Notice the contrast in John 10:10 where Jesus said, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
We must recognize this: God's plan is prosperity, health, abundance, peace, love and life. Satan's plan is poverty, sickness, lack, stress, hatred and death. And as strange as it may seem, the choice is ours. Both plans are set before us and we must choose. Do we want life or do we want death. It seems like a "no-brainer" of a choice, but many are choosing death. How can this be?
Well, it's this way. Even though they are choosing death, they think they are choosing life. They are deceived.
Satan is a liar. Jesus said in John 8:44 when He was talking to the Pharisees, "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him." Then Jesus goes on to say, "But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me."
Satan is a liar. He is the master of deception. He can take darkness and make it look like light. Second Corinthians 11:14 says, "For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works."
Do not allow yourself to be deceived. Satan wants to destroy you. If you are not a Christian, he wants to keep you from accepting Jesus and becoming one. If you are a Christian, He wants to derail you, to distract you, to destroy your life and your witness any way he can. He is relentless and he does not give up.
But today I have good news. We do not have to accept Satan's plan for our lives. We have a choice, but more than that, we have been given authority over the devil. Jesus has paid the price and defeated Satan. He took back the authority that man gave up in the Garden of Eden.
Jesus then gave that authority to everyone who would accept Him as Lord and Savior. Every Christian has been given authority over the forces of evil and can live a life of victory.
But there is one catch. You must not only know you have the authority, but you must take authority.
In Luke 10:19, Jesus said, "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."
A person can be given authority but unless that authority is exercised, it is useless. Again, Satan is a liar and he does his best to convince Christians that they do not have authority over him. He uses fear and intimidation to cause Christians to step back and do nothing.
But this should not be. Jesus defeated Satan and made a public display of him. As a Christian you are a part of the body of Christ. You have nothing to fear. Victory is yours if you believe the truth and discard the lie.
Remember, "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."
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