Thieves Steal

Have you ever had anything stolen?

I have.

Two years ago, we had a computer with years of non-backed up photos and other important things stolen. Around the same time, THOUSANDS of dollars of brand new church equipment was stolen from our vehicle as we were eating lunch - the surveillance video captured the very stealthy job... they knew what they were doing! ( being a new church plant ... that hurt!).

After the first thing was taken, I felt violated. After the second, I was ANGRY!!

How dare someone take my stuff!!

Did you know that in the spiritual, it works the same way?

Jesus called things as they were:

John 10:10 “ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly..”

The devil is a thief. If something in our lives, world and families feel like it’s being taken... that’s because it is. (Let’s just use Jesus’ words: if our lives aren’t abounding with LIFE, then SOMETHING has been stolen by SOMEBODY).

NOTE:

Thieves have NO authority.

But they DO have ABILITY.

If a thief had authority they wouldn’t be thieves.

A thief doesn’t have authority to take your stuff. The only authority he has is the one you allow. If you permit a thief to take your “stuff”, you’d better believe he’ll take it.

(A thief has ability, so that’s why we lock doors, get alarms etc. )

When we get tired of having our stuff taken, call it what it is- (STEALING), then the intolerance will make you start resisting.

In the spiritual, you’ve got the same authority Jesus had.

I John 3:8 “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”

You were bought with a price. Jesus took the authority, and shared it with you. We’re not victims. We’re “more than conquerors “ ... on earth.

If we want to stop getting robbed, it’s time to get smarter than the thief and start showing him who’s boss.

Romans 8:19 “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.”