The devil is real. His lies are powerful. His ways are sneaky. God Himself says he is the prince of this world, meaning his voice is heard and followed all over the world. He lies by saying that sin is not all that bad. But as soon as we fall into temptation, he lies again by saying there is no hope for us.
But no matter what our sins have been, there is hope, because God says so. There is joy in heaven over every sinner that repents. Jesus did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And He promises that whoever comes to Him He “will in no wise cast out.”
What the devil doesn’t want people to know is that Jesus already overcame all temptation and already won the victory for us by using God’s Word. Christ is not only our example for resisting temptation. He is our victory. He was tempted in every way we are, yet without sin. Since we are baptized into His death and resurrection, His successful resistance to all temptation belongs to us. It is our possession. His victory is our victory. He came to fulfill all righteousness for us. In our place, He accomplished everything needful for our salvation. Whoever believes in Him will be saved. He promises to help us in every temptation, and will always provide us a way to escape it.
It is very important for us to hear God’s Word regularly. We daily struggle against temptation, and we daily see ourselves falling short of God’s glory. Christ has already won the war for us, but we need His Word and Sacraments to strengthen us in His victory. If we're not hearing Christ's voice then there is only one other alternative.
- Pastor Wyatt Rosebrock