The Mailbox
by Anonymous

ANSWERS TO SATAN’S LIE

The following excerpt is taken from a letter written in response to an essay sent to the writer by a friend. The essay exhorted Christians to return to "the simple He," explained how Satan side-tracks Christians from "gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day" by tricking them into busying themselves with "the non-essentials of He." By crowd–their lives with "so many good causes, they have no time to seek power from Christ. " Below the writer counters with a biblical understanding of Satan’s fundamental lie to Christians.

There is only one thing that separates man from God–sin. When we became Christians the veil of separation from God in our life was ripped, the chasm was bridged, and the" spirit of sin which worketh in the sons of disobedience" (Eph.. 2:1-2 and 1 John 4:4-6) was removed–there is no separation! Jesus said in John 15, "I am the vine, ye are the branches, he that abideth in Me and I in him beareth much fruit." In Galatians, Paul states of himself and of all born-again Christians that, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives me. The He I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

There is no separation noted in any of the above verses. Again, in Romans 8 Paul asks who or what shall separate us from the love of Christ? Trouble, hardship–(the list goes on). "No, in all these things [even being busy, even working, even being in noisy environments] we are more than conquerors through Him who laved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor He, neither angels nor demons, neither present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." His Holy Spirit dwells within us and lives through us.

This is how Satan is really trying to trick us: he wants us to believe we are separated from God. Then he can heap condemnation on us for not measuring up, or not doing whatever, or for being too busy, for example. In my case, I thought all of that kind of stuff and believed all of that condemnation. Then I did a lot of whatever I thought would bring me closer to God and would make me better–of course then I could also think I was better than those who didn’t do quite as much as me. What a rat-race; how self focused! As a result of believing Satan’s he, I was very mean in my thoughts (and eventual actions) to everybody I knew, always measuring them up to me. It was sin to believe the lie that I was separated from Him. That sin, starting with believing Satan’s lie, brought forth death to me and those around me, like the Bible says sin does.

Regarding the hearing of His voice, I know His voice, regardless of how busy I am or how much noise is around me. Sometimes I hear his voice through other people; some-times I just know what the right way is. Jesus said that His sheep would know His voice (John 10:4).

Paul also states that we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16). I take by faith that this is true. I may talk about it with other believers for feed-back as well, believing that they too know His voice and have His mind. There is a certain inner confirmation of, "Oh yes, that’s right!" Again, I hear His voice even during the busiest times, and even with my car radio blasting the news. God is bigger than all that.

In all honesty, God has never promised us a simple He nor an easy He, for that matter. Jesus promised His disciples that we would be reviled, persecuted, hated–all because we are His and doing His works. Nevertheless, I can be honest when it’s hard and unpopular to do so. I can be tough when I must, even though I may be disliked for it. I can do it; it’s His life through me who is really doing it.

In addition, Jesus was truly busy, so were His disciples–thank God they were. Where would we be today had they not been busy? No, life is not simple and I really don’t want it to be. But, I can believe that I am His vessel and every situation I am in is His perfect opportunity, even though it may seem or feel totally opposite. This is my opportunity to claim that "in all these things we are more than conquerors through Hun that loved us."

Your friend,
Carol

REAL REPENTANCE

This is the encouraging reply to a Christian who wrote to confess the details of sin in her life (1 John 1:9). She went on to express gratitude to Cod for His faithfulness in showing her the magnitude of the bondage in which sin held her.

Dear Frances,

Thanks so much for that rigorously honest letter. I know that sharing details like you did with someone else is not easy. And, of course, it’s not easy to bring them into bold relief in our own mind, either. We’re so used to rationalizing and justifying to cover up that we not only have the original sin to deal with, but the compounded problem of the lies we have told and sometimes even believed. So a two-pronged confession is then in order. I believe that you have been thorough and honest about coveting other women’s boyfriends and husbands and are beginning to experience some of the pain that you have caused them. This is something that only the victims truly know–the perpetrators usually have not had the same sin committed against them. We can only imagine what adultery means in a marriage that God has ordained. But your heartbreak and sorrow is the first sign of true repentance, which means a change of mind and a turning from the sin. At this point you seem to be living up to all the light God has given to you.

Thank God that we not only have a savior who forgives us of our sin, but who also has come to live in us the only kind of life pleasing to His Father–His own. What a total salvation! Norman calls what we believe the "total truth," and we can certain]y see why. What could be more total than the One who created us not only forgiving the products of unbelief, but also replacing their producer with
Himself?

Keep it up. Your willingness to see to the depth of your sin is the key to freedom from its bondage. You will be able then to help prevent others from going that same Satan way.

Thank you for your faithfulness to the ministry, but most of all, for your willingness to take God’s truth and apply it to your life. Keep in touch.

Much Love,

Sanda