The devil knows perfectly well what a person of faith is capable of. Because of this, he tries by all possible means to put
obstacles in the way of those who wish to live a life of faith. The Lord Jesus warns us about this through the parable of the sower: “Behold, a sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.” The seeds on the wayside represent those who hear the Word, but don’t have sufficient strength to believe. In order to take a person’s faith, the devil uses his ways to bring many doubts. Many people receive a blessing from God and leave the church joyfully, but doubts soon come. Somebody may speak negatively against the church or the pastor in an attempt to demonise them.
When these negative thoughts find room in the mind, there goes the blessing! Others believe that infirmities come from God, who uses these things to establish His purposes. Some pastors do not lead their churches to seek an active faith; they disregard the need to seek a solution from God, criticising those who preach divine healing and deliverance. Confession of one’s defeat is another obstacle to faith. People who think negatively and seem only to look for failure are very common among Christians. There are many people who easily forget their blessings. They only remember the defeats, or the things that they didn’t receive. When we constantly confess defeat, we are glorifying Satan, who is the root cause of our failures. Many people like to be pitied, and are therefore always making dramas out of their problems. Although psychology explains this, it doesn’t mean that this isn’t another trap from the devil to defeat a person’s faith. The Word of God states, “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
This is the instruction from God for all those who call upon Him, for those who deposit their faith in Him. Therefore, dear reader, stops confessing defeat and failure, and have the assurance that the Lord is with you!
Bishop Edir Macedo
God bless you all!