For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 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. Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)
God has given us His angels to guard us, and the sufficiency of Himself as our Great portion. He has also given us His Spirit to sanctify us, His love to comfort us and His mercy to save us. What more do we need? Yet, oftentimes, our human nature seeks to find satisfaction and delight in what our eyes can see and our hands can touch, Amen? It is common among mankind to greatly desire earthly pleasures and to forsake heavenly delights – much to our folly. Seeking contentment in the created rather than in the Creator Who has planned for those who love Him what no eye has seen nor ear heard nor mind conceived. We seek to trust in what our hands can grasp and our eyes see presently. Satan knows all too well our tendency in this regard. What we can see and touch is often very tempting – think Eve and the apple. Satan also realizes that nothing can prevail against the child of the King who is trusting in Christ for sufficiency and strength – going forth in His power and for His glory and for our good. Therefore, since he is a good study of our actions, he finds ways to direct our attention to the lower objects of nature - seeking to rob us of joy and lure us into looking outward and inward rather than upward – getting our gaze off Jesus and on to the temporal and perishing. Unfortunately, we are easy reads for Satan and he has had much practice. But our God is greater still.
So how do we keep our joy in Jesus? Through prayers and petitions with thanksgiving, we present this request to God and it is a request He loves to answer. We ask Him to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus knowing that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear but show us the door of escape. Having a resolute mind regarding this is invaluable. We are not to give ourselves an out and we are not to be looking for loopholes. A firm resolve here carries great weight. Also, as we labor to know and understand and apply God’s Truth to our lives – putting it into practice – equips us to stand firm in His will mature and fully assured. Remember, a divided heart will not stand and a deluded heart will mislead us. Is it futile to think you can stand with one foot in the world and one in Him. Strong faith does not work that way. God looks for wholehearted devotion and willing minds among His children. When we begin to grasp His love for us, our eyes begin to open wide to His encouragements and joy, His sufficiency and strength.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)