The Big One

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Rm 8:35, 37)

THE DEVIL DOESN’T GET TO DECIDE THE ENDING. JESUS IS THE ENDING, and the Holy Spirit living within us is our fail-safe as we walk through life. When we lean on God in us, we will make it through tough moments. But the enemy of mankind does have many methods of attack and many voices he speaks through. He is adept at changing his tone to lure you in this way, instead of that way. Deception is his business. He is the father of lies.

These verses in Romans 8 bring comfort, though. Whether you’re in distress today and famine tomorrow, whether he speaks to you with fear for your children at one moment and anger over their behavior, the next, whatever way the enemy comes, whatever he sounds like, in any method the devil uses, God’s love in us brings victory.

The apostle Paul had this same realization. After enduring a tough demonic attack, wearied, he cried out to God for relief, and God gently reminded him that His grace was sufficient. “I am enough, Paul.” Not, as some think, God telling him he would simply have to survive, but the love of God lifting him up and supporting him. “Just keep standing, and all that I am will give you strength.”

These are Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:13. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” The purpose of wearing the armor is to WITHSTAND. To SURVIVE and QUENCH all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (Eph 6:16) Too often, we focus on the battle, on the endurance, and lose sight of the big win. Jesus has secured it for us. He defeated the enemy and gave us the authority to uphold it.

But the devil likes to dress himself in costume. Not the plastic, red suit. He’s usually not that obvious. No, he’s, more often, in deep disguise, using a voice we are willing to hear. We’re petting the figment of a lion not realizing what’s behind it. (1Pe 5:8) To him, we’re a potential victim, and he has dozens of tricks up his sleeve he’s ready to use to suck us in.

Self-condemnation is a big one. We walk right into this frequently and blame it on God. But Jesus never condemned anyone that came to Him for help. Hopelessness is another. He whispers, “God will never fix this for you,” and, “You have to be this way for the rest of your life.” Hopelessness is always a lie. Sometimes, he makes rebellion look profitable, prosperous, and enjoyable. He hands us the fruit from the tree and twists the Word of God to fit our hunger. He did this to Eve. He did this to Jesus. She gave in. Jesus didn’t.

We have the wisdom of God on our side, though, the very power of the Spirit of the Resurrection Himself, and He knows the depths of God and loves to reveal it to us. (Rm 8:27) Every strategy of the devil is known to Him. He sees our situation clearly and has all the truth we need to overcome. Where our vision is cloudy and we just can’t see how to go forward, He knows the path, and the Word of God, our Savior, lights the way to the Father’s loving hands.

Because that is the heart of salvation, we read in Romans 8:38-39. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Nothing can separate us from Him. Not imminent death, nor any differing demonic powers, nor any height we climb to on our own, nor anything we are forced to endure that we didn’t ask for, nothing will separate us from God’s love. We can rest in Him and stop wasting our days searching for the trap of the enemy, which our loving Father, God, the Almighty, has promised to deliver us from (Psalm 91:3) Yes, there might be a trap, and yes, the devil might have on a new suit, but to God, the darkness and the light are both alike. (Ps 139:1-2,11) He sees us and knows where we are, when we sit down, when we stand up, and we need not fear any evil – EVER.

The love of God, shed on Calvary, assures us of that for an eternity.


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com