A Hope Fulfilled - Advent DevotionalSýnishorn

During this Advent season, we can rejoice in our salvation because Christ has come and His love for us is consistent. The writer of Hebrews describes our savior as “the same yesterday and today and forever” (13:8). He is faithful, He is loving, and He is with us. Sadly, we also know the devil is consistent. 1 John 3:8 reminds us that Satan “has been sinning from the beginning”. While God is consistently righteous and loving, Satan is consistently wicked and deceptive. When we look at the world around us, it is hard to ignore the works of Satan as we see the effects of evil everywhere. As human beings, we are responsible for our sin, and we cannot blame the devil for our mistakes. However, beneath the surface, the devil has been at work since the beginning trying to undo everything that God has put into proper order. The devil is consistently wicked, and he continually works to thwart the plans of a holy God.

While growing up, there was a pastor who frequently preached at my church. He would often say, “Satan has a plot, but God has a plan.” I love this thought because while Satan’s goals are ambitious, God’s plan is certain. Christ has come, and He came “to destroy the works of the devil”. Through Christ’s incarnation, He put on flesh like you and me, and He became our propitiation. When we are in Christ, Satan no longer has any power over our lives because his works have been defeated. Christ’s incarnation, and His subsequent resurrection, provided the formula to set us free from the bondage of sin and death. As we look to the celebration of the birth of our savior, let’s also celebrate His victory over the devil. Christ has won!

Prayer

Father, thank you for sending your Son to destroy the works of the devil. Through Christ, we are set free, and I ask you to give us the grace and power to live consistent lives of holiness. Set us apart for your glory, and may our lives be conduits of the love of Christ this Advent season.

Joshua Nangle, D.Min., serves as the director of operations and adjunct faculty for the Regent University School of Divinity.