Christmas Advent Bible Reading Plan: Jesus Is Born預覽

To Defeat the Enemy

Some days it feels like the enemy is out to get us, probably because he is. The devil hovers in our lives, looking to steal, kill, and destroy us and anything good in our lives (John 10:10). He wants us to doubt God’s power and diminish the truth Jesus brought to us through His life, death, and resurrection. The devil wants us to stay focused on our present worries, temporal struggles, and the crippling fears that distract us from God’s kingdom instead of taking “every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

From the first moment His creation succumbed to the devil’s deception, God made a promise to defeat the enemy. He would crush whatever and whoever got in the way of His relationship between Him and His creation (Genesis 3:14–15). As God’s people waited for the one who would once and for all defeat the enemy and death itself (1 Corinthians 15:23–28), they trusted and hoped in God. But inevitably, they would fail God: doubting Him and turning to other gods, then repenting of their sin, and just as quickly, falling into the enemy’s trap over and over again.

Enter Jesus.

“The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the devil’s works” (1 John 3:8). The enemy is intent on keeping us focused on him rather than God. We walk around with shackles on our hands, all the while believing we are “free” because we can create a false sense of security, autonomy, and control. It is through Christ that we are actually free. Jesus was given power and authority and was “made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). This is God’s promise now and in the future.

In the meantime, we practice what all Christians before us have practised: waiting. We know that our help is near. Our Saviour has come. Our enemy is conquered by “the blood of the Lamb,” and we have the daily opportunity to conquer the enemy by the power of testimony in Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:11).

Prayer

Jesus, thank You that You brought us true freedom. Reveal to me what it looks like to walk in Your freedom today. Show me the areas of my life where I am still bound. I hand over the chains of my life to you, and I pick up your freedom today and every day. In Jesus' Name, Amen.