In 2 Kings 6:15-17, we read,

“When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh, my lord, what shall we do?’ the servant asked.  ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered.  ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’  And Elisha prayed, ’O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

If only our eyes could be opened and we could see the spiritual battle going on around us!  We are at war!  The enemy of our souls wants to destroy us.  He wants our Christian lives to be ineffective and unproductive.  He wants us to feel unworthy and unloved.  He wants us to hold on to bitterness and resentment, and to feel anxious and afraid.  “But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor.15:37).  One of the ways we can have victory is to put on the armor of God.

When we put on the belt of truth, we do not fall prey to the enemy’s lies.  We hold fast to the truth that we are children of God (John 1:12,1 John 3:1), that He will watch over us and keep us from harm (Ps. 121:5,7), that we have been justified by the blood of Jesus and saved from God’s wrath (Rom. 5:9), that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Rom. 8:37).

When we put on the breastplate of righteousness, we guard our hearts.  Our hearts so easily go astray.  We harbor unforgiveness, anger and malice.  James 4:8 tells us to purify our hearts.  We need to cry out to God as David did, “Create in me a pure heart, O God”
(Ps. 51:10).   Romans 3:10 tells us that “there is no one righteous, not even one”, yet, Philippians 3:9 tells us that we can have righteousness:  “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God is by faith.”
    
With our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, we can have “the peace that will transcend all understanding” (Phil. 4:7).

We must take up the shield of faith so that we can extinguish all the arrows of the evil one, whether they be arrows of pride, doubt, fear, depression or temptation.  We must use our faith, because “This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (2 Cor. 1:24).

With our helmet of salvation on, our minds are protected.  We must be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2).  We must set our minds on thoughts that are noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8).

By taking the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, by knowing Scripture, we can know truth, guard our hearts from unrighteousness, have God’s peace, fight off attacks to our faith, and protect our minds (see Ps. 119:11,60,165; 2 Tim.3:15,16).

We can pray these things for ourselves and for others.  Right after describing the armor of God in verses 14 through 17 of Ephesians, Paul tells us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions” and to “keep on praying for all the saints.”  Prayer is part of our arsenal.

By clothing ourselves with this armor, we are not only standing against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, but we are clothing ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 13:14):

We are to put on the belt of truth.

In Ps. 31:5, the LORD is called the God of truth.
In John 14:7, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”
In John 14:17;15:26;16:13, the Counselor is promised, the Spirit of truth.

We are to put on the breastplate of righteousness

In Ps. 36:6, David praises the LORD, saying, “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.”
In Acts 7:52;22:14 and in 1 John 2:1, Jesus is called “The Righteous One.”

Our feet are to be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace

Rom. 15:33;16:20, Phil. 4:9, 1 Thess. 5:23 and Heb. 13:20 name “the God of Peace.”

We are to take up the shield of faith

Over 16 times in the Psalms, we read that God is our shield.

We are to take the helmet of salvation

Jesus’ name in Hebrew is Jehoshua, which means “Jehovah(the LORD) is salvation.”
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

We are to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Dt. 33:29 tells us that the LORD “is your glorious sword.”
And Who is the Word of God?  John 1:1 tells us it is JESUS!

By guarding our minds and hearts, by knowing the Word, by praying with all kinds of prayers and requests, we allow the Spirit to transform us into His likeness (2 Cor.3:18).  Is this not God’s plan for us?  He desires us “to be conformed to the likeness of His Son” (Rom. 8:29), and tells us we are to “be imitators of God” (Eph. 5:1).  We imitate Him by immersing ourselves in His truth, in His righteousness, in His peace.  We know that He is a warrior (Ex. 15:3) and therefore we too must be warriors.  We must be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Eph. 6:10).  He gives us the strength, because He is our Strength (Ps. 22:19; Ps. 59:9,17)!

