ODJ: fish on!
April 30, 2011
Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God (v.47).
READ: John 8:42-47
Fish on!” I’ve heard those words shouted many times while trolling for salmon on Lake Michigan. It’s the traditional way anglers announce that a fish has been hooked and the fight has begun.
On one occasion, the angler who grabbed the pole that was dancing wildly in the rod holder was my buddy’s teenage son, Jake. For 20 minutes, Jake battled the fish valiantly. As his arms tired from exhaustion, he wondered if he would ever land the fish. Near the end, the fish nearly got away when it wrapped the line around the base of the boat motor. But after we thought he had lost it, the nearly 30-pounder surfaced still hooked. Within minutes, it surrendered to our net.
Jake’s experience in fighting the salmon illustrates the ups and downs of our much more difficult battle against the forces of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). At times, it’s exhilarating to join God in taking back ground from the evil one. We feel a deep sense of purpose as we do battle in the ongoing war against evil that started long before the world began (Revelation 12:7-9). But there are also times when the battle takes its toll on us. Weary, we become vulnerable to falling for lies such as you can’t go on anymore or this isn’t worth the fight.
Satan is a crafty enemy. If he can’t defeat us head on, he’ll often switch to a more subtle tactic to outwit us—the lie (John 8:44). But rather than agreeing with his lies, we can keep the devil at bay by refusing to believe his words and reminding ourselves of this truth: “Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
Standing on the truth doesn’t get you out of the fight, but it does give you the strength to stand your ground. Listen to God’s words, not Satan’s lies. —Jeff Olson
Has Satan been getting the best of you? What lies of his have you entertained? How will you stand up against his attacks?
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