For it is not ours to wrestle with blood and flesh, but with sovereignties, with the authorities, with the world-mights of this darkness, with the spiritual forces of wickedness among the celestials.
Ephesians 6: 12, Concordant New Testament
I saw a Christian based video the other night where a teen age son was questioning his father's habit of taking away his cell phone at night. In his mind, he was now old enough to make his own decisions and live his own life. From his fathers perspective, he was simply protecting his child from the dangers of the internet universe. Wherever you might stand on the issue of what freedoms to grant our young ones, you have to agree that this world is not hospitable to believers. In fact, it's downright toxic. Speaking as someone who has dabbled in the dark side of internet pornography at times, I can say that had I a child I would not want them walking around with free access to the internet. Yet day after day well-meaning parents place full trust in their young children that they will make the good and righteous decision they want for them. These are the same parents who will sit in a pew on Sunday morning and acknowledge the very same spiritual war we are engaged in. So, knowing the spiritual battles which we face, would you trust your child alone in the world? Would you trust yourself alone in the world? Jesus cautioned us against such influences in Matthew. Jesus proclaims that, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" {Matthew 6:21}. This is true for whatever it is we hold near and dear to our hearts. If we value money, then our hearts may well hold our finances close to us. If we value popularity, then our hearts may well hold ourselves up above all else. Either way, the allegiances of our heart may well not be to the Lord. Jesus knows this to be true even today. What is it that you hold close to you? What is it that you clutch close to you each night so as not to lose it? Your money? Your Sunday football games? Whatever it is, it could be drawing your attention away from the Lord. After all, this IS the overall intent of Satan our accuser, to drive a wedge between ourselves and God. And it is Satan who is at the forefront of the spiritual battles we all face. Like a commanding general, the accuser orchestrates salvo after salvo of attacks in this battle. This is the fight are up against. However, if we know and understand our adversary, we are better able to withstand his tactics.
You are of God, little children, and you have conquered them, for greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
1 John 4: 4, Concordant New Testament
A good friend once told me that whenever Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future! This is true. This is real. For it has already been determined by the Father that the accusers days are numbered. He will not be with us forever. On the other hand, we who are in Christ will be with Him forever. God is for eternity. When we look at Satan in this context, those spiritual battles we face daily don't seem so dangerous. That doesn't mean that we can relax too much, however. The apostle Peter also warns us of the advances of the accuser. Peter calls on us to be vigilant and watchful for the enemy seeking to devour us {1 Peter 5:8}. How do we do this? By keeping our attention on the Lord. In knowing that it is God who has created all that we see. Yes, even Satan is a creation of the Lord. It was Satan, however, who forsook God for his own pride {Issaiah 14:13}. It was Satan, whom God created, who proclaimed that he would be like God Himself {Issaiah 14:14}. It was also Satan who, in the garden, spoke the lie to Eve that should she partake of the forbidden fruit...that she would indeed be like God {Genesis 3:4-5}. Not only that, but the lie spoken by the accuser claims that we are separated from God. Anyone see a pattern here? Is there any doubt that Satan is referred to as the accuser? Yet what even Satan cannot deny is the truth about Christ Jesus. The truth that it is Jesus who lives in Gods children {Galatians 2:20}. All of the tricks and ploys devised by the accuser will never change the fact that Christ Jesus is alive and well in us. Keeping our hearts and minds upon Jesus is the ultimate defense against the plans of the accuser.
And He protested to me, "Sufficient for you is My grace, for My power in infirmity is being perfected." With the greatest relish, then, will I rather be glorying in my infirmities, that the power of Christ should be tabernacling over me.
2 Corinthians 12: 9, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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