Our adversary is perfectly aware of every possible emotional state that a human being can experience, and he is able to manipulate them to a degree in nearly every person alive.
Eve realized envy, the same reason the Jewish leaders delivered our Lord to Pilate. David’s pride led him to number the people, with Judas Iscariot, greed was the key.
We are both logic and emotion-based creatures, one must never override the other, balance must be maintained, or Satan will indeed gain a foothold in your life.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
Those who stay on one side of the fence, as it were, between these two will rarely if ever know the perfect will of God in their lives, they will be either as a wave of the sea or an immovable stone, events that affect their lives will either cause fear or callousness. Neither one will be transformed fully, neither one will know a peace that passes all understanding.
In Satan’s world fear is what keeps people in bondage, most generally the fear of loss, no matter what it is they hold dear, if they fear to lose it, they will obey by fearing. Since 1st Timothy 6:10 is a truth, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” then it stands to reason that money is what most consider their security blanket, allow them just enough to make ends meet but keep in their mind that if they lose their financial wherewithal, that suffering is the next step.
No matter our faith in Christ, we know that if we cannot meet our financial obligations, we will be out on the street, and so, even in this minor way, we are trapped by this evil world. War, famine, plagues, disease, name any other possible calamity that can befall a person and many of them will still find a modicum of hope in that situation, but tell them that they will run out of money, that there will be no way to accumulate any more of it once what they have in reserve is depleted, and you will see fear.
Satan is preparing this world to be utterly broke, with not even a single coin in their pockets, and then he will make promises. “You can have anything you want, as long as you do as I say.”
I have no verification of this of course, but I do not believe that when Satan left the presence of the Almighty after the second time he was called to the throne room during the account of Job that he just went back to going to and fro in the earth. No, he sat there, invisible to those present and learned.
Reintroduce yourself to these two men and listen to what they said that day. “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6) Not a coin in their pockets, yet faith in the promises of Him who had proven Himself faithful.
Your bank may fail, your loans may be called, your money may lose ninety percent or more of its value, even food and the basic necessities may become out of your reach.
“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2nd Tim. 1:12)
Do you?
Can you be as Job, yet knowing full well that the Lord is not going to give you seven-fold more when it’s all said and done? Can you sit with Lazarus at the rich man’s gate and be thankful for the crumbs? Can you move through the moments of emotional turmoil if He so allows those things to happen in your life, can you stop considering the logic behind what is occurring in your life and simply trust in Him still.
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Prov. 3:6)
I know it should not matter how rough the path is, but it does, for how long it will is the question you must be able to answer, not then, but today.
