Imagine if you knew someone was going to break into your home and rob it while you were away, and you did nothing about it. Crazy! You would call the authorities or make sure they couldn’t. You wouldn’t knowingly let it be taken. Yet we too often knowingly give away our joy, peace and HOPE. We don’t protect what God has given us. Hope is certainty based on Him and His Word. We allow circumstances, the worlds system , listening to the evil one’s thoughts of fear, discouragement to influence and rob us spiritually of what God has told us are ours,”The Kingdom of God consists in… righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.” {Rom 14:17}.
Hope is a gift! But robbers come! How are we robbed? Who are the culprits?
- Self, { Prov 3:5; Isaiah 2:22}
- satan,{John 10:10},
- System of the world,{1 John 2:15}, it can be a “religious system”seeking to displace Him and Hope from God with “substitutes.”{Col 2:16,18}
- Sin, that is un-confessed and un-repented of is a robber of joy and hope.“But God…,” supplied His Son and blood to cleanse us from all sin {1 I John 1:9}.
His Word is given to expose these “4 robbers,” also to encourage us and give us HOPE. But if we neglect God’s means to instill hope, then we leave ourselves vulnerable, we drift spiritually, can’t discern the robbers, and substitute hope’s are offered and too often embraced and we are shattered, for the foundation is not Him, or His Word! Robbers come to seek to steal. God has given you His Word as a means to be able to discern and grow wise and Godly, knowing your position with Him and privileges and promises from Him. {Hebrews 5:14}. Feed on His Word, don’t allow robbers to divert you from what God has given to strengthen you.
How do you protect yourself from these “robbers,?” Immerse yourself in His Word. It does not have to be “speed reading,” as though it is a merit badge for doing so, but take your time and chew on His Word. Receive it. Meditate upon Him. Pray it. Apply it. Go back over the above verses and read how the ” Four Robbers,” operate, so that you may recognize and reject them, and replace the thoughts, innuendos, suggestions, temptations with Truth. The best way is allow His WORD to be your protection!
Memorize this verse;
“These things are written, so that through perseverance and encouragement of the Scriptures you might have HOPE”- Rom 15:4
Don’t Be Robbed! Don’t Rob yourself!