I have spent most of this year only focused on this passage of Scripture. In my own personal journey, this has become a foundational passage that I now see as a life verse. The identity and passion I have felt God leading me into are rooted in these verses, and I see the themes that I have identified in this passage as the elements I am working to develop in my own life. A college professor told me to "strengthen my strengths", and with this in mind, my life is going to be focused on what I have learned in studying these verses.
God has called and gifted me with the ability to lead. I want to spend my life investing in others, bettering their lives, and setting them up for success. I want to pour into people and equip them to impact the world.
God has challenged me to be a disciple making disciple, who lives with total trust in Him. This past weekend I had my first meeting with one of four men I have asked to intentionally invest in me over the next year, working on the themes I have identified in these verses. At the same time, I am seeking to invest in my brothers, my girls, and I am currently trying to step out in faith and seeking an opportunity to invest in the lives of college age young adults.
God has given me a desire to fight the enemy. I have a warriors heart, and I have seen the destruction of the enemy first hand. I hate him, I hate what he does, and I want to spend the rest of my life taking ground back from him and working to rescue those who have have been ensnared.
God has brought me through trials, and because of that I have faith to endure future suffering. I have seen the reality of hope and healing after loss. I believe that my greatest influence will come out of my deepest pain.
I want my life to be spent point others to God, making myself less and less so that He may become more and more. I want nothing I do to ever be about advancing myself, but always about making much of Him.
To me, these verses serve as a guide to life. The have been the foundation of my God given identity and the basis of the personal pledge I wrote and took before my brothers at our annual retreat this summer. I want to lead well, live humbly, fight the enemy, endure suffering, and glorify God.
I will honor Him as a faithful leader.
I will obey Him as a humble servant.
I will follow Him as a diligent warrior.
I will submit to Him as a teachable learner.
I will always point others to God, never advancing myself, and always seeking to worship Him.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
To God alone be the Glory!
Showing posts with label 1 Peter 5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1 Peter 5. Show all posts
Monday, July 23, 2018
Friday, July 20, 2018
Glorify God
The final theme of 1 Peter 5.1-11 focus on the meaning of life. We are here on this earth to glorify God (and now everyone can stop wondering and debating about that question and focus on something else, maybe tackle world hunger because around 16,000 children die every day due to hunger, that's down 13,000 from 10 years ago, but still way too many)
Each of the other themes of 1 Peter 5.1-11 points to this final theme. When we lead well, serving others and seeking to better the lives of those we lead/serve, we glorify God. When we live humbly, seeking to be disciple making disciples who are dependent upon God, we glorify God. When we fight the enemy, secure in Christ, watchful and ready, courageously doing battle, we glorify God. When we endure suffering, trusting God, holding fast through affliction, living with hope during hardships, we glorify God.
In all things, every aspect of life, we are to give glory to God. Life is about Him, life is from Him, life is for Him. Let us never make the mistake of making life about us. Let us never seek our comfort or pleasure, taking glory for ourselves, and may we always give the glory to God.
Aaron Shust wrote this song a few years ago, it's one of the songs I want played at my funeral. This is the central message I want my life to proclaim.
Can you take me by the hand
Can you use me as I am
Break me into who you want me to be
When the time is finally right
You will open up my eyes
Show me everything you want me to see
This life is not my own
To God alone be the glory
To God alone be the praise
Everything I say and do
Let it be all for you
The glory is yours alone
Yours alone
Take the offering
I bring You want more than what I sing
Can I give you every part of me
Turn these pennies into gold
Take this life I call my own
Until I'm running after your heart
I'm needing to let go
To God alone be the glory
To God alone be the praise
Everything I say and do
Let it be all for you
The glory is yours alone
Yours alone
We will rise and we will fall
But you remain after all
You're glorious and beautiful You're beautiful
To God alone be the glory
To God alone be the praise
Everything I say and do
Let it be all for you
The glory is yours alone
The glory is yours alone
Yours alone
Yours alone
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Each of the other themes of 1 Peter 5.1-11 points to this final theme. When we lead well, serving others and seeking to better the lives of those we lead/serve, we glorify God. When we live humbly, seeking to be disciple making disciples who are dependent upon God, we glorify God. When we fight the enemy, secure in Christ, watchful and ready, courageously doing battle, we glorify God. When we endure suffering, trusting God, holding fast through affliction, living with hope during hardships, we glorify God.
In all things, every aspect of life, we are to give glory to God. Life is about Him, life is from Him, life is for Him. Let us never make the mistake of making life about us. Let us never seek our comfort or pleasure, taking glory for ourselves, and may we always give the glory to God.
Aaron Shust wrote this song a few years ago, it's one of the songs I want played at my funeral. This is the central message I want my life to proclaim.
Can you take me by the hand
Can you use me as I am
Break me into who you want me to be
When the time is finally right
You will open up my eyes
Show me everything you want me to see
This life is not my own
To God alone be the glory
To God alone be the praise
Everything I say and do
Let it be all for you
The glory is yours alone
Yours alone
Take the offering
I bring You want more than what I sing
Can I give you every part of me
Turn these pennies into gold
Take this life I call my own
Until I'm running after your heart
I'm needing to let go
To God alone be the glory
To God alone be the praise
Everything I say and do
Let it be all for you
The glory is yours alone
Yours alone
We will rise and we will fall
But you remain after all
You're glorious and beautiful You're beautiful
To God alone be the glory
To God alone be the praise
Everything I say and do
Let it be all for you
The glory is yours alone
The glory is yours alone
Yours alone
Yours alone
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Action
"To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen." -1 Peter 5.11
The final word of 1 Peter 5.1-11 carries weight that impacts the entire passage. The word Amen is typically something that we include at the end of a prayer, simply as a closing, but the word actually means something.
"at the end - so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled. It was a custom, which passed over from the synagogues to the Christian assemblies, that when he who had read or discoursed, had offered up solemn prayer to God, the others responded Amen, and thus made the substance of what was uttered their own."
The word amen is a call to action; when it occurs at the end of the word it means to let it be done. This final word says that we are to get to work living out the previous instructions. We take what has been said beyond simple words and thoughts, and begin putting it into practice. In terms of leadership, we are to begin leading. With humility, we begin to live as discipling disciplers. When it comes to the enemies, we begin to fight, and with suffering we endure.
The teachings of Scripture are not meant to be simple teachings for positive feelings, but life changing actions. Jesus came to transform the way we live, giving us an example through His own life, and then willingly sacrificing His life to empower us to follow His example. The word Amen is not a simply conclusion to a prayer, but a commitment seeking to carry out what was instructed. As the custom stated, by saying amen, you are claiming what was said as your own. When I read 1 Peter 5.1-11, concluding with Amen, I am saying I will lead well, live humbly, fight the enemy, endure suffering, and glorify God.
