It happens in real life, movies, books, and on television: two boys standing face-to-face, each one yelling at the other one, “My dad can beat up your dad!” Whether such a confrontation has ever happened to you is a moot point. Each boy knows that his dad is the biggest and baddest dad around. We all have a Father like that, God. There is a simple line in the Bible that says so. It is 1 John 4:4 and it goes like this: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (NKJV)”. It is really that simple. The “He” who is in you is God, and the “he” who is in the world is Satan. God is far more powerful than Satan in all things, but it is something we sometimes forget. We don’t remember to call on God during our problems and when things aren’t going our way. We think that we can handle it on our own, fighting off the devil with our own strength and resolve.
It is a well-worn and overused cliché that tells us life is tough. We know that. We have been around the block, up the creek and over the mountain. Life is full of its defeats and its victories. It presents us with challenges when we least want them and then gives us blessings and joys when we least expect them.
It is said that pride is the oldest and most common sin. When life takes a negative turn, we too often struggle through it ourselves, full of stubborn pride in our own ability. Sometimes we may ask our closest friend or a family member for help, unless we are too embarrassed or stubborn to do so. The one direction in which we should turn is to God. He is always there for us, He will help when asked. Oftentimes, His help isn’t what we expect, it is just the way that He thinks is best for us, for His reasons, not ours. Many times He expects us to follow His direction and He is there to smooth out the rough spots and keep us going in the right direction. While it may not be strictly biblical, the old saying about “God helps those who help themselves” is still valid. He isn’t there to do all of the work while we just kick back and relax. He expects us to carry our share of the responsibility.
God isn’t a magician. He doesn’t just weigh into the fray, wave a magic wand and make everything right. He has His ways of solving our problems. Not that He couldn’t work that way if He wanted to do so. After all, He is God. Our problem is that we don’t ask for help when we need it, and, when someone suggests seeking His help, it is our stubbornness that lashes out at that person and causes us to ignore the advice. Did you ever ask yourself where that stubborn streak came from? Who wants you to ignore that advice? Who wants you to continue to try on your own? Could it be that Satan is whispering in your ear, telling you one of his lies, convincing you to stay away from God’s help? Satan doesn’t like to lose, but he knows that when God steps into the fight, he loses. If he can keep you from seeking God’s help, then he can win that round.
Our God is the biggest and strongest “dad” around and He has never lost a fight to the devil and He never will. So, the next time you feel you are on the losing end, that life is not going your way, then that is the time you need to go face-to-face with Satan and remind him that God is on your side and with His help, you will defeat him every time.
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