“See what great love the Father
has lavished on us, that we should
be called children of God!
And that is what we are!”
1 John 3:1
That is what we are? Children of God? Yes! God is a Father who will never, ever hurt us like earthly fathers sometimes do. He delights in us, so deeply that Jesus came to suffer and die in our place. Willingly. Lovingly. Lavishly.
Do you ever feel like you know this in your head, but your heart sometimes struggles to believe it? Your legs feel too rubbery to get up and move forward and receive this truth He so freely offers? Your hands feel too weak to take hold of His proffered hand of love and grace? Especially in times of vulnerability when Satan pummels us with his vicious lies and stomps us under his feet?
Believe me, Satan knows where we’re most vulnerable. Terminal or chronic illness can sap our energy. Depression and other mental illnesses can suck us down, down, down into a deep, dark hole where we lose hope and can’t see a speck of light anymore to lead us out. Losses of so many kinds can make us wonder where God is. Loss of self and devastation of lives through abuse or other traumas. The death of loved ones. Betrayals. Desertions. Divisions. Loss of jobs and financial means. The pandemic and all its repercussions. And on and on it goes. And Satan stalks as a hungry and determined lion watching, waiting, and pouncing on us when we’re weak and vulnerable.
When we’re discouraged, we become an easy target, and it can be harder to fight off those negative voices of never being enough. Those critical voices that say we’re unlovable, unwanted, and surely not needed in this world. Those vicious voices that say Jesus does not care and there is no hope or help for us.
Satan knows exactly when our bodies or souls are weary and feeling too weak to hang onto God’s truth. He sometimes convinces us to look through our lens of skewed perspectives because of past or present trauma and hurting words and actions that can drown out the remembrance of our identity in Christ Jesus. He doesn’t want us to look through the lens of truth that we are Jesus’ beloved, that Jesus cares so deeply, and He is with us no matter how difficult our struggles are.
Recently, I was looking through that distorted lens before I even realized it. My heart became so heavy, and I couldn’t understand why. Help me, Jesus! I turned to the One who knows and understands the deepest troubles of our hearts. The One who cries with us and longs for us to release our burdens into His hands.
And He graciously opened one of His promises to me:
“The God of peace will soon
crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you!”
Romans 16:20
Yes, Jesus in His powerful love and grace has already gained the victory over Satan, but as long as we’re on earth, Satan will try his utmost to bring us to doubt that truth. The grace of Jesus will always be with us here and help us through the heaviest trial, but won’t that be a glorious day when Satan will forever be crushed under our feet?!
If we hear condemning or shaming voices, it’s not God. God may sometimes lead us in a way of correction out of love, but He will never condemn us even when we fail or fall. Even though He knows that in our weakness, we sometimes do take up those distorted lens Satan digs up and gives us. He can and will remove those lens and again give us His lens of love and grace. The lens He sees us through. His lovable and wanted child who is needed in this world to spread the same love He gives us to others.
“So now there is no condemnation
for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1
“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:
‘I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.'”
Jeremiah 31:3
Freed to Fly 
Oh, yes, Trudy, satan will pull out all the stops whenever he perceives our weaknesses. I’ve experienced those low times of doubt and despair. But our loving God has never, ever abandoned me. He always calls me back to focus on Him, knowing He will save, protect, forgive, and love unconditionally.
Blessings, my friend!
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I love that He never, ever abandons us, even when it “feels” like it. Those low times are sometimes hard to get out of, but He is faithful. I love that you spell satan’s name with a lower case “s,” Martha. It’s a good reminder that GOD will always be bigger! Blessings to you, too! May God give us His grace to remember His unconditional, compassionate, powerful love!
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Thank you Trudy for these precious reminders of our Lord’s deep, deep love for us. It seems that as the days go on, we need His encouragement even more than the day before! At least I am finding it that way. I am so glad He doesn’t tire in reminding us! Thank you for being His voice here. Sending love & hugs to you Dear friend.
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It truly is so amazing how He never tires of reminding us, Bettie. He is so patient with us. He gives and gives and gives again. He knows what we need when we need it, even when we’re afraid He has forgotten us. Love and hugs to you, too, dear friend! May we trust His way and timing no matter how difficult the journey is! And may He give you and your husband strength and peace for each moment!
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What a powerful post, Trudy! Satan is a liar from the pit of hell. He is furious when we are effectively working for the Kingdom of God.
Praise the Lord that we can name the name of Jesus and the truth of God’s Word to ward off his attacks. And praise for the company of believers who join us in serving, loving, moving onward and upward and focusing on all that is good and right, excellent and praiseworthy.
Your new site is really nice!
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Yes, the closer we get to Jesus, the more furious Satan gets. “Praise the Lord that we can name the name of Jesus and the truth of God’s Word to ward off his attacks.” Amen! Thank you, Linda. May we remember how powerful the name of Jesus is!
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“…we are Jesus’ beloved, that Jesus cares so deeply, and He is with us no matter how difficult our struggles are.” Yes! I can be looking through the ‘lack’ lens instead of the abundance of God’s love. Such an important message you have written here that is timeless. Like food that sustains us, we need to continually partake in His loving words to keep us healthy (and looking through the lenses that show us Him).
