I stumbled across this inspiring video by Josh Garrels the other day. He wrote the song “Resistance” to pick up the theme of James 4:7:
“… resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
This video is just an other great example for the power of communicating a message through creativity. Check it out:
After watching this I got reminded at my journey from temptation-victim to resistance fighter. Here are some of my thoughts:
Is temptation really going to get worse?
I remember being told that the more I run with Jesus, the harder life will get and the more the devil will attack me. Since I believed this to be true for most of my teenage years, I experienced a lot of “attacks” during the time I did a lot of street preaching in Germany. I thought that’s just how it is and imagined my future full of hardships and tougher and tougher temptations. “The devil can’t stand what I’m doing, so he’s trying to take me out.”, is what I thought. It wasn’t really until I came to Bethel Church in 2009 and heard Pastor Bill Johnson speak, that I gained hope for a different future. He said something like:
“The higher you climb on the mountain of the Lord, the fewer snakes you will see until they completely disappear.” – Bill Johnson
He went on to say something about things that used to tempt him almost daily had now completely disappeared or only crossed his head once every couple of years. Although he certainly knows hardships will come, Pastor Bill made the point that the more we live in His presence the more “untouchable” we become to the devil. The more we allow our thinking to be transformed by His truth, the less the devil has to work with in us.
Ever since I accepted this truth, life and ministry have become so much more fun. Where I used to struggle with depressive thoughts of discouragement every single day, I now live in glistening hope, joy and anticipation. Besides all incredible miracles and supernatural manifestations the Lord has allowed me to see in my lifetime so far, my personal transformation in my own life (and head) through His love will always remain the biggest testimony I carry.
Sure, there might be tough times ahead for some of us, but if we won’t allow the devil to discourage us, we have already gained victory over any circumstance. Never forget:
“The real problem is not the problem itself, but your discouragement about the problem you have.” – Steve Backlund, Ignited Hope Ministries
Have you ever experienced how the devil fled from you? What areas in your life have just been getting better and better in the last couple of years? Let me know by commenting below.
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