Satan's Efforts Cannot Stop What God Ordains

October 1

"And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed,
the next day they lightened the ship.
On the third day we threw the ship’s
tackle overboard with our own hands.
Now when neither sun nor stars
appeared for many days,
and no small tempest beat on us,
all hope that we would be saved
was finally given up."
Acts 27:18-20

The apostle Paul was being brought to Rome to be tried for "hate crimes." The ship he was in was hard hit with a violent storm. No matter how they lightened the ship and set the sails, it was obvious they couldn't overcome it. Finally it appeared that all was lost.

The bottom line in this story is that God's will was that Paul was to preach the Gospel in Rome. When it's God's will, nothing and no one can stop it. Though he was not guilty of the charges against him, God's purpose was to bring the Gospel that far west through Paul's ministry.

Every believer has a calling and Satan will vigorously try to prevent us from completing it.

Learn to recognize the efforts of Satan to prevent what God has called you to do. Because we do not see Satan with our eyes, we can easily miss the story behind the story - that if you belong to the Lord and are called to his purposes, Satan will arrange all manner of interferences to prevent you from accomplishing what you're called to do. But if you stay tight with God, God will either thwart Satan's efforts against you, or he will use the efforts themselves to bring about his purposes. Don't give up!

"And we know that ALL THINGS
work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are the called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28