“There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” (Psalm 91:10)
I do not believe that any of us truly know just how protected we are from evil. I speak of course of those that are hid in Christ, not the wicked with whom our adversary can do with as he pleases, and whether you consider that protection upon us by ministering Spirits, the angels, by the indwelling Holy Spirit, by the Lord Jesus Christ or by the hand of God Himself, we are protected from all evil.
To believe this truth you must fully believe the truth of Romans 8:28 as well.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
No one who has been born-again can ever say in this life that Satan, by his own free will and design, is attacking them, and I cannot stress this enough, but everything that happens to us in this life that we would consider detrimental, that we might call evil, is either allowed by or brought upon us by our Father in heaven.
“Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” (1st Peter 3:16)
I personally believe, and I speak here only in terms that the human mind can comprehend, that when Adam sinned, Satan, for lack of a better analogy, was given a list, here is a list of what you can do to the wicked, and here is one of what you can to do those I have chosen. And at the top of that list of those who are the righteousness of God in Christ, of the elect, is the word “tempt.”
In fact, my friends, although I could be wrong, that word may be the only thing on that list.
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;” (Heb. 2:14)
But not the power of death towards us anymore.
“Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” (John 14:30)
There was not one thing that our adversary could accuse the Lord Jesus Christ of before the throne of God Almighty, there is much that he can accuse each of us of, and none of the blame for any sin that we may commit can be laid at his feet, he tempts and that is all he can do to us unless he is granted permission to do more.
“Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.” (Job 1:10)
“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:” (Luke 22:31)
Sometimes, and for His own glory, the Most High grants the request of Satan towards those who will live eternally in the light of the Risen Lamb, but our adversary cannot do anything to us unless he first asks permission to. But sadly, because our flesh is weak, temptation is all he really needs.
Our real battle, our most formidable enemy is not Satan my friends, it is us. It is the flesh that serves the law of sin, it is our flesh, that part of us that nothing good can be found in, our old man, our sinful nature.
“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.” (1st Cor. 10:13)
“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2nd Cor. 4:4)
Those temptations that he is allowed to set before us encapsulate every part of our being, they are constant, there is no respite from them, they never wane, and as one may fade away, though rarely fully, there are a myriad of others waiting to take its place. Nothing is beyond Satan’s ability in the area of temptation, and every facet of our human nature is well known by him.
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1st John 2:16)
But it is all he has; it is the only word on that list of those who serve the Living God.
No matter what it is, no matter how desperate the situation seems, how detrimental it is, how terrible, nothing is allowed to come into your life if you have been born-again unless the Almighty allows it, or he brings it Himself. In His hands my friends we are always safe, we are always secure, and no one can take us out of His hands.
Remember these truths in the dark days of your life, remember and give praise to Him who is our shield, and our exceeding great reward.
