|
Listen to this devotional: |
Listen while you read: "The Comforter Has Come"1 (Lyrics) |
1 Peter 5:8 – Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (NIV)
I recently embarked on some steps toward a healthier lifestyle, adding walks and watching my dietary intake by recording what I eat daily. The first three weeks went very well. Then today, no sooner had I logged my weight loss than I heard a small voice inside my head attempting a derailment. "That's it? That's all you lost with all your hard work, huh?" My thoughts immediately agreed with this small, tempting voice, and for about 15 minutes, my thoughts wrestled with the small voice. For a good part of that time, the small voice of God's enemy was winning.
You might be asking the outcome of these thoughts. I'm happy to report that the voice that is wrapped in the love of Jesus won. At the time, we had been watching the mini-series, The Chosen. We had heard the character portraying Jesus say, "The time has come", and the phrase popped into my head.
These four words had an impact on me because my walk with Jesus has been a long road with many forks and attempted derailments. In the past few years, I have been on a much better walk as a Christian, and I have been able to stand firm in the Word and His promises for my life. Hearing the phrase, "The time has come", has given me another assurance of who I am in Jesus.
Consequently, I was able to squash the attempted derailment by the enemy. I was able to speak those words out loud — "The time has come" — and I was able to go about my day in Jesus.
This won't be the last time that the enemy attempts to thwart my plans and dreams. The next time, it might be in another area of my life.
What about you? How does the enemy creep into your life? Do you hear, "You're not worthy?" or "Who do you think you are, trying to learn something new?" or even, "Buy that, you deserve it."
The Bible tells us that we need to take these thoughts captive. How do we do that? "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7 NIV)
Prayer: Dear Jesus, we thank You for the grace that You show us when we allow that other small voice into our heads. We praise You that You have given us a relationship with You to combat these thoughts. Help us, hour by hour and day by day, to walk closely with You so that we may overcome the enemy in our lives. Thank You for Who You are in our lives. Amen.
Forward this devotional Share this devotional on Facebook Like PresbyCan on Facebook
Although PresbyCan doesn't have a mobile app, you can still have a PresbyCan icon on your mobile phone home screen. 
Tuesday, February 11, 2025 – In Greece — Because of my surgery last summer, the Lord opened new ways for ministry by some very interesting contacts with doctors and nurses!! They were all amazed that I would work in Africa, being a Greek, and at my age!!! giving me opportunities at home in Greece to share the Gospel and why I spent all my life in Africa, and for Africans!
fractures: "Update February 10, 2025; Jacquie's surgery was postponed due to emergencies. Hopefully it..." 
Amen, Julie.
Thank you for your message today, Julie!
Great advice and encouragement, Julie. Thanks and blessings!
Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us. Blessings.
I get those thoughts all the time. Thank God I have Jesus to combat them.
Amen Julie. Keep up the good listening and obeying, it’s always worth the struggle.
Blessings.
Hi
Once again, your words are so helpful.
His timing is breath taking.
Ongoing thanks.
Hi Julie,
Love your message this morning! I needed it in my spiritual walk. Thank you for writing it so beautifully.
Thanks, Julie.
You may have helped a lot of people today by sharing your story of “Lead us not into temptation.”
Thanks, Julie, for your important words in today’s devotional. Yes, seeking Jesus in our lives and following His words is the very best route to take in our daily lives. We need be ever grateful for His loving care. Blessings for contributing this special writing.
Dear Julie, your devotional reached out to me about the need to have self-control. Also about self-doubt slowly beginning to creep into my thoughts.
Even your words of “you’re not worthy.” I thank our good Lord for this message, and I am grateful. You lifted me up.
Good morning, Julie,
I definitely know what you are describing in this devotional. It can happen so fast with those negative little voices. Thanks for the encouragement and congratulations. Blessings.
Good morning, Julie,
Thank you for your good words this morning, re, losing weight, I can relate, it’s a continuous struggle for me, and there are so many strange things going on that we sometimes wonder and wander.
I wish you and yours a very blessed Sunday.
Good morning, Julie,
Thank you for sharing. I know what you are talking about. I will hear — go ahead you can eat that you have been so good, you lost, reward yourself with a dessert!! Oh yes, that little voice.
So thankful for the willpower God gives us.
Have a great weekend.
Thank you, Julie, for your devotional and telling us about your almost derailment and how we all have so many near misses… and misses, because of whom we are listening to and not what God would have us do. I loved how you closed the prayer with:
“Thank You for Who You are in our lives” Amen to that.
May God bless you and keep you,
May His face shine upon you and give you peace.
Dear Julie. Thank you for today’s Devotional. I too am trying to lose weight. Some days I do well. Some days I am so hungry I cannot stop eating. It is frustrating. I use an app. It tells me when I have had enough, even when I don’t think I have. As I think about this, I am reminded that we often try to behave in a certain way and sometimes succeed and sometimes fail. But we keep pressing on toward the goal. We need to change our lifestyle to fit the proper diet, as we do our behaviour. I think the goal to become better and lose weight is of the most importance. The ups and downs along the way are how we get there. All the best.
For over 70 years that voice has reminded me of something I did at the age of seven. Then there were all the other things I’ve done since then.
Yesterday I must have been tuned in to your reflection because it’s as if I heard “THE TIME HAS COME … to accept – to RECEIVE and not reject forgiveness. Then I realized that the one who was not forgiving was ME. So I begged HIS help to forgive myself … I hope and pray that I will spend these last years looking forward and not back. Praise God – for mercies that never end, and for the way HE doesn’t give us over to our errors.
Your reflection has reinforced my lesson from yesterday, and I’m so grateful. Thank you, Julie.
Amen. Thank you for the blessed reminder. Abide in Him to continue to bear good fruit. It sounds simple, but unless we really keep close to Him we stray so quickly. He is truly our good shepherd and we really act like sheep. Thanks again.
Good advice, Julie! I have a screenshot on my phone that recommends responding “I trust in Christ” to every one of these attempted derailments. Works great — if I remember to use it!
Your devotional contains a lot of wisdom, hope, and encouragement! Thank you!