Saturday, July 08, 2006

Sa Tan

The coach shouted instructions to the players frantically, hoping to win the mindset of the opponent, the reward? A goal for the winning team. The devil whispering lies into our mind, the reward? Another lost soul, back slide by his deceptions...

The violent rages of a father. The secret binges of a mother. The sudden rebellion of a teenager. Maxed-out credit cards. Internet pornography. Satan does not sit still. Spiritual warfare as much as you can deny, it is real...

Self-imposed pain. The demoniac used rocked. We are more sophisticated; we use drugs, sex, work, violence, & food. Obsession with death & darkness. Even unchained, the wild man loitered among the dead. Evil feels at home there. Communing with the deceased, sacrificing the living, a morbid fascination with death & dying - this is not the work of God...

Endless restlessness. The man on the eastern shore screamed the day & night [Mark 5:5] Isolation. The man is all alone in his suffering. Such is Satan’s plan. "Be well balanced [temperate, sober of mind], be vigilant & cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon & devour." 1 Peter 5:8 [Amplified Bible] Fellowship will foils his work. & Jesus. Jesus wrecks his work. Christ steps out of the boat with both pistols blasting. "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" [Mark 5:8 NASB]. No chitchat, No niceties. No salutations. Demons deserve no tolerance. They throw themselves at the feet & mercy of Christ...

"My name is Legion; for we are many." & he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. [Mark 9-10, NASB] Legion is a Roman military term. A roman legion involved six thousand soldiers. To envision that many demons inhabiting this man is frightening but not unrealistic. The demons are not only numerous, they are equipped. A legion is a battalion in arms. Satan & his friends come to fight. Hence, we are urged to 'take the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, & having done everything, to stand firm" [Eph. 6:13]

"We are fighting against forces & authorities & against rulers of darkness & powers in the spiritual world" [Eph 6:12 CEV]. The devil is a strong devil. But and this is the point of passage, in Jesus's presence, the devil is a wimp. Satan is to Jesus what a mosquito is to an atomic bomb. How hell's court cowers in Christ's presence! Demons bow before him, solicit him, & obey him. They can't even lease a pig without His permission. Then how do we explain Satan's influence? Satan can disturb us, but he cannot defeat us. The head of the serpent is crushed by Jesus! Halleluiah! Thank you Jesus...

"God disarmed the evil rulers & authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross of Christ." [Col. 2:15 NLT] So how does that leave us? Confident. The punch line of the passage is Jesus' power over Satan. One word from Christ, & the demons are swimming with the swine, & the wild man is 'clothed and in his right mind" [Mark 5:15] Just one command! No séance needed. No hocus-pocus. No chants were heard or candles lit. Hell is an anthill against heaven's steamroller. Jesus "commands...evil spirits, & they obey Him" [Mark 1:27 NCV] The snake in the ditch & Lucifer in the pit- both have met their match...

And yet, both stir up dust long after their defeat. For that reason through confident, we are still careful. Satan spooks our work, disrupts our activities, & leaves us thinking twice about where we step. Which we need to do. Alertness is needed. Panic is not. The serpent still wiggles & intimidates, but he has no poison. He is defeated, and he knows it! "He knows his time is short" [Rev. 12:12 CEV]...

"Little children, you are of God [you belong to him] & have [already] defeated & overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He who lives in you is greater [mightier] than he who is in the World. [1 John 4:4 Amplified Bible]. Believe it. Trust the work of your Savior. "So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], & he will flee from you. [James 4:7 Amplified Bible] "Draw near to God & He will draw near to you." [James 4:8 NASB]...

Inspired by:

Max Lucado

28 comments:

Kitty Cheng said...

Inspiring! Yes let's draw close to God all the time :)

Anonymous said...

the devil will not win with God on our side. he will be the loser forever.

audrey` said...

Hi brother

Our dearest Kitty has posted alot on deep, thought-provoking materials.
HeHe!
Please go and read :)

Godwyn Lim said...

Kitty Amen! Let draw closer to the Lord day by day ya:-)

Have a good week ahead!

Godwyn Lim said...

PIA I fully agree with you! The devil is under our feet always. Thanks for dropping by!

Have a bless week! God Bless!

Godwyn Lim said...

Sister Audrey,

I did notice that on Kitty's blog. She is highly led by the Holy Spirit ya!

I will go & read up more...have a great week ahead! May the Lord Bless you & keep you!

Anonymous said...

