If you listen to the mass panic media, this new year won't be any better than the last. As the saying goes, "Same song, second verse. You thought it'd get better, but it's going to get worse."

Such hopeless attitudes are not from God.

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

John 16:33 - "These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

The doom and gloom being preached is from the Enemy. The devil threw away his position in Heaven, and since we get to go, he really hates us and has been trying to destroy humanity since the Garden of Eden. In 2020, he leveled some big guns at us, but we need to remember the words of Morpheus from the movie Matrix: Reloaded,

"WE ARE STILL HERE!"

Ephesians 6:13 - "Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm."

We have endured the strife of the past year and have lived to see another year. We are still standing, and every day is a chance to do better than the day before, to frustrate the devil, and to honor our King.

Not all managed to reach this mile marker as they got a shortcut into Heaven. They don't have to wear masks anymore, no social distancing, and they get to see the Master face to face. I see nothing sad or depressing about that. For us on Earth, it is but a temporary parting until our work is done and we can clock out and go home too.

God loses no one, and neither do we.

Jesus said in John 10:27-28 - "My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand."

We all know about a no-win scenario where nothing will change certain defeat, but with God, we have a no-lose scenario. We'll either continue accomplishing His will in this life, or move on to the life beyond, leaving all the troubles of this world behind. There is no way this can end badly for us as long as we stay with God.

A preacher I heard made the following statement about Joseph in the Old Testament, "They took his coat, but they couldn't take his favor. They took his freedom, but they couldn't take his dream."

No matter what happens in this life, always remember that the greatest power that exists is on our side.

Romans 8:37-39 "But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

We are warriors of the Most High, facing down the greatest evil there is, and with God on our side, we need not fear them for they are but dust before the wind, and God commands the winds.

Psalms 108:13 "Through God we will do valiantly, and it is He who will trample down our enemies."

It's time we reminded the devil and his minions why they should be afraid of us. We are servants of God, the Almighty! With Him, we are unstoppable!