The Devil's Compliment

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.—Luke 22:31

Satan does not have a sympathetic or considerate bone in his body. He doesn't back off or give one a break in times of stress or serious problems. His 'sifter' is set in motion to destroy or defame the children of God.

I doubt you are grist for his mill if you are an unfaithful, careless saved person. The non-tither, the no-time-for-the-Bible-and-prayer kind of Christian. 

If you ever find yourself in the Devil's sifter, take it as a compliment. He is concerned enough about you and your life to go after you with a vengeance. Remember, the more seriously you take God and His work, the more seriously the Devil will take you.

No true Christian is fool enough to desire a few shakes in Satan's sifter. But if you find yourself there, please recall what Jesus said to Peter - "But I have prayed for thee." Grateful am I that "he ever liveth to make intercession". Though troubles and trials come from the hand of our enemy, take hope. Christ Jesus is there to deliver and sustain amidst the fiery trials.

Enabled for the Evil Day - Temptation

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."—Ephesians 6:12-13

Whether we like it or not, we are involved in a spiritual warfare. This isn't a physical conflict with the Devil; it is a spiritual battle, a conflict in the heart and mind. It is a battle for how we see things. It is a battle of values. It's a battle for what we trust in, believe in and understand to be true. 

Because of these battles, we are told to "take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."

What is the evil day?

This evil day can be any day when the Devil lays evil, wicked and morally diseased opportunities in our path.

1. The evil day of temptation.

There are certain days when temptations are more intense, sometimes to the point of almost overwhelming us. The Bible says "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (I Cor. 10:13).

There are times when Satan comes in like a flood and seeks to tempt the child of God in unusual ways. 

• Satan strikes where we are weakest
• Satan is an expert justifying our disobedience to the Lord
• Satan never quits

we are in a continuous spiritual warfare, and it is very real. The battle begins in our mind. Satan wants to get our minds off God so we will not be controlled by His Word.

—adapted from the January 1, 2016 issue of the Sword of the Lord newspaper. Written by Dr. Dennis Leatherman of Mountain Lake Independent Baptist Church, Oakland, Maryland