“O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” Isa. 25:1 (ESV)

Greetings Everyone!

In the past couple of months, we have learned how to defeat Satan through the word of God and obedience. This month, for our final assignment, we will learn about defeating Satan with worship.

As we learned last month, Christ was tempted by Satan after fasting for forty days and forty nights with food because Satan knew that Christ was physically hungry (Matt 4:1-3). Satan knows that when we are weak, it is when He will come to attack us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Christ encourages us to crush Satan with the word of God, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matt 4:4, ESV). Next, Satan misquoted the scripture (Ps. 91:11-12) and was anticipating Christ to sin against God by ordering the angels to protect Him as He jumped off the pinnacle (Matt 4: 5-6), Christ not only used the word of God, He stood in obedience to God, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’”(Matt. 4:7, ESV). Remember, operatives, Satan is not done with Christ nor with you. He has one more attempt to get the Son of God on His team.

Satan took Christ to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory (Matt. 4:8, ESV). Satan presents the world (your life) the way you want to see it without showing your sin. Promising you the world, knowing that his power is limited (Job 1:12). This was his way of ignoring God’s plan and authority (again) for Christ to fall down and worship him (Matt. 4:9) since Satan is the ruler of this world (John 14:30).  Remember operatives, Christ already had authority over the earth. Christ shared this with the eleven disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt. 28:18, ESV). Satan is determined for you to continue your relationship with him, not with God.

I read somewhere that sitting on the fence means that an individual is still sitting with the defeated Satan. Satan owns the fence! That individual has chosen to play for the losing team. The longer a person sits on the fence in Satan's camp, the more likely he or she is going to stay there and never give his or her life completely to Jesus. Now, Going back to Christ, He didn’t waiver. He said to Satan, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve” (Matt. 4:10, ESV). Christ knew that all praises and honor go to God and that God is seeking true worshipers who will worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23). So, ask yourself, are you truly worshipping God? Or are you still sitting on the fence?

Satan is not equal to God, nor does he threaten God’s power (Isa. 45:5-7). Knowing that should encourage us to praise God for all that He has done for us. Your praise and allegiance are with the Heavenly Father. “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker” (Ps. 95:6, ESV)! “Oh, give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples” (Ps. 105:1, ESV)! After Christ defeated Satan with the word of God, obedience, and worship, he was ministered to by the angels, and he started His ministry (Matt. 4: 11, 17). God’s plan will always require you to be tested so that you can be transformed in the likeness of Christ. Stay encouraged, operatives! God has given you the tools to defeat Satan and to use them with obedience, prayer, and studying the Bible. This is your last mission, and I pray that you will accomplish all that God has for you to do.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!