2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
When we stand firm in our faith, God blesses us in a special way described in EPH 4: 14. "Then we will no longer be children, carried by the waves and blown about by every shifting wind of the teaching of deceitful men who lead others to error by the tricks they invent." If we recall GN 3: 1-6, which is the story of the original sin, we can see that a defense must be mounted against Satan's crafty and cunning attempts to thwart us in our faith. The devil is God's enemy and thus, ours, and this is no small matter.
Having this in mind, it is important for us to take a good look at God's full armor. This is the armor that God asks us to put on in EPH 6: 10-11. Note the information that God gives us in EPH 6:12, "For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age." I am writing this message at the time that it is coming to light that Osama bin Laden was laughing in a discussion with his cohorts about the fact that the men (with the exception of one) who he sent to hijack the American planes that hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon didn't know they were being sent on suicide missions. This wicked, evil mad man has no conscience. He has been completely taken over by Satan; make no mistake! God allows us to know just how this happens in RO 1: 18-32, which I hope you will review.
As I have said before, God never sends us into spiritual warfare without the tools to win in it. Our struggles in these battles if we endure in our faithful obedience to Him will forward our sanctification. There is truly sufficient motivation to hang in there and fight the good fight. Now, here's how God equips us to do this. EPH 6: 13-18, "So put on God's armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy's attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground. So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. And accept salvation as a helmet, and the world of God as the sword which the Sprit gives you. Do all this in prayer, asking for God's help. Pray on every occasion as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God's people."
Last year, I took a course written by Dr. William Backus called "Learning To Tell Yourself the Truth." This was a valuable experience, because often we don't realize how many mistruths we labor under that came from misguided adults rearing us or our own childish perceptions that never were brought into the light of a mature adult's outlook. The most serious misconceptions come from not being reared with God's leadership in one's childhood. This course teaches us how to overcome those problems and to see the truth. Bet on it that God has to be a big part of learning the truth. That is because He is the Source of it. HE 4: 12-13, "The word of God is alive and active, sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where the soul and the spirit meet, to where the joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of man's heart. There is nothing that can be hid from God; everything in all creation is exposed and lies open before His eyes. And it is to Him that we must all give an account of ourselves." I would surely not want to be in Osama bin Laden's shoes when that Day comes that he must go before the Lord!
The next tool is righteousness. We were given the Law originally to help us to know what is righteous and what is not [RO 7:7]. Since this was done so early in mankind's history at the time of Moses on Mt. Sinai, we may assume that this is a very important issue with God. It is not to be confused with self-righteousness, which is a man-driven thing and leads to an arrogant assumption of the Lord's right to be Judge. Righteousness is thinking and acting in a way that pleases God and is in line with His will. I see it as being tightly connected to love, for the righteous actions of a believer are never taken without love. From the time of LV 19: 18 and often repeated in places like RO 13: 9b, we are told, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Christ added His perception to this in JN 13: 34-35, "And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are My disciples." Righteousness is always connected with obedience to God, for that is the only way God ever is. He is never unrighteous or evil. To keep our God-believer connection active and open, we must spend time daily with God in studying His word, have an active prayer life, and put His teachings into practice in our lives. I will continue discussing these tools for waging successful spiritual warfare in tomorrow's message.
PRAYER: O Lord, You have commanded us to have faith, be obedient, to trust You, and to being loving. We have been sent on to the battlefield of spiritual warfare fully equipped to bring You victory in Christ Jesus. Because of Your love for us, You warned us that the evil people we must encounter are under Satan's leadership, as we are under Yours. The connection between them and Satan is made clear by the discernment You give us through studying Your word and having prayerful conversations with You. When our country was attacked, You showed us how You would protect it by unifying previously squabbling segments of it. It was by Your will that a faithful believer surrounding himself by other faithful believers well-qualified for their jobs were put in power. You placed in so many hearts the will to volunteer and even to put themselves in harm's way. Your power over us is both sovereign and righteous. You keep Your promise to protect and guide us every day as we face whatever spiritual warfare comes our way. Sometimes, it is within our own families. Other times, it is from outside. No matter where its origin, You are there to guide, defend, and be our Refuge and our Strength [PS 46: 1]. Your clear and present help in times of danger is crucial and deeply appreciated. When we are on Your team, we are victors over any power the devil might exert. We humbly offer You praise, adoration, worship, loyalty, obedience, trust, diligence, and heartfelt gratitude for being Who You are and loving us as much as You do. In Christ's name, amen.
As promised above, I will continue answering the Lord's command to me that I discuss more of the weapons He gives us to successfully fight spiritual warfare in tomorrow's message. I doubt any of us would have the courage to take on all Satan's arrows alone. Without God's intervention and that of Christ, we would be lost, doomed to a horrible death. But our Lord loves us dearly, even to the point of sacrificing His Son on the cross for us and giving us the gift of the Holy Spirit to remain with us. No greater love has ever been known on earth. Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn