We are at WAR!

Whether we like it, believe it, or not, there is an evil one trying to take us OUT! Thankfully there is a God who supports, strengthens, protects, and fights on behalf of those who love Him. He is on our side. When God is on your side, you fight not FOR victory, but FROM victory, because Jesus won the battle when He rose from the grave, defeating death.

“What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?”~Romans 8:31 NIV
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV

With Jesus, we have been secured a happy ending to our epic story. However, we are still on earth to play this out. I heard a great illustration that said, it is like a team wrestling match. Each team mate has opportunities to score points against their opponent for the team. As the match goes on the losing team has fewer and fewer opportunities to catch up as they continue to fall behind in the point total. At one point, if they lose enough, they are in a situation, where even though the match has not ended that it is now mathematically impossible for them to win; the deficit is too great. This is where we step into history. Jesus has gone first and amounted such a lead that our opponent has no way of defeating us.
The difficulty is that we are still going out on the mat and facing an opponent. Now the question doesn’t become, “Will we get our first place trophy?” The other questions that arise are, “By how much will the team win?” “Will we have the courage to oppose the enemy?” “Will we win with integrity?”
The problem that I see now a days, is that we understand that Jesus won it for us, but then we saunter onto the mat as though we are not still at war. For our opponent, whether He can win is no longer the issue, it becomes destruction. He can still injure us, he can still win this battle against us, even though the war is secured.
Having a healthy respect, not fear, of our opponent is only wise.

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” ~1 Peter 5:8 NLT

No matter which way you slice it, this enemy of ours should be able to pummel us. He is smarter, stronger, and has many demons who he has working with and for Him. Had it not been for Jesus, we would have no chance of victory.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” ~Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV

Let us not be blind to the battle because we know the war is won. Instead let us recognize our enemy’s might, and knowing this danger let us stand on the authority of Jesus and face the enemy with the power of the Holy Spirit reigning within us.
The other day a friend, who has babysat for Leila, came over to do some training with me. Before we began she sat down to play a couple of rounds of “Guess Who” with her. She lost both rounds with an all time record against leila of something like 0-8 and then I recognized why. She said something to the effect of, you are a seven year old. I’m supposed to beat you.
Her statement shed light on the fact that her view of her opponent has crippled her ability to battle wisely. She went into the fight underestimating her opponent and being overconfident in her ability. In Jesus we are overcomers…

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” ~Romans 8:37 NIV

Be WISE! Victory IS yours, but stop getting punched in the face because you didn’t see the punch coming.
“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” ~Verbal Kent in The Usual Suspects.
At Torch Church this past month or so we have been studying how to “Shut De Do” on the enemy. How to keep the enemy and His ways at bay as we journey victoriously through life. Experience some of those messages by clicking the image below.

 

Describe a time when underestimating an opponent caused problems?