Don’t let the devil steal your joy

Make no mistake about it! There is a devil that we wrestle with every day. Sometimes it’s obvious and sometimes it’s not.

The word “devil” comes from the Greek word “diabolos,” which signifies a slanderer, or one who accuses another. That’s why the devil is given the name “the accuser of our brethren” in Revelation 12:10.

In the Old Testament, the devil is called Satan, which means an adversary who lies in wait to oppose us. Not only does he oppose us, but he waits for the right time to attack us. Whatever you may call it, the devil or Satan is a fallen spirit, who has an evil character and deceitful operations.

One of the main operations of the devil/Satan has been told to us by Jesus. Jesus called the devil/Satan a thief. In John 10:10, Jesus said, “the thief cometh not , but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”

During the last two weeks, life for me has not been too kind. It all started when my brother had to have life-saving surgery. He is recovering now, but his recovery has been very difficult. At the same time, my wife’s car became unusable. Last Sunday, I was in an automobile accident and my car is now unusable. Then, the next day on Monday morning, my uncle had to be transported by ambulance to the hospital. He was suffering from some serious medical issues and it was later disclosed he has cancer.

The above events help to explain what people mean sometimes when they say, “when it rains it pours.” For a few days I was in a depressed funk. I had no energy and I would just sit and do nothing. And yes, I allowed myself to have a pity party. I canceled a lot of things I was doing to serve the Lord. I even thought about not writing articles for a while.

At the end of the week, I went to Subway to buy a sandwich. While waiting, a good man approached me, He told me how much he liked my articles and encouraged me to keep writing. His words of encouragement brought me out of my slump and the Spirit of the Lord reminded me of a line in John 10:10, where Jesus called the devil/Satan a thief. Jesus said, “The devil cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” Then I knew what was going on with me feeling so low.

Life is just life. Good and bad things happen every day as life goes on. When not so good things happen in everyday life, the devil is waiting to use everyday life to steal something from you. I came to realize, I had allowed the devil/Satan to steal something from me. I allowed him to steal my joy and my focus.

I was waking up in the morning not looking forward, in a positive way, to what the day may bring. I would say my prayers, do my devotions and read the Bible, but I did so without any joy. Instead of thinking about how good God is, I only thought about my problems and the problems of others.

The joy of the Lord gives us a sense of high expectations that every day is a day of blessings and fulfilled promises. The joy of the Lord causes us to praise God in the midst of trials and tribulations. The joy of the Lord enables us to walk by faith of good things to happen when all we can see is doom and despair. If the devil/Satan can steal your joy, then you are at risk of destruction.

God has given all of us different kinds of works to do for Him. And all of our works are for God’s glory and praise. To do God’s will is to do the works He has ordained for us to do since the foundation of the world. We must stay focused in such a way that whatever we do, we do it for the Lord and not for men. If the devil can steal our focus, we become of no use to God. and that is exactly what the devil/Satan wants us to become.

We must have joy and stay focused on what Jesus said in the rest of John 10:10, Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Let’s be vigilant in not letting the devil steal anything from us, for he does come.