An idea that is not often thought about is how our actions affect God’s kingdom, either positively or cause it harm. Our adversary, as a roaring lion, is walking about looking for whom he can destroy (I Peter 5:8) and if we are not alert and on daily watch, he may push our actions to the point that injury or damage is done to the kingdom of Christ, causing a soul to be lost. Nothing could please the devil more.
“When Satan succeeds in tempting men whom God has especially honored to commit grievous sins, he triumphs; for he has gained to himself a great victory and has done harm to the kingdom of Christ.” Confrontation, 26.
In a moment of frustration, after dealing with the whining children of Israel for so many years, Moses lost control and “he spake unadvisedly with his lips” (Psalm 106:33). Because of that incident, damage was done to the kingdom and glory was taken away from God. Satan exulted! He has forfeited the kingdom himself because of his prideful attitude and his plan now is to keep as many of God’s people as he can out of the kingdom and away from the eternal glory that God has prepared for them.
John the Revelator said to anoint our eyes with eye salve (Revelation 3:18) that we may become aware of the devil’s deception and recognize the temptations that are laid before us. We want to “see” when the devil is antagonizing us and pushing us into sin. We need to plead for God’s grace to stand and resist the devil so he will flee from us (James 4:7) before we do harm to God’s kingdom. It is real joy to know that our actions can cause the devil to flee. Walk in that path of the overcomers and resist!
“Some few in every generation from Adam resisted his every artifice and stood forth as noble representatives of what it was in the power of man to do and to be—Christ working with human efforts, helping man in overcoming the power of Satan. Enoch and Elijah are the correct representatives of what the race might be through faith in Jesus Christ if they chose to be. Satan was greatly disturbed because these noble, holy men stood untainted amid the moral pollution surrounding them, perfected righteous characters, and were accounted worthy for translation to Heaven. As they had stood forth in moral power in noble uprightness, overcoming Satan’s temptations, he could not bring them under the dominion of death. He triumphed that he had power to overcome Moses with his temptations, and that he could mar his illustrious character and lead him to the sin of taking glory to himself before the people which belonged to God.” The Review and Herald, March 3, 1874.
Be diligent and watchful and do not let the devil catch you off guard and he triumph over your actions. But, if this does happen, don’t despair; bow low before God and ask for forgiveness, for we have an advocate with the Father (I John 2:1). Claim the promise in I John 1:9 that, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Then stand up and smile with confidence, knowing that you have escaped from the devil’s kingdom and he has lost you!
Father: Anoint my eyes with heavenly eyesalve so that I may not give the devil any reason to smile. Grant me grace to walk the path that Enoch and Elijah walked and through that grace to cause much harm to Satan’s kingdom. I choose to be a representative, as they were, of the heavenly kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.