make YOUR desires our joy

God, make your desires our joy today... remind us that You alone give us the strength and power to follow your will.

So tempting to put something else at the center of one's life. Whether it is a relationship, a desire, or an addiction - sometimes the call of the idol is unbearably and painfully enticing.

It lies,
"This is happiness or a shortcut way to it."

It falsely compares,
"Others get away with it, why not you."

It sedates the spirit with seductive half truths,
"Who does it really hurt. What's wrong with it. The Bible is about forgiveness so what's one more mistake."

Satan is the parasite that wants to paralyze your spiritual life. He wants to stop your faith in it's tracks. He is the tempter and the deceiver. All too quick to help you justify reasons to act sinfully and after all too quick to point the finger of shame and disgrace once you have. He's not an adversary to be taken lightly but nor should he be feared as unconquerable for Jesus conquered him forever for us.

Colossians 2:8-15 "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.  He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[b] and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."

Revelation 12:11 "And they have conquered him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."

God, make Your desires our joy. Help our unbelief! Amen. xo