Brethren, the whole point here is that it is our choice as to what we do or don’t do with this new year we have been given. Basically there are only two choices, use it for ourselves or use it for God! It would be great if we just had to make one decision here and then get on with our lives but that is not the way it is. We can honestly, sincerely determine that we are going to use this year for God but that does not end the matter. Why? Because this is a decision we must make, not just once to being a new year, but every day of our lives. Satan is there constantly offering us other choices to make that are in opposition to our initial choice. So, every morning when we get up, we must renew our choice to use this year for God. Every day when Satan places alternate choices before us, we must, once again, make the decision to use this year for God not ourselves. If nothing else, the Devil hopes to wear us down with the constant decision making we face. He hopes to see us throw up our hands in despair and just quit. He hopes to hear us say, “There is no need to even try, I just can’t do it!” When Satan hears us say these things, he celebrates because he knows he has won and we have lost.
So, what can we do? Where do we turn, where do we look, is there any relief for us from these struggles concerning living this new year for God as we truly want to do? The answer is yes!!
We must constantly remind ourselves of who and what God is and what He has promised us. Listen to Isaiah in Isaiah 41:10 where he says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Our God knows and understands what we are facing. He knows our enemy better than we ever will and He knows exactly what we need to overcome him and win, not just the battle, but the war. Jude, the physical brother of Jesus, states it very clearly for us in the last two versus of his short letter where he says, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 1:24-25).
Brethren, please do not let the Devil discourage you. He will do everything he can to drive you away from God. Just remember, Satan does not love you, God does! Satan does not care about you, God does and so do your brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s win the battle and the war by using this year together for God!
Until next week, I love you all,
Dan