When you go to the movies, before the feature presentation, there are usually several Previews of other movies. It’s not a bad idea; it’s a pretty good marketing strategy, because it gives you a sneak peek at what’s new, and it sort of baits you to plan to see those movies as well. But, how many times have you seen a great Preview for a movie only to leave disappointed when you see the movie in its entirety; you know those movies that don’t measure up to the hype from the Previews?
In life, if we aren’t careful, we can make decisions based off just the Previews, but end up totally disappointed when we see how the story really unfolds. The enemy is the deceiver of the brethren and he would love to distract you and get you off course. See, he has seen your future and he knows that in God you win; so he wants to cause you to forfeit, by any means necessary, all the many blessings God has in store for you.
So, what he does is he will try to appeal to the lusts of the flesh, those things you desire. He will paint a great picture and give you a good Preview of what you could have.
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world (1John 2:16 NLT).
He doesn’t have any new tricks, he’s been running this same scam since the days of Genesis when Adam and Eve lost dominion because of believing the lies in the enemy’s Previews (Genesis 3:1-7).
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed (James 1:14).
Many marriages fail because many have fallen prey to the deceitful Previews. They chose to only see the good and ignore the bad; now that the entire movie is being shown, they don’t like what they see in that spouse; whether it be infidelity, lying, substance abuse, or etc. More people than ever before are suffering from HIV/AIDS because the Previews only showed the cute guy or the cute girl, and he/she looks clean, and besides, they didn’t intend to sin, they were just going to hang out; but they slipped and had unprotected sex. More people are suffering from mental illness than ever before because they were misled by the Previews and now they see that doing it the world’s way isn’t as fulfilling as the Previews promised. Pride had them trying to do everything in “self” and nothing is working. They don’t know where to turn or what to do, they feel like they are losing their minds.
The enemy doesn’t show you in his Previews that the sin that looks so fun and glamorous actually leads to death; even if not a physical death, it will lead to a spiritual death. If he can’t get you off course by trying to appeal to the flesh, Satan will try to discourage you by showing you footage of your past failures and poor decisions, all the things that, according to man, should disqualify you from being loved and used by God. His intent is to convince you that you blew it and it’s over for you. He will allow it to flash across the big screen (of your mind) to try and convince you that this is how your story ends, like you are the villain, You lose.
The good thing about movies is once the movie comes to DVD, there are the Alternate Endings. This gives you the option to choose between several different endings to the movie. That’s what Jesus did for all of us. He gave us an Alternate Ending. Without Him, we were doomed, facing a life of sin, death and destruction. But, He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. In Jesus, we get to choose our Alternate Ending.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11).
So, That Settles It. Don’t be deceived by the enemy. Don’t make a lifelong decision based only on the Previews; Seek God for the rest of the story, to see how your story is re-written in Him. See, in God’s story, You Always Win! It is He who gives you the Alternate Ending. The Happy Ending. He is your Redeemer!