23/06/2013 - THUS YOU SHALL BE ESTABLISHED

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In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

Isaiah 54:14

God did not turn a blind eye when He held out His scepter to you. He had already paid the price of your redemption when He chose you; therefore, what He did for you must be respected. The Bible declares that the Almighty did not redeem you with silver or gold or any other corruptible thing, but with the precious blood of His Son (I Peter 1:18-19). So, do not accept the lies of the devil according to which your salvation was not done in the right way.

Maybe you have been walking down evil ways and for this very reason you are away from the Lord. However, your election remains firm. Never listen to what the enemy tells you, because everything he says does not deserve any credit. The Almighty says in this text of Isaiah that He established your salvation with righteousness – the work that Jesus did on the Calvary cross. Anyone who hears God’s calling to belong to His people must believe that he or she was established in the death of Christ.

When God saves an individual, he or she is forgiven of every sin. However, this person should do as Zacchaeus did: after having the Master at his home, he decided to make amends with whom he had wronged. Jesus said that the attitude of that tax collector showed that salvation was indeed dwelling in that house. Those who conceal their transgressions will not prosper and, almost always, the offender has to tell lies for his sins to remain hidden.

When someone is saved he manages to get rid of oppression, but before, however much he tried, the oppressive power was present in his life.  Woe to those who do not have the favor of the Lord, because the “torturers” – the demons – will not leave him alone. The work that God does in him who repents is greater than one can imagine. Moreover, when he is established in righteousness, the evil power can no longer come near him.

The saved should not fear the onslaughts of the enemy, because their life is free from the power of the devil and as children of God they can enjoy peace and safety. The Christian who is afraid of facing the devil has not yet passed through the narrow gate or the difficult way (Matthew 7:14). On the other hand, those who are in fellowship with the Lord are as bold as a young lion.

Salvation separates us forever from the infernal power. It would be a tragedy if Satan could torment the lives of the servants of the Most High. But that’s exactly what the devil does to the unsaved because they were not recreated in Christ, so they are not enveloped by the power of the Lord, who is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29), and consequently the enemy afflicts them.

If the devil has managed to scare you and you fear for tomorrow or if deep down in your heart you have been shaken by some of his threats, make amends with God. On the other hand, the situation is different for the saved ones because an abyss separates them from the power of evil.

In Christ with Love,

R. R. Soares