Psa 129:2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

Faith is a lifelong struggle. From the moment anyone hears the gospel, Satan wants to snatch away the seed that is sown in the heart lest it produces faith: “Then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart” (Matthew 13:19). And when he believes, Satan will still try again to take away his faith in God. He will use afflictions: “For when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended” (Matthew 13:21). Afflictions have caused many to fall away from their faith. Satan will also use distractions. He will lay out temptations in his paths to lure him back to the world: “And the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). And, only the ones who overcome will become fruit bearing Christians: “Which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:23). The psalmist in this psalm talks about the struggles of the nation Israel from the days of its youth. As a young nation evolving in the land of Egypt, they faced many struggles, especially from the slavery in Egypt. They struggled in the wilderness as they battled hunger and thirst. They also had to contend with the enemies. The Promised Land, though a land flowing with milk and honey, was not without troubles; they struggled to keep the land and fight the enemies. They struggled with keeping on to their faith. Their faith was tested. They failed the tests not once, but many times (Judges 2:10). Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth – Youths from their teens upwards are the most vulnerable to Satan’s attack. The three most common tactics of Satan are these: 1. Lust of the Flesh – They are the sensual and impure desires which seek their gratification in sex, strong drink, gluttony, and the like. In the Garden of Eden, Eve took of the forbidden fruit when she saw that the tree was good for food. She thought about how good the fruit would taste, how it would satisfy her flesh. She went after the lust of the flesh (Genesis 3:6). Paul warns Timothy to “flee youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22). Youths for generations are tempted to experiment sex, drugs, and strong drinks. The Christian youth is to flee such lusts and to “follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2. Lust of the Eyes – Solomon says: “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied” (Proverbs 27:20). It is true that “the eyes of men are never satisfied.” Look in your house; why is it filled up with things so quickly? Eve took of the forbidden fruit when she saw that the fruit was pleasant to the eyes; she saw how pretty and desirable it was. “Pretty and desirable”; that’s how Satan tempts us. We buy things that caught our eyes attention. Which youth will not want to change his/her handphone as soon as a newer model arrives in the market? Job made a covenant with his eyes that he would not look at another woman (Job 31:1). We need to make a covenant with our eyes too that we will not look at another Sales or another new gadget. 3. Pride of Life – Recognition and success; who does not want them? Why you must have the latest handphone? Well, it’s the pride of life. Nobody wants to be left out. Pride is the cardinal sin. Yet they have not prevailed against me – This is the psalmist’s victory: he did not fall into those temptations. He was able to flee those youthful lusts. It is an encouragement to us that we too can overcome. Satan is not invincible are we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). Since we know his tactics, we can be prepared for them and overcome them. Let us be able to speak the same as the psalmist: they have not prevailed against me.