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Life Or Death

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (NIVUK)

The souls of men and women are very valuable.  And rightly so because each one is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27; Genesis 9:6).  They belong to God.  Yet Satan wants to tear us away from our Maker.  The Evil One is the thief of heaven's riches.  His desire is to take away from God all that belongs to Him - His power, His honour, His glory, His people and His kingdom (Isaiah 14:12-15).  And Satan wants to steal the life which God gives to human beings; the physical human life in which we learn to trust the Lord, and the eternal life of divinely-loved security which continues for ever for those who receive His grace.
 
Satan's purpose is to keep us away from God, so that we may be his slaves until spiritual death overtakes us (Romans 6:16).  By contrast, Jesus' objective is to give us a transforming new life in His presence for ever marked with joy and satisfaction because we are thankful for all that He has done for us.  The difference is as great as hell is from heaven.

Satan's agents are found everywhere and many camouflage themselves well with a cloak of religion.  Jesus described the religious leaders in Israel as being the offspring of their father the devil.  They had the same objective – the death of all that is precious to God especially the Son of God.  And they used the same method, lying (John 8:44).  These are characteristics of spiritual sheep-stealers, the false prophets who arise in each generation.
 
There are two kinds of people: firstly, those who wish to steal what belongs to God and use it for themselves; and secondly those who gratefully receive what God gives them, relying on Jesus and pointing others to Him.  The first group are probably unaware that they are being used as agents of the Evil One.  They simply think they are getting what they want, but Satan manipulates them to suck the vitality out of believers and destroy whole churches.  The second group know that they must not spoil what God is doing and they want Jesus to be Lord of all.  It is death or life, hell or heaven.  Jesus has come to give this new life in all its fullness, full of joy and hope and love.  I trust this latter group describes your spiritual home.  If so, be on your guard against those who would take away what God has planned for you (2 Peter 3:17).

Prayer 
Dear Lord. Thank You that Jesus Christ has given me eternal life so that I may be satisfied and joyful, and that You might be glorified. Forgive me when I have listened to Satan's lies and been drawn away from trusting You. Please help me to be full of joy and praise because of all that Jesus has done for me, and may I be vigilant to detect those who would like to pull me away from my secure position in Christ. In His Name. Amen.
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© Dr Paul Adams