"The Bounty Hunter"

Did you know that there is a bounty on your life? You are being hunted and watched. Someone is in pursuit of you. He is watching your life closely and trying to learn your habits and routines so he can catch you when you least expect it. You are wanted… dead or alive. Let me describe this “bounty hunter” to you. He has many aliases that he is known by… he is the great deceiver, the thief, angel of light, prince of darkness, father of lies, the prince of this world, Satan, and the devil.

John 8:44 describes him as this…

“He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

The devil is real whether you believe it or not and he wants to destroy your life. Satan has a bounty out on you. He wants you and he is willing to do anything to get you. He wants to take you out… paralyze you spiritually, impair your spiritual vision, change your perspective, and fill your mind with “stinkin’ thinking”…. Don’t let him win!

In order to overcome our enemy, we need to know and understand him. Let’s look a little closer at his greatest desires and fears…

His greatest desires are…

1. For us to continue to sin.

His goal is to get us to go back to our “old ways” and eventually turn away from God.

“But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.” I John 3:8-9

2. For us to become comfortable where we are.

When we begin to become satisfied with where we are spiritually, we will stop growing and moving toward God. We need to be continually learning, changing, and growing becoming more like God each day. When we become comfortable… going to church becomes a hobby, reading the Bible becomes a duty, we stop telling people about God, and we can begin to see ourselves as “good enough” and we stop serving and growing. Just like a plant if we aren’t growing, we are dying. I want to be growing daily to become more like God, what about you?

3. To steal, kill, and destroy us.

John 10:10 says…

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Many of you have been robbed and you don’t even realize it. Satan has stolen… your joy, peace, self-esteem, purity, innocence, and so much more. Some of you have even been “bound up” by Satan. He is trying to keep you from God. He has tied your hands in an attempt to make you ineffective. But Jesus wants to set you “FREE!”

"Christ has set us free to live a free life.” Galatians 5:1

Freedom means to be “set free, delivered, cut loose, rescued, let out, unlocked, turned loose, released, or let go.”

“…wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

“So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” John 8:36

Jesus wants to set you free today!

Not only does the devil have great desires for you, he also has great fears concerning you.

His greatest fears are...

1. …that you will become spiritually FEARLESS.
What does that look like?
…Extravagant love for God and others, Extraordinary faith (believing God for impossible things), and Extreme behavior (living for God in a radical way daily).


2. …that people will be drawn to the love of God in you.
God’s love wants to invade every area of our lives… trust Him with your heart. The more of God you get inside of you, the more capacity you have to love others. It’s God’s love shining through us that shows when we reflect Him with our actions.

3. …that you will start believing what the Bible says and start stepping out to do RADICAL things (Extraordinary Faith)

Matthew 19:26 says…"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Radicals believe God will do what He says He will do and live by that fact. Shake up your faith and believe God for the “impossible” today.

4. …that people will get healed, delivered, set free, miracles will happen, and people will notice and be drawn to God.

He is afraid that if we do the things above, that everything is going to get out of control and he won’t be able to stop it. Woohoo… you betcha it will. I’m ready to see things get a little out of control for God with the result being … Lives being changed forever.

So, now that we have learned that Satan has a bounty on our lives, his greatest desires, and his greatest fears… what should we do about it? Should we find a witness protection program and hide? Should we live under the radar and just do the status quo when it comes to God? Should we just stick to going to church and skip the relationship with God thing? No, no, no, no, a thousand times no. Don’t hide, don’t run away, don’t become a “closet Christian.” Step out and allow God to do amazing things in your life this year. The devil is no one to be afraid of… “…greater is He that is IN ME than he that is in the world.”

Now that you know the facts… go out and rock your world for Jesus. Shake up your faith and step out to do radical things for God. Begin a holy uproar of chasing after God and lives will be radically changed along the way as a result. May God turn you and your world upside down for Jesus this year.

Living to leave a legacy,
Julie