June 10, 2013 … Do We Threaten the Darkness?

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 161

Passage of the Day #1: Acts 19: 15 [Do the demons know and fear you? ] [NLT] …  
15 But when they [a group of Jews trying to cast out demons in Jesus’ name] tried it on a man possessed by an evil spirit, the spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul. But who are you?”  
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 Contextual Study for today’s passage: Acts, Chapter 19 [NLT] … Go to this link … 
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Reference Passage #1: 1st John 4: 4 [Why Satan knows you’re a threat.] [NLT] …  
4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

Reference Passage #2: Acts 1: 8 [Jesus declared why you will be empowered as His witnesses.] [NLT] …
" ... 8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Reference Passage #3: John 16: 33 [As Christians we can expect Satan to give us trouble. ] [NLT] …  
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Reference Passage #5: 1st Corinthians 10: 13 [God, our Father, will never allow us into any hot situation we cannot handle as His children.] [NLT] …  
13 But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.

My Journal for Today: In his devotional for this date, Os Hillman poses an interesting hypothetical scenario. Take his questions for our discussion: …  
... “ Are you a threat to the kingdom of darkness? If Satan and his demons had a board meeting and your name came before the board, what would they say? Would they say that you are one of their most feared enemies and they needed to keep many demons harassing and opposing you? Or would they say, ‘Gentlemen, this person poses no threat to our activities. Leave him alone. He needs no help from us.’ There are millions of church-going believers sitting in pews Sunday after Sunday who pose little threat to the kingdom of darkness.” 

Well, what do you think Satan and his demons are saying about us? Are we a threat to Satan and his system, the world? Do we feel his heat in our life? Or do we fell like we’re floating, unchallenged, through life with no trials or troubles brought on from the kingdom of darkness?

 Jesus expects us to be His empowered witnesses in this world (see the Lord’s charge in Acts 1: 8 above); and He tells us that we can expect trials in this world (see John 16: 33a). But God’s word also tells us that He has overcome the world and that the power we have as His witnesses is greater than any power Satan can muster from the world (see 1st John 4: 4, also above).

So, my dear fellow Christian, if you’ve been feeling like you’re swimming up stream against the forces of evil or the world, … take heart. You’re likely headed in the right direction; and we always need to remember – as Christians – God will never allow us to be confronted by any temptation, trial, or trouble in our life without being faithful to give us the way of escape or the power to handle that trial (that’s God’s promise, not mine! – see 1st Cor. 10: 13).

So, here we go today; and as we come up against the trials of life, especially those we feel are Satan’s challenges, let’s praise God and move on in Christ’s Name!

My Prayer for Today … Oh, Lord, help me today to use Your power for my witness in Your Name. … Amen