Satan and Other Stuff I Don’t want to Think About, part 2

Bagpipes echo “Amazing Grace” as Billy Graham’s casket is taken from his memorial service under a tent in his birthplace of Charlotte, North Carolina Friday. I was only able to catch the second half of the service on TV, but it brought me to tears with awe and gratitude that we have the privilege of telling people about Jesus.

Billy wasn’t infallible, but he got a lot right. And the big thing I see is that he simply shared the truth from God’s Word. Period. He marinated in it. It was naturally a part of his vocabulary.

Monday I confessed that I don’t give Satan enough thought.  I wrote about my need (maybe yours too?) for a corrected, healthy awareness of Satan and his agenda. Satan’s agenda is to separate us from God. His M.O.? Lies.

He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 NASB

When Jesus goes into the wilderness, Satan uses three lies to tempt Him (Matthew 4). Satan basically tempted Jesus (and tempts each of us) to buy into false identities. A few that he uses are:

• You are what you do. (performance)
• You are what you have. (possessions)
• You are what others think. (popularity)

Each time Jesus is tempted, He responds with God’s Word.  “For no word from God will ever fail.”  (Luke 1:37)

The great thing is that just before His temptation, Jesus has had His true self reinforced by God who says “You are my Son with whom I am well pleased”.

He says this to Jesus BEFORE Jesus has DONE anything! So cool! We are beloved, NO MATTER WHAT. That is our true self.

What are the most predominant lies that Satan tempts you to believe? Does he taunt…

“You’re defective.”

The truth is “you are fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:14)

“God doesn’t care about you.” 

The truth is He will “never leave or forsake you.”  (Deuteronomy 31:6 ) He “loves you with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

“This situation is irredeemable . You are irredeemable.”

God “has redeemed you.” He has “called you by name.” You are His. (Isaiah 43:1) “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) “Nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

“God can’t use you! You’re too _______________(old, dumb, poor, fat, shy, anxious, damaged…) You’re not good enough.”

You are “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) “You can do all things through Him who gives you strength.” Philippians 4:13

“The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the parts we see and the parts we don’t…You are Christ’s body—that’s who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your ‘part’ mean anything.” (1 Cor. 12:25, 27 MSG)

So, friends, let’s get out there, aware that we’re in a battle, not afraid of Satan, but strengthened by God’s truth. When you’re taunted with lies of “not enough”, hear God say loudly, as He did to Adam:

And may we fight with the truth in such a way that the Evil One says each morning, “Oh crap! She’s up!”