Let us begin living as lion fighters. Amen.
Fight the lion 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
The final word of 1 Peter 5.1-11 carries weight that impacts the entire passage. The word Amen is typically something that we include at the end of a prayer, simply as a closing, but the word actually means something.
"at the end - so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled. It was a custom, which passed over from the synagogues to the Christian assemblies, that when he who had read or discoursed, had offered up solemn prayer to God, the others responded Amen, and thus made the substance of what was uttered their own."
The word amen is a call to action; when it occurs at the end of the word it means to let it be done. This final word says that we are to get to work living out the previous instructions. We take what has been said beyond simple words and thoughts, and begin putting it into practice. In terms of leadership, we are to begin leading. With humility, we begin to live as discipling disciplers. When it comes to the enemies, we begin to fight, and with suffering we endure.
The teachings of Scripture are not meant to be simple teachings for positive feelings, but life changing actions. Jesus came to transform the way we live, giving us an example through His own life, and then willingly sacrificing His life to empower us to follow His example. The word Amen is not a simply conclusion to a prayer, but a commitment seeking to carry out what was instructed. As the custom stated, by saying amen, you are claiming what was said as your own. When I read 1 Peter 5.1-11, concluding with Amen, I am saying I will lead well, live humbly, fight the enemy, endure suffering, and glorify God.
Let us begin living as lion fighters. Amen.
Fight the lion 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, July 16, 2018
Who is God?
"To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen." -1 Peter 5.11
Throughout these verses and themes one thing has been consistent, God. The flock we are called to lead belongs to God, and it is His will for us to lead. We are given grace from God when we live in humility, and as we submit to His might we are exalted by Him. It is God who empowers us to fight the enemy, and God who gives us grace to overcome hardships. Through every aspect of leading, living, fighting, and enduring, God is at the center.
To Him, God who is at the center of everything, to Him be dominion. The word is kratos, it carries the idea of might, strength, power, and literally dominion. Because of this I had to go my English dictionary, where dominion is defined, "supreme authority". To God be supreme authority for eternity and eternity; from an unbroken age to an unbroken age. To God alone be power and might forever.
No matter who we are, the youngest newborn to the ruler of the Free World, God has authority over each of us. He is the creator of everything, Genesis 1 tells us He spoke the universe into existence. He is the owner of everything, Psalm 50.10 says, "For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills.", and again 1 Peter 5 tells us that people are His. God created everything, therefore everything belongs to Him. He is the supreme authority.
As supreme authority God sets the standards. He is perfect in holiness and righteousness; His very nature defines them. God is incapable of sin, and flawless in love, which again, is part of His very nature (1 John 4.8). Who else is worthy of authority? Who else would you want in authority? That is who God is, and it is to Him that we ascribe, or rather acknowledge, absolute power.
Let us view God with the proper perspective. He is not "The Big Guy" or "The Man Upstairs", who are we to attribute such casual titles to Him? To begin to live as God has called us to live, we must begin by seeing God for who He is. God is God, the creator and redeemer of His fallen creation. He is love, He is the standard of perfection, and He desires to intimately know each one of us. God is loving daddy, protective warrior, righteous judge, patient teacher, and heroic rescuer (and those are only the adjectives and nouns that are coming to my mind right now, He is infinite and even if I could write constantly I couldn't capture Him fully).
God is above all, to it is to Him that we owe our worship, allegiance, service, and love.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Throughout these verses and themes one thing has been consistent, God. The flock we are called to lead belongs to God, and it is His will for us to lead. We are given grace from God when we live in humility, and as we submit to His might we are exalted by Him. It is God who empowers us to fight the enemy, and God who gives us grace to overcome hardships. Through every aspect of leading, living, fighting, and enduring, God is at the center.
To Him, God who is at the center of everything, to Him be dominion. The word is kratos, it carries the idea of might, strength, power, and literally dominion. Because of this I had to go my English dictionary, where dominion is defined, "supreme authority". To God be supreme authority for eternity and eternity; from an unbroken age to an unbroken age. To God alone be power and might forever.
No matter who we are, the youngest newborn to the ruler of the Free World, God has authority over each of us. He is the creator of everything, Genesis 1 tells us He spoke the universe into existence. He is the owner of everything, Psalm 50.10 says, "For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills.", and again 1 Peter 5 tells us that people are His. God created everything, therefore everything belongs to Him. He is the supreme authority.
As supreme authority God sets the standards. He is perfect in holiness and righteousness; His very nature defines them. God is incapable of sin, and flawless in love, which again, is part of His very nature (1 John 4.8). Who else is worthy of authority? Who else would you want in authority? That is who God is, and it is to Him that we ascribe, or rather acknowledge, absolute power.
Let us view God with the proper perspective. He is not "The Big Guy" or "The Man Upstairs", who are we to attribute such casual titles to Him? To begin to live as God has called us to live, we must begin by seeing God for who He is. God is God, the creator and redeemer of His fallen creation. He is love, He is the standard of perfection, and He desires to intimately know each one of us. God is loving daddy, protective warrior, righteous judge, patient teacher, and heroic rescuer (and those are only the adjectives and nouns that are coming to my mind right now, He is infinite and even if I could write constantly I couldn't capture Him fully).
God is above all, to it is to Him that we owe our worship, allegiance, service, and love.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, July 13, 2018
1 Peter 5.11 Overview
"To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen." -1 Peter 5.11
This closing verse of 1 Peter 5.1-11 gives the final theme of the passage, and in that provides a summary and final instruction for the rest of the rest of the passage. Everything has pointed to God up to this point, and here in the closing words God is emphasized one more time.
To Him be dominion forever and ever- It's about God, it always has been, and will be forever.
Amen- Let it be done.
These two phrases appear to be simple and straightforward, but the carry significant implications and instructions. The closing words remind us that this is all about God, no matter what the other aspects have been, God is the ultimate point. However, there is a role we play, and there comes a time when we must take the first step.
As we enter this final verse, let us focus on God, giving the glory to Him alone.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
This closing verse of 1 Peter 5.1-11 gives the final theme of the passage, and in that provides a summary and final instruction for the rest of the rest of the passage. Everything has pointed to God up to this point, and here in the closing words God is emphasized one more time.
To Him be dominion forever and ever- It's about God, it always has been, and will be forever.
Amen- Let it be done.
