Lilly: Um...Dodger? Our friend is here, and you're the one who usually says "Hello". Aren't you going to do so now?
Dodger: Huh? Oh, yeah. Hi there. We're glad you're here. Thanks for coming.
Lilly: You don't quite seem yourself today. Is everything okay?
Dodger: To be honest, no. I'm exhausted. Last night I was struggling pretty hard with the devil. He's keeping it up this morning, too.
Lilly: What do you mean?
Dodger: I mean he won't get off my case. If he's not throwing some evil temptation in my way or trying to make me doubt my salvation, it's because he's trying to put bad thoughts in my head or have me show unkindness to someone who hasn't done anything to me. I'm officially worn out, and I'm not sure how long I can fight him without collapsing.
Lilly: Mmmm. Well Dodger, I can see where you're coming from. You aren't the only one who has trouble with this though.
Dodger: Yeah, I know. But it would be nice if I didn't feel like I was doing this alone.
Lilly: But you aren't! Dodger, I need you to flip open the Bible to Deuteronomy chapter 7.
Dodger: Deuteronomy? What does Deuteronomy have to do with my problem?
Lilly: You'd be surprised. Never try to classify a book of the Bible as good for only certain things. I've been surprised by the number of good words and encouragement and advice and revelation that I've received from books I didn't expect to see them in. So, have you found the chapter?
Dodger: Yes. What verses do you want me to read?
Lilly: Verses 16-23. But before you do that, I want to explain what's going on here. The text is from Moses, the leader of Israel, talking to them before they go in to take over the Promised Land, land which God promised to them years and years ago. They've left a life of slavery in Egypt, and now they finally get to go in and see the land for themselves. However, the land currently belongs to a lot of sinful and hostile nations, so receiving their inheritance is a slightly frightening prospect, since they will have to fight stronger countries to get God's promise. Since Moses is not going to live to go in there with them, these are sort of like last words to the people, which include battle advice.
Dodger: Okay. So here are the verses: “If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’— you shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs and the wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So shall the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. Moreover the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until those who are left, who hide themselves from you, are destroyed. You shall not be terrified of them; for the Lord your God, the great and awesome God, is among you. And the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you little by little; you will be unable to destroy them at once, lest the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, and will inflict defeat upon them until they are destroyed." (NKJV)
Dodger: Huh? Oh, yeah. Hi there. We're glad you're here. Thanks for coming.
Lilly: You don't quite seem yourself today. Is everything okay?
Dodger: To be honest, no. I'm exhausted. Last night I was struggling pretty hard with the devil. He's keeping it up this morning, too.
Lilly: What do you mean?
Dodger: I mean he won't get off my case. If he's not throwing some evil temptation in my way or trying to make me doubt my salvation, it's because he's trying to put bad thoughts in my head or have me show unkindness to someone who hasn't done anything to me. I'm officially worn out, and I'm not sure how long I can fight him without collapsing.
Lilly: Mmmm. Well Dodger, I can see where you're coming from. You aren't the only one who has trouble with this though.
Dodger: Yeah, I know. But it would be nice if I didn't feel like I was doing this alone.
Lilly: But you aren't! Dodger, I need you to flip open the Bible to Deuteronomy chapter 7.
Dodger: Deuteronomy? What does Deuteronomy have to do with my problem?
Lilly: You'd be surprised. Never try to classify a book of the Bible as good for only certain things. I've been surprised by the number of good words and encouragement and advice and revelation that I've received from books I didn't expect to see them in. So, have you found the chapter?
Dodger: Yes. What verses do you want me to read?
Lilly: Verses 16-23. But before you do that, I want to explain what's going on here. The text is from Moses, the leader of Israel, talking to them before they go in to take over the Promised Land, land which God promised to them years and years ago. They've left a life of slavery in Egypt, and now they finally get to go in and see the land for themselves. However, the land currently belongs to a lot of sinful and hostile nations, so receiving their inheritance is a slightly frightening prospect, since they will have to fight stronger countries to get God's promise. Since Moses is not going to live to go in there with them, these are sort of like last words to the people, which include battle advice.
Dodger: Okay. So here are the verses: “If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’— you shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs and the wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So shall the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. Moreover the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until those who are left, who hide themselves from you, are destroyed. You shall not be terrified of them; for the Lord your God, the great and awesome God, is among you. And the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you little by little; you will be unable to destroy them at once, lest the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, and will inflict defeat upon them until they are destroyed." (NKJV)
Lilly: Perfect job. Thank you for that. So, did you see the similarities?
Dodger: I'm afraid not. The battle advice looked good, but I don't see why that helps me.
Lilly: Because you're in a battle, Dodger. The enemy is called the enemy for a reason. Your enemy the devil wants to take you out, to steal, kill and destroy you and all you do. There's no way he'll just sit back and let you do great things for God without fighting you. But just like Israel, you aren't relying on your own forces to make this work. Just as God has gotten you through through hard things in the past, so He will continue to fight for you for the rest of your life. You aren't facing the enemy alone. And furthermore, just because the enemy seems mighty doesn't mean he's more powerful than you. The Bible makes it pretty clear that our God is way more powerful than the devil. "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4 NKJV) And just as God did not get rid of all of Israel's enemies at once, so He won't let you defeat the enemy all at once. It will be a growing process that will take a lifetime, but you can trust that God knows what He's doing, and will be with you all the way. So don't be afraid. It's not always easy to struggle against the devil, but God will not leave us in a spot He knows we'll lose. Besides, the enemy tries to make himself look bigger than he is because what he doesn't want you to know is that he's actually scared of you.
Dodger: What? The devil is afraid of me?
Lilly: No, he's terrified. He knows you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you and that you are therefore more powerful by far than he is. Since he doesn't want you to know that, he fights you and tries to make you feel weak, or like you are a poor Christian for struggling at all. But since God is our strength, there's no need to be afraid of the devil or listen to his lies. One day we'll receive our inheritance from God, a life in heaven with countless blessings. In the meantime, let's rely on God to give us our strength, and remember His promise that He would never leave us.
Dodger: Wow. Thanks Lilly.
Lilly: Don't thank me, thank God!
Dodger: All right. Thank you God, for being my strength and help, and giving me power to win against the devil. In Jesus name, Amen.
Lilly: Amen. Well, I know it's unusual that I would notice this first, but it's time we went home. Thanks for coming today.
Dodger: Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!
Lilly: குட்பை!
(NKJV Means New King James Version)
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