Readings for today: Isaiah 54:1-57:14, Ephesians 6, Psalms 70, Proverbs 24:8
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:10-12)
We are in the middle of our Celebrating Missions Weekend and have the privilege of hosting Pastor Chun Ki-Won and several North Korean refugees. Pastor Chun is known as the “Asian Schindler” and has been involved in running an Underground Railroad from North Korea through China to Southeast Asia in order to repatriate North Korean refugees into South Korean society. It is a ministry fraught with danger. There is a price on his head in North Korea. He has spent many months in a Chinese prison. He certainly is a target for the evil cosmic powers that reign over the present darkness of this world. Over the last two decades he has rescued over 1200 refugees, many of them coming out of the sex trade. He rescues them. Educates them. Helps them find a new life of freedom in South Korean society.
Pastor Chun lives these verses from Ephesians. He risks his life regularly to save those who are imprisoned. He is under spiritual attack constantly. The North Korean media spreads lies about him, accusing him of being a human trafficker himself. The Chinese have threatened his life on any number of occasions. He is contending against the spiritual forces of evil as he seeks to bring light to one of the darkest places on earth. As I listen to him, I am struck by his great faithfulness. He is a man who walks by faith and not by sight. He puts on the full armor of God and has been protected - often miraculously - from capture and imprisonment. The stories he shares are quite frankly astounding and convicting.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he doesn’t exist. You and I live in a world that ignores the spiritual realm. We ignore the spiritual forces of evil arrayed against us in the heavenly places. We pretend these things don’t exist. We arrogantly assume we are beyond such things. We believe such things are for the superstitious. The primitive. The ignorant. But the Bible clearly acknowledges the spiritual realm. The Bible clearly declares that there is a great enemy of our souls and he is actively seeking to rob, kill, and destroy. And we must take him seriously.
Every day is a spiritual battle. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed, we are actively being attacked and influenced by our enemy. He wants to discourage us. He wants to sideline us. He wants to tempt us to compromise our deeply held convictions. More than anything else, he wants us to live selfish lives. Lives wrapped around our own well-being. Lives focused on getting as much as we can for as long as we can to make life as comfortable as possible. Frankly, he wants us to pursue the American Dream rather than God’s dream and when we do, we suffer. The world suffers. And the enemy gains a foothold.
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Resist the temptation to live for yourself. Resist the temptation to live a life of achievement and accumulation. Resist the temptation to hoard God’s blessings. Instead, put on the whole armor of God. Resist the devil that he may flee. Engage the battle. Wrestle with the spiritual forces of evil. Don’t give in! Don’t sell yourself so cheaply! Don’t compromise with the enemy! Don’t give him an inch in your life! Live for Christ. Dedicate your whole life to Christ. Seek Christ with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. As you do, God will do great things through you for His Kingdom.
Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 57:15-59:21, Philippians 1:1-26, Psalms 71, Proverbs 24:9-10