Not to startle you, but…

Posted on Apr 10, 2018 in Pastor's Blog |

A lie has crept into our thinking and it affects churches everywhere. We hear it, believe it, repeat it, strategize for it, and fool ourselves into making it challenge number one in our strategy to expand God’s kingdom. Our business meetings seem to corroborate it, the news reports it, and preachers preach according to it. What lie is this? “We are our own worst enemy.”

We really believe that if we could just form the right mission statement, adopt the right programs, have the right music, hire the right pastor, or collect the right kind of people that there would not be anything to attack us as Christ’s church. The Bible, however, PROMISES opposition. There just is not any way around it.

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 6:11-12)

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)

You see, friends, we will be opposed. In fact, the more a Christian – or a church – seeks to exalt Jesus with their lives, the more the enemy will take notice and attack. Our enemy acts as an accuser, reminding us of past sins and failures. He acts as a liar, putting falsehoods in our minds. He acts as a destroyer, pulling apart relationships we strive to preserve. Our adversary is real, he is active, and he will oppose us as we seek to serve Christ.

Second, the enemy will use our friends to do his nefarious work. In moments of unguarded weakness, each one of us can be duped into serving his purposes. Peter, perhaps the strongest of disciples, shot his mouth off so much that Jesus even called him “Satan” (Matt 16:23). Regardless of how it looks or feels, though, we are not each other’s enemies.

Finally, the only weapons we have to defeat our enemy are spiritual ones. “They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11). “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4). We cannot arm ourselves with tanks and missiles or even crosses and holy water in order to fight. We need spiritual protection, and only God can equip us.

We are at war. There is no getting around it. We must put on God’s armor, pray, and stand. It’s His battle. Let’s let Him fight it.