The "secret" to succeeding when one is attacked is not to give in, because Satan's strategy is always to make you give in to lies and whatever comes against you!
Lewi Pethrus (pictured) writes in the book Victory Times - Wrestling Times in the chapter Victory Faith - our guiding star the following: Victory on Calvary is victory over everyone else!
One of the finest CDs released in my opinion. This CD is Lewi Pethru's grandson singing Grandpa's songs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1dvMJi797w&list=OLAK5uy_leCbCM5QbjidCTOtOT2fqKtKAUlfBy9UE
"The large crowds began to fail him as he began to talk about his suffering and death. Even the twelve he had chosen as his apostles failed him and fled. Before that happened, one of them had succeeded in selling him for thirty silver money to his enemies. The most trusted of them all denied his discipleship three times during the public trial against him.
He cursed that he did not know him. Humanly, then, the beginning of Christianity ended with its founder hanging alone and abandoned by God and humans on a cross between two robbers. This, according to Jesus, was the breakdown of Christianity in the very beginning, and many of the believing Jews saw in this his defeat forever.
They did not see the plan of salvation that lay behind these seen so depressing external events. But in what appeared to be the greatest defeat, lay the greatest victory for the cause of God ever won.
2 Cor. 2. 8 Wherefore I beseech you to love love against him. 9 For that is why I also wrote, to know if you are trying, whether you are obedient in everything. 10 But whoever you forgive anything forgives him and I; for what I have forgiven — if I have had anything to forgive — I have done it for you, for Christ's sake, lest we be fooled by Satan; 11 For we are not ignorant of his thoughts.
As believers, we also get to know God's great adversary - Satan!
The Apostle Paul says “that we should not be fooled by Satan; because we are unaware of his thoughts. "
Satan has a strategy, God a completely different one.
We see here through several Bible verses that we are facing two opposites.
Joh. e 10. 10 The thief comes only to steal and murder and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have abundance.
Kol. 1 2 You gladly thanked the Father, who made us fit to partake in the inheritance of the saints in the light, 13 He who delivered us from the power of darkness and put us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,
1 Joh. 1 5 And this is the message which we have heard from him preaching unto you, that God is light, and there is no darkness in him.
There are some "steps" to take that are important in our struggle, the goal being that we should stand victorious and without any charges that can be directed against us as it is held.
Efes. 1. 12 that we should be blessed in his holiness, we who before had hoped for Christ;
6. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, and stand after overcoming all things.
Will briefly mention the eight sides we must have, and that is the armor to overcome and remain standing.
Yes, we should be praising and honoring God, and standing after overcoming everything.
1.) Abstain from sin, injustice, fornication and immorality.
There is forgiveness from God, but the Lord will make us victors where we live right.
King David is a striking example of one suffering defeat when one allows sin in life. Notice what the scripture says, that this is written to us for warning, enlightenment and for not doing the same. Scripture clearly states that sin will find us.
Room. 15. 4 For all that is written before, it is written unto us for doctrine, that we may have hope in the patience and comfort of the scriptures.
Deuteronomy 32. 23 But if you do not do this, you will sin against the Lord, and you will know that your sin will find you.
2.) Satan - our enemy always speaks lies, distorted words and opinions.
Joh.e. 8. 44 You have the devil to father, and you will do your father's lusts; he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth; for truth is not in him. When he speaks lies, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
What we often do not realize is that the real world.
It is not "our" world, but the invisible and spiritual.
The world we live in must pass away. The invisible and spiritual world will be forever.
I am aware that this may go too far.
But in a fight and Spirit struggle, Satan will always try to trick and manipulate us.
Be aware that sometimes this can be experienced as a fiction, where one cannot quite distinguish between the spiritual and the natural.
Let me take an example, where the spiritual and the natural break totally.
