Don't Let the Thief In

Meditation

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

(John 10:10)

The only thing Satan wants, is to steal our happiness, smash our hopes, and destroy our souls. He tells us it’s okay to sleep with people we’re not married to, to get drunk, or do drugs whenever we feel like it. He makes us think no one will know if we steel something. He doesn’t explain there will be consequences. He lets us find out the hard way about sexually transmitted diseases. He doesn’t warn us about the empty feeling in our hearts from such shallow relationships or the guilt we will certainly feel. He couldn’t care less when we fall into addiction to alcohol and drugs. He wants us to think it’s all about having a good time and doing all the things we want to do. He convinces most of us we’re having a good time. Nothing could be further from the truth. He is a liar and the father of lies!

Our lives can be wearisome at times, so happiness is often fleeting. Satan will attack us whenever he sees we are happy or have triumphed in righteousness. He knows our only hope is in Jesus, so he will try to rob us of even the slightest glimmer of hope. His only purpose is to take as many of us as he can to hell with him when he goes. Don’t be fooled by those who think Satan is sitting on a throne in hell. No, he and his demon angels are roaming the earth looking for anyone they can lead astray. He is a powerful being and we have no hope of defeating him on our own. The best news is, we don’t have to defeat him at all. Jesus has already defeated Satan and stands ready to save us from the ravages of our sins.
When we accept the salvation of Jesus Christ, we are not handed a list of do’s and don’ts. If we are truly in love with Jesus and want to be a fragrant offering to God, the sinful things in our lives will disappear. We don’t magically become perfect, but we become righteous in God’s eyes because we’ve been washed in the blood of Jesus. With our newly found righteous lifestyles, God’s blessing begins to come down to us. Does that mean everything will be wine and roses from then on? No, we will still experience the same problems, sometimes serious trials, but they will be easier to get through because of who we have in our hearts. Jesus wants nothing more than to give us life everlasting, but we must humble ourselves and submit to his lordship. 

Prayer Time

Holy Father you are the light that shines in our hearts. We can only be in awe of your power and might. As powerful as you are, you are still full of mercy and compassion. Please protect us from that prowling wolf, that liar of old, that thief of happiness, that wants to destroy our souls. We are like sheep in the pasture who need to be defended from the savage predators. Some of us wander blindly off and fall victim to the wiles of Satan. However, you have given us a Shepherd who will lead us to safety, if we follow his words. Give us the spiritual perceptiveness to judge between what is good and what is not. We know if anything comes between you and us, or leads us far from you, we must avoid that. Thank you that the new hearts you have given us are filled with love, joy, and hope for the bright future you have purposed. Help us to willingly follow the Holy Spirit’s lead, especially when we’re about to make a bad decision to leave the righteous path. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!