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  (Ephesians 6:10-17)

How often do you see a football player in a game without his pads and helmet on?  Or a marathon runner without sneakers on?  If you were a betting man, would you put your money on the team that didn’t use baseball gloves or the one that was fully equipped?  Sure, you could run a marathon without sneakers and you could play football without pads.  But the risk of injury greatly increases and you could very well be sidelined for the rest of your career.  A team has a better chance of being victorious and avoiding injury if they are using the proper gear.  While this may sound obvious, far too often we see Christians marching out to battle stark naked as it were, with nothing to protect them.  And far too often they get hurt badly.  But God has provided us with armor to wear for the spiritual battles that we face.  But again, we tend to dismiss its importance, neglect it all together, or think that we can just suit up when we need to.  But the spiritual battles we face are constant and the enemy is not going to wait for us to get our armor on.  We need to be ready every day to engage in spiritual warfare and that means we need to be geared up and game ready at all times. 

 Each piece of the armor is critical to our survival out in the battle field.  First, we are given the Belt of Truth.  Some translations render it as “having your loins girt with the truth” (Ephesians 6:14, KJV), where the phrase “to girt one’s loins” means to prepare oneself for action.  Further, the word “girt” is the root for our word “girdle” which is an article of clothing worn around our waist used to cinch back some of our belly fat.  Similarly, the Belt of Truth is meant to hold back our flesh, or our sinful nature, with the Truth that comes from Jesus. 

Next we are given the Breastplate of Righteousness, which guards and protects our hearts.  The heart is essential to our faith and our walk with Christ and as such, we must protect it from the attacks of the enemy.  Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”  1 Samuel 16:7 states “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  Proverbs 3:5 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.”  And 2 Chronicles 16:9 states “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”  See how important the heart is?  The enemy wants to attack and destroy our hearts for it is with our hearts that we trust and love the Lord.  Protect it with the Breastplate of Righteousness. 

We then have our feet “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”  We are to take faith in the Gospel and stand firm in the faith that we profess.  We are to know and believe that God is with us always as it says in Joshua 1:9:  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Stand firm in the Gospel and resist the attacks and advances of the enemy.  Next, we are provided with the Shield of Faith to block the attacks from the enemy.  We remember that it is our faith in Jesus and in the cross that we are saved.  It is by faith that we can overcome and put to death our sin.  And thus, it is by faith in Jesus that we can block and deflect the vicious lies and attacks of the enemy. 

To protect our head, we are given the Helmet of Salvation.  The mind is where the spiritual battle takes place and we are to guard it from the infectious lies of the enemy.  Our thoughts are so important that Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to “take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.”  He again reiterates the need to keep a holy mindset when he says in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  Protect your head from the enemy with the Helmet of Salvation and keep your mind focused on Jesus. 

Lastly, we are given our only weapon against the enemy; the Sword of the Spirit.  The Word of God, when used properly, can strike down the enemy and stop him dead in his tracks.  Learn it and keep it always on your heart and on your tongue.  Don’t hesitate to use the Sword at the faintest sign of temptation or enemy attack.  It is better and easier to strike down the temptation immediately than if we let it fester for a while and build a strong hold.  Suit up every day in the armor that God gave you so that you may be fully prepared to face the enemy in battle. 

The interesting thing about the armor of God is that there is no piece to protect out back.  And I believe there is a reason for that.  We are not meant to turn and run from the enemy.  We are meant to charge into battle, knowing that “if God is for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31).  We already have victory over death and over the enemy through Christ Jesus.  So there is no need to retreat, no need to turn our backs and run away from battle.  As it says in James 4:7, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  We do not flee from satan; he flees from us.  Remember that.  He flees from us.  He has no authority or power over us.  But what satan has done is lie to us and has instilled fear in us.  Fear that we will fail.  Fear that we are not good enough.  Fear that we don’t have what it takes.  Fear of leaving a life of comfort.  Fear that he can hurt us.  Fear that God will not be there for us.  And the list goes on.  But what is crucial to understand is that not one of these fears has any truth to them at all.  None.  Nothing.  Nada.  Nunca.  Aucun.  Nessuno.  Othing Nay.  Have I spoken your language yet?  Be emboldened that the enemy has no power and no authority over you.  That in Christ you have all power and authority over him.  That when YOU resist him, HE flees.  Take heart and listen to what Jesus says to his disciples in Matthew 28:18-20:  “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”  Since Jesus lives in each believer, it is His power and His authority that we call upon.  It is by His power and His authority that we triumph over the enemy.  So go and suit up with the armor of God.  Go knowing that the enemy is trying to take you out at all cost.  Go knowing that the enemy will lie to you and try to cripple you with fear.  Go knowing that the enemy has no power over you.  Go knowing that Jesus is with you always and will never leave your side.  Go and make disciples of all the nations.  Go and fight courageously for God.