Acts 16. 16 But it came to pass once we went out to the place of prayer, that we met a bondwoman who had a spirit of divination, and that helped her masters to make great income by prophesying. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out: These people are the servants of the Most High God who preaches to you the way of salvation. 18 She did this for many days. Then Paul became angry and turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it went out at the same time.
Here it looks like there is a woman who brings "the truth" and a very good advertisement for Paul and Silas who were with him here. But no, it was no good advertising or for the benefit of the Apostle and Silas. She had a Spirit that was not from God, but from darkness.
The apostle drove it out, and she experienced liberation.
In the spiritual she was from Satan, but in the natural it was the opposite.
This is how we come up in many situations.
Things may seem to be in tune, but that's not it.
Things may seem to be completely out of the way, but that's good.
As believers, we must learn and listen, understand, think and reason as God wills, not as the old reborn man perceives and understands it all.
3.) Popularity in this world - unpopular in this world, that's not our standard.
Those who believe that we as Christians will always win and gain prestige in this world will always be led astray. There's a lot to be said here, but it's the same. Satan knows how to fence his own, but opposes those who are not his.
Therefore, in fact, as believers, we must count on resistance rather than recognition.
Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, illustrates this very well.
Matt. 5. 2 And he opened his mouth, taught them, and said, 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit; for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. 4 Blessed are they that mourn; for they must be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the land. 6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they must be saturated. 7 Blessed are the merciful; for they shall find mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart; for they must see God. 9 Blessed are the peaceable; for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness' sake; for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. 11 Blessed are you when they mock and persecute you, and lie to you in every evil way for my sake. 12 Rejoice and be glad! for your reward is great in heaven; for thus they persecuted the prophets before you.
In the eyes of the world this is weakness, in the eyes of God this is strength.
In the eyes of the world this is to lose oneself, in the eyes of God to find oneself.
In the eyes of the world this is too much, in the eyes of God this is only a minimum.
In the eyes of the world this is a self deception, in the eyes of God you live in a self deception if this is not something you live and walk in.
In the eyes of this world you are a loser if you are mocked and persecuted, in the eyes of God you are one who is protected by God and his angels.
In the eyes of the world, you can be popular one day and a big loser the next day! In God's eyes, you are equally “popular and loved, even when you fail. Just don't deny Christ and go in the wrong direction with your life.
4.) God wants us to always have eternity and final judgment before our eyes.
Psalm 73. 1. A Psalm of Asaph. / Yes, God is good to Israel, to the pure of heart. 2 But I - near my feet had stumbled, in no small way had my steps slipped out. 3 For I was grieved for the proud when I saw that the wicked were doing well. 4 For they are free from afflictions until their death, and their strength is well in power. 5 They do not know distress like other people, nor are they afflicted like other people. 6 That is why their neck is adorned, violence envelops them like a garment. 7 Their eyes are out of obesity, the thoughts of the heart break forth. 8 They mock and speak in evil of oppression; from the high they speak. 9 They lift up their mouth to heaven, and their tongue goes up into the earth. 10 Wherefore they cause their people to turn unto them, and they suck water in abundance. 11 And they say, How should God know? Is there any knowledge of the Most High? 12 Behold, these are the wicked, and everlastingly they grow in power. 13 Yes, in vain have I cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence; 14 But I was afflicted all day, and every morning came to me with impunity. 15 If I had said, I will speak thus, behold, I would have been unfaithful to the family of your children. / 16 And I thought to understand this; it was a plague in my eyes / 17 - until I went into the sanctuaries of God and paid close attention to them. 18 Yes, you put them in slippery places; you let them fall, so they perished. 19 Where they were destroyed in an instant! They went down and ended in dismay. 20 Just as a stern for nothing a dream when one has woken up, so you, Lord, will steal their shadow image for nothing when you wake up. 21 When my heart was bitter and it stung my kidneys, 22 I was senseless and understood nothing; like an animal, I was against you. 23 But I always stay with you, you have grasped my right hand. 24 You guide me by your counsel, and then you glorify me. 25 Who else do I have in heaven? And when I have you, I don't feel like anything on earth. 26 But as for my flesh and my heart, yet the rock of my heart and my portion are everlasting. 27 For behold, they that abide from thee perish; you destroy every one who falls from you in adultery. / 28 But for me it is good to keep close to God ; I trust in the LORD God of Israel to declare all thy works.
