When I think of being a TARGET I start looking for a place to hide. That means something or someone is looking for me to do me harm or disrupt my peace. Time to duck and cover, put on the armor, bring up the defense shields. Being a target can’t possibly be a good thing. can it? What if I’m targeted for a promotion? Targeted for an honors program or award? The targeted recipient of favor from God? Either way, something has made me a target to someone and they are coming after me. While I am hiding I think I’ll try to figure out what made me a target in the first place.
The Bible doesn’t tell us much about the exact struggle Satan had with God while Satan was still one of God’s angels. It does tell us enough to know that Satan had a pride and rebelliousness about him that made him question God’s wisdom. God then cast Satan and a third of God’s angels, who had decided to follow Satan, out of heaven to roam the earth. Satan took a third of God’s messengers with him when he fell. Satan is still looking to steal souls from God. The Bible calls Satan a thief and tells us his purpose in John 10:10, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (NLT).
We must have something of value if Satan wants to steal from us, kill us, and destroy us. What could that be? He has dominion over all the earth until Christ returns to claim…His own…to Himself…and then all those SAVED in CHRIST will LIVE with God FOREVER. Hmmm…. Something Satan can no longer do because of his bad attitude and unwillingness to work with others. (Isaiah 14:12-14) Satan’s only “job” is to separate humans from relationship with God.
Here are a few of the reasons I found for Satan to put a TARGET on us:
- We are a target simply because we are human.
- God loves us and created us for a relationship with Him.
- Satan cannot fix his problem himself and be returned to a relationship with God.
- If he can’t have a relationship with God, then neither can we. NAH! NOT! Whatever!
- Satan knows that every soul close to God is capable of great and wondrous things.
- Satan knows how the story ends.
- Satan is fighting to keep God’s precious creation distracted, distressed, and demoralized so that we don’t experience the fullness of our place with Him in heaven.
I admit to being human AND to God loving me and wanting a relationship with me. I acknowledge the fact that Satan has NO POWER to fix his relationship problem with God, and he holds no authority over my life either. Just because he messed up his opportunity to serve God doesn’t mean I let him distract me from the perfect plan God has for ME. I’m glad I know how the story ends, too, because I now have the power to choose to follow Jesus, to live for Him, and to bring other humans along the path with me.
The only point here that I haven’t really addressed is that with God I am capable of GREAT and WONDROUS things. Who? Me? Satan knows who I am. Do I? We, you and I, are daughters of the King of Kings. We have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God. We are fitted for GLORY. We have supernatural potential to be whatever God needs us to be. All we have to be is willing and ready to serve when He calls our name. To God, we are a HERO!!!!! No wonder Satan is throwing darts at us. No wonder when we are on a God-journey the stresses in our life get stronger. No wonder when we are pursuing a life patterned by Jesus, our kids go haywire, our car dies, the dog runs away, we lose our job, fail a class, the house is a mess, and we are out of groceries with no money to buy any.
In our book, Lisa Bevere says, “I believe that the attacks on your life have much more to do with who you might be in the future than who you have been in the past” (p. 7). This one statement made me realize that God created me for a purpose in this time. I have a choice to fulfill that purpose and live a rich and satisfying life that God wants to give me or I can let Satan steal, kill, and destroy me. I get to CHOOSE.
I choose to be a Christian. A Christ-follower. An Anointed One. Beloved. A Royal Daughter of the King. I choose to grow in my faith, strengthen my walk, and lead others to Jesus so that they may have a rich and purpose-filled life as well. I choose to draw a weapon against the evil one and do everything in my power (given to me by the Holy Spirit) to prevent Satan from stealing one more soul from fellowship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I choose to be a HERO!
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Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, We thank You for choosing us for relationship and purpose. We thank You for Your love and protection from the fiery darts of the enemy. We know they are meant for a distraction from our true purpose, and that is to light the path to lead others to You. We thank You for the confirmation from the enemy when we are on the right path and are a threat to his evil ways. Lead us to the purpose You have planned for us so that we can live a rich and satisfying life in Your will. We choose You. Use us how You will. AMEN
Put on the WHOLE Armor,
Teresa