Credit Where Credit is Due
"The devil is tempting me again!" "Oh, that devil! He's constantly whispering in my ear!" "God's just testing me again! I just can't withstand this temptation!" "This trial God gave me is just too much for me to handle. I'll never get through it!" "The devil is after us all, all the time."
Sheesh! Does anyone else hear these things a lot? It gets pretty old, doesn't it? Especially since, (brace yourself) these often aren't even true. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe we give too much credit to the devil and too little credit to the ones truly responsible for all of these things - placing blame where blame is not due and relying too much on ourselves?
The first issue here, is that everyone always seems to think that the devil is coming after them at the same time. Don't get me wrong, the devil is real and he is out there. He does mess with us and he loves to see us brought down. But he can only be in one place at a time. The bible tells us that he "prowls the earth looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 1:9).
The devil is powerful and can do many things, but he's not God. He's not omnipotent, he's not omniscient, and he's definitely not omnipresent. In fact, in Job 1 we find that the devil can't actually do anything without God first granting him permission. So, if these things are true and it's not necessarily the devil screwing with your life, then where do all these struggles come from? Thankfully, the bible answers that question for us.
In Matthew 4, we see that the devil does have the power to tempt us, and he does. However, James 1:14-16 warns that "Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters." Here we learn that, in most cases, the devil has very little to nothing to do with the temptations we face. We find that our temptations develop in our own flesh, in the sinful desires of our hearts. Often, we bring these temptations upon ourselves with our human nature. We are not left without comfort, though.
Scripture tells us that "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind" (1 Corinthians 10:13). Further, it assures us that "God is faithful not to let you be tempted beyond what you can bear" and "He will also give you a way out so that you may endure it". Regardless of whether our temptations are the fault of our flesh or the responsibility of the devil, God has always got our backs. He doesn't leave us on our own to just figure it out. He gives us the strength and makes a path for us to get through the temptations and trials we face. God is faithful.
In this, it is important that we realize that everything good in our lives comes from God (James 1;17). Our salvation comes from grace, from God, and not anything that we have done or ever could do (Ephesians 2:8-9). Just as we often try to place the blame for our temptations and poor choices upon others, - such as God, the devil, or the people around us - we like to take credit for the good things that happen around us too, but in reality none of those things would happen without the power of Christ in us. Isaiah 64:6 reminds us that all righteousness performed in our own strength is filthy rags in the sight of God.
We need to trust in God and not ourselves (Proverbs 3:5). This is the only way we'll begin to recognize our need for Him and see that we in and of ourselves are weak. 2 Corinthians 12:9 comforts us by reminding us that His power is shown even more powerful through us when we are at our weakest. The only thing we have to boast in is not our salvation and not in ourselves, but only in God's power in us. And praise Him for that, otherwise, we'd be in a giant mess and we find peace in His glory. It's time that we give credit where credit is due.
Sheesh! Does anyone else hear these things a lot? It gets pretty old, doesn't it? Especially since, (brace yourself) these often aren't even true. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe we give too much credit to the devil and too little credit to the ones truly responsible for all of these things - placing blame where blame is not due and relying too much on ourselves?
The first issue here, is that everyone always seems to think that the devil is coming after them at the same time. Don't get me wrong, the devil is real and he is out there. He does mess with us and he loves to see us brought down. But he can only be in one place at a time. The bible tells us that he "prowls the earth looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 1:9).
The devil is powerful and can do many things, but he's not God. He's not omnipotent, he's not omniscient, and he's definitely not omnipresent. In fact, in Job 1 we find that the devil can't actually do anything without God first granting him permission. So, if these things are true and it's not necessarily the devil screwing with your life, then where do all these struggles come from? Thankfully, the bible answers that question for us.
In Matthew 4, we see that the devil does have the power to tempt us, and he does. However, James 1:14-16 warns that "Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters." Here we learn that, in most cases, the devil has very little to nothing to do with the temptations we face. We find that our temptations develop in our own flesh, in the sinful desires of our hearts. Often, we bring these temptations upon ourselves with our human nature. We are not left without comfort, though.Scripture tells us that "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind" (1 Corinthians 10:13). Further, it assures us that "God is faithful not to let you be tempted beyond what you can bear" and "He will also give you a way out so that you may endure it". Regardless of whether our temptations are the fault of our flesh or the responsibility of the devil, God has always got our backs. He doesn't leave us on our own to just figure it out. He gives us the strength and makes a path for us to get through the temptations and trials we face. God is faithful.
In this, it is important that we realize that everything good in our lives comes from God (James 1;17). Our salvation comes from grace, from God, and not anything that we have done or ever could do (Ephesians 2:8-9). Just as we often try to place the blame for our temptations and poor choices upon others, - such as God, the devil, or the people around us - we like to take credit for the good things that happen around us too, but in reality none of those things would happen without the power of Christ in us. Isaiah 64:6 reminds us that all righteousness performed in our own strength is filthy rags in the sight of God.
We need to trust in God and not ourselves (Proverbs 3:5). This is the only way we'll begin to recognize our need for Him and see that we in and of ourselves are weak. 2 Corinthians 12:9 comforts us by reminding us that His power is shown even more powerful through us when we are at our weakest. The only thing we have to boast in is not our salvation and not in ourselves, but only in God's power in us. And praise Him for that, otherwise, we'd be in a giant mess and we find peace in His glory. It's time that we give credit where credit is due.
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