Chapter 3: The Rival-Satan
wants to Steal and Destroy
our Confidence in God’s
Unchanging Love
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls
around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. – I
Peter 5:8
Heavy, sweet scents pervaded the air of the old Mexican vine-
covered villa as I walked through the garden and breathed in
the perfumed air. As a young college student, adventure, new
experiences and exploring new places seemed like a gift! A
Christian summer conference for students in a charming hotel
in Guadalajara, Mexico presented just the opportunity my
friend and I were planning.
Meeting with articulate students, interesting professors and
learning about the Bible in depth for my very first time as a new
Christian, seemed encouraging at first. However, with every
day, a shadow seemed to creep more profoundly over my heart.
A realization that “I was not worthy,” that I was inadequate
before God weighed like a ton of bricks on my heart. I smiled on
the outside and performed the tasks of living with these new
friends as best I could. But no one could have guessed what
the voices were saying to me inside my mind.
Without even noticing, I had been gathering a bundle of guilt