Not long ago, I read an account of a young man who, at a younger age, made a costly error in judgment.  Though he received forgiveness from God and his Christian parents, he still was plagued with a sense of shame.

Clearly, demons take fiendish delight in tormenting any person who has sinned (that is includes everyone), anyone one who makes mistakes (who doesn’t?), those who fall short of the expectations they put on themselves, and/or have disappointed the ones who love them most.  And that makes every one of us targets of the enemy’s vicious attacks!

Recently I read in the gospel of Luke the story of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness.  This verse concluded that account: “And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” (Luke 4:13)

Undoubtedly, satan attempts to “devour” us (1 Peter 5:8), tempting us with everything our humanity and flesh finds attractive; however, he is also an opportunist!  Examining the temptations that he carefully couched for our Savior, we can recognize that the devil not only sought to cause Him to sin (in similar ways that satan, himself, fell!), but he also wanted to destroy Christ’s ministry—His outreach to broken, helpless, and hopeless humanity—and His relationship with the Father.

Of course, demons want us to sin, to hamper our communication with God; and experience conveys (and so does scripture – Revelation 12:10), that the enemy also seeks to cast shadows of guilt and shame over our hearts.  Enemy forces seek to destroy our intimacy with the Father; they also seek to damage relationships within the church and our families and render us ineffective regarding our usefulness to God and personal ministry to others. 

Jesus taught, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).  This is who we are designed to be and who “the thief” resolves to destroy: “…the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16) – because demons do not want our Father in heaven glorified!

We are also called and gifted for divine purpose:

 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.  To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

I write about spiritual warfare a lot—I think it is because I have so many, “How did I get here?” moments.  I recognize my propensity to dive into pools of guilt and shame, though; and I realize the enemy, not missing an opportunity, comes along with “helpful” pushes.  And when I see the storm clouds of judgment or legalism brewing, I’m learning to run into the shelter of the cross.

Jesus graphically taught us in the parable of the sower one of the enemy’s opportunistic tactics: “A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it…. Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.” (Luke 8:5, 11-12)

It is easy to dismiss this verse, thinking it just relates to our eternal destiny; however, the Greek word for saved in this verse, (sōzō), also infers making well, healing—restoring to health, being made whole.

I admit, there are pathways in my heart!  Places where God’s Word has difficulty penetrating, places that have been trampled by life—making easy access for the enemy to come along to snatch away from my memory the dynamic truth in God’s Word, causing me to forget the promises, the admonitions, and the hope so abundantly available to God’s children.

The prophet Hosea counsels, “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12)

And the Holy Spirit counsels us through the wisdom writer: “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23). 

Seeking the Lord, guarding our hearts with vigilance, and rejoicing in trials are ways to effect faith-building, light-bearing, and seed-growing change in our lives.

Rejoicing in trials? Yes!  “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4); and, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7).