COMMITTED TO CHRIST
The devil is trying to destroy us, but we do not have to be ignorant of his devices and schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). God has told us what the enemy is out to do and he has protected us from him by the power and the grace of Christ. What we must do is learn to stand strong in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10). We walk after the Spirit rather than the flesh (Romans 6:4), and we are imitators of God as his dear children (Ephesians 5:1-2).
The way we do this is through intimate communion with Christ and by being committed to the work of God (1 Corinthians 6:17; 15:58). The most important thing in our lives is the way we think about God. Behavior follows belief. A proper concept of God is the only thing that will lead to a truly spiritual life. What you think about when you think of Jesus Christ is the most important thing about you.
Proper faith comes from a proper perspective of who God is. We must not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners or sit in the seat of the scornful (Psalm 1:1). We must delight ourselves in the law of God and meditate upon him day and night (verse 2). To be able to stand against the devil, we must put our faith in Christ. And this faith must be one that works, for faith without works is dead (James 2:20). Working for the Lord keeps us busy in the right things, for if we are not busy doing good, we will find ourselves vulnerable to the devil and his traps.
So let us not be weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not lose heart (Galatians 6:9). The key word is diligence. God is concerned with our daily lives. He is concerned with how we spend our time and what we care about the most. To be a disciple is to love God with all of our heart and mind and soul and strength (Luke 10:27). He will take first place or no place. He would rather that we be cold than lukewarm (Revelation 3:15-16). Commitment is necessary.
Spend time with him every day. Take time to meditate on Christ. Talk to him, read his word and think about him. Loving Jesus is what life is all about. And then, go forth to do good things for others in his name and for his glory (Matthew 5:16).
Dewayne Dunaway