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

 It is a week before the big championship game.  What do you think each team is doing in preparation for the big match?  Do you think they are just goofing around and have no set game plan?  Absolutely not!  They are watching video of their opponents, studying their tactics and strategies, and figuring out how their offense and defense works.  If the team knows what their opponent will do and how they play, then they will certainly be more prepared and have a greater advantage in the game to come. 

 In the same way, do you think that the military just goes on raids without strategic planning first?  Of course not!  Generals and analysts are studying the enemy, how they attack, where they hide, and the tactics and tricks that the enemy has used in the past.  In both scenarios, each squad is fully prepared for what the opponent or enemy has in store for them.  They know who their enemy is and what to expect when they encounter their opponent.  So, as a warrior for Christ, do you know who your enemy is in the spiritual battle that we all face every day?  Do you know the tactics that the enemy uses to attack you?  Are you aware of the constant battle raging all around you?  The enemy is not some dumb, red creature with pointy ears, a mustache, and pitchfork as depicted in many Halloween costumes – far from it.  He is a formidable adversary.  And if we want to be successful in battling him and fighting in the spiritual realm, then we had better know exactly who our enemy is as well as his malicious tactics.  The enemy that we face can be broken down into three main parts: the world, the flesh, and the devil. 

 1 John 2:15-16 says “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”  The world, or society, influences people to live in the flesh, to satisfy selfish desires, to crave efficiency and money above all else, to build and worship man-made idols.  The world emphasizes status and the need to put you above everyone else.  Contrast that with Philippians 2:3-5, which exhorts us to “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” 

 Society also throws the temptations of lust, flesh, and greed at us everywhere we go.  How many TV commercials use scantily clad women or runway models in lingerie?  How often does society deem it appropriate to get drunk (underage or not), dress promiscuous, or have random sexual encounters and one-night-stands?  Or how about how the world has convinced students that college is a time to experiment with a slew of drugs, alcohol, and sex before they enter “the real world?”  Make no doubt about it, the world is out to cripple you with sin.  Society wants you to put yourself and your sinful wants and desires above all else.  And how does it achieve its goals?  Through peer pressure, through the media, through billboards, through stereotypes, through fashion, through just about everything that we interact with on a daily basis.  We need to be aware that, as declared in 1 John 5:19, “we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”  Be aware that the world is a pawn of the devil and he will use it against you to tear you down. 

 The flesh, or our sinful nature, is the second part of the enemy.  As Galatians 5:19-21 says, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Our flesh completely opposes the Spirit (Gal 5:17, paraphrased).  This symbolizes the battle raging between the Spirit and the flesh inside of us.  Sin is like cancer.  It creates a stronghold in one area, and then it starts spreading and metastasizing in other areas in your life.  The enemy’s goal is to keep you in the flesh so that you are a greater slave to sin than in being alive and free in the Spirit.  The goal is to get you so bogged down in your sin that you are unable, unwilling, or worse, feel unworthy to serve the Lord.  It doesn’t matter to satan how you are taken out.  As long as you are sitting on the sidelines, he is happy.
 
 And then there is satan.  And yes, he does not deserve the respect by having his name capitalized.  He’s filth, he’s dirt, he’s a jerk, and I hate him.  But we do need to understand him and his tricks if we are to be courageous warriors for Jesus.  Now, quite unfortunately, satan has done a great job of blinding so many to his existence.  Even worse, he has blinded many to the light of the Gospel.  2 Corinthians 4:4 states “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”  We need to recognize that satan is not stupid.  On the contrary, he is incredibly clever and knows exactly how to trip us up.  More often than not, he will focus his attacks on the mistakes and sin that we committed in the past. 

 Another quality of satan is found in John 8:42-44, where Jesus says “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”  We gather from this passage that if one does not call God his Father, then satan is his father, his king.  We also learn that satan is a liar and all that he says is lies.  He might speak a half truth, but a half truth is still 100% false.  We can see this when satan perverts the Word of God as he is tempting Jesus in Matthew 4:6.  We must always be on guard because of what we learn from Zechariah 3:1, which says “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.”  This tells us that satan is there at all times and is ready to accuse us when we fall or resist us when we serve the Lord. 