These two phrases appear to be simple and straightforward, but the carry significant implications and instructions. The closing words remind us that this is all about God, no matter what the other aspects have been, God is the ultimate point. However, there is a role we play, and there comes a time when we must take the first step.
As we enter this final verse, let us focus on God, giving the glory to Him alone.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Endure Suffering
The fourth theme of 1 Peter 5.1-11 focuses on the reality of hardships, and the result of standing firm through the difficulties. 1 Peter 5.10 tells us to Endure Suffering.
Most of what follows I wrote as I was working on the first post for this verse. I was excited about what was flowing out of my finger tips, but as I wrote I realized that I was writing the final post to the this section. Having written the conclusion, some of the middle part seemed to be a bit difficult to write.
During the last three years I have been through one of the most difficult trials I can imagine. I spent nights on my face crying out to God, sometimes with literal tears, pleading for the restoration of my marriage. He didn't answer that prayer, but He took that time of unimaginable suffering and has used it to shape who I am and what I am doing. Suffering is part of life, but it is not the end.
Romans 8.18 states, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
This chapter goes on to state another promise for the one who suffers, a promise that I am seeing God fulfill in my own life.
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." (Romans 8.28-30)
God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him, and are called according to the purpose of becoming like Christ. Everything that happens to us is a chance for us to become more like Jesus. Nothing is wasted if we are willing to continuously pursue God. I know this is hard, believe me, I've been through a long and brutal divorce. I prayed fervently with tears on multiple occasions for God to bring restoration. I fasted and poured into the Bible as I fought to save my marriage. Obviously, God did not answer my prayers, I dropped my daughters off with their mother Sunday evening, and drove home, but in spite of this, I will say that Romans 8 is completely true.
That experience sucked, in so many ways, but I am better off now than I ever was during the years of my marriage. I am closer to God now than I was at any point in the past, and I am more like Jesus now because of the experience I went through. God took a horrible situation, I believe the most detrimental to society, and through that process forged me. He gave me an identity, awakened my passion, and set me on the path to pursue my destiny.
Romans 8 concludes with these words, "But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8.37-39)
In all suffering, even divorce, we are not separated from the love of God. In all suffering, even the destruction of a marriage, God is at work to mold us into the image of Christ. All suffering, no matter how intense or enduring it may be, will come to an end, and if you will allow God to work in your life, you will emerge stronger and more fit to serve, honor, and glorify Him.
I could have given up during the past three years. I could have started drinking and given myself to alcohol, but I didn't. I would have walked away from God, refusing to serve Him because He didn't save my marriage, but I didn't. I would have engaged in so many other destructive lifestyle choices, each one pulling me further from God and sacrificing the future, but thankfully I didn't. I had people who cared for me, who stood by me, and who helped me stay focused on God. I was able to endure suffering, and because of that, I've learned to trust God more. I've learned to dream bigger (which is saying something), and I've learned to live more in faith. My prayers have become bolder, my heart more compassionate, and my spirit more dependent.
The suffering I went through, as horrible as it was, is nothing compared to what I have experience God do, what I believe He is at work doing.The suffering I went through brought me closer to God, in ways that nothing else could have, and it has made me more like Jesus.
Whatever you are going through, endure. You can handle this, God is with you, and even if you don't sense Him, He is there and actively working to make you more like Jesus. He did in my life, and He is in yours. Endure suffering.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Most of what follows I wrote as I was working on the first post for this verse. I was excited about what was flowing out of my finger tips, but as I wrote I realized that I was writing the final post to the this section. Having written the conclusion, some of the middle part seemed to be a bit difficult to write.
During the last three years I have been through one of the most difficult trials I can imagine. I spent nights on my face crying out to God, sometimes with literal tears, pleading for the restoration of my marriage. He didn't answer that prayer, but He took that time of unimaginable suffering and has used it to shape who I am and what I am doing. Suffering is part of life, but it is not the end.
Romans 8.18 states, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
This chapter goes on to state another promise for the one who suffers, a promise that I am seeing God fulfill in my own life.
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." (Romans 8.28-30)
God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him, and are called according to the purpose of becoming like Christ. Everything that happens to us is a chance for us to become more like Jesus. Nothing is wasted if we are willing to continuously pursue God. I know this is hard, believe me, I've been through a long and brutal divorce. I prayed fervently with tears on multiple occasions for God to bring restoration. I fasted and poured into the Bible as I fought to save my marriage. Obviously, God did not answer my prayers, I dropped my daughters off with their mother Sunday evening, and drove home, but in spite of this, I will say that Romans 8 is completely true.
That experience sucked, in so many ways, but I am better off now than I ever was during the years of my marriage. I am closer to God now than I was at any point in the past, and I am more like Jesus now because of the experience I went through. God took a horrible situation, I believe the most detrimental to society, and through that process forged me. He gave me an identity, awakened my passion, and set me on the path to pursue my destiny.
Romans 8 concludes with these words, "But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8.37-39)
In all suffering, even divorce, we are not separated from the love of God. In all suffering, even the destruction of a marriage, God is at work to mold us into the image of Christ. All suffering, no matter how intense or enduring it may be, will come to an end, and if you will allow God to work in your life, you will emerge stronger and more fit to serve, honor, and glorify Him.
I could have given up during the past three years. I could have started drinking and given myself to alcohol, but I didn't. I would have walked away from God, refusing to serve Him because He didn't save my marriage, but I didn't. I would have engaged in so many other destructive lifestyle choices, each one pulling me further from God and sacrificing the future, but thankfully I didn't. I had people who cared for me, who stood by me, and who helped me stay focused on God. I was able to endure suffering, and because of that, I've learned to trust God more. I've learned to dream bigger (which is saying something), and I've learned to live more in faith. My prayers have become bolder, my heart more compassionate, and my spirit more dependent.
The suffering I went through, as horrible as it was, is nothing compared to what I have experience God do, what I believe He is at work doing.The suffering I went through brought me closer to God, in ways that nothing else could have, and it has made me more like Jesus.
Whatever you are going through, endure. You can handle this, God is with you, and even if you don't sense Him, He is there and actively working to make you more like Jesus. He did in my life, and He is in yours. Endure suffering.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, July 9, 2018
Nothing is Wasted
"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." -1 Peter 5.10
God is at work in and through the suffering we face. We will suffer, but it is temporary. God gives grace so that we can overcome the suffering we face, and He has given us hope because we are called to share in the glory of Christ for eternity. However, there is more to this, God Himself is at work.
God will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish us.
Perfect- katartizō, To mend what is broken and make it complet, equipping it for service and make us what we were intended to be.
