"What's He After?"

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy..." John 10:10a 

When the devil comes against you, although he wants to make you unproductive for Christ and keep you focused on yourself because of what you are going through, he is after only one thing. When he attacks your body, he isn't after your health. When he attacks your finances, he isn't after your money. When he attacks your relationships, he isn't just wanting to separate you from others. When he attacks you in your emotions, he isn't only after your mind. He has a bigger goal and plan. There is a "bulls-eye" that he is aiming to hit. That bulls-eye, that goal, is to cause you to turn away from Christ.

 

He is out to steal your eternal life. He is out to kill your faith and confidence in the Lord. He is out to destroy your relationship with the Father. He hates God and he hates you because God loves you. The greatest thing we possess is not our health, it is not our wealth, it is not our relationships with one another. It is our relationship with God the Father. Jesus came to save us from our sins and to reconcile our relationship with the Lord. God loves us so much that He was willing to sacrifice His One and Only Son in order for us to have this relationship with Him. 

 

The devil only uses the trials, tests and temptations that cause pain and suffering, heartache and discouragement as tools to pull us away from our relationship with the Lord. He hopes that through the things he throws at us we will accuse God, get bitter towards Him, be angry with Him, and lose hope in Him because of what we are suffering. And because God "allowed" it and did not stop it or come to our rescue. 

 

Why should we get angry and bitter toward God? Why should we give up on Him? Why should we turn our backs on our relationship with Him? He loved us enough to warn us that trials would come, that in this world we would have tribulation and many would be our afflictions. He told us "up front" so that when these things happened to us we would not be taken unaware. He never once promised us a life filled with no problems, no trials, no heartache, no pain or no suffering. So He hasn't deceived us. 

 

Are you at the point of "throwing in the towel" on your relationship with the Lord? Are you embittered against Him and ready to give up? Are you at the place where you are about to throw your relationship with the Lord away? Then the devil has "hit the bulls-eye" in your life. He has accomplished what he set out to do. Let me encourage you this morning.... DON'T DO IT! Don't throw away the eternal for the temporary. Don't forget about the outcome for those who endure to the end. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18) Life is short-- it is like a vapor that is here today and gone tomorrow. But eternity never ends. One day you will leave this life of pain, suffering and heartache behind. If you don't give up and turn from your relationship with the Lord, you will enter into the place of rest and joy where you will behold that lovely face that saved you forever. Like the old song says-- "It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus. Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase. So bravely run the race, 'till we see Christ."

 

Have a great day. The devil is after one thing-- your relationship with the Lord. Don't let him have it. If you endure to the end, you will receive a great and eternal recompense and reward.

For further reading:

Hebrews 10:35

John 3:16; 6:33

Psalm 34:19

Matthew 10:22