Not Today Satan

Do you ever have those times where you feel like the enemy is constantly whispering lies into your life? Like, "Hey girl (or boy), you know you're not good enough, right? You're never going to accomplish what you've set out to do. You don't measure up. You don't belong. You've failed too many times. You'll never achieve greatness. Just quit. It's not worth it. You're not worth it."

Blah blah blah blah lies lies lies lies. 

I seriously can't stand Satan, y'all. Is that bad? Nah, because he's bad. He's deceitful. He's a liar. In fact, the Bible calls him the father of all lies. He has one goal and that is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He aims every single day to tear us down, to destroy relationships, to make us feel unworthy and inadequate. 

And I'm not okay with that. And neither is Jesus... because John 10:10 as mentioned above isn't finished at the steal/kill/destroy part. Jesus goes on to say, "BUT I have come to give you life and life more abundantly."

I don't know about y'all but I want to live an abundant, overflowing, full-to-the-brim, cup-runneth-over, joy-filled life, and I personally am sick of seeing Satan try to take that away and get in the way of our dreams and goals. 

But that's just it, friends. Satan has already lost. Christ won the battle the moment He ripped that veil from top to bottom and rose again for us, for ALL of us. Satan knows that he has lost; he's not a complete dummy.Though he knows he's ultimately lost, he's still going to try to take as many people down with him as he can. This is where our fight comes in. Scripture calls us to live a life full of abandon and one that is in passionate pursuit of Jesus. James 4:7 calls us to submit to God first. Then we are to resist the devil, and he will flee from us

All too often I feel that we allow earthly circumstances to take our eyes off the eternal connections we should be making. Talking to myself here first and foremost.

I so desperately want Jesus to be at the center of every facet of my life. In my marriage, my friendships, my job, my volleyball team, my hobbies, my thoughts, my words, and my actions. I let small things try to take that focus away at times. This is where I cling to Psalms 37:4. This verse tells us that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, He gives us the desires of our heart. 

Can I share some personal examples of my desires with you? (Eeek... transparency is what helps us connect to others, right?) 

Oh, how I desperately want my marriage to be Christ-centered and Kingdom-focused. I want to build my sweet husband up in Jesus' name and support, love, and cherish him all the days of my life. 

Do I fail? Wowza, you have no idea. Poor hubby receives the worst of me often times. Like the following: "Chad, I'm going to punch you in the throat if you leave one more dish in that sink. The dish fairy has left the buidling!" LOL just kidding, I would never actually punch him in the throat; I would probably just think about it a little. Or a lot. Just kidding again... maybe. But let me tell you what, that sweet husband of mine responds with so much grace and love that it amazes me on the daily. Marriage has revealed to me that I'm stubborn, hard-headed, and selfish.... ouch, that hurt to even type out. 

But you know what else marriage has revealed to me? That marriage is a picture of Christ beautifully demonstrating His intimate relationship with His Bride the Church... that no matter how many times we fail, or run full-force in the opposite direction, or say something we immediately regret, He bestows grace upon grace always. He casts our sins as far as the east is from the west, and He's already nailed them to the cross. We can take much comfort in that. 

Another desire I have is that my students and my volleyball team will be highly successful in the classroom and on the court. But ultimately, I so passionately and desperately want them to know Jesus intimately and to find their worth in Him. To use the gifts He's given them for His glory alone. To see that these seasons in their lives are preparing them for the greatness God has for their futures. 

Will there be failures, set backs, fears, and tears? You betcha. The tears will probably be coming from me, but ya know, haha. It's like I tell my team all the time: when trials come, we can get bitter or we can get better. Satan wants us to get bitter because that means he has stolen our joy, whether it's for the moment, the day, the month, or an entire lifetime. It's our choice how we respond. Where do our desires lie? Are we seeking joy in earthly, fleeting moments? Or are we investing in God's Kingdom and keeping our eyes on the eternal? 

Side note: I mean if we are speaking of desires here... if my kiddos ace some English tests/concepts and win some state championships in the process, I'd be pretty cool with that, too. :-) Joy, sweet joy!

Sweet friends, I really just wanted you to know that if you struggle with falling prey to Satan's lies and schemes, you are not alone. God's Word is packed full of powerful truths of who we truly are, and sometimes we just need a recharge and refresher course on who we can be and who we are in Christ. Romans 8 tells us that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. That chapter of Romans was and is incredibly freeing for me, and I pray you can take comfort in it as well. If you need something to fire you up and prepare you to successfully battle daily against Satan, read Romans 8 a few times, hehe. Like the saying goes: if that don't light your fire, your wood is wet. 

Ultimately, if there's anything I want you to grasp hold of the most from this post, it would be this: 

You are loved. (John 3:16)

You are forgiven. (Colossians 1:14)

You are accepted. (Romans 15:7) 

You are God's workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)

You are complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)

Though Satan may bruise our heel, we crush his head through the wonder-working power of Jesus, my friends. Buh-bye, little Satan sir. My friends and I are in full surrender to our Savior who has already crushed that measly little head of yours with the cross. #nottodaysatan

What a Savior. Oh, how He loves us. 

Love & Blessings, 

Claire

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