Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “The fear of not having enough”
Our Bible verse for today: “Simon, Simon, look out! Satan has asked to shift you like wheat.” Luke 22:31 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Don’t let Satan steal your capacity.”
Peter was a man of great potential. This proved itself to be true by the way God worked in and through him over his lifetime. As you read Peter’s story in the book of Acts, and in the books of the New Testament that he either wrote or dictated (Mark, 1 Peter and 2 Peter), you realize that God ended up using Peter in powerful ways.
But early in Peter’s life you would never have guessed it. Peter would never have guessed it. Peter was hotheaded and impetuous and easily distracted. Jesus’ warning to him in Luke 22:31 would shortly become a reality in Peter’s life. Satan was about to put him through the ringer.
At that time Peter had within himself great capacity for great good, but in the early years he was still allowing himself to be distracted by Satan. Therefore Satan was draining away and stealing Peter’s capacity. It wasn’t until Peter learned to recognize the schemes of the evil one, and once the Holy Spirit of God had full control over his life, that Peter’s full potential was realized.
The same is true for us. Satan is a master of lies and deception. He is an expert at getting us distracted from God’s ways and involved instead in things we should be avoiding. That then effectively drains away our capacity and prevents us from realizing our true potential. How many Christians gamble away the money God has entrusted them with by playing the lottery? Rather than using that money for good purposes, they squander it in a vain and silly hope of possibly scoring millions.
How many Christians ruin their health with poor eating habits and lack of exercise? If they would just take care of themselves they would be physically able to do the things the Lord wants them to do. But because of their self-inflicted poor health they are limited or even incapacitated.
The examples could be endless. Talents, abilities, skills that are never developed or are underutilized; relationships that wither and die due to lack of attention and nurture; workaholic tendencies, excuse-making, wasted hours playing video games or watching television – Satan has an arsenal of schemes and distractions he uses to deceive God’s people and drain away their potential.
Like Peter we must come to the point that we recognize Satan’s schemes and we must stand against them. We do that the same way Peter did – we surrender ourselves fully to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is the consecration issue that we discussed earlier in this series. We take all that we have and all that we are and we commit it to the Lord to be used as He desires.
Don’t let Satan steal your capacity.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 