Many people around the world are abused and taken advantage of. They end up losing their wealth, even their health, to people they don't really want to be friends with or things they didn't really want to do. Why does this happen? It's because they don't know how to say "no."

A powerful word

"No" is a two-letter word that is used to reject something wrong, deny what is not true, deny what is not acceptable, and shut down all that should be shut. It is a decisive word that means "I am putting my foot down against what you are telling me to do/believe/think/agree to." It's a word we use to declare our opposition to something we don't want.

The word "no" is so powerful, it can even save lives and futures. Many people don't know that learning to say no can do them a lot of favor, save them from trouble, and give them a lot of freedom. It's something that all people – especially Christians – must learn.

Why should Christians learn to say no? Here are some reasons why all of God's children should learn to say no.

1) As children of God, we're in a war with the devil

Friends, we have to realize that we're in a war with the enemy. The Bible tells us that as Christians, we're continually engaged in a war with an enemy we don't see:

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)

We need to realize that there's no middle ground. Either we're with Christ or not.

2) As Christ's followers we must learn to say no to the things He doesn't like

Friends, we need to see Christ as a warrior King who came to destroy the works of the devil (see 1 John 3:8). And since He is our Lord, the one we follow and obey, we must learn to say no to what He doesn't like.

Christ paid a very high price for us to be taken away from the enemy's turf. Colossians 1:13 tells us that God has delivered us from Satan and transferred us into the kingdom of His dear Son. Christ is our King, and His will is what we must say "yes" to.

3) As recipients of salvation, we need to learn to say no to what separated us from God: sin

Our sins separated us from God. Our God, however, wanted us back to Him and so He sent His Son to save us. Christ, the Son, carried our sins on the cross and received the punishment we were supposed to take.

Now what makes us want to commit sin again? We should learn to say no to sin.

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, righteously, and in godliness in this present world, as we await the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for Himself a special people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14)