 So satan uses the world, the temptations of the flesh and lies to attack us in this spiritual battle.  He tempts us to give in to the flesh because it directly opposes the Spirit.  He uses the world to pressure us and influence us to continue to live a life of sin.  And he lies to us and blinds us from the true Light of the Gospel.  Three of the biggest lies that he tells are:

1) he (satan) doesn’t exist
2) You have plenty of time.
3) You are good enough.  There are plenty of people worse than you are, so don’t worry about it. 

 He is a very formidable foe that we can not underestimate.  He is a “roaring lion looking for someone to devour” and is always on the prowl (1 Peter 5:8).  I’ve related the spiritual battle to sports or to human warfare, but there are no time outs in the spiritual battle.  No half times or intermissions.  No peace treaties, truces, or cease fires.  The battle rages on every second of every day.  For some the battle continues even in their sleep.  It is brutal, it is nonstop, and there will be no peace until Jesus comes again in glory.  Until then, we need to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2) and strive to be like the Warrior that He is going to return as.  Know your enemy and be a brave, valiant warrior for Jesus.

Fighting the Battle

One of my favorite movies is Mary Poppins.   This movie showcases a dysfunctional family set in 1910, in the city of London.  George Banks and his wife Winifred are completely self-absorbed, he with his banking job and excessive punctuality and she with her women’s rights movement.  Neither care for the needs of their marriage or their two lovely but lonely children, Jane and Michael.  They have abdicated all family responsibility to house servants and a series of nannies.  In the beginning minutes of the movie, Admiral Boom warns Bert of the storm brewing at 17 Cherry Tree Lane, the Banks’ home.  George proudly struts into his house oblivious of the latest crisis with the children and launches into a song that paints a vivid picture of his world view.  All around him is a battle with warning signs of the impending disaster but he blindly marches toward the cliff.  Toward the end of the movie, following a few rather bizarre influences of Mary Poppins, George’s perfect ordered life had crashed and burned but in the wake of this chaos he gains a new perspective toward life.  George had been in a long battle; his heart had been taken out by an enemy he was unaware of.  An enemy that had kept his heart engaged in the things this world values at the expense of what the Kingdom of God values. 

Jesus said to his disciples that “the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (Jn. 10:10).  He is clearly telling them and us that we have an enemy; we are engaged in a ferocious battle.  A battle against an enemy who is trying to steal our freedom, kill our heart, and destroy our life.  For the first 10+ years of my spiritual journey, I lived more like George Banks when it came to spiritual matters, fast asleep concerning the battle for my heart and my family.  Yes, I was aware of references to Satan in the Bible, heard a few sermons about a battle that we are all in, even engaged in conversations about a spiritual war, but I lived my life on the sidelines, seated in a comfortable chair, and ignored the enemy that was silently destroying me and those I loved.   

The spiritual battle is very difficult to understand.  Unlike a conventional battle where the opposing forces typically wear distinct uniforms and follow certain rules of engagement, we cannot see Satan or his henchmen with our eyes, we cannot see the weapons he uses, and we struggle to hear the sounds of the battle.  However, we do experience the wounds, the scars, and the fatigue of this unseen but very real spiritual war.  Have you ever asked yourself, “Why does Satan hate me?  What have I done to him to deserve his unending wrath?”  My belief is that the enemy does not hate me because I am a super spiritual man with great power and ability to threaten him.  He does, however, hate God, His glory.  We were created to reflect God’s glory, born to bear His image, and ransomed by God from death to reflect His glory again.  Satan’s fear is that if we walk intimately with God, if we allow God to transform our weak, selfish hearts into brave, fearless warriors, we will join God in the greatest battle ever fought, His mission to rescue and restore mankind’s original glory and live a life of love.  This is what the enemy hates and he will do whatever is needed to steal, kill, and destroy God’s spiritual offspring.

My journey with Christ is nearing 26 years.  During this time I have learned that the battle for life is fought in the heart.  The wise man King Solomon understood this clearly when he wrote “Above all else protect your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” (Prov. 4:23).  Did you catch the words “above all else, and protect?”  Stop and think about this, think deeply from your heart.  What does that mean to you? 