I include the entire Psalm as it is so very content, true and educational.
The eternity perspective on everything we do is hugely important. We must not be so shortened. So we have to move forward with our lives, both in terms of what God wants for this and the life to come.
5.) Resistance meets everything that is from God in this world, while that which is not from God is always "equal".
2nd Cor. 4. 1. Therefore, since we have this service, because we have received mercy, we do not lose courage; 2 But we have set ourselves free from all shameful stumbles, and do not go forth with cunning, neither do we falsify the word of God, but in announcing the truth we recommend to all men the conscience of God. 3 If then our gospel is hidden, it is hidden among those who perish, 4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers' minds, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine before them. 5 For we do not proclaim ourselves, we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord, on the contrary, as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded that light should shine forth out of darkness, he is the one who also caused it to shine in our hearts, that the knowledge of the glory of God in the presence of Jesus Christ should shine forth from us.
6.) We are weak in ourselves, but strong in God.
2 Cor. 4. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the rich power may be of God, and not of us.
We go to overcome, win and be hold and not tail. At the same time, this is unattainable, not least with an eye to it. That Satan is stronger than us, and we have a stale and hostile flesh to latch onto. How to win victory? The access to this is not in us. There is only weakness, folly and enmity, but in Christ.
When he lives by the faith in our hearts, it is the power and all we can get from him that applies.
7.) We must learn to stand and accept the promises God has given us in His own word.
2 Pet. 1. 3 Since his divine power has given us all that is worthy of life and godliness, by the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and power 4 and thereby has given us the greatest and most expensive promises, that by them ye might receive. in divine nature, fleeing away from the depravity of the world, which comes from desire,
Here we are at a core point. If you are in a fight, find a word of God and a promise to stand on. It solves most!
Quotes from here: https://salmebloggen.no/2017/05/12/loftene-kan-ikke-svikte/
And that is precisely where the background of the psalm comes in. The first two verses of the hymn were written in 1913 when his wife Lydia suddenly became very ill. The couple Peter was expecting their first child, it was just before Christmas in 1913. They could do nothing but cling to the Lord's promises. Lydia was near death, but she survives the incident. Worse, the child died. This left deep marks in the mind. In the mourning and faith struggle that followed, Lewi Pethrus wrote the song Promises Can't Fail. And two years later he faced new adversity in the newspapers. Even his friends left him.
Heaven and earth should burn,
heights and mountains disappear,
but he who believes shall find:
The promises are not shaken!
8.) In our struggle - as believers - we must expect to take a step back, and two steps forward next time.
We see this in several places in the word of God, not least in the book of Job. That we believers always win victory, if we seem to go on a defeat.
Book of Job 42. 1. Then Job answered the Lord, and said, 2 I know that thou knowest all things, and that no thought is impossible for thee. 3 Who is the one who will eclipse your counsel in the wrong? Therefore, I must say: I have spoken of what I did not understand, of what was too strange to me and which I did not understand. 4 But now listen, and I will speak. I will ask you and you must teach me. 5 Only what the rumor had I heard of thee; but now my eye has seen you. 6 Therefore I call everything back and repent in dust and ashes. 7 And the LORD spake these words unto Job, and said unto Eliphaz the Teman, My anger is kindled against thee and thy two friends; for you have not spoken of me as my servant Job. 8 Therefore take seven oxen and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer them for a burnt offering unto you. And my servant Job shall pray for you; only to him will I hear, that I do not do unto you according to your understanding; for you have not spoken of me as my servant Job. 9 And Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuah, and Zophar the Naaman, and did as the LORD spake unto them; and the Lord prayed to Job.
