Today's Reading:
Job 41,42; 2 Corinthians 1,2
Scripture
“But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:10-11)
Observation
Satan is a vile carpet bagger — looking for “opportune moments” in my life. When he finds a weakness, a breach, a letting down of our vigilance, and that is the moment he strikes. “For your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaming lion, seeking someone whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Application
”So no advantage would be taken of us by Satan …” Paul the Apostle warns us about giving the enemy an advantage. It’s like giving an opposing team six downs in a Super Bowl game rather than four … due to foolish penalties. Or it’s like giving an advantage to the other team in basketball because of an angry outburst that brought on a technical foul. So, too, we as Christians can give the adversary an advantage so that we’re always coming from behind.
We can grow ignorant of his schemes — fighting and resisting him with incompetent weapons, facing a charging rhino with a cork-gun or a shark with a fly-swatter.
The Scriptures remind us that the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but are mighty and powerful through God. The warfare we wage is on a completely different strata than we think, and if I am ignorant of his schemes, I will be ill-prepared and play into his hand.
Here in Second Corinthians, we find that if my relationships don’t include huge helpings of forgiveness, then I allow another advantage for Satan — I automatically give him the upper hand. Unforgiveness makes us vulnerable. It opens the gate for Satan’s entrance … into our homes, relationships, and churches.
I must learn forgiveness, and the quicker, the better! The sin of unforgiveness is like holding onto a red-hot piece of iron. If I let it go quickly, healing is more rapid. If I refuse to let it go, the burn goes far deeper, and healing takes much longer. An offense is like a hot iron. Forgiveness is learning to let it go before it harms the beholder. Forgiveness is closing the door on the enemy. Forgiveness heals wounds.
I am not ignorant of Satan’s schemes — but I often forget, which inadvertently gives him an advantage.
No more!
Prayer
I choose today, O Lord, to be a prudent leader who is not ignorant of the devil’s schemes. Teach me to be wise in that which overcomes the enemy.
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