He hates you...

Beyond any hate you and I can comprehend each of us have a common enemy that thoroughly despises us. So much in fact that their entire existence is dedicated to refining their techniques and skills to be utilized in an attempt to destroy us.

Satan and 1/3 of the hosts of heaven failed to win their evil purposes in the war in Heaven. They were cast out. They became embittered and resolute in their cause to destroy. Their efforts were in full force even during the war in heaven. They have not let up in the least since being cast out. They long ago waged a new war. There have been numerous casualties. They have sadly had continual success in their evil plot to destroy.

They began by attacking Adam and Eve, with success. They have studied mankind from that time forth. They have learned of weaknesses in human nature all along. They have practiced and refined their tactics and manipulation ever since. Generation after generation they have learned and have grown stronger and much more capable. The duration of time that they have had to plan, practice and prepare has allowed them to become a very fierce enemy that warrants being feared. They practiced on your grandparents, your parents and now they are unleashing their arsenal of tactics directly on you.

Is it any wonder they find success. Considering these facts, is it not more clear why we are warned to "avoid the very appearance of evil"? Therefore, is it not time to remove any and all weakness or sin from our lives? How critical it is to utilize the cleansing ability of the sacrament each week!

Is it not true that they know exactly what works individually on each of us? I believe each of us has 1 specific weakness that they exploit. One specific area where they find the most success. It is different for each of us yet they know how to find it! Once found, they SLOWLY work on getting us to give up control so that they can eventually gain a choke hold capable of spiritually suffocating us.

With as scary as this all might seem we are not left without hope. As powerful as Satan and his followers appear to be they have absolutely NO POWER over us unless we allow them to. Through the power of the atonement and the influence of the Holy Ghost we in fact have MORE POWER than they ever will. Much more.

They know where the line is. We know where the line is. We must not cross it. In fact, we must stay safely far enough away from the line so that if we happen to trip we don't find ourselves entirely on the other side.

In conclusion I would like to share a story that President Kimball related:

“There is an oft-told story of three men who applied for the job of driving the coaches for a transportation company. The successful applicant would be driving over high, dangerous and precipitous mountain roads. Asked how well he could drive, the first one replied: ‘I am a good, experienced driver. I can drive so close to the edge of the precipice that the wide metal tire of the vehicle will skirt the edge and never go off.’

“ ‘That is good driving,’ said the employer.

“The second man boasted, ‘Oh, I can do better than that. I can drive so accurately that the tire of the vehicle will lap over, half of the tire on the edge of the precipice, and the other half in the air over the edge.’

“The employer wondered what the third man could offer, and was surprised and pleased to hear, ‘Well, sir, I can keep just as far away from the edge as possible.’ It is needless to ask which of the men got the job” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], 217–18).

May we each have the wisdom and strength to refrain from flirting with destruction by staying safely clear of the edge.

Do not let him win the smallest battle let alone the war.

I know that with divine help we can find success. In Jesus Christ's name I testify to that fact.

Mike