FAITH CAPSULE: Heart is the proven target for Satan to deny man’s arrival at divine assignment.
Luke 22:1-23
How are you keeping your heart? Heart is crucial for man’s arrival to divine assignment. In this wicked world, Proverbs 4:23 is a warning for all man with the desire to arrive at divine assignment. It is written, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
The only proven target for the Satan to strike is the heart for denying man’s journey to expected end. Ananias and Sapphira’s heart was caught up by the Satan. Ananias and his wife Sapphira were not forced to voluntarily sell their possession to buttress the fellowship of others, but they came up lying about the proceedings. Acts 5:3 recorded “But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep part of the price of the land for yourself? Sudden death was the result of Ananias and Sapphira when their heart became a place for Satan’s hibernation.
Regardless of how long man is sleeping in the church by claiming to be seeking God will not stop stubborn Satan’s agenda for the heart of man. For man, there is a need to be keeping heart with all diligence.
Judas and Peter went beyond ones that are church goer but walked with Jesus in all their steps but their hearts were accessible to the Satan.
Judas spent time with Jesus. Despite Judas’ experience with Christ, his heart was not diligent enough deny Satan’s access. The book of Luke 22:3-4 stated, “Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.” Satan went after the heart of Judas. Satan established his purpose for Judas to betray Jesus. When Satan can establish in the heart of man, faith will fail and failure will take over to derail man’s journey to expected end.
Peter was close to Jesus yet he could have ended up his journey of life. Peter could have wasted because of Satan’s agenda of failure for man’s heart. Once Jesus said to him, “…Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32) Man needs to be constantly engaged through meditation day and night. A heart that is engaged by meditating the word of God is disengaged from negotiation with the devil. Determination to deny Satan from the heart is not enough but only prayer in the name of Jesus will deny Satan’s access to the heat. Determination failed Peter when he denied Christ three times but earlier prayer of Jesus for Peter’s faith not to fail delivered Peter from failing to arrive at his divine assignment.
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to keep your heart and not be a victim of the Satan.