1 Samuel 12:20 “Do no be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.”

One of the devil’s favorite tricks is to point out what we’ve done wrong and then try to convince us we might as well give up on doing right. Samuel is addressing that directly here, and it’s a message we need to receive. The name, Satan, means “accuser,” and that’s what he does. When he accuses us accurately, we need to say, “Thank you. I repent of that (or, I have repented of that) before God, and it is covered with the blood of Jesus Christ my Lord, so I am clean and free.” (1 John 1:9) The devil loves to bring up past sins that have already been repented of and forgiven, and try to make us feel guilty about them all over again. If we fall for his trick that’s a major problem, because if we’ve already repented, then trying to do so again is just going through the motions, and it’s as empty as it feels like. Repentance involves changing course, getting back on track, so if we’ve already gotten back on track, then trying to repent of the same thing again actually might get us off track! Of course, if we commit the same sin again then we do need to repent again, but failing to understand that we really are forgiven makes us far more likely to commit that sin again. That’s why Samuel tells us not to get off track, but serve the Lord with our whole hearts, not bound by the sins we have committed in the past.

I’ve experienced this myself, and I’m constantly dealing with people who are struggling with it. I remember well a persistent sin that I couldn’t shake free of until I got it through my head and my heart that I really was forgiven. I’ve also experienced a truth I share frequently: the devil tends to issue blanket condemnations, but the Holy Spirit is a Gentleman, and He is very specific. If the voice you’re hearing says, “You’re no good,” you can be sure it’s the devil! The Holy Spirit will say, “That’s no good. Stop it. Turn around and go another way.” I run into people daily who have distorted self images because of listening to the devil telling them they’re no good, so they can’t believe they could be any different than they see themselves as being. I need God’s wisdom and anointing to speak His truth in love to set such people free! I can’t do it on my own, but He can do it through me by His Spirit, and that should be my goal and prayer.

Father, thank You for the privilege of serving You, of communicating the message of Your love, grace, and forgiveness. Help me do that more and more effectively, today and each day, so that many may be set free from the traps of the enemy, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!