How not to give the power to the devil
Published:Thursday | January 12, 2017 | 3:11 PMTamara Bailey
Manchester:
If we counted the number of times we doubted our ability to overcome difficulties and prayed to God for help only to begin worrying about the very same problems immediately after, the count would be ongoing.
Many of us have given the devil power over lives by giving up and denying the power of God to make right our situations.
But young preacher AndrÈ Hibbert is saying failing and falling are inevitable and only a total reliance on God will make the powers of the devil over us less effective.
"The devil has accused you. He has abused you, but there is still an advocate - Jesus Christ the righteous. Whereever you go, you will have people who try to tear you down, but that is just their nature. Look to Jesus the truth, the light, and the way.
"He's still the balm in Gilead. When the troubles come and the storm rages, we can still turn to him. He is the victory over sin."
Hibbert, during a sermon recently at a local church, explained that though the devil wants us to join his fold, he means us no good and we should never give in to his lies.
"The devil has not done right by us. He has lost out on a beautiful heaven and has decided that he wants to take us down with him as well. He tries to tell you that you are weak. When the devil comes and tells you that you're a sinner and you're unworthy, tell him to tell you something that you don't know. Tell him, 'I was born in sin and shaped in inequity. I am unworthy, but worthy, worthy is the lamb that was slain'. Jesus Christ is worthy and He is the advocate I need."
Hibbert used the opportunity to send a reminder that it is only in our weakness that God's strength is perfected.
"Sometimes we feel that we are burdened. We feel we are not enough and we haven't given enough, and the devil seizes this opportunity to step in. But the Bible tells us, friends, that in our weakness, His strength is made perfect, not by my might or by my power, but by the spirit of the Lord. Because God is good to us friends; because His grace is sufficient."
He continued, "Sometimes we fail to live up to the standards we set for ourselves, much less the standards that God has set for us, but today is the day we must look into our own lives and decide to do much better."
Hibbert added that we are not defined by calamities that befall us, but by how we deal with them, acknowledging that we cannot do it on our own.
"Sometimes the devil tells us that we cannot make it. Well, say to the devil, 'Tell me something that I don't know because I know that if I try to make it on my own I will fail'. Jesus Christ tells us that whereever I go He will be there with me, He says that when we are weak, He will make us strong."
He further said: "We still serve a miracle-working God. Romans tells us that we are already conquerors. What more assurance do you need? Our job is not to overcome sin because Jesus Christ already did it. What we need to do is deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. Today is the day to deny self, carnal self, and follow Jesus."
The young preacher ended with words of encouragement, declaring that every day one is gifted is another opportunity to do the right thing through Jesus Christ.
"You may not have lived the way you want to, you may not have reached your goals, but there are days ahead. You can rest assured of His faithfulness."