satan Has No Hold Over Me - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) November 14, 2023

The devil approached Jesus once in the wilderness and was summarily dismissed. Yet, the devil didn't stop 'coming for' Jesus. After that, it used people to regularly attack Him.

We are no different. The devil is constantly trying to stop us from doing the things God wants us to do. The day you commit to never lie again is the day some problem arises and someone suggests an explanation that isn't quite truthful. Will you go along with it or be honest? The day you commit to not doing drugs such as marijuana is the day a friend comes over with more than enough to share. Are you going to stick to your commitment or choose to participate one last time? The day you determine you're never going to engage in gossip is the day a scandal breaks out about a celebrity and you really want to know what's going on. Are you going to be satisfied with simply knowing the basics from the headlines, or will you go to your favorite gossip platform to get all the 'tea' as others share their unfounded theories?

These are the same sorts of issues Jesus faced. However, he had His priorities right - He was always focused on His Father's business (Luke 2:49). Rather than be dragged into gossip and being judgmental, for instance, He silenced an adulterous woman's accusers (John 8:3-11). Instead of watching a woman suffer with a bad back, He healed her on the Sabbath and faced the criticism of the religious leaders (Luke 13:10-17). Rather than watch others starve from lack of grounded spiritual knowledge, he taught all who would listen how to understand scripture and believe in God (Mark 6:34).

And as He did these things, He was called demon-possessed though He cast demons out of people (John 8:48). He was accused of sin, despite being sinless (Matthew 9:3). His enemies plotted His death, though He raised people from the dead (John 11:53).

How was it that Jesus could do all these things despite the great opposition satan sent His way? One reason was that He understood that it was beneath Him (Genesis 3:15). He knew the devil didn't have an ounce of the power it pretended to wield (Isaiah 41:24). This is why in John 14:30, Jesus said that satan "has no hold over me" (John 14:30).

Do you know that as a believer in Jesus who has submitted your life to Him, that same satan has no legal hold over you either? Sure, it will try to make you think it does but never forget that the devil is a liar. This is why Jesus said of satan that its native language is lies. Realize that satan is proficient at the language called lies, so you cannot believe a word it utters (John 8:44). And never forget that once you accepted the sacrifice of Christ on your behalf, His blood set you free. John 8:36 - So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

The devil has no hold on you and you'll continue to be slippery to the touch if you let Jesus work on you. And if you obey His instructions. He'll help you let go of the sins that once had control over your life. He'll show you which idols must go for you to truly be free and help you destroy their altars. Step by step, you'll break free from generational bondage into blessings and realize that satan can't keep you in sin habits and ideas.

Through Jesus Christ, freedom is available and possible. Through Him, you too can declare satan has no hold over me. Never forget Psalm 107:2 - Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy (KJV). Choose to be free today. Choose Jesus and declare - I am redeemed!