Very good. I always pictur the devil as a little kitten. It says in the bible that he has a roar like a roaring lion. Well picture a kitten with that roar. It souds mean and tough. But it isn't. The devil can be kicked around just like the kitten(I'm not saying it's ok to kick kittens). It is so true to the closer we get to God the closer He gets to us. It's just like studying for school. The more you studied the better you did on the test. The more we read God's word the better our knowledge becomes of our Heavenly Father. HAve a great weekend.

Godwyn Lim said...

Hi Pastor Josh,

Thank you for your comments. I really appreciate your words as they are always encouraging:-)

I like the part you describe about the kittens! New revelation!

Have a good weekend. God Bless!

David Meigs said...

You have a nice blog here.

The devil's time is short and he's desperate.

Godwyn Lim said...

Thank you for your kind comments:-)

Desperate & Short the Devil is!

Have a bless week ahead!

God Bless!

jel said...

Hi Godwyn,

hope you are doing well, will be back to read your post later!

take care

Rulan said...

Yes, we need to stand firm and believe in the One we belond to, the King of kings and Lord of Lords.

Resist the devil and he will flee.

Have a great week and God bless.

melinda m said...

Beautifully written Godwyn! I'm hearing Jason Upton singing "it's all in the Blood, it's all in the Blood, it's all in the Blood of the Lamb ---JESUS------" REV 12:10

You rock friend....

An Ordinary Christian said...

"Alertness is needed. Panic is not." Indeed. Thankfully, God will "work all things together for good for those who love God and are the called according to His purpose." Warfare is real. Walk circumspecfully is my prayer and hope and I will trust in my God who is faithful to deliver and will deliver, on Whom I have set my hope!

Godwyn Lim said...

*Hugs*

Sister Janice you are back online! We miss you heaps!

Have a great weekend ahead! God Bless!

Godwyn Lim said...

Amen! sister Rulan! Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of the Lords...

We are the Children of the most high God:-)

Have a great weekend ahead!

Godwyn Lim said...

Sister Melinda,

Jesus Rock Amen! Not me, its all about Him...Christ Jesus

Have a great weekend ahead! Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos on your blog!

May the Lord Bless you & Keep you:-)

Godwyn Lim said...

Sister Andrea,

Our hope is on Jesus! The faithful one, who will never change, yesterday, today or tomorrow:-)

What a great God we have! Have a great weekend! Enjoy His blessings...

Anonymous said...

Hi Godwyn
when God is with us, who can be against us? ^_^ I pray that all things are well with you~ Take care and continue to draw strength from our wellspring of Life~
God bless, rachel

audrey` said...

How are you, brother?
How about your sister?
Take care :)

Godwyn Lim said...

*Hug* Sister Audrey & Janice,

Greeting to all brothers & Sisters In Christ!

Sorry I haven't completed the new entry for the blog that I am drafting...

My workload is quite heavy & last few days I'm been sick with my tummy; the doctor disgnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome [IBS] due to STRESS, work has to continue in the meantime...with many 'deadlines' Hanging near...

Pray for me:-) By His Stripes, I am Healed! As the Lord said, It is finished! Finished it shall be. God Bless:-)

Jesus & Godwyn Love All!

jel said...

Brother Godwyn,
sorry your are sick, know you are in my prayers,

thank you for stopping by

God Bless you and yours

((((((huggs)))))))

Anonymous said...

Thanks very much for your post. I have been going through some guilt issues, wondering whether or not God has really forgiven me for past mistakes. But thanks, now I'm beginning to see just how AMAZING and GREAT God is. Jesus is lord, through His death I live.. Thanks again.

jel said...

hi brother godwyn,

praying that you are doing better

and your family!


God bless
huggs

audrey` said...

Thank you so much for your words of comfort :)

Are you feeling better now?
Take care.

Godwyn Lim said...

Sister Audrey & Janice,

Thank you for your concern & prayers, I have not been very well physically.

Apart from my Irritable Bowel, my body developed gastric flu. I had consulted the medical physician & was given new medication.

My tummpy keep on aching & I develop sharp pain on & off. I felt better today & surely I am recovering with Abba's loving kindness & tender mercy.

I miss writing new entries, I expect myself to be well by this weekend through the broken body of Jesus that brings eternal healing for all of us!

May the Lord bless all the brothers & sisters in Christ! Just pray for me when time permits, I really want to get well soon...God Bless!

Unknown said...

Godwyn,

I have not been blogging lately and so I did not know that you have been ill. May God continue to help you and heal you according to His riches and grace.

Godwyn Lim said...

Hello Brother Kevin,

I haven't been 'blogging' as well due to poor health.

Today is one of the best day I felt since the past 15 days.

Thank you for your kind words, surely the Lord had healed me as every illness is taken away on the cross by Christ's broken body!

May the Lord bless you & your family for all things to be well above all:-)