THERE’S A BULLS-EYE ON YOUR BACKSIDE

“If you could sneak into Satan’s office, wherever that might be (he’s not in hell yet), and take a peek into his files, you might be surprised to find a file folder with your name on it. I’m not exaggerating. He keeps a file on you, and inside that file are all the strategies he’s tried on you—the ones that have worked and the ones that have failed” (Quote from Dr. David Jeremiah @ preceptaustin.org).

Akk! Satan is real? He has an office? And he has a file on me?

You betcha!

If you’re a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you’ve got a bulls-eye on your backside. And there is a real battle going on and whether you want to be or not, you’re a warrior.

What kind of warrior? You get to choose. But sometimes we neglect to put on the armor God provides, choosing instead to engage the enemy in our undershorts and we become casualties.

Casualties with broken homes, broken lives, and broken dreams.

“He doesn’t waste his time with the ones that don’t work anymore. Instead, he uses variations on the strategies that have caused you to stumble in the past. As long as they keep working, he keeps using them. Somewhere in that file cabinet there’s a file labeled: Jeremiah, David. In this file, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if there was a notation that reads something like this: Subject may be prone to discouragement, especially if he becomes overly weary. This has worked several times before and seems a promising method of attack. Suggestion: Make sure he stays very busy, overcommitted, and physically tired. At all costs, keep him from extended times of Bible reading and prayer” (Quote from Dr. David Jeremiah@preceptaustin.org).

What would the devil’s file say about you? Or about me?

Like Dr. Jeremiah, I struggle with maintaining any ability to follow those twenty-five instructions we talked about in Ephesians last week when I’m bone weary and overwhelmed with doing. And for years I’ve written I believe one of Satan’s slickest tricks is to keep God’s children running like those furry little creatures on a hav-i-trail. Trapped in busy work, church work. So busy living life in the fast lane—whizzing by important things God would have us do. Confused, irritated, frustrated and missing His blessing.

“So what is Satan’s strategy for me? He looks for ways to discourage me, and if possible, cause me some depression. He will use whatever people, means, or circumstances it takes to achieve his goal.

It’s the same for you. Maybe your file says, “Frequently tempted to gossip,” or “quick temper,” or “prone to coveting and jealousy,” or “weak in the area of lust” (Quote from Dr. David Jeremiah@preceptaustin.org).

And all this time you had no idea you wore a bulls-eye. A bulls-eye meant to harm or destroy you. Most of the time, we’re not even aware there’s a battle.

God tells us Satan is the prince of the power of the air. And if we could see the spiritual world around us it would scare the bejeebers out of us.

We forget Satan is a toothless lion for the bought-and-paid-for believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are a child of God, because of the mercy and grace of God and because of the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, the only power Satan has in your life is what God allows or what you surrender to this enemy. That’s why God tells us to “walk in a manner worth of our calling with which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1 NAS). So we don’t give him an opportunity to get a foot in the door.

How do we get through this mine field of life? Maybe we should hide in the church or under the covers? Right?

Of course not, that’s what the enemy hopes you’ll do. And that’s where the politically correct church in America is today—drowning in fear. Fear of doing saying or standing for something unpopular. They attempt to blend with the scenery, elevating wallflower to a new level of insignificance.

Jesus instructs to “…walk in the Spirit so you will not fulfill the deeds of the flesh.” And get dressed for battle in the armor He provides.

• Gird your loins with His Truth – saturate your mind with scripture

• Put on the breastplate of righteousness – do what is right and good

• Put your feet in the shoes of the gospel of peace – maintain a sure-footed confidence where you stand

• Take up the shield of faith – answer every doubt, trial, and request with complete confidence in The Lord God Almighty and the promises of the Word.

• Put on the helmet of salvation – be absolutely sure you are a born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, forgiven and placed in the Kingdom of God

• And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God – be ready to give an answer to those attacks with the written Word of God you’ve committed to memory

But you say I just want to love everybody, I didn’t sign up to fight a war. Well, dear friend, love isn’t warm fuzzies. If you say no to your child about something that will hurt them, does that mean you don’t love them? Of course not, you say no because you do love them. In the same way, we are to say no to things that will harm us, destroy our children, and corrupt our nation.

God didn’t tell us to charge. He told us to stand firm! After we are dressed in the armor He provides, we are to dig in and to boldly stand firm in His truth.

“Don’t kid yourself, he knows very well where your vulnerabilities lie. It’s all in his file. You’ve heard, perhaps, that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. That’s very good news, but it is also true that Satan hates you and has a plan and strategy to destroy your walk with Jesus Christ” (Dr. David Jeremiah@ preceptaustin.org).

But believer, you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and instructed to daily wash yourselves with the water of the Word. And therein lies the problem. We walk the aisle pledging our faith in what Jesus did to save us, we get baptized, and we take our seat in the pew. Relaxed. Finished. Smile pasted on our faces thinking we’re done.

Oh no, we’ve only just begun. Begun the journey to know God, His promises, who He is, and what He is going to do. Learning about the power He gives His children to make it through this journey here on earth.

The Word tells us:

“Study to show yourselves approved unto God, a workman needing not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
You can’t live, teach or share what you don’t know. And that’s why our kids have gone crazy. We haven’t taught them God’s Word ‘cause we didn’t take the time to know God’s Word ourselves. And maybe our parents didn’t know either.

Victory in the battle comes with desiring and seeking to know the Word of God. Knowing and trusting in His promises. It’s a process, precious one, so you’d best get started…today!