HOW WE WISH IT WERE NOT SO, BUT IT IS!
When tragedy strikes, whether personal as when a loved one loses his life in an accident, or national as was the horrific massacre in Las Vegas, how we wish it were not so!
As unbelievable as such tragedies seem at the moment, and no matter how hard we try to escape the reality of it by employing the oldest defense mechanism of denial, nonetheless we must - sooner or later - acknowledge that it is so!
How we react to the tragedy immediately, and how we respond to it over the long haul, is a challenge all of those affected by it must face. Reactions and responses predictably will fall into two categories – spiritual and political.
On both fronts, we must face the music and come to grips with the sour note of the existence of evil in the world. To combat satanic forces, demonic influences, and criminal intent in the hearts of sin sick souls, there are laws - on the books of our system of justice, and written in The Book – the Word of God.
Be that as it may, how long will it take for people to realize that laws only DEFINE bad behavior, laws do not STOP bad behavior. The person killed by a drunk driver is the victim of bad behavior against which there is already a law, not only as written in The Book but also written on the books in our court houses.
That tragic, horrific massacre of innocent people carried out by a deranged person defied both the laws of God and the laws of men. There are laws on books and in The Book that define every one of his actions as criminal and sinful.
All the talk about “more laws” may win political points for politicians whose rhetoric gets them elected, but until somebody of stature steps up and speaks the truth about what our greatest need is - spiritual awakening and revival of morality – you can expect more of the same.
As for you and me - and Christian soldiers everywhere - we can do our part – in the place where we reside geographically - praying for the comfort God brings to those who mourn, for the dawning of an awakening in the hearts of all people everywhere, that sinners will come to know Christ whom to know is life eternal and thereby take up a spiritual residence where sin no longer has dominion!
Since we are residents of the spiritual realm where we reside “in Christ”, what a shame we even have to think about “battle armor” (as in our previous study) and what a shame we must now talk about a “battle plan” (as in our current study)! But talk about it we must!
Like a roaring lion, Satan roams to and fro, seeking whom he may devour! One thing you can be sure of: If the Devil sought to bring Jesus down, how much more will he go out of his way - and try every stunt there is - to bring down those who belong to Jesus! So: be on your guard, be like Jesus, resist the Devil!
We may talk about a battle plan, but Jesus needed no battle plan per se - no step one, two, three. Neither do we! “In Christ” is where we need to be - for, if we are in Him, we become like Him – in that we, like He, will be led by the Spirit who indwells us and therefore compels us, propels us, and repels the Evil One – Matthew 4:1-11 . . .
Jesus - as human as he was divine - referred to in Scripture as the God-man – fully God, fully man. As a man - born of a woman, growing up in a family, working for a living, when the time was right taking upon himself the messianic role for which God had sent him into the world - we are told that he was tempted like we are, yet without sin.
In his human nature, Jesus the man could have yielded to temptation, but because he had yielded his life to the Spirit of God, he yielded not to temptation. And, in that truth is our hope and our glory!
Do not be surprised if we are assaulted by temptation right after a trying experience, when we are tired, during stressful situations, when we are alone, when we are away from home; do not be surprised if temptation appears right after a spiritual “high” – as was the case with Jesus (right after his baptism).
However, notice that victory comes not through the avoidance of Satan’s assaults – whether they attack in the valleys or on the mountain tops – but victory comes by going through the assaults with our faith in God still intact and our dependence upon the Spirit of God stronger than ever.
We don’t win by recusing ourselves from choices to be made in life, nor by withdrawing from it all, nor by taking the easy way out - uninvolving ourselves so that we do not take a chance on being tempted to disobey God.
A lot of truth in this statement: “A person has not shown true obedience if he or she has never had the chance to disobey!” Temptation is not meant to weaken us but to test us so that we emerge spiritually stronger.
No one experiences the thrill of victory versus the agony of defeat until he or she has met Satan head-on in the wilderness experiences of life and said “no” to the Devil and “yes” to the One who defeated Satan through obedience to God.
Jesus was tempted in areas of life in which we all are tempted: “appetite” … “ambition” … “pride” …. Satan tried to lure Jesus into using His God-given powers for self-satisfaction … self-aggrandizement … self-acclaim … to make His mission all about Himself …! Jesus remained true to His calling. How?
First and foremost, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit of God, so no “plan” per se was needed; he responded to the tempter in a way that comes naturally to Spirit-filled believers whose minds are stayed on the Lord and in whose hearts are the words of God “hidden” there - for edification, illumination, and inspiration – to be employed in those very moments when Satan comes knocking.
From the Garden of Eden story, we have learned that it’s not a good idea to debate or carry on a discourse with Satan, except to quote The Word which God’s adversary fully understands and, upon hearing, will not hang around very long. No, Satan will flee any situation in which God’s Word is employed in response to Satan’s questions, or the doubts he has raised, or the fears he has instilled.
Jesus responded by quoting God’s commandments, principles, guidelines - all of which are non-negotiable, non-debatable. Eve made the mistake of having a conversation with Satan - debating the pros and cons of doubts put in her mind by the devil. But Jesus said to Satan, in effect: “God said it; that settles it; go away.”
Don’t let Satan entice you . . . ensnare you . . . lure you into a debate with deceivers. A fish would not get caught if it did not allow itself to be lured by deceptive bait, linger there, then open its mouth at the wrong time.
Not that we should press that fish metaphor too far, but there are times when it’s best “no longer to linger, charmed by the world’s delight”, hasten to quote the Word, and be done with it. Let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no. Say no more. Let it be. Walk away.
We are assured that if we “submit to the Spirit of God and resist the devil, he will surely flee” (James 4:7). “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”
When Martin Luther was asked how he overcame the devil, he replied: “When the devil comes knocking at the door of my heart, and he asks, ‘Who lives here?”, the Lord Jesus goes to the door and says, ‘Martin Luther used to live here, but he has moved out. Now I live here.’”
When Satan comes knocking at the door of your heart and mine, and he asks, “Who lives here?”, who will go to the door and what will he say? The Lord Jesus will go to the door and He will say, “Charles Cunningham used to live here, but he has moved out. Now I live here.” So mode it be. Amen.
