Readings for today: Isaiah 29-30, Ephesians 6
“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)
I am blessed to walk among giants. Men and women who make amazing sacrifices in the face of incredible adversity, persecution, and hardship. I think of a young couple I know who serve the poorest of the poor in the streets of La Paz, Bolivia. Every day they work with a community of people who wear masks to hide the shame of their existence. Their work is costly. It takes a toll. And yet they continue to faithfully serve. I think of a South Korean Pastor I know who risks his life to save North Korean refugees. He 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. Still he continues to faithfully serve. I think of another young man I know who serves in Central Asia. He works in countries where it is illegal to preach Christ. Illegal to share your faith. Illegal even to practice your faith on some level. He has to change his name when he is abroad. He cannot share the name of the country where he works. It’s hard. It’s a struggle. And yet he continues to faithfully serve. I think of a pastor I know who serves a small church nearby. It’s a church that used to be much bigger. The pews and the offering plates were full. But now the sanctuary is mostly empty on Sundays. Each month is a struggle to make ends meet. The community around the church has changed dramatically which only increases the challenge of it all. Still the pastor faithfully serves. Though each of these dear friends serves Christ in radically different contexts, they are all engaged in the same spiritual war. They all recognize we aren’t fighting flesh and blood. Our earthly context doesn’t matter. No, the war we are fighting is ultimately spiritual. Our enemy is greater than any human adversary we may face. And that’s why we need to put on the full armor of God if we are to prevail.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he doesn’t exist. You and I live in a culture that largely 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 31-33, Philippians 1