Scripture

Our verse for today comes from John 14:30, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.”

Background

“You gotta do what you gotta do.” You’ve probably heard that saying as far back as I have, maybe even from your parents or grandparents. Most of the time when someone says it, they are expressing the idea that what they have done was most likely unpleasant and certainly less than desirable, but it was necessary to sustain them in some way. It was in no way by their design or within their common set of standards or ideals, but circumstances beyond their control deemed it unavoidable. Quite simply, it was beneath them, but they had no choice. We’ve also seen people behave entirely as expected, someone we may even know quite well, yet when around a certain person or in response to someone particular, their behavior is completely contrary to what they ordinarily display. They seem to completely ignore what they believe in and things they stand for, doing and saying what you would never expect from them. And that evokes another saying from us. “What have they got on them?”

Application

Jesus told His disciples that Satan had nothing in Him. There was not one drop of influence that he had over any of Christ’s decisions or actions. Nothing that He did or would do was affected in any way by the lure or enticement or temptation of Satan. When He was tired, when He was hungry, when He was frustrated, when He was abandoned, when He was accused, when He was beaten, He never reacted in a way other than what pleased His Father. Even when He was right, even when He made His point and shut up the accusers and deceivers, He never gave in to what Satan wanted to have over Him. There was just no room within Him for Satan to get a stronghold. There was no opportunity for the devil to make a deal. He had nothing in Him. Nothing. And that’s the correct amount for you and me. Not a little, or just a bit around this person or because of that person. Any is too much. The ruler of this world is gonna do what he’s gotta do. We’ve gotta keep him from having anything in us.

Charge

As we seek Him today, surrender to God what Satan might have in you. Ask God to enable you to do only what He wants you to do.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words