"Satan opposes man in his best interests. He resists his efforts to do good; his purposes to return to God; his attempts to secure his own salvation." - Barnes' Notes
 
"Satan is a constant enemy to the work of God, and does all he can to obstruct it."
"Those who are sure that they have God with them(as He is if they be with Him) need not, ought not, to be afraid, whoever is against them." - Both quotes from Matthew Henry
 
In his Daily Devotional, entitled Renewed Day By Day(September 4), A.W. Tozer is quoted as saying  - "There is a plain and evident fact in genuine Christianity that is often overlooked by eager evangelists bent on getting results: that to accept Christ it is necessary that we reject whatever is contrary to Him!
Let us not be shocked by the suggestion that there are disadvantages to the life of Christ. Everyone who has lived for Christ in a Christless world has suffered some losses and endured some pains that he could have avoided by the simple expedient of laying down the cross.
The contemporary moral climate does not favor a faith as tough and fibrous as that taught by our Lord and His apostles. The delicate, brittle saints being produced in our religious hothouses today are hardly to be compared with the the committed, expendable believers who once gave their witness among men. And the fault lies with our leaders. They are too timid to tell the people all the truth. They are now asking men to give to God that which costs them nothing!..."
 
Are you shocked by the "suggestion" that there are "disadvantages to the life of Christ"?
Have you been told the lie that everything in your Christian walk will and should be positive?
Has anyone ever told you that you will suffer losses and endure countless pains - simply because you made the choice to take up your cross and follow Jesus?
 
How "tough and fibrous" is your Faith?
Do you follow the Faith that was "taught by our Lord and His apostles" or that which is propagated today by "eager evangelists bent on getting results" who are "too timid to tell the people the truth"?
Would you be considered a "delicate, brittle saint" or a "committed, expendable believer"?

In Matthew 10:16, the Lord Jesus told us - "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves..." What He was implying was that we are called to embrace a state of constant labor, suffering, hardships, and great opposition - caused by wicked men, inspired by demonic powers.
 
In Matthew 10:22, He said - "And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake..."
In 1 John 3:13, the Apostle John added - "Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you." 
In Proverbs 29:27, King Solomon expressed our expected opposition from the world in this way - "An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked."
 
"for My name's sake " - Because we are attached to Jesus...bear His image and serve His interests... and have been saved from the corruption that is in the world - those whose hearts are wicked and unclean oppose us on every turn. They hate us "without a cause."
 
"Marvel not" - We are not to think it strange that the world which is full of malice and envy, hateful, false, and deceitful should reject us and seek to do us much harm. Because we are "upright in the way" - which means that we restrain, suppress, condemn, and bring shame to the "unjust" man's lifestyle and mannerisms - we are considered as being utterly disgusting to him.
 
In 2 Timothy 3:12, we are promised persecution by the Apostle Paul - simply because we choose to surrender our entire being to God and to make His Word the rule for our every thought, word, and action - "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

For all those who desire to serve the Lord wholeheartedly - doing and speaking as He directs, while refusing to compromise by laying aside the plain Truth - they can expect to be deprived of certain privileges, rights, and financial blessings...experience disadvantages...and suffer losses.
 
Though men think ill of us, falsely accuse us of wrongdoing, purposely deprive us of advantages, privileges, and blessings - the Scriptures tell us that it is better that we suffer for doing well - living a holy life before all - than for crime - "For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing"(1 Peter 3:17).
 
In our preaching of the Gospel and service for the Lord, we can expect to face those who will harden themselves against the Truth and "speak evil of that way"(Acts 19:9). These are those whose hearts are so hardened that the Truth leaves no impression on them. They are resolved not to believe the Word of God and to hinder others from believing as well.
 
We can expect to face men who are likened unto savage, wild "beasts"(1 Corinthians 15:32) in their opposition to the Truth.
 
Then again, there will be those professing "believers" - "enemies of the cross of Christ"  (Philippians 3:18) - who will fight us - on every turn - because we preach against their immoral living. Our stand for righteousness and holiness disturbs them in their indulgence of known sins, deep interest in worldly affairs, minding of sensual appetites, and serving of their own carnal and corrupt propensities, passions, desires, and pursuits.
 
However, it is important to note that, as the Apostle Paul stated in Ephesians 6:12, we are not "wrestling" "against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." It's actually wicked and evil spirits who are behind it all - seeking to prevent or obstruct our advancement for the Kingdom as well as our attainment of heavenly blessings.
 
This demonic opposition was very evident in Paul's ministry -
1 Corinthians 16:9 says - "For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries."
1 Thessalonians 2:18 adds - "Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us."
 
God issued Paul an abundant and "effectual" opportunity to preach the Gospel and bring about lasting results, but Satan stirred up opposition from the people against it.
 
As it was in the case of Paul, we can expect - in our efforts to do good and in our particular duty - some form of opposition or frustration to be raised up against us - whether it be financial, physical, mental, or spiritual. Satan will try his very best to "hinder" us or cause us to quit. We can count on that!  
 
But what does the Bible tell us that we should do to this "adversary" who "as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour"?(1 Peter 5:8)
 
The Apostle Peter admonished us to - "Be sober, be vigilant...resist stedfast in the faith..." (1 Peter 5:8-9). 
 
With total confidence in the Lord Who is the"shield of our help"(Deuteronomy 33:29), we are to stand up and oppose Satan in his opposition to us and our work for God. Never are we to yield to his evil suggestions to give up or quit. We can't afford to ever be caught off guard to his wicked devices, schemes, and wiles. If we will watch and stay alert so that we are not drunken with the cares of this life, then he will never find an opportunity to "devour" - drink, swallow, gulp down, or be drunken on - us and our own.

But we need not fear for the Lord is on our side. We can be confident that He will see us through onto victory.
 
Genesis 15:1 - For He is our "shield" and "exceeding great reward..."
Deuteronomy 33:29 - We are the "people saved by the LORD" and all our enemies will be "found liars."
Joshua 10:42 - Just as the Lord God fought for Israel, He will do so for us.
1 Samuel 14:6 - Knowing that "there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few," we can be confident that He "will work for us."
Psalm 27:1 - He is our "light," "salvation," and "the strength" of our lives.
Psalm 46:1 - He is "our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble."
Psalm 84:11 - "He is our "sun and shield."
 
Never should we ever be afraid of what man or the devil will do unto us-

Psalm 27:1 tells us - "...whom shall I fear?...of whom shall I be afraid?"
Psalm 56:4 says - "...I will not fear what flesh can do unto me."
Psalm 56:11 adds - "...I will not be afraid what man can do unto me."
 
Our declaration of Faith is best summed up in the following Scriptures -
 
Psalm 118:6 - "The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?"
Isaiah 50:7 - "For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded..."
Isaiah 50:8 - "He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me?..."
Isaiah 50:9 - "Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me?..."
Isaiah 54:17 - "No weapon formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn..."
Jeremiah 1:19 - "And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee."
Jeremiah 20:11 - "But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one; therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper..."

Are these your sentiments?
Why not tell God about it?
 
May God Bless His Word.
Connie