Don't think the enemy is far off

Luke 23

Sometimes it is easy to forget there is an enemy of God who has sworn to bring down as many of God’s children as he possibly can. Unaware we get caught up in doing what is right and warring against the desires of our own flesh, so much so that the reason for those struggles is overlooked! Though there were those i.e. the priests and teachers of religious law who planned and schemed Jesus’ death for a long time and this day represented the climax to their intentions, there were also those that were used by the enemy unknowingly that day. At first glance it is difficult to understand how the people could be so blind when Pilate argued with them to release Jesus (verse 20) even he, being a sinner, could see Jesus was innocent but then the Holy Spirit reminded me these people had been prodded and compelled and ultimately blinded by pure evil, so much so that they believed what they were doing was for the best. That wasn’t completely clear to me until I read what took place during and immediately after Jesus’ death (verses 44 – 48). At noon that day the sky was dark, for the sun hid itself (Matthew 27:51-52 the earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened and many godly men and women were raised from the dead) back in Luke the Bible says, “…and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.” But something even more amazing happened, the veil of the temple that God had Moses make in Exodus 26 (1446 B.C.) which separated people from God Holiness, so He might live among His people, was torn that day (30 A.D.) completely down the middle! Then it is revealed in verses 47 and 48 the Bible says, “When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.” And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what happened, they went home in deep sorrow.” It was then the blind the enemy used to accomplish his goal had been removed by God Himself, revealing the truth which they were unable to see before. So when circumstances set themselves against you and your flesh seems to win don’t forget there is an enemy that has come with one purpose to steal and kill and destroy but Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)