When Satan Had to Flee

One Sunday we attended church with my in-laws and a speaker from the Gideons spoke using the familiar Scripture "God's word would not return void." That night after everyone else went to bed, I went to my study planning to read and meditate on that verse. The verse before that, though, caught my attention and drew me into it and changed my thinking forever.

"As the rain and the snow come down from Heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:10, 11).

I had just begun home Bible studies and deeply desired to help the women grow spiritually. Now it was as if I heard Him say, "All you have to do is plant the seed I give you. I will do the miracle of turning it into bread."

This thought gave me great freedom to give what the Spirit had given me during the week as I studied. Then when I taught I would concentrate on saying what He gave me to say. My eyes were on Him.

I remember one day one of the gals in the class saying, "Aletha, I guess you're discouraged with our progress." I don't remember what I said, but I remember thinking, "I'm not looking at you; I'm looking at Jesus."

But one day, I was feeling so dry, and thought, "I have nothing to give the women." Satan whispered, "Sure, God would turn your seed into bread but you have no seed to sow." I couldn't argue with that.

He must not have known that my morning Scripture reading would include 2 Corinthians 9:10 "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness." 

When I told my young son about this promise Jesus had given me, he said "I guess the devil had to do a 100-yard dash then."

"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

Thank You, Jesus, for Your powerful Word that makes Satan flee.