JULY 29

1 Corinthians 16:9

MANY ADVERSARIES

Apostle Paul said that a ‘great door’ was open and there were ‘many adversaries’. He meant that in the work of the Gospel, when there is success, many adversaries or enemies are created. This is because the devil is our fiercest opponent and the worst troublemaker. He is set to destroy God’s work and kingdom. However, Paul was determined to keep his spirit up.

Like Paul, are you determined to keep away from devil and not allow him to make you do wrong things? He is deceitful and is always zealous to tempt us to fall into sin.

Mother has baked a cake in the kitchen. She says, “Jane dear, stay out of the kitchen. As long as you see the cake, you’ll want to taste it.”

Jane is 7 years old and she has been in the kitchen with Mother watching her bake the cake. After being taken out of the oven, the cake looks delicious and Jane’s mouth is salivating. Hearing her mum, she says “I don’t want to eat the cake. I just want to look at it.” She stays on in the kitchen while Mother walks out of it.

Ten minutes later, Mother walks in and sees Jane pinching the sides of the cake and putting small pieces of cake into her mouth. Horriffied, she tells her daughter to stop. She says, “Don’t give place to the devil.”

“ There isn’t a devil,” Jane tells her Mother.

“ The Bible says there is. Jesus Himself had been tempted by the devil. The devil tries to make us do wrong but he can’t if we don’t give him a chance,” explains Mother.

By not giving the devil any chance to make us do wrong things is not to let him have any place around us or in us. When Jane stays near the cake, she is giving the devil a place where he can get her to do wrong. Jane says, “I have better go to my room. In this way, the devil cannot tempt me.”

Thought: How do you stop the devil from tempting you?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, sorry that we often give a place to the devil. Please forgive us. Help us keep the devil from having a place inside us, not even a little place. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.