DISCOURAGEMENT
The tempter came to him…
Matthew 4:3
The story goes that Satan decided to retire and held a closeout sale. Tables were lined up as far as the eye could see displaying the weapons he’d used to destroy the lives of untold billions. People were amazed to see so many ‘tools’ for sale. Each had a tag with its name and sale price: malice-$100; division-$150; strife-$200; envy-$250; jealousy-$450; greed-$500; deceit-$550; lust-$750; lies-$780…there seemed to be no end of the evil he had perpetrated.
In the center of the auditorium was one ‘tool’ all by itself; a small, wedge-shaped item. It was priced much higher than any of the other tools.
When asked why it was priced so much higher than the other tools, Satan replied, “That is the one I used most. When I could not penetrate their defenses with any other tool I used it. That one tool ruined more lives than all the others combined. With it I only needed to find the smallest of cracks…a light tap and its work was done. Once it accomplished its work I was able to use other tools to reap total destruction!” The people stared at the tool in awe!
The tag read, DISCOURAGEMENT-$10,000!
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Discouragement is to sin what marijuana is to heroin. It is the gateway by which Satan gains entrance into our lives. He whispers, “This situation is bleak and hopeless.”, and hundreds of other lies in an attempt to drive us deeper into our misery. If we give him a toehold he will go for a foothold. If successful, he next invites us to allow him to set up a stronghold, followed by a fortress. But the operative words are, attempt, invites, give, and allow. In other words, he cannot succeed unless we help him.
Failure and disappointments are inevitable. Discouragement is an option. As today’s text plainly reveals, Satan can only tempt us to cooperate because he does not have the authority to do otherwise; Jesus took that back on Calvary.
When things don’t go the way we expected or planned we are momentarily open to the enemy’s lies. It’s up to us, like it was with Jesus, to close that door.
Prayer
“Holy Spirit, when the tempter comes help me resist his efforts. Lift me out of discouraging situations, and help me rise above them. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”
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