FALSE SATISFACTION

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

Temptation of any kind is Satan's invitation to get our needs met outside the will of God.

One of the subtle ways he does this is to plant the hesitant thought in our mind that God will not meet our needs — that God is not enough. Satan wants us to feel alone and abandoned, so that we turn to his offerings instead. It's the seduction of satisfaction.

Often the script that plays in our head is, "I need __________ so I can be satisfied."

It's what sends the wife on a budget off on a spending spree. She feels the thrill of the sale in the moment. But as she's hiding the bags from her husband, shame creeps in.

It's what pulls at the business man to work harder and longer and refuse to build boundaries in his schedule. Always chasing that next accomplishment or that next compliment but it's never enough.

It's what sends some on many eating sprees. The kids are loud, the house is messy, the demands feel beyond control. So with great justification overaters indulge only to have a bloated stomach and a deflated heart.

This subtle message sold to us by Satan can be exposed when we break it down to understanding the difference between a need and a want.

All of the examples above were wants — not needs. I won't patronize you with the definition of each of these words, we know them. But oh how Satan wants to make them one in the same.

When the difference between these two words starts getting skewed, we start compromising. We start justifying. And it sets us up to start getting our needs met outside the will of God. The abyss of discontentment invites us in and threatens to darken and distort everything in our world.

Listen, Satan is a liar. The more we fill ourselves with His distorted desires, the more empty we'll feel. That's true with each of the desires mentioned above. The more we overspend, overwork, or overeat — the more empty we feel.

Remember, Satan wants to separate you from God's best plans. He wants to separate you from God's proper provision. He wants to separate you from God's peace.

God's provision sustains life. Satan's temptation drains life.

God's provision in the short term will reap blessings in the long term. Satan's temptation in the short term will reap heartache in the long term.

God's provision satisfies the soul. Satan's temptation gratifies the flesh.

Consider these realities when making choices today. God says, I will meet all your needs according to the riches of My Glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19). Trust God. Embrace truth. Live His promise.

Dear Lord, help me to focus only on Your provision in my life today. I don't want to be separated from You, Your best plans for me or Your peace. Help me to notice when the enemy is trying to entice me with false desires, because they only lead to emptiness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.