Becoming a New Creature in Christ

The only thing Satan has to use against us is a lie, just as he presented to Eve in the garden of Eden. That's all he has. If we are in Christ we have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb from sin and from Satan's power of darkness (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13; Rev. 5:9). We are new creatures in Christ and all of God's promises are FOR us, which includes eternal life as well as many much needed blessings while we are here. The only way we can miss out on these things is if we deprive ourselves of God's will being done in our lives by believing Satan's lies. God wants everything good for us, and the devil wants everything bad for us, including missing out on eternal life. God is very good, and the devil is very bad. It's just that simple. Both are speaking to us, and whether we are blessed or not depends on which voice we are believing. It was no trick of God that he put Adam and then Eve in the garden of Eden, a place so perfect and beautiful that we cannot comprehend it. They literally had the world at their disposal, and God only gave Adam one instruction to keep, to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, lest he die for doing so (Gen. 2:17). But Satan deceived the serpent, and the serpent came and presented a lie to Eve: "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die" (Gen. 3:4). Eve believed the serpents lie, and Adam followed suit with his wife, and the rest is very unfortunate history. Since then God has made himself known to man throughout history, and obedience to his word has always been the standard. Those who have believed and obeyed God's word have prospered, and those who have disbelieved and disobeyed have not. Now God has pulled out all the stops and sent his only begotten Son to suffer and die in our place, that we might be ransomed from sin and death thereby. What else can he do to show the greatness of his love and good-will toward mankind, even though by and large his love has been rejected by man through the ages?

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (Jn. 3:16). Not only has God graphically proven that he wants to save our souls, but he has also provided every promise imaginable to literally bless us out of our socks on the way! So why would we deprive ourselves of any of this bliss that God has so desired for us to have? Well, I'll give you a clue; it's still the same old song and dance that started in the garden there with Eve. The only way we manage to miss out on any of God's blessings that Jesus died for us to have, is if we just don't really believe them. And in order for us to disbelieve the word of God, we actually have to believe a lie from Satan. Disbelief in the word of God leaves a void in our mind that is quickly filled with a lie of the devil. That is why the apostle Paul gave us the following exhortation: "(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (II Cor. 10:4,5). It is the mind that Satan appeals to because that is where everything begins for us that ends up being what comes from our hearts. God's mind and will toward us is clear, as the scripture declares: "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (II Cor. 1:19,20). God is not confused about what he wants for us, and he did not send his Son to die for us to have a 'mixed bag.' He wants good for us, and he wants us to be blessed, even as the quoted verse states. It is Satan who is the author of confusion, and it is he who introduces that confusion to us about what God wants for us. Again, the will of God is very clear regarding us: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together... He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8:16,17,30,31)

If we abide in Christ in holiness, and are willing to suffer reproach with him, then there is no demonic force on earth that can rob of us what God has provided for us in Christ. The devil knows this, so he throws every lie at us that he thinks will discourage us and turn us aside to sin, where we put ourselves in the position that God cannot bless us as he desires. That conflict will not cease while we are in this life, but the good news is that we just don't have to believe the devil's lies, or be deprived of God's goodness and fellowship. Peter gave us the remedy for not being caught off guard by Satan and being overcome by his lies, which lies also transfer quite often to feelings; and I mean bad ones too: "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (I Pet. 5:7,8). Paul also admonished us about this spiritual warfare that all who are in Christ are subject to: "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil... Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked... Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Eph. 6:13,16,18). Satan lost out with God a long time ago, and he wants nothing more than for us to join him in his misery of wicked unbelief. He is envious of our redemption, and he hates the redeemed like none other. Nonetheless his lies and intimidation are no match for the steadfast heart and mind of a true believer that refuses to give up the lot of his inheritance to him. He cannot take it from us, so let's not give it to him by believing a lie. Amen.