©2003 Charles Darby
The devil is always trying to get our eyes off The Lord and on our self or others. Adam was the Son of God, created in the likeness of God. He had the breath of God in him. The serpent told them if they did something they would then be as gods.
They were already like the Highest God. God created them in His own likeness and filled them with His Spirit. They had fellowship with God on a daily basis. He would come down; walk and talk with them. Anything they needed to know all they had to do was ask!
The devil is still doing much the same things today. I believe, from all I have learned, that the way he works boils down to two primary ways. First he tells us that we are never going to amount to anything in the Kingdom of God. We are having too many problems; we can’t get it right and never will. He is a liar and the truth is not in him.
After we press past this and begin to get anchored in Jesus Christ, he then tells us we can't do any thing worth while. You can't preach, teach, sing, make music, etc. His job is to make us ineffective in The Kingdom of God. He does his job well, if we let him. Don't look for big things to do. Look for small things first. I started out mowing the grass and picking up trash around God's house. I was happy because I had found something that was needed.
As a young Christian we, most of the time, agree with satan because we are looking at our self and not at Jesus. I know I did. How could I teach? I couldn’t get up before people and remember where I lived, where I worked or even remember my name! When I stood up, my mind sat down! When I was asked to teach a class I replied “no way.”
After I was filled with The Holy Spirit; He led me to the Bible for study. I would stay up past midnight reading and praying over what I read. When I didn’t understand, which was most of the time, I would pray and ask for the understanding. He would give it to me. In twelve months time I went through the Bible and three years of Bible school. I was so hungry to know Jesus and what He desired. The Holy Spirit was my teacher. Please understand me, I am not saying this is for everyone to do. This is what The Holy Spirit led me to do. You do as He leads you.
Soon after I realized I was called to teach God's word and feed His sheep. Then I said "God I will do what you ask but I must have your presence and strength to do it." The first time I tried I had so much material to minister on surely it would take hours. It took about five minutes and I had nothing else to say! I had tried in my ability and not relying on the Holy Spirit. Why do I always have to learn the hard way? After this He gave me boldness to speak as He directed. That’s what He desired all the time!
The second way the devil works is to pat us on the back and tell us how great we are. Do you see the pattern; both will get our eyes off Jesus and on our self. The first way we will not even try and the second way if we listen will blow us up. We get the big head!
As I began to teach, I started with a very small class. Soon it began to grow and became the biggest class the church had. God really blessed. Many began calling me to pray and answer their questions. They were by passing the Pastor. They bragged on the teaching and myself. Can I admit to you: I ate it up. I liked being the center of attention!
I didn’t realize until later that my fellowship with the Lord was going in the wrong direction. As I sought The Lord I came to realize I had to leave that church. I had allowed the people to get their eyes on me and not on Jesus. I had gotten between them and our Lord. This is a very dangerous place to be. God will not allow it to stay that way.
If we don’t learn from other folk’s errors we will learn them the hard way. Why do you think we are told the good and the bad in the Bible? Really smart people learn from others mistakes, dumb ones like me learn the hard way from their own mistakes!
They tried this with Peter and others in the book of Acts. After being used to heal, the people came running to them saying, how great they were. Peter used more wisdom than I. They turned the attention back to Jesus, saying it was not our righteousness but it was faith in The Name of Jesus that caused this healing.
Let’s be wise and not let the devil keep us beat down doing nothing. We as Adam in the garden have been given life in Jesus Christ. We are as He is and are now called sons of God. We should stop trying to attain to something and start being what we are, giving Glory and Honor to our Lord.
Let’s be wise and not blow up by thinking too highly of our selves. A saying I heard a long time ago. “Get the Spirit without the word and you will blow up, get the word without the Spirit and you will dry up. Get the Spirit and the word and you will grow up!”
I believe what we need is not a higher opinion of ourselves but rather a much higher opinion of our Lord and Savior. He is the beginning and the end. We are His workmanship. Lord we exalt Your Name in the earth.
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Thank you for reading.
