Victors Not Victims
Why did Jesus teach us to pray “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”? As the Apostle Paul put it, life’s struggles are “not against flesh and blood, but against rulers . . . powers . . . world forces of darkness . . . spiritual forces of wickedness” (Ephesians 6:12).
As Christians, our ongoing battle is between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan!
The Apostle John told us that one of the reasons the Son of God came to earth was “to destroy the works of the devil.” (I John 3:8)
Part of our problem today is that we lie in a culture that seeks to downsize, marginalize, fictionalize the existence of “the evil one”!
We older folks have lived long enough . . . been through enough . . . seen more than enough via satellite TV for example to attest to the truth of the account in the Book of Revelation of the hurling of the “serpent” down to earth . . . (Revelation 12:9) Since Adam and Eve, satanic power has plagued humanity!
Satanic power has as its objective the destruction of the Word of God . . . the Kingdom of God . . . New Creation brought about by the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us - the only begotten Son of God whose glory was experienced visibly by those who kept company with Jesus . . . is experienced vicariously by those who accept him personally as Lord and Savior, whose glory will one day be beheld victoriously by every living soul!
Satanic power cannot stand the glory of the New Creation “in Christ” and therefore seeks to dispel the Light of the Gospel . . . dissipate the effects of it . . . dissuade those who proclaim it . . . dismiss the thought of it from the minds of believers . . . discount those who voice Christian beliefs . . . dishonor anyone who stands up for it . . . discourage those who walk in it . . . disown those who profess the truth of the Gospel in word and in deed.
Thus, let those of us who love the Lord and therefore cannot help but let our joys be known look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith for encouragement . . . enlightenment . . . inevitable victory over the evil one!
When He set out on His mission, Jesus was aware of the war that had to be won against Satan; He himself was subjected to Satan’s attempts to derail the Cause of Christ; Jesus fought the devil with the Sword of the Lord and won the battle; then our Lord went on to win the war against sin and death via the Cross, after which the Resurrected Christ clinched the way for all who believe to become Victors Not Victims!
Immediately after He taught us to pray “deliver us from the evil one”, Jesus told us to conclude our praying with a declarative: “for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever!” The kingdom is God’s not Satan’s. The power is God’s not Satan’s. The Glory is God’s not Satan’s! For-ev-er!
The LORD our God is forever the LORD our God. The WORD of God is forever the WORD of God! The SON of God is forever the SON of God! We who belong to God based on our genuine faith in His Son as Lord and Savior are forever CHILDREN of God . . . forever heirs and joint heirs with Christ . . . forever citizens of God’s Kingdom!
This amazing forever aspect of divine revelation inspired Handel to compose “The Hallelujah Chorus”, with its grand and victorious tribute to His Majesty the Lord Jesus Christ, “And He shall reign forever and ever!”
This amazing forever aspect of divine revelation inspired the psalmist to compose the 91st Psalm with its metaphorical tribute to the majesty of the MOST HIGH God – Psalm 91:1-4 . . . 91:9-11 . . . 91:14-16 . . .
In the psalmist’s experience nothing struck him as being mightier and more majestic than the eagle; so he thought of the LORD God in the same way as he thought of the eagle which soared on high and nested on the mountain peak . . . whose huge wings spread over the little eaglets for their protection and security.
As long as the eaglets stayed in the shadow of the most majestic of all God’s creatures, they were safe from harm or danger of the worst kind. In like manner, the closer we God’s children stay to the LORD our God, the greater our confidence in His mighty power to shield us from danger of the worst kind.
Had Jesus succumbed to the demonic suggestion of Satan and taken on Satan’s “throw yourself off this pinnacle” challenge, thereby putting God to the test of His faithfulness, who would have emerged the victor?
Of course, had Jesus “sold His soul”, Satan could have prevailed in his attempt to prevent the establishment of God’s kingdom through Christ by bringing the Son of God under Satanic control, thereby rendering our Lord’s ministry and mission powerless from that point forward!
Although circumstances today are so much different inasmuch as we face unheard-of-back-then situations due to scientific and technological advances, Satan and his cohorts are nonetheless seeking to undermine commitment to the LORD with an all-out attack on Christianity, and Judaism, attempting to silence voices of the LORD God, thereby turning victors into victims!
Martin Luther’s take on all of this is well worth mentioning once again:
“Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing, were not the right Man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing; dust ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; “Lord of lords” is His Name, from age to age the same. And He must win the battle!”
God’s ultimate protection from the worst that could happen to any of us (eternal separation from the LORD our God due to our own choosing) is pledged to those who “dwell” (choose to live) within the realm of God’s Will, and will do so come what may!
The LORD our God is so serious about providing protection for those who trust in Him through it all that He has given us the blessed assurance that He has given orders to His angels concerning us!
What the psalmist is telling us is that our personal relationship to God (as Christians, we should say, “through Christ”) keeps us under His protection at all times in all situations under all circumstances!
Finally, God pledged eight expressions of security to be provided by Him when we abide Under His Wings: deliverance . . . protection . . . answers . . . presence . . . rescue . . . honor . . . satisfaction . . . His power!
One might ask: “Why would you promise all those things to me, Lord?” (Psalm 91:14): “Because you are lovingly devoted to Me!” Amen.
