Nothing to Lose

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"None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself" (Acts 20:24).

There can be few things more exasperating than trying to defeat somebody who has nothing to lose; someone who is so anchored and secure in the faithfulness of God, that man's puny efforts to the contrary hold no power over them whatsoever.

Imagine Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, ever being threatened again with death. "What are you gonna do, kill me?" he might ask. And the incredulous look on his face would surely turn even his fiercest foe away, feeling like a fool.

Paul had that same unwavering confidence in the face of horrific threats, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God" (Act 20:24).

The fourth "nothing" with which we defeat the devil is -- "Nothing to Lose."

Paul was a man with nothing to lose. Elsewhere he wrote, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). How are you going to defeat a man like that? You're not!

Perhaps the better question now is how do we become that kind of person? The answer is simple really; the key to living a life with nothing to lose comes from believing in God's Word.

The Bible tells us that while Paul was enroute to Rome upon a ship, a great storm assailed the vessel with hurricane force; such that in the words of Luke, "all hope of our being saved was lost."

And there, in that dark and hopeless moment, Paul, though a prisoner in chains, stepped forward and took charge. "Be of good cheer," he said, "for there stood by me this night an angel of the God, whose I am and whom I serve, saying, 'Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.' Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me" (Act 27:23-25).

Our storm-tossed world could use some men and women like this right now. Men and women who belong to God and serve Him faithfully; men and women to whom God speaks in the midst of the storms. Men and women who, despite their mistreatment, nevertheless step forward with a word of hope in hopeless times. Are you one of them? Wouldn't you like to be?

In summary, we have seen over the past few days that a life with nothing to fear comes from trusting in God's love. A life with nothing to prove comes from standing in God's grace. A life with nothing to hide comes from walking in God's light. And a life with nothing to lose comes from believing in God's Word.

The man or woman who lives this life will be undefeated. Why not be this person!
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