We serve a God who’s not surrendered his throne – regardless of how out of control our world may appear.

My friends, if I weren’t a pastor I would be a coach. Exhorting, teaching and encouraging people is what I love to do. It’s who I am.

At its heart, a pastor’s objective is, to quote Henry Blackaby, “to move people onto God’s agenda.”

But, frankly, sometimes we succumb to the deceit of Satan who relentlessly hisses into our ear, “God has no agenda. As a matter of fact, he’s lost the war.”

Nonsense.

So, my objective in this post is to remind you of what is true.

Truth No. 1: Satan is a liar.

Jesus, himself, said about the devil, “there is no truth in him.” Satan is incapable of telling the truth.

Be aware – he will sprinkle a lie with just enough truth to make it sound true. But a half-truth is still a whole lie.  Satan can even quote scripture.  He misquoted it by taking it out of context with Christ in the wilderness.  Jesus didn’t fall for it.  Don’t you fall for it either.

Do not listen to him. Do not negotiate with him. Do not “let the serpent into the garden.”

His objective is to weaken, if not destroy altogether, the faith of God’s people.  He is acutely aware that Paul described our faith as a shield that extinguishes all the “flaming arrows” of the enemy.

Our faith in the risen Christ renders Satan powerless. “Resist the devil [firm in your faith] and he will flee.”

Truth No. 2: God is very definitely at work among us.

Jesus said, “My father is always at work…”

I am presently, once again, reading the Bible through in my daily devotional times. Oh boy, what a mess mankind created. And so quickly! Killing, lying & deceit, violence, rebellion, every kind of moral depravity. And I’m not even out of Genesis yet.

I keep thinking, “God, why do you continue to put up with it?” And I hear him whisper,

“Nick, stop trying to figure me out. I do not fit into your box of understanding. You will never understand my ways and power based on your futile, human intellect, logic and wisdom. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’ Read my Word. I have, over and over again, used wicked regimes to double-cross Satan and further my kingdom. Those who oppose me will meet their doom. Those who trust me will rise up in victory. Trust me, I’ve got this.”

Truth No. 3:Your obedience matters.

On the night before Jesus was crucified, he told his disciples, “If you love me, keep my commands.”

You prayers matter.  Your choice to choose the high road when personally attacked matters. Your stubborn love for the hateful and cruel matters. Your courage to stand boldly for what is biblically right matters.

Paul encouraged Timothy, “God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-control.”  “Stand firm in your faith,” Paul wrote from prison. “Fear not,” the angel said. “I will fear no evil,” David wrote. “The Lord is our banner!”, Moses proclaimed. And Jahaziel assured Jehoshapat, “The battle is the Lord’s.”  And he’s never lost. Not even close.

My friends, God wants me to remind you today that he is telling us this:

“I know things you do not know. There is a reality beyond what your read and see. Just ask Elisha’s servant who thought his life was in peril until I opened his eyes and he saw mighty angels in chariots of fire surrounding the enemy.”

To sum up, A.W. Tozer, rightly said,

“When the world appears out of control, there is a God who has not surrendered his throne.”

For the Cross and the Empty Tomb, Nick