Daily Devotion (Monday, March 30th - Friday, April 3rd)

Monday

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
--1 John 4:4

The devil can gain a foothold on your life in many ways. Some think one way is through drugs. Sadly, we are seeing a real revival of drug use today.

Another way we can think of is by opening the door to demonic power is through these occult activities that people dabble in today. You may think of them as innocent, but they open the door a little bit.

Now, can demons tempt Christians? Absolutely. Can demons harass us? Without question. Even the great apostle Paul spoke of a demon power that would come and buffet him (see 2 Corinthians 12:7).

But God won't let you face more than you can handle. He always will put His hedge of protection around you. The Bible clearly promises that when Christ comes in your life, you are free and protected.

Jesus Himself said, " 'Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed' " (John 8:36).

When Jesus comes into your heart, it is not in a timeshare plan where He occupies the heart part of the time and the devil occupies it part of the time. No, Jesus takes control and He is there to stay. Christ made this clear when he proclaimed, "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (John 4:4).

But, if you are not a Christian, if Christ is not living in your heart, you are open game for the devil. Maybe you are not a drug addict or an occultist. But I will tell you this--you are still a sinner. Everybody has sinned and broken God's commandments (see Romans 3:23).

Reach out to Jesus now. He is greater than the devil. He will forgive you. He will transform you.


Tuesday

"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." --John 8:36

There are three forces at work in the life of the demon-possessed man in Mark 5. First there is Satan. Just like a roaring lion, Satan had already come into that man, intending to destroy him (see 1 Peter 5:8).

Next, there was society. What had society done for him? They had chained him up, but he broke the chains. What else could they do?

Society couldn't solve the problem, because the problem was in the man's heart. No one could help this man. His situation was hopeless.

But then the Savior came into his life. What did Jesus do for him? He came to the spooky little graveyard where the man lived. Jesus saw his hurting, tortured soul and offered hope.

What society could not do, Jesus did with one simple command: "He said to him, 'Come out of the man, unclean spirit!' " (Mark 5:8). The demons came out of the man, and went into a herd of pigs. Jesus transformed the man's life. He was free indeed.

As Jesus said, " 'Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed' " (John 8:36).

Isn't it interesting that with all of our wonderful achievements today, society still cannot deal with problems caused by Satan and sin? We cannot overcome Satan in our own power. We don't know what to do.

Society doesn't have the answers. We, too, need a Savior to help us.

Jesus Christ can transform your life and make you free, too. We know it is true, because He has already done it for many of us. Come to Him, let Him make you free. Let Him be your Savior.


Wednesday

When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
--Isaiah 59:19

In Mark 5, the Bible tells us of a man who was possessed by demons, had superhuman strength, and was able to break chains with his bare hands. This man lived among the tombs and on the mountains. He was a dangerous and a frightening man.

But underneath this horrendous exterior was a tortured soul. It's a picture of Satan's ultimate goal. This is really what the devil wants to do. He wants to destroy your life.

Although it is true that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life, it also is true that Satan hates you and has a horrible plan for your life.

The devil knows his judgment is certain. He knows that Jesus is indeed coming again. Therefore he is pulling out all the stops. He is redoubling his efforts.

The good news is that although the devil will be at work, God will also be at work. The Bible says, "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him" (Isaiah 59:19).

This story had a very happy ending--Jesus came into this poor tortured man's life and made him into an altogether different kind of a person. Jesus cast out the legion of demons, which went into a herd of pigs and ran over a cliff. It was a dramatic transformation for this man.

Jesus can transform your life, too. Let Him lift up a standard against the enemy in your life, today.


Thursday

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
--Acts 4:12

Have you been with Jesus? Or do you just see Him as a mythical figure, perhaps a moral example?

Well, the same Jesus who died on the cross, the same Jesus who gave boldness to the apostles Peter and John (Acts 3-4), is here with us right now and He is still changing lives.

He wants to be a part of your life, guiding and directing your steps and cleansing you of your sins. He loves you, and He has a plan and a purpose for your life. He wants to mold you into His image, so that you become like Him, so that you know Him.

The apostle Peter said, " 'Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved' " (Acts 4:12).

The only way for you to be forgiven of your sin, the only way for you to know that you will go to heaven when you die, the only way for you to have true peace in your heart and have a guilt-free conscience is to ask Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to forgive you of your sin and to be your Savior and Lord.

There are no other options. There is only one lifeline dropped from heaven for humanity, and it is Jesus Christ.


Friday

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. - 2 Chronicles 16:9

Think of all the ordinary people God has used to turn this world upside down.

Think of that shepherd boy David, who God raised up to be the greatest king in the history of Israel. God used that frightened man Gideon to lead a great army and he turned out to be a man of courage and valor.

A simple Jewish girl named Esther saved her people from destruction because she stood up for what was right. God used Deborah to lead the armies of Israel into battle when everyone else was afraid.

God called two ordinary fishermen, Peter and John, to speak His Word with boldness.

You see, God can use ordinary people like you. As the Scripture says, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him" (2 Chronicles 16:9).

God clearly looks for ordinary people to turn this world upside down. There exists a place and a calling for every one of us. We all have something to do for the Lord.

God can do a lot with a little. God changed us. When you have been with Jesus, God can use you.