A story is told about Satan having a yard sale way down in deep Egypt. He spread out all of his favorite tools on tables and placed prices on each. One buyer purchased and sparkling well kept tool labeled anger for a reasonable price. Another bought a slightly worn jealousy tool for a little more. All day long people cam and went, and then near the end of the day a man saw an old tool laying on a table in the back. It was rusted and worn, the hinges squeaked and the handle was partly broken, but the price tag was exuberant! It cost far far more than any of the others. Even lust has gone much cheaper. “Why is this so high?” the perspective buyer asked. “Ahhh” replied Satan, “That is my most effective and often used piece of equipment and I hesitate to let it go. Christian can eventually get over almost all of my other weapons. They can recover from lust, greed, and envy. But this tool works quietly without them even being aware I am using it. I can slip it in and keep them defeated for a lifetime. That tool is ‘discouragement’” he hissed. “I remind them of their sins and failures. Of how weak they truly are and they never even know what I am doing.”
We must not allow Satan to continue to use this tool. We must have the same attitude and as Paul. “I MUST PRESS ON! I am forgiven my sins and failures! Christ is my strength where I am weak! I am a child of Almighty God!”