Protection from the evil one

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
(John 17:15 (NIV))

Everyone who claims that Jesus is their personal Lord and Savior clings to the hope that they will be taken to heaven. It is a promise that, if we maintain our faith, will come true. However, there is a fine line that many cross. Whenever they face troubles, they pray for that time to come quickly. They pray for Jesus to come and take them out of the world. Personally, I look forward to the day when I will be with Jesus in heaven. I also know that His timing is perfect and that I must remain strong and be patient. There are many times when I feel that I would rather be taken out of the world, but I know that it is not God’s timing. It is my desire to escape the attack of the evil one. I would rather flee than stand my ground.

Let’s face it. No one really likes confrontation. We want to avoid it if at all possible. The words that Jesus spoke in John 17:15 tell us that He does not want us to avoid confrontation. He does not want us to be removed from this world. He wants us to stay in the world and to stand up to the attacks of the enemy. He wants us to not only stand up to them, He wants us to be victorious. Jesus prays that God the Father will give us strength and that He will protect us so that the victories will come through Him and His strength. How is God glorified if He removes us from our attacks? God is glorified when we allow Him to be with us in all that we do.

If Jesus prayed for us not to be taken out of the world, why do we look for it when we are under attack? We must remember His prayer and join Him in His prayer for God to protect us. We can then be used to glorify God. There is an old saying that someone can be so heaven minded that they are no earthly good. How is God using you in the world? What battles has He won because of your willingness to go?

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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You are not of the world!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
(John 17:13-19 (NIV))

Do you get upset by the things in this world?

To be honest with you, it is difficult to not get upset with what is going on.

Do you let them effect your attitude and your joy?

Think about that for a moment.

When Jesus came into the world, he came because of the love that God the Father has for His creation. He came to bring joy. Did Jesus alter His joy because of what was around Him, or did he live out His earthly life bringing joy, peace and love?

If Jesus had let the matters of the world get Him down like we allow them to do to us, can you honestly say that we would have the gift of grace and mercy that He came to bring? Would Jesus have allowed Himself to go to the cross? Would he have allowed Himself to suffer and to die if He did not keep His eyes focused on what truly matters?

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33 (NIV))

Think about those words that Jesus spoke to His disciples.

Did He tell them, and us, to worry about the world and to let it drag us down, or did He tell us to keep our eyes on Him, because He is greater than the world?

Why do so many of His Body allow the world to get us down? I know that there are several things that are not right by God’s standards, but does that mean that we should lose our hope, our faith, and our joy? Should we simply role over and allow the enemy to have his way with us?

We have a hope greater than anything of this world!

We have a savior who is able to save us from anything and through anything that this world may send our way.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
(Romans 8:31 (NIV))

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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