Satan hates it when we spend time with God

By SHERYL H. BOLDT

Would you like to do something that will give our heavenly Father deep pleasure while at the same time driving Satan up the wall?

First Chronicles 16:11 (ESV) says, “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!”

While it’s easy to conclude why this would please God, it’s important to consider why the devil works constantly to keep us from doing so. What does Satan know that compels him to divert us from spending time with God?

Imagine how much the devil hates our reliance on, our adoration of and our allegiance to his enemy. Think how it enrages him that, in Christ, we find salvation, redemption, and purpose.

What does Satan know (that many of us miss) about the benefits of drawing near to a powerful, wise, merciful God? The God Who transforms our lives, our families, our legacies? The God Who instructs and guides us with His infinite wisdom? The very God Who loved us so much that He sacrificed Himself for us on Calvary so we could spend eternity with Him? Compare this to Satan, who never sacrificed anything for his followers, but (cruelly) also looks forward to spending eternity with them.

I imagine the devil shudders even thinking about the changes we’d experience if we daily sought the Lord. Could it be he understands (more than we do) the completeness we’d find in the presence of the Creator of the universe?

Perhaps he hopes that if he creates enough distractions, we’ll begin to wonder if our quiet time with God really matters. He craftily sways us by planting the thought in our mind, “I can’t fit it in today, but I will definitely have my quiet time tomorrow.”

And we repeat the scenario the next day and the next. Eventually, the demands of our jobs, family and social lives successfully elbow out the One Satan hates most. In the end, we spend less and less time thinking about our heavenly Father, rarely pray for our neighbor, and only open our Bible on Sundays at church – if we go at all.

Is this the way we want life to be? Of course not. Then what kind of relationship do we want to have with God?

Let’s meditate on 1 Chronicles 16:11 and spend relationship-building time with our heavenly Father. There’s nothing that will give God more joy.

And there’s nothing that will do more to drive Satan up the wall.

Sheryl H. Boldt is a sales executive for Wave 94 and author of the blog, www.TodayCanBeDifferent.net. Connect with her at SherylHBoldt.Wave94@gmail.com.