Deceiver Strategy

I came across an old Sunday bible study sheet from the book of First John. I've kept it for a while, because I really like one particular diagram that shows how Satan tries to keep me from going to God. It is applicable always, because it is in two parts: Satan's strategy before I sin, and Satan's strategy after I sin. Here's what it looks like:

Satan's Strategy
Before                             After
sin is small   =>    sin     =>  SIN IS BIG 
(insignificant)                                  (GUILT)

While we are being tempted, Satan tells us that sin is small, no big deal. We don't need God to protect us from sin's negative affects. We have enough power to control it; take as much as we deem appropriate for our needs and pleasure.

Then, after we fall into Satan's trap, we get the big "HA! I knew I'd get you with that! Now you've sinned something awful. There's no way God will forgive you for this!" Essentially, God is too righteous to forgive you.

So at first God appears to be the fun stopper (not good in Himself), or He doesn't quite understand what is good for us (not all-knowing above our understanding).

After, Satan calls out the truth of who God is...kind of. He reminds us that God is all-knowing, 100% good, and also just. But he manages to leave out the part where God is merciful.

So how do we combat this strategy? Pretty easy, just reverse it.

Christian's View
Before                                                   After
SIN IS BIG        =>   sin   =>   sin is small
(HUMILITY)                              (Confident of God's grace and salvation)

Think about the power of God's love. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Through knowing this grace, we are humbled and God is exalted. We now live for him, not for our pleasures. And when we do fall every day, our God is big enough to pick us up every time. Be confident in God's grace for you, no matter where you are, no matter what you've done, no matter when the last time you were in church, no matter how many times you've back peddled on your spiritual journey. Christ died for you. God forgives you. Now the Holy Spirit lives in you.

Daily Grace

I have these passages saved in a word document named "Daily Grace" on my desktop at work. I made this document when I was going through some struggles, reviewed it daily for a while, then faded to times of emergency reminders. I'm going to try to read it more often, because I never get sick of reading it. God's grace is refreshing and freeing. I try to do too many things on my own. I try to change by my own power, which is no real power at all. Here is the real power; the power of the gospel, and God's promises. Here I am free to live a new life. I will not be ashamed of the gospel. Read and be strengthened by the same Spirit that strengthens me.

Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.
Psalm 96:2

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

...as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us...
Psalm 103:12

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
Romans 8:1

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38,39

 “For I will forgive their wickedness, and will remember their sins no more.”
Jeremiah 31:34b

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:11b

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:16-21

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:4-10
 
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
Hosea 6:6

Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30

Consider making a "Daily Grace" reminder of your favorite grace passages. God wrote these for you.