In the Bible we read that the heart is the source of all creativity, courage, and conviction.  Following is a short list of words in the Bible that describe the heart: troubled, wounded, pierced, broken, divided, frightened, faint, cowardly, wandering, forgetful, dull, stubborn, proud, hardened, wicked and perverse.  It can also be cheerful, glad, merry, joyful, good, whole, and pure.  The heart is the source of our faith, our hope, and our love.  It is the “wellspring of life” within us, the very essence of our existence, and the center of our being. 

Let there be absolutely no doubt….the enemy knows how vital the heart is, even if we do not, and all of his wicked, evil forces are fixed upon its destruction.  If Satan can disable or deaden your heart, then he can effectively foil God’s plan to create a world where love reigns.  Jesus made is quite clear what is required of us…loving God and loving others.  This is the real point of our existence.  We cannot love God and others if our heart is dead.

I can divide the spiritual journey of my heart into two major chapters.  The first chapter, roughly the first 12 years, my heart was filled with pride, self confidence, stubbornness, and control.  My heart had been formed by about 35 years of worldly influence. I had learned to talk the spiritual life but my heart was not awake.  These were the dark years when the light of God’s truth and love could not penetrate my heart of stone.  The second half has been the journey of life; the spiritual life The Good Shepherd promises those who come to Him with hearts that are hungry and thirsty for righteousness.  The turning point was when I surveyed my life, especially when I looked into the rear view mirror and saw the effect of a neglected spiritual life.  Additionally I opened up to a few trusted brothers and sisters to help me understand the path I was walking.  Even when I discovered the spiritual battle raging for my heart, I struggled to get out of the deep ruts the years had formed.  I wanted intimacy with God, for Him to change my heart of stone into a heart of flesh, for Him to write His words of life and love on my heart, to become a joy to Him.  Spiritual disciplines became very important to me because they allowed me to tune out the world and spend solitary time with God so He could begin the process to soften my heart.  I also had to be open to a few others who loved me and wanted to see my life transformed for God’s glory.  This was very hard for me because I had to trust others to paint a picture of my life that I could not see and did not want to see because my heart was so polluted.  The beautiful rhythm of spending more and more time with God and the accountability with others over about a two year period brought me to a new place in life.  A place where God and others could be trusted, a place where kingdom life was more real than earthly life, a place where the King of glory reigned in my heart and transformed me into the man I was intended to be. 

I have learned that the heart is the most important part of the body and must be protected from an enemy whose sole purpose is to kill it.  The heart is protected by learning how to walk intimately with The Father who loves me and with others who love me as their brother and friend.  None of this is easy…that is why it is a battle, a battle of life and death.  A battle that must be fought and won if we are to live life to the fullest in Christ.  

Seven verses, probably spanning all of five minutes.  And just like that, Job has gone from a prosperous man to a poor man.  And that’s not the end, of course – soon after those tragedies comes the painful sores, breaking out from his head to his feet.  But still, he refuses to curse God, despite the prodding of his wife. 

There is such a fundamental question in the beginning for every believer as they consider God, Satan, and spiritual warfare.  Would Satan’s accusations be correct about you?  To what extent is your devotion to God based on your circumstances?  Do you love God because of what he has done in your life and the things he has blessed you with?  Do you find yourself questioning and cursing Him when your circumstances have become a nightmare?  Have you believed the lie that prosperity means that God is pleased with you, and hard times means that somehow you are in sin?  The story of Job sets the record straight – sometimes the righteous do suffer, but that suffering will reveal a great deal about whether your faith is based in who God is or on what He can do for you.

As Peter put it in 1 Peter 1:6-7:  “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire– may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 

It is easy to love and praise God when heaven seems to be raining blessing after blessing down on your head.  But will you still praise Him when your dreams are crushed, when your beloved is gone, when your health has failed, and when you see no hope in sight?  Or has He suddenly become unworthy?  Have the hard times knocked Him from His throne as Lord and Savior of the universe and of your life?

Now, I’m not saying that this is easy, by any means.  I don’t believe anyone’s natural instinct is to praise God and trust Him when life is crumbling around you.  In fact, this is why I struggle to sing along with some great worship songs.  Does anyone else know what I’m talking about?

“You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.”

Oh really?

“And I surrender all to you, all to you.”

Are you sure about that?

“Lord, I give you my heart, I give you my soul… Lord, have your way in me.”