Confirm- stērizō, To make stable and firm, rendering constant strength.
Strengthen- sthenoō, To make one strong in their soul.
Establish- themelioō To lay a foundation and make stable.
This is what God is doing in times of suffering. God is working in suffering to bring healing and perfect His work. Think about the forging of a Katana (I won't get started on the process because I'll talk about it in full detail) it's a long and tedious task, but it results in the perfect blade.
God is working to confirm us. Suffering shows us what we are made of, what we can handle, and it builds our faith and trust in God. I'm thinking about Navy SEAL training, again, I won't go into the details from what I've learned, but they push you to the extreme so you learn to push through everything.
God is working to strengthen us. This is an inward strength, grit and resilience that refuses to give up. Think about the Spartans at Thermopylae, or the defenders of the Alamo. They faced overwhelmingly impossible odds, but they knew that they were fighting for something bigger than themselves and this inward strength gave them the courage to fight, even if it meant death.
God is working to lay establish us. He is laying a foundation through our suffering, and it is on this foundation that something amazing can be built on. Out of our deepest pain comes our greatest impact.
God is at work, even if He seems to be silent, He is not absent or inactive. God is at work, and it is in our suffering that He does the most. Nothing is wasted with God.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
God is at work in and through the suffering we face. We will suffer, but it is temporary. God gives grace so that we can overcome the suffering we face, and He has given us hope because we are called to share in the glory of Christ for eternity. However, there is more to this, God Himself is at work.
God will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish us.
Perfect- katartizō, To mend what is broken and make it complet, equipping it for service and make us what we were intended to be.
Confirm- stērizō, To make stable and firm, rendering constant strength.
Strengthen- sthenoō, To make one strong in their soul.
Establish- themelioō To lay a foundation and make stable.
This is what God is doing in times of suffering. God is working in suffering to bring healing and perfect His work. Think about the forging of a Katana (I won't get started on the process because I'll talk about it in full detail) it's a long and tedious task, but it results in the perfect blade.
God is working to confirm us. Suffering shows us what we are made of, what we can handle, and it builds our faith and trust in God. I'm thinking about Navy SEAL training, again, I won't go into the details from what I've learned, but they push you to the extreme so you learn to push through everything.
God is working to strengthen us. This is an inward strength, grit and resilience that refuses to give up. Think about the Spartans at Thermopylae, or the defenders of the Alamo. They faced overwhelmingly impossible odds, but they knew that they were fighting for something bigger than themselves and this inward strength gave them the courage to fight, even if it meant death.
God is working to lay establish us. He is laying a foundation through our suffering, and it is on this foundation that something amazing can be built on. Out of our deepest pain comes our greatest impact.
God is at work, even if He seems to be silent, He is not absent or inactive. God is at work, and it is in our suffering that He does the most. Nothing is wasted with God.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, July 6, 2018
The Point of Suffering
"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 1 Peter 5.10
Suffering is an unavoidable part of life, but since God is the source of grace, HE uses suffering to bring about His plan for our lives. The point of suffering is to make us more like Jesus, allowing us to partake in the eternal glory of God.
Romans 8.14-17 says, "For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him."
When we trust in God, we are adopted as His children and led by His Spirit. The Spirit leads us into Christlikeness, but in order to become like Christ we must face suffering.
When each of my girls was dedicated I shared a verse that I had selected for them, a verse that I want them to live by. The verse is the same for both of them. Proverbs 3.5-8 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body
and refreshment to your bones."
Trusting in God is the only way to face suffering. The verse says that acknowledging Him in everything will result in straight paths. It doesn't say flat, it doesn't say sunny, it doesn't say smooth or easy, it says straight. The Spirit will lead us up mountains and into valleys, through sunny fields of wild flowers and into dark forests, but the path doesn't curve at all, it leads straight to the Christ. Trusting in God brings us to Christ, and it is in suffering that we learn to trust Him more.
The point of suffering is to teach us that God is faithful and trustworthy. He has called us to His eternal glory in Christ, and that can only be fully attained by enduring suffering. We are heirs with Christ; whatever Christ inherited we also will inherit. Christ suffered, and so as coheirs with Christ we will suffer. However, Christ's suffering resulted in His glorification.
"Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2.8-11.
Christ suffered, and as a result Christ was glorified. As coheirs with Christ we will suffer, because Christ did, but like Christ, our suffering will result in sharing in the glory of Christ.
Suffering has a point, to make us more like Jesus.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Suffering is an unavoidable part of life, but since God is the source of grace, HE uses suffering to bring about His plan for our lives. The point of suffering is to make us more like Jesus, allowing us to partake in the eternal glory of God.
Romans 8.14-17 says, "For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him."
When we trust in God, we are adopted as His children and led by His Spirit. The Spirit leads us into Christlikeness, but in order to become like Christ we must face suffering.
When each of my girls was dedicated I shared a verse that I had selected for them, a verse that I want them to live by. The verse is the same for both of them. Proverbs 3.5-8 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body
and refreshment to your bones."
Trusting in God is the only way to face suffering. The verse says that acknowledging Him in everything will result in straight paths. It doesn't say flat, it doesn't say sunny, it doesn't say smooth or easy, it says straight. The Spirit will lead us up mountains and into valleys, through sunny fields of wild flowers and into dark forests, but the path doesn't curve at all, it leads straight to the Christ. Trusting in God brings us to Christ, and it is in suffering that we learn to trust Him more.
The point of suffering is to teach us that God is faithful and trustworthy. He has called us to His eternal glory in Christ, and that can only be fully attained by enduring suffering. We are heirs with Christ; whatever Christ inherited we also will inherit. Christ suffered, and so as coheirs with Christ we will suffer. However, Christ's suffering resulted in His glorification.
"Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2.8-11.
Christ suffered, and as a result Christ was glorified. As coheirs with Christ we will suffer, because Christ did, but like Christ, our suffering will result in sharing in the glory of Christ.
Suffering has a point, to make us more like Jesus.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Reason for Hope
"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." -1 Peter 5.10
Suffering is part of life, but in suffering there is hope. God is the source of all grace. He is present with us in the trials; He is by our side as we face hardships. We do not suffer alone, because we are surrounded by the grace of God. In this we have hope.
God's grace does not remove suffering. Danger is not erased, and our problems are not eliminated because of God. However, we have the strength to endure because God is with us.Think back a few posts to where I shared about Samson and the lion, how did he manage to kill the lion? Because the Spirit of God came mightily upon him. David attributed his victory as he went after the stolen sheep to God's deliverance.
