When I gave my life over to Jesus, I initially didn’t realize how unhappy that commitment would make Satan. I had no idea that I stepped into spiritual warfare with Satan. If I am being completely honest, at that time I didn’t even consider Satan. Which is exactly what Satan wants, to be out of sight, out of mind, to fly under the radar, hide in the shadows, cloud our judgement, and work to undermine what God is doing in and through us. When we welcomed Jesus into our hearts and handed our lives over to Him, simultaneous to heaven rejoicing for another heart saved for the Kingdom of God, Satan and his dark realm were plotting to win back our souls.
Do you realize that while God is seeking to shape us into the image of Jesus that Satan is seeking ways to win back our souls…actually, he is doing it right now, because he does it every second of every day. I know that isn’t a warm and fuzzy thought, but as we grow with Jesus through His written Word, we should begin to know that angels, demons, spiritual warfare, and certainly Satan are all real. We also should not fear the supernatural as God’s Word reminds us of Who God is, who we are in Christ Jesus, and how His Holy Spirit guides us to know what Truth is…and that should be our place of warm and fuzzy.
In today’s passage, Paul encourages us to have an active part in our salvation, which should be an ongoing daily process, during every second of every day, we are to be living in a way that pleases God. But let’s be real…many Christians have a lackadaisical attitude, and they tolerate certain sins. Friends, we need to get to the point where we understand that sin is sin. In fact, when we sin, we are in alignment with the unbelieving world and allowing Satan to work in and through us. Paul talks about sexual immorality in today’s passage, and everything he says is true. Let’s remember that anything that interferes with our godly living and growth with the Lord is immoral and sinful. We need to lay down our sins at Jesus’s feet, ask for His forgiveness, let go of immoral living, turn back to Jesus, and allow His wisdom to guide us through the work of the Holy Spirit. Satan has no place working in and through God’s people when we understand our holiness through Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 NLT
Live to Please God
1 Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. 2 For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— 5 not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. 6 Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. 7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. 8 Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being the perfect example for what pleases God. Help us to be more like You. We want to be quick to turn from sin, to be encouraged by Your Truth, to not be indifferent, and to be responsible for our daily walk and growth with You. Please hedge protection, through Your angels, over us from Satan. Guide us with Your wisdom to see spiritual warfare and to turn towards You so that we can allow You to handle it for us. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.