

Answer

By knowing his tactics. His enticements to sin are targeted to each individual to take full advantage of the timing, circumstances, and level of spiritual maturity (James 4:7-10). Satan will not come blowing a trumpet and announcing that such temptations, which are common to all of us (James 4:1-4), are from him (Galatians 5:7-9). The inner tempter will come cloaked in your own thoughts (Isaiah 55:7). Such thoughts become easy to spot once we have totally given ourselves up to Christ (Galatians 6:14). When we are alive to God in Christ and dead to sin in this world (Colossians 3: 1-3), any thoughts not worthy of Christ are to be rejected as not our own (1 Corinthians 2:16), and therefore are to be resisted (2 Corinthians 10:4-6). Fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12-16). Fight, fight, and fight on to the end!

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give me this bread, that he may live in me, and I in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. from the Book of Common Prayer