It's Not You He's After, It's Your Faith

Satan wants nothing more than to deceive you into thinking that it's all about you.

This past Wednesday, my pastor did some expounding on why Christians suffer. In the process of doing so, he mentioned that our adversary, Satan, does not create scenarios of suffering in pursuit of us. He's really after our faith because we're simply not that important. As I began to ponder on that thought it started to become clearer by the moment just how true this statement rings.

You know, many times we find ourselves in situations where it's so easy to throw ourselves a pity party. In a matter of seconds, we can alert tens -- or even hundreds -- of contacts via text message, BlackBerry Messager, Facebook, Twitter, etc with all the details and solicit their RSVPs of concern. It's somewhat sad how we try to make our trials and tribulations about us when they really aren't at all. The enemy is after something much greater!

I wouldn't dare say, "When you have GREAT faith," because I don't believe faith varies in size. However, I do believe it varies in effectiveness based upon its use by an individual. Bible declares that we have been given the measure of faith (Romans 12:3), which tells me that we've all got the same amount. It's just a matter of us putting it into action to obtain GOD-results. So, when you have a working faith, it's constantly under attack because of the simple fact that it's consistently producing results. When your faith is effectively at work, you essentially become a target for Satan's devices.

Now, if we've heard it once, we've heard it a million times: without faith, it is impossible to please GOD, according to Hebrews 11:6. Our good works, ministry involvement, and monetary giving only please GOD when we execute them by faith. As a matter of fact, in the final hours before Jesus was turned over to His executioners, He prayed for Peter's faith (in Luke 22:31-32): "Behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." Yes, Satan desires us, but only to sift us. He wants to separate us from our confession and render our faith ineffective, but he can't as long as our faith remains intact.

I encourage you to keep holding on to your faith. Habakkuk 2:4 states, "the just shall live by his faith." The just man is a righteous man, one who has been made right by GOD. Because our righteousness, according to Romans 3:28, is apart from the deeds of the law (e.g. moral uprightness, animal sacrifices), then the righteous life we've now received through faith in Christ is therefore maintained by faith. Since we've both been made alive and are kept alive by our faith, then it is of utmost importance that we don't let go of our faith. Letting go is not an option!

No matter what may be facing you today, it's not a match for your faith; that is, if your faith is actually at work. A faith that produces results can withstand the fiery trials mentioned in I Peter 4:12 that come to try us. So let's not think it strange when these sufferings come upon us. Jesus Himself was made perfect through His suffering (Hebrews 2:10), and GOD will perfect that which concerns us (Psalm 138:8). So don't despise the suffering because it's bringing about a greater work within you. If your faith has been underutilized, put it to work so that you can withstand the attacks of the enemy. Satan wants nothing more than to deceive you into thinking that it's all about you. It's not about you, but it's about your faith. If Satan can cause your faith to fail, then he can shut down the very move of GOD that's supposed to come through you and impact the world for GOD's Kingdom. Why is this so important? Because some lost soul is depending on you to be the conduit through which GOD moves to snatch them out of the Kingdom of Darkness and birth them into the Kingdom of Light. Until next time, be blessed!