I remember saying, ‘Everyone else is doing . . .’ whatever it was I wanted to do. The reply: if everyone else jumped off a cliff would you jump too? Life is full of cliffs and God allows them in our lives sometimes to grow our faith in him and learn to make good choices. We pray “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” but does that mean we will never be tempted, no. Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert for forty days. Does it mean that God wants us to be tempted, no, but he allows us to make the choices that might lead us there. He gave us free will. And what if we, even as believers, fall into temptation and sin? We know God can deliver us from evil situations, people, and even ourselves. But yes, there will often be consequences.
If I choose to run with a crowd who jumps off cliffs, I’m putting myself in danger of following them right over the edge. We know the enemy of our souls is orchestrating this scenario behind the scenes, but we play a role because we have choices.
The trials and tests God allows also have a purpose as James says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” and Ephesians 6:12, ”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.”
The last thing we should do as Christians is live in fear of evil cosmic powers. The good news of Ephesians is that Christ is already sovereign over all such powers, we have been delivered from the domination of these powers through Christ, and our role as individuals and the church is to proclaim victory over the dark forces through Christ. We are part of something really big.
So how do we prepare for these expected spiritual battles? We want victory but sometimes the greatest move is no move at all. (Be still and know that I am God) We can prepare by being obedient, praying without ceasing, studying His Word, in other words putting on the whole armor of God. (Ephesians 6:10-20) The Lord will give us what we need but victory may not happen in the way we expect it so that people will know it is the Lord. Jesus never lost a battle and he never will. The evil in this world will not prevail forever, so be encouraged, friends.
Lord, help us to be prepared for spiritual battle by knowing our enemies’ tactics, putting on your armor, praying constantly, and giving you the glory. Amen.
Deb Hill
Exec. Admin. Assistant