I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE to commit to memory and endeavor to live by a verse in Acts chapter 20. Let’s read the two preceding verses with it. Then we can see exactly what the Apostle Paul was experiencing when he wrote these powerful words.
ACTS 20:22–24 (NKJV)
22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there,
23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.
24 But none of these things move me. . . .
I pray that the words in verse 24 will leave an indelible impression on our minds and hearts, because many things in life try to move us. The devil uses difficulties to get us off track. We will have many opportunities in our lifetime to say, “It’s not worth it.” But during those moments, we have to stand strong and declare by faith, “None of these things move me!”
We’re not always going to have someone who will pat us on the back and assure us, “You can make it through this.”
At times we’ll be out in the middle of nowhere, facing the fiery darts of the enemy with no one at our side. That’s when we have to stir ourselves up to pray and believe God. To succeed in our Christian walk, we must not allow ourselves to be moved by anything.
The enemy constantly tries to discourage us. He talks to our minds and tries to play havoc with our thoughts. He does everything in his power to keep us from finishing the race God set before us.
When the enemy tries to discourage us, we must set our face like flint and determine that Satan will not succeed. He will not deter us or stop us from fulfilling God’s call.
"God has not changed His mind about us."
How are we supposed to deal with the attacks of the devil? First Peter 5:8 (TLB) says, “Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart.”
Satan wants to tear our families, our health, and our financial situations apart. Ultimately, he’s trying to tear God’s Kingdom down. He wants to pluck everyone he can from the Kingdom of God and take them captive in his kingdom.
Sometimes it seems as if we’re dealing with a barrage of battles. But what does the Word say in
First Peter 5:9? “Stand firm when he [Satan] attacks. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these sufferings too” (TLB).
What should we do when the enemy is attacking us? We need to speak the Word of God. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, what did He do? He said to Satan, “It is written” (Matt. 4:4). He answered the devil’s attacks with the Word. And WE MUST LEARN TO COMBAT THE DEVIL’S ATTACKS THE SAME WAY JESUS DID—BY SPEAKING THE WORD OF GOD.
I’ve discovered it’s impossible to listen to the devil if I’m quoting the Word. When the enemy starts talking to me, I quote God’s Word to him, just as Jesus did!
I also remind myself of my calling from the Lord when the devil begins to taunt me. Romans 11:29 (AMPC) says, “For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call].”
God has not changed His mind about us. It doesn’t matter what His divine call is upon our lives—whether it’s a call to business, to the teaching profession, or to the ministry. We must never underestimate His calling.
If we don’t know what God has called us to do, we can rest assured that He has called us, first and foremost, to be His children. We’re in the most important service there is—the service of the Lord Jesus Christ!
He’s called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). He’s called us into the Kingdom of His dear Son (Col. 1:13). God has called us to be Christians, and what a great calling that is! No matter how much the enemy attacks, we must remind ourselves of our calling in Christ. That will help us say with boldness and conviction, “None of these things move me!”
Full of the Word and the Spirit
Adversity comes to us all. What we do with it determines the outcome of our lives. We can allow difficulties to move and shake us. Or we can refuse to let trouble defeat us and keep us from our destination.
Here are two simple things we can do to keep from being moved by the devil’s attacks:
1) Build ourselves up in the Word of God. We can keep ourselves full of the Word. When that Word is hidden in our hearts, it will come forth in times of crisis.
2) Build ourselves up by praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20). We can keep ourselves built up in the spirit by continually praying in tongues. This causes us to become more sensitive to the Spirit’s voice.
Author
Lynette Hagin
Share this Post