2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19 ESV, Luke 10:13-37 ESV, Psalm 75:1-10 ESV, Proverbs 12:12-14 ESV
Daily Verse: “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” (Luke 10:19 ESV)
PATEO (3961): “To trample. Used intransitively and figuratively, of ‘treading’ upon serpents, Lk. 10:19. Transitively, of ‘treading’ on, down or under.”[i]
Trampling power.
My friend sent me a powerful video[i]that depicted how the devil attacks by whispering lies in our ears. Produced by the church youth group, different scenarios displayed the youth dealing with debilitating thoughts whispered in their ears. A young baseball player convinced of his worthlessness, a teenage girl battling thoughts of suicide, another dealing with crippling self-image and abandonment issues, all leading them down dark paths because of lies.
But then Jesus intervenes, dispelling the lies and exposing the truth.
“For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (John 8:37 ESV)
Truth tramples lies.
Jesus’ presence in our lives helps us see the truth. Instead of listening to the devil’s lies, we stop them before they take root. God gives us the power to control our thoughts; we can change how we think by giving them to God.
“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV)
Don’t fall for the enemy’s lies. Instead, submit every thought to Jesus. When you do, Christ will expose the lies you believe. God’s love for you never ends; victory comes through Christ.
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39 ESV)
[i]https://www.facebook.com/smbc.page.5/videos/532271667229260
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 199) Thomas Nelson