My mind goes to Joshua in the Old Testament, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1.9). I think of Paul in the New Testament, "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3.7-11)
Joshua still had to lead a military campaign, and Paul was still in prison, but they saw past the suffering and moved forward because God was with them. The God of all grace was there.
I think of Psalm 46.8-11, "Come, behold the works of the Lord, He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. 'Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold." God is over everything; He ends wars and destroys the tools of war. Let us cease striving and know that Almighty God is God. Let us know that He is with us, watching over us, and that in our suffering He gives us grace.
The word in Greek is charis (the ch is a flemmy sound like "Bach"). In this context it carries the connotation of God's kindness, influencing the souls of people to bring them closer to Christ, but more on this in the next few posts.
We have hope in suffering because God is the source of grace.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Suffering is part of life, but in suffering there is hope. God is the source of all grace. He is present with us in the trials; He is by our side as we face hardships. We do not suffer alone, because we are surrounded by the grace of God. In this we have hope.
God's grace does not remove suffering. Danger is not erased, and our problems are not eliminated because of God. However, we have the strength to endure because God is with us.Think back a few posts to where I shared about Samson and the lion, how did he manage to kill the lion? Because the Spirit of God came mightily upon him. David attributed his victory as he went after the stolen sheep to God's deliverance.
My mind goes to Joshua in the Old Testament, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1.9). I think of Paul in the New Testament, "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3.7-11)
Joshua still had to lead a military campaign, and Paul was still in prison, but they saw past the suffering and moved forward because God was with them. The God of all grace was there.
I think of Psalm 46.8-11, "Come, behold the works of the Lord, He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. 'Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold." God is over everything; He ends wars and destroys the tools of war. Let us cease striving and know that Almighty God is God. Let us know that He is with us, watching over us, and that in our suffering He gives us grace.
The word in Greek is charis (the ch is a flemmy sound like "Bach"). In this context it carries the connotation of God's kindness, influencing the souls of people to bring them closer to Christ, but more on this in the next few posts.
We have hope in suffering because God is the source of grace.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, July 2, 2018
Unavoidable
"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." -1 Peter 5.10
1 Peter 5.10 begins with a reality check, suffering is unavoidable. The verse begins "After you have suffered". It doesn't say "If", but "After", stating that there is no escape of suffering. We will all face difficult times that cause pain, hardship, anxiety, stress, and fear. Suffering is part of living in a fallen world, however, suffering is not the end. The same verse that begins with a message of discouragement, ends with hope.
The closing words point out the suffering is not eternal, "for a little while". These four simple words present the reader with a message of hope. Suffering does not last forever. Suffering is only temporary for the believer, and that final word is key. For those who humbly live before God, the sufferings of this life, even if they last decades, are only temporary, and will one day end forever. That is part of the hope of the Gospel.
We are going to suffer, but suffering will not last forever. It will be intense, and it will feel like it will never end, but it does, and life goes on. Wounds heal into scars, broken bones are mended, and tears stop falling. Suffering has its day, but that day comes to an end.
There is a song by Mark Schultz that says:
The lame will walk
The blind will see
The prisoners will be set free
And hope will rise as shadows disappear
And all that’s lost
We’ll find again
Death will die and tears will end
And we will come alive and truly live
Death will die. Tears will end. We will come alive and truly life. Suffering is unavoidable, but suffering is temporary. In that we can have hope.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
1 Peter 5.10 begins with a reality check, suffering is unavoidable. The verse begins "After you have suffered". It doesn't say "If", but "After", stating that there is no escape of suffering. We will all face difficult times that cause pain, hardship, anxiety, stress, and fear. Suffering is part of living in a fallen world, however, suffering is not the end. The same verse that begins with a message of discouragement, ends with hope.
The closing words point out the suffering is not eternal, "for a little while". These four simple words present the reader with a message of hope. Suffering does not last forever. Suffering is only temporary for the believer, and that final word is key. For those who humbly live before God, the sufferings of this life, even if they last decades, are only temporary, and will one day end forever. That is part of the hope of the Gospel.
We are going to suffer, but suffering will not last forever. It will be intense, and it will feel like it will never end, but it does, and life goes on. Wounds heal into scars, broken bones are mended, and tears stop falling. Suffering has its day, but that day comes to an end.
There is a song by Mark Schultz that says:
The lame will walk
The blind will see
The prisoners will be set free
And hope will rise as shadows disappear
And all that’s lost
We’ll find again
Death will die and tears will end
And we will come alive and truly live
Death will die. Tears will end. We will come alive and truly life. Suffering is unavoidable, but suffering is temporary. In that we can have hope.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, June 29, 2018
1 Peter 5.10 Overview
"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." -1 Peter 5.10
Verse 9 addresses the idea of suffering. Any battle, be it physical, mental, spiritual, whether it is for your life, your health, a relationship, any battle at all, involves some kind of suffering. Peter reminds his readers that everyone in the world experiences suffering because of the enemy we face; however, he does not end on a not of discouragement. As Peter discusses suffering, his continuous message is one of eternal hope in God.
After you have suffered for a little while- Suffering is real, but suffering is temporary
the God of all grace- God is the source of grace
who called you to His eternal glory in Christ- God has a plan for your life
will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you- God is at work in you to bring about His plan
We're going to suffer, so lets take a look at 1 Peter 5.10 and learn how to face it.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Verse 9 addresses the idea of suffering. Any battle, be it physical, mental, spiritual, whether it is for your life, your health, a relationship, any battle at all, involves some kind of suffering. Peter reminds his readers that everyone in the world experiences suffering because of the enemy we face; however, he does not end on a not of discouragement. As Peter discusses suffering, his continuous message is one of eternal hope in God.
After you have suffered for a little while- Suffering is real, but suffering is temporary
the God of all grace- God is the source of grace
who called you to His eternal glory in Christ- God has a plan for your life
will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you- God is at work in you to bring about His plan
We're going to suffer, so lets take a look at 1 Peter 5.10 and learn how to face it.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Fight the Enemy
1 Peter 5.9 concludes the third theme of this passage of Scripture, Fight the enemy. The reality of life is that we are being targeted by a real and powerful fallen angel. We have an enemy who wants to steal our joy, keep us from dreaming, and prevent us from living fully for the the glory of God. We are going to be attacked repeatedly, he is going to try and come in to steal things we care deeply about, and he is going to try and intimidate us to paralyze us with fear. We have to decide if we are going to be eaten by the lion, or if we are going to fight back.
