The meaning sounds like betrayal but it actually has the same meaning as Judah. It is the Greek version of Judah. Some names in the Old Testament had a different spelling with one or two letters in the New Testament. For example, Elijah becomes Elias, Isaiah becomes Isaias, Josiah becomes Josias, Joshua becomes Jesus (not sure you saw this particular one coming but that's not the topic for today).
No, we're not doing Greek and Hebrew today but that foundation needed to be laid in order to further explain the persona of the man, Judas. As mentioned earlier, Judah means Praise. Same as Judas but his lifestyle was quite different from one whose life was a praise to the Almighty.
Need I mention that Judas fulfilled his purpose. Wait. He did. There was a prophecy that one of Jesus's disciples was going to betray Him. It could've been any of them. However, Judas chose to be the available vessel. Either way, whoever had to betray Jesus had to be in that circle of 12 (this does not automatically translate that someone in your closest circle “must" betray you. However, it's possible though).
You see, Judas had had it in him. Had it in him in the sense that he had been someone whose way wasn't right even before Satan entered into him to betray Jesus (John 13:25-27). Amongst all of Jesus' disciples, he was the Financial Secretary (John 12:4-6) and he was stealing the money (the nerve of him though).
There's a Scripture that says “the curse causeless shall not stand" (Pro. 26:2). The Amplified version put it like this... “So, the curse without cause does not come and alight [on the undeserving]." (Pro. 26:2) English people will say “To every action, there's an equal reaction." Judas made himself available to be used by Satan.
Judas opened the door to the devil through his covetousness and the devil crept in. Maybe, just maybe if he wasn't pilfering, the devil would've found another vessel.
Sin starts small. It starts from the supposedly little things before it graduates to something too humongous to control. Someone who has aligned himself to lies will one day tell lies without thinking. It'll be reflex to such a person. Even when they want to tell the truth, only lies pour out.
Cutting away from sin is not usually an easy “I can do it myself" task. It takes the effort of the Holy Spirit and your willingness to let it go. A born again Christian can still commit sin effortlessly if he does not let the Holy Spirit do the work of deep cleansing for him. It is these supposedly little things that graduates into big uncontrollable sins (and that's where the lies lie! No sin is too big to be stopped. No habit is too bad to be cast aside. It all depends on the willingness of the person in question to cut away from it or not). Ask God to help you with that load of sin in you.
Remember, no sin is big, none is small. A liar and a murderer are sinners in the same grade. There's no difference. There's no better one. This was how Judas got caught in the web of satan.
The second mistake he made was killing himself. And that's the tactic of the devil. After he has succeeded in making you go against God's will, he will also make sure to condemn you till you end up convincing yourself that you're not in need of God's mercy and forgiveness.
I can't think of a better man than David who committed a treacherous sin by killing a man and taking his wife but when he turned to God, God still forgave him. If Judas had turned back to God, he might not have been opportuned to be associate with the Apostles anymore but at least, he was forgiven (though, some studies say he didn't kill himself but that he fell somewhere. Others say it wasn't recorded if he sought for forgiveness or not. Either way, he didn't die a good man). No matter what it is you might have done, Quickly repent and go back to God.
Mind you, as a believer, it'll be wrong of you to be sin-conscious because you're too busy being the best God wants you to be and when it so happens that you deviate, you retrace your steps as quickly as possible. Don't let condemnation come in. The devil is not a fan of Christians and he'd do anything to get you away from God and condemnation is one of his biggest tactics.
When he brings up the accusation of your past mistakes, tell. Him to his face that Christ has forgiven you and he doesn't even remember your sin (Heb. 8:12). Whenever that boy (the devil) brings your past to your face, bring your present life in Christ to his face, and do it boldly! Tell Him you have now been crucified with Christ! (Gal. 2:20). Tell Him you're a new creation. Tell Him Christ has redeemed you! (Gal. 3:13a)
Tell him you have been made Righteous in Christ Jesus! (2 Cor. 5:21).
Tell him you're no longer a slave to sin but you're now a child of God!
Tell him you have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and your sins have been forgiven (Col. 1:13-14, Eph. 1:7)
Believe me, you can tell him to go to hell 'cause that's where he belongs!
Mind you, you don't fight thoughts with thoughts because that's the entrance of the devil. He'll bring those thoughts to you. Rather, you counter thoughts with Words! Loud words furnished by the WORD OF GOD! Confess the Scripture out loud to your hearing and that of the person who's trying to condemn you. When you hear those words for yourself, it increases your faith and boldness. When the devil hears those words, he staggers back and gets far away from you.
Don't give that guy a chance because he'll make you feel worthless just by remembering your past sins. When the pictures of your escapades outside of Christ or even the mistakes you made as a believer pops up in your mind, fight it with God's Word. Mind you, you don't mutter of think these words, you speak them LOUD and CLEAR!
If you're a believer ways have not been right with God, confess your sins to Him because He is faithful and just to forgive all sins(1 John 1:9). Change your ways, ask Him for help in doing so and I promise you He'll definitely help you in your journey to living a holy life.
If you need help, you can send an email to therealchristianmedia@gmail.com and be sure to get a swift reply. God bless you!
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