Does the Devil Ever Give Up on Us?
Q: Does the devil ever give up on us and let us alone because he knows we won't listen to him? With God's help, I've been able to deal with some really bad problems in my life, but sometimes I wonder if the temptation to fall back into my old ways will ever go away. -- Z.K.
A: I'm thankful for the difference Christ has made in your life -- and I pray you will continue to rely on Him for the strength you need to resist temptation. We get in trouble when we rely on ourselves for strength -- but when we rely on God, He helps us overcome even Satan's strongest assaults.
No, Satan never gives up and decides to let us alone, because his goal is to draw us away from God -- and he always hopes he'll be able to do this. And let's face it: Sometimes he's successful. This is why the Apostle Paul warned, "If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Never forget: Satan is our enemy in the spiritual battles we face -- and like any enemy, he constantly seeks to find a weak point in our lives where he may attack. Sometimes his attacks are very obvious -- but sometimes he's very subtle, attacking us when we don't even realize it. He may no longer attack you where he has before, for example -- but he may try to fill you with pride, or impatience, or fears about the future.
The key is to walk with Christ every day, through prayer, obeying His Word, and fellowship with other believers. The Bible says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you" (James 4:7-8).