Denying that the enemy exists, or refusing to accept the reality that he is seeking to destroy us is wishful thinking that ignores the words of Jesus. Trying to resist the enemy on our own is asking for failure and defeat. Believing we are the only ones who face attacks sets us up for isolation and bitterness.
The enemy is real, and he is sneaky, cunning, and ruthless. The reality is that all of us have to stand firm against him and fight back.
This post is taking on a different feel than the other posts I've written. I feel that this theme as been one of the most central and constant themes of my life for the past few years. Ever since my marriage began to crumble, maybe landslide is a a better word, I began to fight the enemy. I began to see him moving in more direct and personal ways, and I began to stand up and fight against him. I would speak directly at him, commanding him boldly and confidently in the name of Jesus. There have been times where I've stood behind my shield and prayed against him.
The past few days I've felt myself getting caught up in another battle, this one for my girls. They are young, but my oldest daughter is showing signs of anxiety over the divorce. I'm seeing how I need to fight for my girls, ways I need to specifically pray against the enemy, resisting him in the power of the Spirit, and ordering him in the name of Jesus. In the process of writing this post I went to war. I stopped typing to try and process, and began to command Satan to leave my girls alone, reminding him of who God says I am, and telling him that I'm not going to back down from a fight. I will not let him take my girls, and if he refuses to leave them alone, I'm going after him, and I will fight tooth and nail, because he isn't taking my little girls. I will not surrender an inch with them.
I began to pray for my brothers, their wives, their children, going to battle to fight for them, commanding the enemy away from them in the name of Christ, letting him know that I'm not going to let him have them either. I prayed for someone else too, fighting the enemy on their behalf. That is how we must fight, directly, as soon as we sense the attack; the sooner we fight back, the sooner the enemy will flee.
We must fight the enemy. It may be helpful to symbolically arm yourself, you'll see my sword and shield to the left, the sword has my God given initials engraved on it. These weapons will do nothing against a spiritual enemy, but the symbolism for me is significant, it serves as a reminder that I am not alone, a big part of the reason I chose a Spartan shield, and that I am not helpless. I am able to stand firm against the enemy, and because of God, I am able to overcome him.
Stand firm against the enemy, and show no fear. You belong to God, and the enemy is powerless over you because of Christ. Go to war for those you care about. Go after what has been stolen, dream big and pursue it. Don't let the enemy advance unopposed, but drive him back. He has already been defeated that first Easter Sunday, don't let him take any more casualties with him.
Fight the enemy.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Denying that the enemy exists, or refusing to accept the reality that he is seeking to destroy us is wishful thinking that ignores the words of Jesus. Trying to resist the enemy on our own is asking for failure and defeat. Believing we are the only ones who face attacks sets us up for isolation and bitterness.
The enemy is real, and he is sneaky, cunning, and ruthless. The reality is that all of us have to stand firm against him and fight back.
This post is taking on a different feel than the other posts I've written. I feel that this theme as been one of the most central and constant themes of my life for the past few years. Ever since my marriage began to crumble, maybe landslide is a a better word, I began to fight the enemy. I began to see him moving in more direct and personal ways, and I began to stand up and fight against him. I would speak directly at him, commanding him boldly and confidently in the name of Jesus. There have been times where I've stood behind my shield and prayed against him.
The past few days I've felt myself getting caught up in another battle, this one for my girls. They are young, but my oldest daughter is showing signs of anxiety over the divorce. I'm seeing how I need to fight for my girls, ways I need to specifically pray against the enemy, resisting him in the power of the Spirit, and ordering him in the name of Jesus. In the process of writing this post I went to war. I stopped typing to try and process, and began to command Satan to leave my girls alone, reminding him of who God says I am, and telling him that I'm not going to back down from a fight. I will not let him take my girls, and if he refuses to leave them alone, I'm going after him, and I will fight tooth and nail, because he isn't taking my little girls. I will not surrender an inch with them.
I began to pray for my brothers, their wives, their children, going to battle to fight for them, commanding the enemy away from them in the name of Christ, letting him know that I'm not going to let him have them either. I prayed for someone else too, fighting the enemy on their behalf. That is how we must fight, directly, as soon as we sense the attack; the sooner we fight back, the sooner the enemy will flee.
We must fight the enemy. It may be helpful to symbolically arm yourself, you'll see my sword and shield to the left, the sword has my God given initials engraved on it. These weapons will do nothing against a spiritual enemy, but the symbolism for me is significant, it serves as a reminder that I am not alone, a big part of the reason I chose a Spartan shield, and that I am not helpless. I am able to stand firm against the enemy, and because of God, I am able to overcome him.
Stand firm against the enemy, and show no fear. You belong to God, and the enemy is powerless over you because of Christ. Go to war for those you care about. Go after what has been stolen, dream big and pursue it. Don't let the enemy advance unopposed, but drive him back. He has already been defeated that first Easter Sunday, don't let him take any more casualties with him.
Fight the enemy.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, June 25, 2018
Not the Only One
"But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world." -1 Peter 5.9
We all live in a world at war, but in our digital age it's very easy to forget that everyone faces battles. This is a concept that, thanks to social media, I had struggled with for years. When I was a young pastor of a small church, life was hard. I was constantly discouraged, emotionally, spiritually, and physically drained, and I never wanted to talk about my job. And then you enter the world of Facebook. You're surrounded by a news feed of people taking trips, buying homes, having kids, living a perfect life, and then you feel worse. I remember telling an older pastor in the area who was a constant support and encourager "I feel like I'm struggling up Mount Doom alone, while everyone else is enjoying the Shire." (Lord of the Rings reference in case it doesn't click). That is what social media does, it highlights the good, erases the negative, and everyone else's life looks perfect while you live in your own depressing reality. There is scientific research supporting all of this, do a Google search for Social Media Depression.
The reality is, everyone else has their struggles, their hardships, and their battles, it just isn't publicly announced on Facebook, or Instagram since that seems to be the new thing (I still haven't really figured it out, but you can find me there at phalanxministries if you're interested). No one has a perfect life, the enemy is looking at everyone, seeking an opportune moment to attack, and everyone experiences suffering in this world. You have your battles that you are fighting, and so does everyone else.
As we go through life, facing the struggles that come everyday, don't give in to feelings of self-pity, adopting a victim mindset; that gives the enemy another opening to attack from. If you feel alone in your struggle and that you're the only one suffering, you are less likely to reach out for help. If you feel like everyone else is perfect, that can lead to discouragement and depression, causing you to distance yourself form others out of jealousy or resentment. Lions attack the animal that is separated from the rest of the group, and if we buy into the lie that everyone else has a perfect life, we begin to pull away from those we need most.
