“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.”
– Revelation 12:10
Sometimes there’s no better way to understand the character and nature of something than to consider its opposite. For instance, day is best appreciated when it is contrasted with the blackness of night, and being full and satiated is easily recognized as contentment when compared to the pangs of hunger. In a similar fashion, it’s easier to understand the love and acceptance of Jesus when He is compared to His nemesis, Satan. Unfortunately, if you grew up in church, you may have heard that God is mad at you — that He sits in the sky counting your sins and failures day after day and is more than willing to remind you of them. However, the truth is that the Lord is not against you. The devil is out to get you, and it is his voice that constantly accuses! Although it’s tragic when those who speak in the Name of Jesus affirm Satan’s agenda, it happens frequently, which is why it’s important to be able to discern the voice of your enemy and counter it with the voice of Truth. When you feel down on yourself and unworthy of love, that is the devil speaking — he is the destroyer; the Holy Spirit is the comforter. Satan is the divider; the Lord is the unifier. If you shame yourself, you are agreeing with the prince of darkness; however, when you see yourself through the lens of love and acceptance, you are agreeing with the Father of Light. Friend, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but God came to give you abundant life; He loves you despite your sin, your failures, and your mistakes. While Satan will remind you all day of what you are doing wrong, Jesus reminds you of what you are doing right! The Lord affirms the worth of who you are while the devil seeks to deceive you into believing that you are what you do. This is why it’s vital that you listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and stop receiving the lies that come from hell. When you wake up in the morning, affirm your worth as a beloved child of God, regardless of your behavior or the struggle you are facing. He loves you just as you are, and that’s a life-transforming truth! |
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for speaking loudly and clearly to my heart and for giving me wisdom and discernment to know your voice verses that of my enemy.
Reflection
Whose voice are you hearing in your mind and heart today, the acceptor or the accuser? How are you being affected by what you are listening to?
