Holy Boldness

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. ( Psalms 2:8) It is typical of the enemy to tempt us with things that have already been promised to us. It is not a matter of having things as much as it is a matter of the legitimacy of our having them. The enemy will give us many things that we are already destined to have, except he offers them at discounted prices, for a simple compromise. Why should a person go through the trouble of qualifying to inherit? Satan offered Jesus everything without having to pay for it. “Hey Jesus, you can have it all now for one simple bow.” Even though this temptation is not even subtle in its approach, it is one of the greatest temptations in the body of Christ today. When God’s Spirit is moving, it’s easy to flow in the grace. It seems that everything is readily available. Many assume that the blessing they are experiencing is an endorsement and that those experiences qualify them to inherit. It is not long before people enter into pride and an attitude of entitlement. But then suddenly things change. We are riding high one minute but then there is a challenge. It is suddenly not as easy and this is when the enemy suggests a compromise. “All these I will give you if you fall down and worship me.” When we take it, things may get easier but at what cost? We do not realize that something has been lost, namely, authority with God. And authority with God is the only authority that matters. We qualify by growing in grace and obedience which is learned in the crucible of suffering. This is where the fear of the Lord comes in. To honor God above all things, especially our own exaltation, is the bedrock of true authority. Satan offered Jesus everything without the cost, which is how he, himself, obtained it. Satan did not suffer for his authority. He did not stand on the truth. He lied! About God, no less. He usurped, he manipulated and misrepresented. He did everything except tell the truth. Will Satan keep what he has now? Of course not! It will all be forfeited because it was obtained fraudulently. It was never his but he assumed control of it. He does not own it, nor has he ever. He is only squatting on it. It is not his. Satan’s authority is illegitimate because it was all obtained through deception and rebellion. He had temporary power over it but he was not the possessor of the nations by any authentic standard Does Satan have authority?

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