I spend less time on social media these days, part of me wants to get rid of all of it, and simply create accounts for the ministry I'm working on starting, which I did with Instagram, but I'm not there just yet. I've realized that everyone has their struggles, and as rough as the last few years of my life have been, there are people out there who have it a lot worse than I do; I'm fighting my battles, but there are those out there who are fighting more intense battles than I can imagine.
You are not the only one who is suffering attacks of the enemy, and the very fact that you are fighting the enemy is a good thing, the fact that you are being attacked means you're doing things for the glory of God; the enemy doesn't go after those who don't pose any resistance to him. Keep your head up, and keep fighting. Know that you don't battle alone, and that there is no shame is seeking help for your fight. At the same time, be on the look out for those around you that you can offer your help to in their fight.
We are the only ones who are under attack, so let us band together, and fight the enemy as a single, solid unit. A phalanx of warriors, with God as the foundation (Psalm 16.8).
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
We all live in a world at war, but in our digital age it's very easy to forget that everyone faces battles. This is a concept that, thanks to social media, I had struggled with for years. When I was a young pastor of a small church, life was hard. I was constantly discouraged, emotionally, spiritually, and physically drained, and I never wanted to talk about my job. And then you enter the world of Facebook. You're surrounded by a news feed of people taking trips, buying homes, having kids, living a perfect life, and then you feel worse. I remember telling an older pastor in the area who was a constant support and encourager "I feel like I'm struggling up Mount Doom alone, while everyone else is enjoying the Shire." (Lord of the Rings reference in case it doesn't click). That is what social media does, it highlights the good, erases the negative, and everyone else's life looks perfect while you live in your own depressing reality. There is scientific research supporting all of this, do a Google search for Social Media Depression.
The reality is, everyone else has their struggles, their hardships, and their battles, it just isn't publicly announced on Facebook, or Instagram since that seems to be the new thing (I still haven't really figured it out, but you can find me there at phalanxministries if you're interested). No one has a perfect life, the enemy is looking at everyone, seeking an opportune moment to attack, and everyone experiences suffering in this world. You have your battles that you are fighting, and so does everyone else.
As we go through life, facing the struggles that come everyday, don't give in to feelings of self-pity, adopting a victim mindset; that gives the enemy another opening to attack from. If you feel alone in your struggle and that you're the only one suffering, you are less likely to reach out for help. If you feel like everyone else is perfect, that can lead to discouragement and depression, causing you to distance yourself form others out of jealousy or resentment. Lions attack the animal that is separated from the rest of the group, and if we buy into the lie that everyone else has a perfect life, we begin to pull away from those we need most.
I spend less time on social media these days, part of me wants to get rid of all of it, and simply create accounts for the ministry I'm working on starting, which I did with Instagram, but I'm not there just yet. I've realized that everyone has their struggles, and as rough as the last few years of my life have been, there are people out there who have it a lot worse than I do; I'm fighting my battles, but there are those out there who are fighting more intense battles than I can imagine.
You are not the only one who is suffering attacks of the enemy, and the very fact that you are fighting the enemy is a good thing, the fact that you are being attacked means you're doing things for the glory of God; the enemy doesn't go after those who don't pose any resistance to him. Keep your head up, and keep fighting. Know that you don't battle alone, and that there is no shame is seeking help for your fight. At the same time, be on the look out for those around you that you can offer your help to in their fight.
We are the only ones who are under attack, so let us band together, and fight the enemy as a single, solid unit. A phalanx of warriors, with God as the foundation (Psalm 16.8).
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, June 22, 2018
Strength for the Fight
"But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world." -1 Peter 5.9
The enemy must be intentionally resisted, but how? Look back at Judges 14, where Samson is attacked by a lion as he travels to Timnah.
"Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came as far as the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, so that he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done." Judges 14.5-6
Samson is attacked by a lion, and as the lion charges, God empowers him. It is the Spirit of God giving Samson mighty strength that allows him to kill the lion.
In the last post I shared James 4.7 and Ephesians 6.10-17, look at how both of those passages of Scripture begin.
"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4.7
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6.10-12
Submit to God. Be strong in the Lord. That is how we fight. It is not that we resist the devil that causes him to flee, it is because we have submitted to God that he cannot stand against us. It is only in God's strength that I can be well armed for the spiritual battle that lies before me. I can only resist the enemy, when I am firm in my faith; I can only overcome the lion when the Spirit of God comes mightily upon me.
We are at war, we live in the war zone of the Spiritual realm. We care called to join the fight, but we are not sent into battle with no training and no equipment. Let us submit to God, being strong in Him, standing firm in our faith, and as we do, the Spirit will come mightily upon us. No demon, not even the devil himself, can stand against one in whom God's Spirit resides.
the lion is out there, ready to attack, but we are empowered to fight back.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
The enemy must be intentionally resisted, but how? Look back at Judges 14, where Samson is attacked by a lion as he travels to Timnah.
"Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came as far as the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, so that he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done." Judges 14.5-6
Samson is attacked by a lion, and as the lion charges, God empowers him. It is the Spirit of God giving Samson mighty strength that allows him to kill the lion.
In the last post I shared James 4.7 and Ephesians 6.10-17, look at how both of those passages of Scripture begin.
"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4.7
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6.10-12
Submit to God. Be strong in the Lord. That is how we fight. It is not that we resist the devil that causes him to flee, it is because we have submitted to God that he cannot stand against us. It is only in God's strength that I can be well armed for the spiritual battle that lies before me. I can only resist the enemy, when I am firm in my faith; I can only overcome the lion when the Spirit of God comes mightily upon me.
We are at war, we live in the war zone of the Spiritual realm. We care called to join the fight, but we are not sent into battle with no training and no equipment. Let us submit to God, being strong in Him, standing firm in our faith, and as we do, the Spirit will come mightily upon us. No demon, not even the devil himself, can stand against one in whom God's Spirit resides.
the lion is out there, ready to attack, but we are empowered to fight back.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Fight Back
"But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world." -1 Peter 5.9
We live in a world at war, and we have a real enemy. We are not called to simply tuck our tails and pray we survive, but we are called to actively fight back against the enemy. 1 Peter 5.8 identifies him as the devil, who prowls like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. That is the reality, and our orders in light of this reality, resist him.
This is not the only place in the Bible that we are called to go to battle.
"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." -James 4.7
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." -Ephesians 6.10-17
Repeatedly, the Bible tells us to fight back against the devil. We are not ignore the enemy, hoping he goes away, but take up arms and actively resist him.
