How would you feel if someone who was HIV positive purposely lured you into having unprotected sex, just so that you could contract it? Or what if this someone did this to a loved one of yours? Chances are, you wouldn’t be too happy. In fact, you might very well be pissed off, and want this person to rot in jail for their whole life and then in hell for the rest of eternity. I would dare to say that you might very well be this pissed off about such a story, even if the person with HIV purposely gave it to your worst enemy. If you felt this way, I wouldn't be surprised. What's surprising though, is the fact that we all know someone who does this on a daily basis. This person works overtime to flatter you and lure you into a rendezvous that leaves you burnt, hurt, ashamed, and guilt-stricken. Yet, we keep going back to him.
If you didn’t know already, this person is the devil AKA Satan. Because Satan knows that he will eventually be defeated (Revelation 20:1-3), he wants to take down as many people as he can with him. I guess it’s true what they say, “misery loves company”. That’s probably why someone with HIV would be motivated to infect other innocent people. This someone simply does not want to suffer alone. They have an “if I’m going down, than the ship is coming down with me” mentality.
But let’s not get so angry with this someone with HIV. Yes, what they did was terribly cruel, selfish, and evil. But let’s not forget that you don’t have to infect someone with HIV to be these things. Let’s remember Jesus’ words and how He raised the standard of righteousness (Matthew 5:21-22 & 27-28). Now let’s apply this to ourselves. Have you ever failed a test and felt bad that a friend passed? Have you ever been rejected from a school or a job and secretly hated the fact that someone you knew was accepted? On the flip end, have you ever felt better about a failure because you learned that someone you knew failed to?
Reality check: our “someone” with HIV showed the same emotions you did when he or she purposely infected others. And you know what else, Satan is motivated by those same emotions when he tries to lure us into sin. Why? Because sin leads to separation from God, which is death. And by death, I don’t mean a heart that seizes to beat, but even worse, a soul that is separated from God in hell.
But there’s good news! Although Satan prowls like a lion, looking to devour you (1 Peter 5:8), the Blood of Jesus that was shed some 2,000 years ago, on our behalf, still speaks. This Blood speaks freedom from sin, righteousness, holiness, wholeness, salvation, true love, and much, much more if we would only believe in Him. Doctors may not have found a cure for HIV, but Dr. Jesus IS THE CURE to our wicked heart (Jeremiah 17:9) and THE PROTECTION against (Psalm 121:7) Satan’s schemes.
Brethren, I pray that this blesses you. I just want to encourage you to continue the good fight, and don’t be fooled by the falsehood of the enemy’s pleasant appearance. At the same time, wage war against the wickedness of your heart, and cry out to God for a clean one (Psalm 51:10). Know that I am praying for you and please, please, please, pray for me too.
More grace,
David
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