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It’s so easy to look through the “lack” lens, isn’t it? “Like food that sustains us, we need to continually partake in His loving words to keep us healthy (and looking through the lenses that show us Him).” I love your hope-filled words here, Lynn. So true. May we continually partake in His loving words and see ourselves through His eyes as His beloved!
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We all can relate to this, Trudy. I sure can. When we’re feeling weak, it’s easier to hear the wrong voices. That’s why this truth is so powerful–> “If we hear condemning or shaming voices, it’s not God.” Amen! Blessings to you, friend.
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I have to remind myself so often that God will never whisper those condemning or shaming voices, Lisa. I love Romans 8:1 and it helps center me on His Truth. Blessings to you, too, friend. May God help us to cling to His Words of Truth!
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It is amazing to me how quickly Satan can slip lies into our head. They always have just enough truth to sound believable. I am so grateful for God’s truth which quickly comes to mind to refute the lie. Blessings!
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How true that Satan makes it sound so believable, Joanne. I am grateful, too, for God’s truth that refutes his lies. May God give us grace to keep refuting those lies with His truth! Blessings to you, too!
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Amen!
Bless you Trudy,
Jennifer
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Bless you, too, Jennifer! May we see ourselves through God’s eyes of love and grace!
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Oh what an accurate portrayal of the work of Satan in our hearts and minds! So relatable and true, and all too easy for us to fall prey to. The enemy hits us in our weakest spots and devilishly exploits our vulnerability. The battle can be so fierce at times, and we become so blinded to the insidious nature of his work that we fail to discern just who is disturbing our souls and how we can break free from his hold. Praise God that in Christ the victory is already secured! We might get bruised and battle scarred, but Jesus has won the war with His death on the cross. Thank you for this glorious reminder, Trudy. It’s the sweet encouragement we all need to hang onto Hope in these darkening days with Covid-19. Blessings, love and hugs! xoxo 💜
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Yes, all too easy for us to fall prey to. 😦 I know you, too, have suffered those fierce battles, Joy. “We might get bruised and battle scarred, but Jesus has won the war with His death on the cross.” Amen. Blessings, love, and hugs to you, too! May we cling to our God of Hope who has the power to apply healing ointment to those battle scars!
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Trudy, this post is filled with wisdom and hope. You’re right. Our enemy wants to keep our eyes off God, the Giver of Hope. He wants to bring us down so that we are hopeless. But God . . . Thanks for the reminder to make sure I’m listening to the right Voice. Too many times, I’ve been sucked down by listening to the voice of death. Thanks for sharing your wisdom! it’s such an encouragement. Love and blessings to you, friend.
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Thank you, Jeanne. I’m grateful you were encouraged. Don’t you love that “But God…”? The devil can be so sly, sometimes even masquerading as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). We certainly need to be watchful and to fill our hearts with God’s Truth. May God moment by moment give us the discernment and the strength to hear His Voice and to smother that “voice of death” with His Truth!
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Oh Trudy … thank you for encouraging us–in such a powerful, poignant way–to listen to the Voice of Truth. I’m so sorry this season has been so wearisome for you, but also thankful that you are using your struggle to point your readers to our only source of hope. We are “called children of God … that is what we are!” Yes and amen. Love and hugs, friend.
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I’m so grateful you were encouraged, Lois. Thank you for your kind compassion and friendship. It’s a continuing journey, but I’m grateful God is helping me to follow His Voice of Truth. Sometimes when those criticizing voices taunt me, I have to ask, “Is this what God would say to me?” He has helped me again and again through His promise of Romans 8:1. Love and hugs to you, too, friend! May God give us grace and strength to remember we are His beloved children and nothing will ever separate us from Him!
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Years ago I heard a speaker quote 1 Peter 5:8 about our adversary prowling around like a lion, and then she added, “But he had his teeth removed at Calvary!” That’s good truth to remember when we start to slide into the muck of negativity, hurt, self-pity, etc. “No condemnation exists for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 HCSB). Hallelujah! (Lord, keep me mindful of my own words here when Satan comes prowling around!)
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Thank you for sharing, Nancy. I love what the speaker said about the adversary’s teeth removed at Calvary. A good thing to remember! I love Romans 8:1. God has often reminded me of it, especially when Satan pounces with all his lies. May we both be mindful of God’s Voice of Truth when Satan comes prowling around!
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this is so good Trudy…so good.
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Thank you, Betty. I just commented at your last post, but it appears not to have gone through. I’m so sorry you ended up in the hospital with Covid. I hope you don’t have any after effects. So true that God wastes nothing! May God give us grace to reject Satan’s lies and fill our hearts with His Truth!
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This is a great post, Trudy! Those lies can seem so strong at times, but it is encouraging to remember that Jesus is stronger and he has won the victory. I love the reminder of how God sees us and that those condemning voices don’t come from him. Love and blessings to you!
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Thank you, Lesley. I’m glad you were encouraged. Yes, those lies can be so strong, but Jesus is stronger and has won the victory. May God give us grace to remember and to live that victory! Love and blessings to you, too!
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