Are you living the good life?

What is your picture of a good life? Maybe your picture includes owning that car you have always dreamed of, success in your career, purchasing the latest technology, chasing great experiences…the list could go on.

Many would agree that if you possess these things, you must be living the good life. Yet, looking at it in eternal terms, through God’s eyes, anyone having all these things without a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ would merely be existing.

God’s Plan
God wants you to do much more than just exist, and He has prepared the good life for you! Ephesians 2:10 NIV says: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

You see, you were made with a purpose in mind. God created you with unique gifts and abilities so that you may help build His Kingdom on earth!

God’s plan for your life includes blessings, fulfillment, and joy unspeakable! You were created to live in His plan. And you will never have more of what you truly need than when you are walking with Him. A life filled with peace and truth, courage and purpose, protection and belonging is not only the good life, it is an abundant life.

Satan’s Plan
But the life God has prepared for you does not come without opposition. In John 10:10 Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Who is the thief? Satan. He will try to steal your purpose, kill your faith, and destroy your relationship with God.

Satan plans to steal the promises of God away from you and frustrate you with adversity and trials. He wants to destroy your health with sickness, your wealth with poverty, and your family with destruction. His strategy is to bombard your mind with lies and negativity so you will make important decisions based on his input rather than God’s. When you take his bait, you give him the opportunity to establish a stronghold in your life. Take care to stand against the plans of the enemy.

Take a Stand
Sin and disobedience separate you from God and the good things He has for you. You see, sin gives Satan the legal right to bring oppression, adversity, and trials our way. It is not possible to participate with the devil without him thinking you are his. You might think you are just testing the waters, but to him, you have already walked down the aisle, said the vows, and gone on the honeymoon!

Imagine a guy and a girl who meet and begin dating. Pretty soon she is wearing his sweatshirt, has his ring, and maybe keeps a few of his DVDs. Everything is fine until a problem arises and they break up. Immediately, she throws his sweatshirt and ring back at him and clears her house of all of his stuff. She wants to be free from anything and everything that reminds her of him.

If you are experiencing trials and adversity, take a look at your life. Have you made choices that have opened the door to Satan? Have you compromised and allowed an area of sin in your life? If so, you have some of the devil’s stuff. Break up with him, stomp on his sweatshirt, throw the ring in his face, and get rid of every attachment to him!

You can close the door to Satan when you submit to God and turn away from the specific sin you were associated with. James 4:7-8 instructs us: Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. You have to choose to resist the devil and live the good life that God has for you. Take a stand against your enemy!

Opposition
You need to know that opposition, adversity, and trials, are not always the result of sin or disobedience to God. It could be that you are getting close to something great in God’s plan for your life, and the devil is trying to drive you away from the breakthrough or miracle God has for you.

Mark 4:35-41 gives us the account of what happened one evening as the disciples were taking Jesus across the Sea of Galilee. While they were crossing, the disciples encountered such a violent storm that they feared for their lives. They struggled to avoid disaster and turned desperately to Jesus for help. He responded to their cry and calmed the storm.

Once they reached the other shore, Mark 5:1-20 tells us that they encountered a demon-possessed man who wore no clothes, lived in the tombs, and spent his days and nights screaming and cutting himself. Not even iron chains could hold him.

The demonic spirit within him was named Legion, meaning 6,000 foot soldiers and 300 cavalry. In other words, there were 6,300 demons in this man. Still, when he saw Jesus, he ran to Him, fell down, and worshipped Him. Even tremendous demonic oppression could not keep him from choosing Jesus!

With a word from Jesus, the demons fled, leaving the man free. Amazed onlookers saw him clothed, seated, and learning quietly at the feet of Jesus. One of the greatest miracles of Jesus’s ministry took place that day, yet Satan tried to keep Jesus from this victory with the storm.

Likewise, the devil will often come with his strongest opposition right before your greatest blessing or breakthrough. He will attack your finances, your family, or your health in an attempt to sink your faith in God. Once he sees that he cannot get your focus off God and His word, God’s plan will prevail.

A Turn Around
Genesis 37:2-11 tells us how God shows seventeen-year-old Joseph that he would one day be a ruler. He must have wondered how that could ever happen when his brothers, filled with jealousy and hatred, threw him into a pit and then later sold him as a slave (Genesis 37:19-28). Later, he was falsely accused of a terrible crime and ended up in prison (Genesis 39:10-20). Certainly, no one thought Joseph was living the good life. But God measures success by our faithfulness to Him despite the opposition and trials we face.

Satan attempted to get Joseph off track by making him angry and bitter. Instead, Joseph chose to believe and trust God’s plan no matter what the circumstances looked like.

The result of that choice? One day, Pharaoh called for him and, in less than 24 hours, Joseph went from being a prison inmate to a prime minister, second in command of the nation (Genesis 41:1-44). Joseph faced problems, persecution, and even prison, but what Satan intended for his destruction, God used for his promotion.

Even if the devil had control of your past, God can still use your future. Like Joseph, you may feel like you are in the deepest pit of adversity, but God can turn it around for your good!

Finally…
When it comes to your life, God has a plan. He sent His Son so that the world would not perish but have eternal life. He is the author of all that is good. Satan also has a plan. He is the ultimate thief and wants to bring death, destruction, and lack into your life.

You have a choice. Choose the life God has created you for. You will find out just how good the good life can be!

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If you recognize an area of your life where you have gotten off track, and you are ready to take a stand against the devil, we invite you to pray this prayer from your heart:

“Dear God, I’m sorry for my sins and I’m asking You to forgive me. I choose to resist the devil and submit to You. Thank you that as I draw near to You, You promise to draw near to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

If you would like someone to agree with you in prayer, you can contact us at (800) 988.5120, email [email protected], or by clicking the Prayer Chat in the lower right side of our website.

All scriptures are quoted from the New King James Version unless otherwise stated.