Too many times in life we overestimate our enemy. Yesterday the devotional was on underestimating our enemy, but today I want to look at it from the other end of the spectrum. After some reading, I found this account of the fall of Singapore in World War II.
“Throughout the night of 14/15 February the Japanese continued to press against the Allied perimeter, but largely the line held. Nevertheless, the military supply situation was rapidly deteriorating. The water system was badly damaged and continued supply was uncertain, rations were running low, petrol for military vehicles was all but exhausted, and there were few rounds left for the field artillery. The anti-aircraft guns were almost out of ammunition and were unable to disrupt Japanese air attacks, which were causing heavy casualties in the city center. Little work had been done to build air-raid shelters and looting and desertion by Allied troops further added to the chaos in this area.
At 09:30, Percival held a conference at Fort Canning with his senior commanders. He proposed two options: either launch an immediate counter-attack to regain the reservoirs and the military food depots in the Burkit Tima region, or surrender. After heated argument and recrimination, all present agreed that no counterattack was possible. Percival opted for surrender.
Postwar analyses have shown, though, that had Percival opted for a counterattack at that time, it might have been successful. The Japanese were at the limit of their supply line, and their artillery had just a few hours of ammunition left.”
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The enemy had been overestimated greatly. The decision to push forward could possibly have changed history. I wonder how many times we overestimate the power and working of Satan, in the world around us, and our own lives. I know so many times people use him as a cop-out. They blame Satan for things they have control over or things that happen for other reasons.
In what ways can we overestimate the power of Satan? First, he cannot make you sin! We have a source within to overcome temptation.
I John 4:4 “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
We also have a great example of someone who suffered every temptation but did not give in. Jesus Christ was tempted greater than we can ever imagine, but he refused to give in. When Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, he would have been physically weak after he had been without food for 40 days. The offer of food would have been a great temptation. Instead, he quoted scripture each time.
Matthew 4:2-4 “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Another area I see us using Satan in a wrong way is by blaming him for every bad thing that happens in our life. Sometimes we are just suffering the consequences of our own actions. When we make poor choices, there are consequences. When we spend all our money and don’t save, we will be in a tough spot when the air conditioner goes out. That’s not Satan, that’s poor planning and bad stewardship.
When we sin we also suffer consequences. The Bible says David was a man after God’s own heart, but when he sinned with Bathsheba, there were consequences that followed David’s family for generations.
David was forgiven after he repented, but his consequences remained.
II Samuel 12:13 “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”
David grieved over the awfulness of his sin:
Psalm 51:4 “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight …”
For an account of how much David’s sin would cost him read II Samuel 12:1-6. Satan was not the one that was responsible for those bad things. David was! He could have resisted temptation, but he chose not to.
I’ve known people who blame Satan for a family member dying, but only God is the giver and taker of life. In Job 1:21, Job was in great sorrow because he had lost all his children, livestock, and servants. He reacted the right way. Yes, Satan was responsible for the horrible things, but only because God allowed him to test him. Job was encouraged by his wife to turn against God, to0 curse God, and die. However, Job’s trials tested him and he passed. He chose to stay true to His relationship and faith in God, no matter how much he suffered.
Job 1:21 “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
While it is true we shouldn’t underestimate him, because he is cunning and knows us better than we know ourselves. However, we can’t blame him for our own sinful nature. We have the power of God within us, and he will help us if we ask. He is not responsible for natural disasters, famine, or pestilence. God controls nature, and he has set things in order from the beginning of man’s decision to sin. Man’s sin brought destruction and deterioration to the world in every area. We will not stand before God one day and be able to blame Satan for any of our choices.