Do you really know what you’re asking for?

“And all I have in you is more than enough.”

Will you still say that when He is truly all you have?

The only secure place in this world to build your life on is God Himself.  Every other foundation is going to come crumbling down.  And sometimes the only way you are going to realize this is for God to allow all the other foundations to come crumbling down.  Your health.  Your family.  Your friends.  Your looks.  Your job.  Your money.  Until, like Job in chapter 1, verse 17, you find yourself afraid to go outside, fearful of what might happen next.  But somehow, if you refuse to curse God and die, you find that God is indeed more than enough.  That He is still worthy of praise, even on the ash heap.  And only then can you truly sing from your soul, “You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.”

“When a man is revengeful, it is amazing how cunning he is to find opportunities to strike out.  When enmity thoroughly possesses his soul and pours its venom into his very blood, he will become exceedingly crafty in the means he uses to provoke and injure his adversary” [Charles Spurgeon (19th century British preacher), Spiritual Warfare in a Believer’s Life].

Ahhh, vengeance.  How true are Spurgeon’s words, that we are never more cunning and crafty as when we wish to inflict pain on someone.  We can come up with the most biting lines and the sneakiest ways to damage someone’s reputation.  We can damage them with ice-cold snubs and stares or red-hot words of anger and violence. 

Is it any wonder, in light of this, that Satan is first introduced in the Bible in this way:  “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?’” (Genesis 3:1).  Or that Paul, when pleading for a church he had founded to stay connected to Jesus, said “I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2-3).  We are never more cunning and crafty as when we wish to inflict pain on someone, and no one wishes to inflict pain on you like that ancient enemy of God, Satan. 

What do I mean by cunning and crafty?  I mean that he is an expert at finding your weakness and exploiting it.  Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light,” and Peter warns us in 1 Peter 5:8 to “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  As a fallen angel, Satan has mental abilities far beyond those of any human, and although He can not harm God, you can be sure he will do everything in his power to destroy those whom God loves.

Are you prone to depression and bouts of melancholy?  You can be sure that the enemy will choose those times to attack you with doubts of God’s goodness or power in your life.  You will find yourself tempted to give up on God, give up on church, under the impression that life would be better if you never gave God another thought.  Are you someone who enjoys life and doesn’t let the struggles get you down?  You can be sure that Satan will try to puff you up with pride and self-reliance, convincing you that you’ll be fine without spending time in God’s presence.  You will find yourself tempted to look down on those who always seem to be struggling with the trials of life. 

Are you not sure that you are a valuable person?  Satan will use someone, if possible even a church leader, to convince you that you are worthless.  Do you fear conflict?  Satan will cripple your effectiveness by bringing you into an argument that must be painfully worked through in order to bring peace.  Do you struggle with the same sins, over and over?  Rest assured that Satan will find a way to tempt you – in the car or in a crowd, at your job or in your bed.  He is crafty and cunning and is full of hatred for the people of God.

But – and this is a big one – he is a liar ["When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44)].  And – this is an even bigger one – he is powerless to stand against Jesus and His blood which was shed on the cross for you ["For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony" (Revelation 12:10-11)].  So take heart, little one – “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

If you love God, you will be attacked.  If a church wants to be God’s people, they will be subject to all kinds of cunning and crafty attacks that threaten to divide and destroy them.  But listen again to the words of Charles Spurgeon:

“The sheep are never so safe from the wolf as when they are near the shepherd.  We shall never be so secure from the arrows of Satan as when we have our head lying on the Savior’s bosom.  Believer, walk according to His example, live daily in His fellowship, trust always in His blood, and in this way you shall be more than a conqueror over the subtlety and craft of Satan himself.”

One reason we may not stay close to the shepherd in prayer and Bible study and obedience is that we forget there is a wolf out there who is after us.  But if we recognize what is threatening us, then we would cling to Jesus and rely on his power and his truth to protect us.  As Jesus answered the enemy with “It is written,” we would be wise to do the same:

To the one who is depressed and melancholy, I say:  “It is written, ‘He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint’”  (Isaiah 40:29-31).

To the one who is enjoying life to the point of self-reliance, I say: “It is written, ‘So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!’ (1 Corinthians 10:12)

To the one who is not sure of her value, I say:  “It is written, ‘But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’” (Romans 5:8).

