"You are not enough," Satan hisses quietly in our ears. We may be trying to discipline our children, or do something pleasing for our husband, or even lay our lives out at the feet of Jesus. We can hear Satan's whispers, "You are not enough." We know in our hearts it's true. It is part of our greatest source of fear. We are not all that people think we are, and one day we will be found out for the lacking phony we really are. Our children will find out we don't have all the answers. Our husband will find out that homemaking isn't joyful at all to us. Our church will find out that {gasp}
we aren't perfect like they are. So the enemy has us cornered. "You are not enough! No need to even try."
There is
some truth to Satan's statement.
We are not enough....... in our flesh. Romans 8:8 says, "Those who are in the flesh
cannot please God." Also Romans 3:10 says, "
None is righteous, no, not one."
What are we to do then? Satan says you are not enough and God says you are not enough. The logical action would be to give up as Satan suggests. Thank goodness God doesn't work on logic! Keep reading in Romans 8. Verse 9 says "
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him."
The truth of the matter is that we are not enough on our own. As a mother, a wife, even as a child of God, I am not enough on my own, operating out of a fleshly mind, heart, and logic. If I have surrendered myself to the blood and sovereignty of Christ, that is a different story all together. Romans 8:26 says "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness." and verse 37 says"
No, in all these things [ tribulation, distress, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword; v.35]
we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
As Satan whispers "You are not enough, just give up," God in my spirit says, "
On your own, you are not enough, but you, my daughter, are not alone. You are mine, bought with the price of the blood of my precious Son, Jesus. I have given you my Spirit and if you will heed the Spirit at work in you, you are more than enough! You are more than a conqueror, you are an overcomer!" Therefore, I must press on to take hold of that which God has called me to be: not perfect but my best in Him. First John 5:5 "
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he (she) who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."(NIV)
I believe! ~ Do You?
(Scripture quoted from the ESV except where noted; itallics and additions mine)