I think this chapter is so immensely rich that I include the whole chapter (the rest goes a little further).
In the vast majority of articles I write, I actually include too little of God's word.
Therefore, it may be okay to include the entire paragraph. This way you get all the content, and don't have to look it up yourself.
Let me say as clearly as I can, as long as we are kept in the faith. Then we always win victory, as it is the faith that Satan will rob us of.
Room. 8. 31 What, then, should we say to this? Is Gnext to us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him to us all, how can he but give us all things with him?
When we look at Job and Job's book, we learn many things. To make this short, Satan's goal # 1 was to get Job to deny God and to abandon faith. All other matches were minor. So it is with us, Satan's # 1 goal is for us to deny God, abandon faith, and go over to his side.
Job. 2. 1. Then it happened one day that the sons of God came and stood before the Lord, and among them Satan also came and stood before the Lord. 2 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Satan answered the Lord: I have gone and fluttered the earth. 3 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? For there is none on earth like him - an immaculate and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil; yet he is just as immaculate, and you have for no reason annoyed me to destroy him. 4 And Satan said unto the Lord, Skin for skin, and all that a man hath he giveth for his life. 5 But just reach out your hand and touch his legs and his flesh! Then he will surely say goodbye to your face. 6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; just save his life! 7 Then Satan departed from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with evil rams from the sole of his foot to the head of the ass. 8 And he took a potsherd, and scraped himself where he sat in the middle of the ashes. 9 And his wife said unto him, Hast thou yet found perfect? Say goodbye to God and die! 10 And he said, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women; shall we accept only the good of God and not the evil also? During all this, Job did not sin with his lips.
This is such a wonderful and wonderful piece of God's word that one becomes completely dull. Think here, Satan was freely hired into Job's life. The only thing Satan was not allowed to do was to take Job's life. Even his own wife, they became too much for reasons one understands. But Job testified that he did nothing but thank the Lord for all that had happened to his life. This is great!
Job lost everything, really except for two things. It was her own life, and the wife stayed true to him even though she lost faith for a while it looks like ?!
His good name and reputation, reputation, wealth, property and above all his own children died.
What did he get back? All just double.
Job. 42. 10 And the Lord ended Job's calamity when he prayed for his friends; and the Lord increased all that Job had to double. 11 And all his brethren came unto him, and all his sisters, and all that had known him before, and they ate with him in his house, and showed him compassion, and comforted him for all the calamity that the LORD had brought upon him; and they gave him each a kesite, and every one a gold ring. 12 And the Lord blessed the last days of Job more than his first, and received fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand pairs of bullocks, and a thousand asses. 13 And he had seven sons and three daughters. 14 One daughter he called Jemima, the other Kesia, and the third Keren-Happuk. 15 As beautiful women as Job's daughters were not found in all the land; and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. 16 Then Job lived a hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren in the fourth paragraph. 17 And Job died, old and full of days.
Final Comment:
I wrote in the headline the following:
"The secret to succeeding when attacked is not to give in, because Satan's strategy is always to make you give in to lies and whatever comes against you!"
We never give in, but that's not what matters. It is crucial to be kept in the faith.
Satan may win some battles - apparently - but we will always win in the end.
It is so in this world that we must accept that it is the Evil One who rules reason, not God - yet!
Let me take an example in the end.
An acquaintance of mine, who is a prayer child but no professing Christian. Therefore, even though he is not a believer, he is in a special way subject to God's grace and protection.
He suddenly had kidney stones and had to be operated on. It turned out that he was only a few weeks below the sure death when he had received a deadly tumor / cancer in which there was spread.
They managed both, and he survived and lives well today, even without a kidney. He lost a kidney but kept his life.
So it is very often, what looks like a defeat, it can be our biggest victories!
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