To the one who fears conflict, I say:  “It is written, ‘in God I trust; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?’” (Psalm 56:11).

And to the one struggling with the same sins over and over, I say:  “It is written, ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin’” (John 8:11).

There is a wolf out there, but there is a shepherd who is more powerful.  Recognize your enemy for who he is and stay near your Savior, Jesus Christ.

One of the best examples comes in Matthew 16:13-23.  Jesus asks his disciples what people are saying about Him.  They tell Jesus that some think he is John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others that He is one of the prophets.  Then Jesus asks them who they think He is, and Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  And Jesus praises him for this and goes into a lengthy proclamation of how important Peter will be to the future of the church.

But immediately after that, the mood radically shifts.  Jesus begins to tell them that he is heading to Jerusalem, where he is going to suffer and be murdered before rising again.  And Peter takes him aside to rebuke him, saying “Never, Lord!  This shall never happen to you!”  And Jesus responds with a sentiment that is completely the opposite of the previous one:  “Get behind me, Satan!  You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

In one breath, Jesus praises Peter for his accurate perception, and in the next one he actually calls him Satan for trying to convince Jesus that being the Son of God means that He does not have to suffer and die.  In this passage we see a Jesus who speaks the truth at all times, first building Peter up and then putting him in his place.  He is quick to point out sin when it clouds the judgment of his dear friend, but he also sees him with the eyes of grace, proclaiming over him wonderful realities that have yet to occur and which he does not deserve.

But let’s look at Peter for a minute.  The reason I wanted to share this passage is that I believe we are at a critical point as a church, with some exciting possibilities before us that have the potential to either propel us to a new level of faith with God or destroy us completely.  And I am convinced that there is an enemy, Satan, who along with his principalities and powers want to do everything they can to make sure we are divided and destroyed.  With that in mind, I find the Matthew 16 passage incredibly sobering, for it is Peter, one of the greatest disciples and leaders in the early church, who Jesus does not hesitate to call “Satan.”  Why?  Because, as Jesus puts it, “You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”  We would be wise to meditate on that admonishment as we seek to resist the devil and his schemes and follow God wherever He may lead.  Here are a few brief things we need to understand from these challenging words of Jesus:

1) Well-meaning believers can unintentionally be a mouthpiece for Satan – Peter loved Jesus, and did not want him to suffer and die.  Of course, he did not know that Jesus’ death and resurrection was the reason he had come, and the only way to save a humanity enslaved by sin.  By trying to protect Jesus, Peter unwittingly became a mouthpiece for Satan, voicing something that was entirely contrary to the Word of God.  My brothers and sisters, who are you to believe that you are immune to this possibility?  Might you, in your desire to do good, make the same mistake by giving voice to the desires of Satan?  If that does not drive you to your knees, so that you might have the mind and heart of Christ, I don’t know what will.

2) The problem is having in mind the things of men – Again and again during this season, the question arises:  what is GOD’S will?  What does HE want?  Not what seems best to us, what makes sense, or even what makes the most financial or rational sense.  What is GOD saying?  If your words and decisions are based on the things of men and not the things of God, you may join Peter in becoming a stumbling block to the cause of Christ.  If your speech and actions are informed more by the changing culture or circumstances than the unchanging truth of God, then you will end up standing in the way of God’s kingdom.  Once again the answer is simple but not easy – get on your knees and ask Him to transform your mind and your heart until you want the things He wants.

3) The solution is having in mind the things of God – Jesus follows these words to Peter by saying that his disciples will be the ones who deny themselves, pick up their crosses, and follow him.  His disciples will be the ones who lose their lives in order to find true life in Him.  In other words, their concern will not be primarily about food and shelter and employment and romantic love and worldly success and all the things we are taught will give us life.  Their solitary focus will be on bringing glory to God by loving Him with all of their heart, soul, strength, and mind, and loving their neighbor as themselves.  Their concern will be that God is honored, no matter what the cost to themselves, because He alone deserves it.

I plan on writing the next few posts on issues regarding spiritual warfare, so that we might resist the devil and honor God in this season.  Let us again commit ourselves to prayer, to spending time with our God, so that we might have the mind and heart of Christ and be a part of His kingdom work instead of becoming a stumbling block in the way of what He is doing.  All glory to God.