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Be on Guard

2 Timothy 1:14

Guard, through the Holy Spirit who lives in us, that good thing entrusted to you.

What has God placed in you? The good thing mentioned in this verse may also be translated “that good deposit.” God has made a deposit into every believer that He wants to multiply and bring forth. He has placed a way for you to serve Him, and He will call you into action through that deposit. He places a passion inside of us to do the very thing He calls us to do, and our lives are fulfilled when we surrender to that calling. The good thing God has placed in you connects you to your purpose.

Paul instructed Timothy to guard the good thing God had placed in Him through the Holy Spirit. To guard something means to protect it, which means that it is subject to attack. The Devil wants nothing more than to rob us of our very purpose – to steal our passion for living – to lose heart and give up on the very thing that will make us feel alive.

Satan has many tactics he uses to try to rob us of the good thing God has placed in us – distraction, deceit, disappointment, and discouragement. He will distract us to focus on things that mean nothing but make a big noise at the moment. He will deceive us into thinking something else will make us happy and try to convince us to pursue that thing. He will disappoint us by showing us someone else’s success and causing us to compare it to our own, and he will discourage us by trying to persuade us that we didn’t really hear from God. Such tactics direct us off course or paralyze us to the point we are ineffective.

God does not work through such tactics. He does not distract us from our purpose or deceive us into chasing something ungodly. He does not disappoint us by leading us on a path just to abandon us. He does not discourage us but encourages us on in the way He has called us. Whenever we encounter these forces, we must remember that Satan is at work to damage our faith and to steal the good thing God has placed in us.

The best way to guard the deposit God has made in us and to overcome the Devil’s tactics is to concentrate upon the Holy Spirit who lives in us. If we listen to Him and follow His leading, He will protect that deposit and draw us away from the enemy’s traps. The Holy Spirit will keep your hope alive and your faith strong. He will anoint you with power to do the very thing you are called to do, and the enemy’s schemes are no match for His power! We must all learn to ignore the loud noise of the enemy and listen to the still, small voice inside us that always points to Jesus.

Does the voice you hear point you to Christ or to yourself? Is the voice speaking to you right now increasing your faith or causing you to doubt? Does that voice bring God glory or accuse Him in some way? Look at the effect of the voice, and continue to listen only if it points to Christ. All other voices are designed to steal the deposit God placed in you and are not worth your time or your destiny. Guard your purpose and calling through the Holy Spirit that lives in you, and the wrong voices will fade as God works in you and through you.

Have a blessed day!

PHOEBE Connections, Inc. is a 501(c)3 dedicated to enhancing the lives of widows by building relationships and helping them find new identity in Jesus Christ through serving others. We promote an atmosphere of fellowship, where the widow can connect with other widows to develop friendships and supportive relationships.