Written by: John Sernaque
Call to Worship
James 4: 7-8
4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.
Annoyances Vanish When Jesus Draws Near—
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” How precious to the tempted soul is this positive promise. Now if the one in trouble and temptation keeps his eye fixed on Jesus, and draws nigh to God, talking of His goodness and mercy, Jesus draws nigh to him, and his annoyances that he thought almost unbearable vanish (Letter 43, 1892). {7BC 937.4}
Breaking Satan’s Power—
The soul that loves God, loves to draw strength from Him by constant communion with Him. When it becomes the habit of the soul to converse with God, the power of the evil one is broken; for Satan cannot abide near the soul that draws nigh unto God (The Review and Herald, December 3, 1889). {7BC 937.5}
We cannot do anything in our own strength. However, we can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. If we remain in communion with God, Satan will have nothing in us. Jesus has given us the victory over sin that drives Satan from us a defeated foe. The closer we draw to God, the further and further Satan will flee. Satan will scatter his temptations round about us, but he himself will not be found. Satan will use his demons and people to do his dirty work for him. As a follower of Christ, you will recognize all the wiles of Satan and rebuke them with an “It is written.” Satan hates Christians with clean hands and pure hearts.
Our Father in heaven,
We thank You for the privilege and gift of prayer. To be able to enter into Your presence through prayer, that we may draw nigh unto You and for You to draw nigh unto us. We surrender and submit our life to You. We pray that we may remain in continual communion with You, to be always in Your presence. We rebuke Satan and all his wiles so that he would not have any power over us. We are sorry that we have sinned against You. We pray that by Your goodness and mercy that You forgive us of our sins and remember them no more. We thank and praise You, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Opmerkingen