The Devil Cannot Touch Believers – Part I
Today’s Scripture: 1 John 5:13-21
Key Verse: 1 John 5:18
We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
The title for today’s devotion is based on the Key Verse: the evil one cannot touch believers. What that means is the evil one can tempt you and he can influence others to make you miserable.
However, God controls the intensity of all attacks by the evil one. Remember the promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.”
In other words, the evil one can throw things at us, but he cannot touch us! God holds us secure in His arms.
Given the above, we can see why John wrote, “God’s children do not make a practice of sinning.” (1 John 5:18).
If you or some believer you know makes a practice of sinning, then we can know that they are not truly believing in the power of the God we serve.
This does not mean real believers will not face some “strongholds” along the way.
The Apostle Paul tells the Corinth believers about these “strongholds”: “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.” (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Strongholds are things that the evil world in which we live may ingrain into our lives before we are Christ-followers.
One example is when someone sexually abuses another as a child. The devil can use that experience to create a stronghold in that person’s life.
Another example is a child who sees the abuse of alcohol by their parents. The results of that could be a stronghold in that child as they grow into adulthood.
There are hundreds of examples of these strongholds that can be on going temptations for a believer. These strongholds are persistent battles that a believer faces. They often result in sinful behavior.
If you have a stronghold in your life that keeps you feeling like a failure and robbing you of God’s peace, I have good news for you. God has weapons that can destroy these strongholds.
The Apostle follows this verse about strongholds with a mighty weapon that we can claim: “We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Tomorrow’s devotion teaches more on this idea of capturing rebellious thought. Our behavior (good and bad) starts with our thoughts, and we must learn to control them!
(Continued in tomorrow’s devotion.)
Father, with your grace and guidance, I will not make a practice of sinning in my life. By your power I will tear down every stronghold that comes against me. In Jesus’s Name I pray, amen.