TSP DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DON’T BE INDIFFERENT
5th September 2020
Dr. Phil Ransom-Bello
KEY SCRIPTURE/MEMORY VERSE: II Corinthians 2:10 (NKJV)
lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
The believer must be conscious of the tendency of our minds to get narrow on some truths especially because it’s so subtle.
This same Satan came to Jesus one day after He was publicly coronated as son of God, after God publicly announcing- “This is my beloved son in whom I’m well pleased.”(Matthew 3:17)
In the sequence of events, scripture says Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
How does he tempt Jesus? He tried to get Him to question if He was truly the son of God.
Like I said some days ago, Satan doesn’t attack physically, he doesn’t claw out anyone, he didn’t do it to Eve and he didn’t do it either to Jesus.
So while he didn’t inflict physical harm, what did he say to Jesus?
He said, “IF”
That’s counsel. The work of Satan is another counsel, it’s an alternative idea and that is his device.
Often, it’s something that looks like truth but is not truth. Friends, this is how Satan works.
So he is saying to Jesus, that the proof of his identity is by what He can do and I imagine some of us are asking in our minds, what is wrong in Jesus turning the stone to bread?
Let me ask you- is there anything really wrong if Jesus turned stone to bread?
On the surface, no. In fact, He was hungry and if He had the capacity for other outstanding miracles, is it to turn stone to bread He can’t do?
But you see, the problem is, we think that it was about a miracle. Satan was not trying to get Jesus to do a miracle, the contention there, was “son of God” and you’ll see the agenda of the devil from Jesus’s response because He then says, “Man shall not live by bread alone.”(Matthew 4:4).
Look, Jesus was saying that the concept of living from or by is not just in physical food or the affirmation that comes from achievements, rather it’s from the place of identity.
And that identity is found in Christ. The devil will stop at nothing to get you to question that identity with his alternative ideas so you must be aware. Don’t take the subtle attacks he is launching at your identity with kid gloves or indifference.
Your response must continually be a defensive conviction of the revelation of who you are in Christ.
REFLECTION
Do I respond to ideas or thoughts that question the truth of my identity with indifference or with unyielding conviction?
DECLARATION
-I believe in the good news of the gospel and my life is hinged on the truth of the gospel.
-I am deliberate about my thought life. I refuse to wield any thought power to the devil to influence me with tricky ideas.
-I guard against experiences and limitations and thoughts that are designed to narrow my mind on the truth.
-I will not be ignorant of the devil’s tricks and strategies. I understand his nature as cunning and I am watchful of questions/ideas designed to get me to the place of condemnation.
-I am careful and I watch out for any counsel that is designed to suggest alternative ideas to the truth, no matter how well meaning it is.
-I live from the revelation of my identity and I do not get my affirmation from the cares or pursuits of life.
-My identity in Christ is not conditional or a probability or dependent on behaviour or performance, it is a concluded reality. Therefore, I will not be swayed by questions and ideas that question the certainty.
-My identity is rooted in Christ and I protect the truth of all that this reality represents.
-I am unyielding in my conviction about my identity. I will not slip into the trap of being indifferent.
-Daily, I affirm the truth of my identity and I stay defensive of this truth.
-Because of the already concluded victory of Christ, I win always!
Hallelujah!
HEARING BY THE WORD
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