3 Ways to Reject Satan and Choose Jesus Christ
Understanding what happened in the premortal life can help you make good choices now.
Illustration by Dean MacAdam
When Heavenly Father presented His plan for our eternal happiness and progress, He promised to send a Saviour to help us. When Heavenly Father asked, “Whom shall I send?” (Abraham 3:27), Jesus Christ, “[the Father’s] Beloved and Chosen from the beginning” (Moses 4:2), said, “Here am I, send me” (Abraham 3:27). He didn’t ask for anything, He just wanted to do our Father’s will (see Moses 4:2).
Then came Lucifer. He also said, “send me” (see Moses 4:1). But Lucifer was selfish, not willing to sacrifice for us. He wanted God’s honour, power, and glory for himself (see Moses 4:1). Lucifer desired to destroy our agency. How he thought to do this is unclear. But we do know that without agency, we would never be able to progress and become like our Heavenly Father. So, in essence, Lucifer rebelled against Heavenly Father and rejected His plan.
Lucifer’s rebellion caused a war in heaven, where he was “cast down;” and he “became Satan” (Moses 4:3–4). A third of the hosts of heaven followed him (see Doctrine and Covenants 29:36). But we exercised our agency and followed Jesus Christ.
The war that began in heaven continues today. Satan and his followers continually seek to oppose us. Here are three ways to identify Satan’s tactics and strategies, avoid his traps, and choose Jesus Christ throughout our lives.
1. Don’t Let Bitterness Win
Years ago, I once tried to persuade my friends at school to not do their homework because I hadn’t done mine. I was in the wrong, but I thought that if we all got in trouble, I would somehow feel better about myself. My poor behaviour reminds me of Satan’s attitude toward us. Because he is miserable, he wants to spoil our potential for eternal life.
Satan is so distorted by his bitterness that he—even knowing he will ultimately fail—desperately attempts to “spread the works of darkness” (Helaman 6:28), to harm as many of us as he can.
Satan’s sourness is not the plan we chose. We can use our agency to continue to follow Jesus Christ and continue to reject Satan’s bitter, cheap, and self-limiting enticements. The Saviour gave His life so we can become what He knows we can become and taste the sweetness of eternal life.
2. Don’t Give in to Fear
I sometimes wonder why the third part of God’s spirit children would choose to reject His plan. Satan knows that fear and doubt are both effective ways to diminish faith. He might tempt us to doubt our worth or to convince us we can’t really become clean through Jesus Christ’s Atonement. Or he might try to get us to give in to fear about repenting or following God’s plan.
When we face trials and difficulty, we can choose to trust in God’s plan and in Jesus Christ. He has endured all things so He can be our strength when we confront fear, and through Him, we can eventually overcome it.
3. Embrace All That the Saviour Offers You
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are all about ennobling and empowering us. Who else says they want to help us be our absolute best and give us everything they have with no holding back? Everything the Father has can be ours! This is offered to us only through Jesus Christ.
When I think about the Saviour’s selflessness and redemptive power, I want to follow Him. Jesus Christ is the perfect champion of the perfect plan. As we choose Him, He helps us overcome the adversary, follow Heavenly Father’s plan, and achieve our divine destiny.