FROM TRAP TO TRIUMPH

FROM TRAP TO TRIUMPH

Turns out that I have made what I later considered erroneous decisions in my life. I have said yes when I should have said no, no when I should have said yes; turned left when I should have kept straight, and so forth. I just thought about this as I was reading in the sixth chapter of John. Jesus said in verse seventy: Have not I chosen your twelve, and one of you is a devil? Not that my decisions and thoughts are equivalent to those of Jesus, but God has plans and knows how to use even my "bad" decisions.

Then I thought about how God knows everything, even before it manifests. Judas did not become “the devil” after he was chosen. He had a place at the table with Jesus Christ, but verse seventy-one says: For he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. In John 17:12, Jesus says: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. Jesus was decisive in choosing his disciples. He chose a “devil” so that the scripture would be fulfilled.

God knows our plans; most importantly, God has His plans. His plans include new mercies. God will correct our course and change our path with new answers and new directions, or He allows us to continue the path we are on, because it is His chosen path and direction for us. If we continue in His will, we are victorious in the end. God has a way of perfecting. His perfecting work may be changing our situation, putting an end to our situation, or changing us and the way we see our situation. But any way that He does His work, the end of his work is perfect peace and salvation.

God has a way of making the evil work of Satan and the work of our “errors in judgment” produce something good. Psalm 41:11 goes on to say by this I know that thou favorest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

When Jesus went to the cross, it may have appeared to be a moment of defeat to the natural eye. But this was God’s plan for victory, and ultimately Jesus became triumphant over Satan. Everything that we have done wrong, every sin, every error, every fault, and every failure was nailed to the cross at that time. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the price for all sin was paid. This payment is still effective. It is because of God’s love, grace, and mercy that we are not consumed.

We must seek God while trusting Him for correction and salvation, waiting on Him, and continuing to put our hope in Him. Lamentations 3:22-24 says It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

So if we made errors in our youth, our middle years, or even our old age, or even if we think we did it all perfectly, and things still went wrong, the correct steps are to wait on God, seek Him, place our hope in Him, and quietly wait for His salvation. His word says He is good to them that do these things. Psalm 23:1-6 tells us that God will restore us, provide for us, and lead us, and that His goodness and mercy will follow us. He is that kind of Shepherd. He does not lose His sheep to any enemy, or to straying, or to any danger. He even goes after the lost sheep to bring them into the fold. We are safe in his care.

The devil may have been in the mix of past decisions; we may have suffered because of something we did or said. But the enemy still does not triumph over us. We still have a portion in Christ if we abide in Christ: we still have the ultimate victory. Every trap the enemy sets is a set-up for our triumph.