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Refreshment in Refuge
by Gina Burgess
Let me just say that Satan is truly playing havoc in my life right now.
But, he does that continually so it isn't such a big surprise. Years ago, God warned me one morning at 5:39 AM that Satan would sift me. Remember when Jesus told Peter that Satan had asked permission to sift him? That night before Jesus was taken by the Temple guards and Roman soldiers, Jesus told Peter, “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold! Satan asked for you, to sift you as wheat…” (Luke 22:31).
If we take a look at that word sift, the same connotation appears in Amos 9:8b-9 “Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob," Says the LORD. 9 For surely I will command, And will sift the house of Israel among all nations, As grain is sifted in a sieve; Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground.” The Hebrew here means to waver, make to go up and down, shake well as one of my columns discusses. There is a little word attached to sift 'êth which means namely. God does specifically and accordingly to each person individually. If Jesus had not specifically called Lazarus’ name when He said, “Lazarus, come out!” then the whole community of persons in those tombs would have risen, I am quite sure.
Satan asked for Peter. The purpose was to separate the disciples individually, and to separate the group from Jesus. The sifting is a good thing. Patsy Clairemont asks the question, “Could any one person bring out the uglies in you if those uglies weren’t there in the first place?” Simple answer, no. These are the things that Satan latches on to in order to separate us from God through sin. If he can get us thinking inwardly, he’s won that skirmish.
First thing he loves to do is sit on my shoulder and whisper outright lies into my ear. I know they are lies, but there's just enough plausibility to it, and that is enough to get the mind working in top gear going through the:
Wounded Pride, Poor Me, Woe Is Me, How Dare He Do That Cycle...
Satan individualizes everything. One of my Sunday school teachers years ago equated it to this humongous file on each Christian. Satan wants to cause havoc all the time so he whips open that file filled with all my weaknesses and pounces on one. So long as Satan has me in that washer cycle going round and round, I'm not praying about the true problem and Satan wins another skirmish.
Years ago when God woke me up at 5:39 am, He was preparing me for Satan to try to find a chink in the Whole Armor of God. At that time, God prevailed, for He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world. Amen.
The key is to be forearmed to Satan’s ploys and tactics. I have talked about this before, but the lesson is worthy to repeat every few months because Satan is incredibly crafty and will try different tactics on the same weaknesses. We know that in our weakness is God’s strength. That is His promise through Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Let me say this a different way. Satan cannot win because God is in control of me. If I ever relinquish control to some other force, even take that control away from God, then I am sunk. We are creatures with freedom to choose all manner of choices which God gives us. If I choose to go my own way such as Sampson did, then I will destroy my witness and I will be destroyed even though God will always remain faithful because He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13).
If I do not allow Satan the power to spin a web, then he cannot immobilize me because God has all authority, and though Satan was given the title of Prince of the Air and of this world, he still submits to the authority of God. Amen.
God and I, me and God. That is personalized. Together we make a perfect combination and that is the most healthy relationship possible. I must remember that God is the force, not me. Without Him, I am nothing.
It still doesn't stop the pain right away. It doesn't help the heart ache. But, that too will pass. As I was telling my dear friend just a while ago. The day of Joy will be the day that Jesus holds out His hand to me saying, "Shall we dance?" Boy OH Boy! That will be the joyous day. Come, Lord Jesus, Come... I am weary of this world. Marantha.
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Gina Burgess has taught Sunday School and Discipleship Training for almost three decades. (Don't tell her that makes her old.) She earned her Master's in Communication in 2013.
She is the author of several books including: When Christians Hurt Christians, The Crowns of the Believers and others available in online bookstores. She authors several columns, using her God-given talent to shine a light in a dark world. You can browse her blog at Refreshment In Refuge.
If you'd like to take a look at some Christian fiction and Christian non-fiction book reviews check out Gina's book reviews at Upon
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