In 1898, the British were working to build a railroad bridge over the River Tsavo in Kenya. John Henry Patterson was the man in charge of the project, but there was a problem, two male lions, the Ghost and the Darkness, were attacking the workers at night, carefully picking their targets, and eating the men. The story is fascinating, and a bit terrifying, and was portrayed in the 1996 movie, The Ghost and the Darkness (this is one of my top three favorite films). In the movie, Patterson is portrayed by Val Kilmer, and when the lions start attacking, he takes actions. He arms himself and sets out to kill the lions in order to protect the men working under him.
Patterson didn't sit back and hope the lions would get tired or bored and leave his work site alone so he could finish his bridge. He armed himself and fought back, and today these two lions can be seen in the Field Museum in Chicago.
When it comes to the devil, he must be intentionally resisted. He is not going to go away without a fight, and so we must take up arms and go to war.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
We live in a world at war, and we have a real enemy. We are not called to simply tuck our tails and pray we survive, but we are called to actively fight back against the enemy. 1 Peter 5.8 identifies him as the devil, who prowls like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. That is the reality, and our orders in light of this reality, resist him.
This is not the only place in the Bible that we are called to go to battle.
"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." -James 4.7
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." -Ephesians 6.10-17
Repeatedly, the Bible tells us to fight back against the devil. We are not ignore the enemy, hoping he goes away, but take up arms and actively resist him.
In 1898, the British were working to build a railroad bridge over the River Tsavo in Kenya. John Henry Patterson was the man in charge of the project, but there was a problem, two male lions, the Ghost and the Darkness, were attacking the workers at night, carefully picking their targets, and eating the men. The story is fascinating, and a bit terrifying, and was portrayed in the 1996 movie, The Ghost and the Darkness (this is one of my top three favorite films). In the movie, Patterson is portrayed by Val Kilmer, and when the lions start attacking, he takes actions. He arms himself and sets out to kill the lions in order to protect the men working under him.
Patterson didn't sit back and hope the lions would get tired or bored and leave his work site alone so he could finish his bridge. He armed himself and fought back, and today these two lions can be seen in the Field Museum in Chicago.
When it comes to the devil, he must be intentionally resisted. He is not going to go away without a fight, and so we must take up arms and go to war.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, June 18, 2018
1 Peter 5.9 Overview
"But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world." -1 Peter 5.9
When it comes to the enemy, preparing for battle, identifying the enemy, and knowing his tactics is only the beginning. The enemy typically doesn't flee because we're ready for a fight, and he doesn't roll over and surrender because we know how he is going to proceed with his assault. The enemy is not afraid of humans, and on our own we are powerless against him. This is not a human we are facing, but a fallen angel that we battle against.
But resist him- Fight back, pick up your weapons and go to war against the devil.
firm in your faith- Draw strength and endurance from God.
Knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world- You are not the only one who is under attack, don't give into self-pity.
There is a real enemy, and that means we are in a real fight. When we face the enemy we actually have to be armed and ready because we're in for a war. The enemy has one goal, steal, kill, and destroy (John 10.10); he is ruthless and after as many casualties as he can rack up. This is not going to be easy, but victory is assured.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
When it comes to the enemy, preparing for battle, identifying the enemy, and knowing his tactics is only the beginning. The enemy typically doesn't flee because we're ready for a fight, and he doesn't roll over and surrender because we know how he is going to proceed with his assault. The enemy is not afraid of humans, and on our own we are powerless against him. This is not a human we are facing, but a fallen angel that we battle against.
But resist him- Fight back, pick up your weapons and go to war against the devil.
firm in your faith- Draw strength and endurance from God.
Knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world- You are not the only one who is under attack, don't give into self-pity.
There is a real enemy, and that means we are in a real fight. When we face the enemy we actually have to be armed and ready because we're in for a war. The enemy has one goal, steal, kill, and destroy (John 10.10); he is ruthless and after as many casualties as he can rack up. This is not going to be easy, but victory is assured.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, June 15, 2018
The Enemy's Tactic
"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." -1 Peter 5.8
We have identified the enemy, and now Peter tells us how he works. The devil prowls like a roaring lion, seeking someone he can devour. The devil is a crafty villain. He began his attack on humanity by taking the form of a snake, seizing an opportunity to twist God's works and make Him out to be liar, and continuously sought to bring about destruction. His attacks typically begin with subtle sabotage, and if he must, it turns into a full assault. But every attack begins with prowling, seeking an easy target.
The word in Greek in is peripateō, which means to walk, but it is walking with purpose, seeking to make use of any opportunity that presents itself. The devil is not out for a casual stroll, taking in the scenery, stopping to smell the roses. He is walking with a purpose, seeking a victim, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. The devil does not go about his business, hoping an opportunity falls across his path, He is hunting, looking for his next meal.
Lion's never go for the strongest animal in the middle of the herd; they go out for the sick or weak animal, one that is separated from the group and easy to pick off. Lion's want an easy meal, not a battle, Satan doesn't want to go after those he can't beat, and so he goes for the ones who aren't paying attention, the ones who think he isn't real, or isn't on the move. We must be watchful and alert, ready for the attack.
My mind goes to David's argument to Saul when he was seeking to fight Goliath. 1 Samuel 17.34 says this, "But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock". The lion didn't go after the shepherd who was armed and ready, it went for a lamb, a small, defenseless, young sheep. It went for the easy target, and carried it off. That is how the enemy works. Those well armed and ready for the attack are not immune from lion attacks, look at Samson in Judges 14, but those who are watchful and alert are not easily picked off.
This is how he always works. Look at the temptation of Jesus, when does the devil show up? After Jesus has spent 40 days alone in the wilderness fasting. He has no human companionship with Him for encouragement, He is weak from huger, and his mind is probably not at its peak due to the combination of no food and physical exertion. Only then does the devil show up. The devil doesn't take on those who are strong and ready, because in that instance he always loses. The enemy goes after the weak and separated.
Let us be aware of how the enemy works, and let us be ready and watchful so that we do not present an easy target.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY
We have identified the enemy, and now Peter tells us how he works. The devil prowls like a roaring lion, seeking someone he can devour. The devil is a crafty villain. He began his attack on humanity by taking the form of a snake, seizing an opportunity to twist God's works and make Him out to be liar, and continuously sought to bring about destruction. His attacks typically begin with subtle sabotage, and if he must, it turns into a full assault. But every attack begins with prowling, seeking an easy target.
The word in Greek in is peripateō, which means to walk, but it is walking with purpose, seeking to make use of any opportunity that presents itself. The devil is not out for a casual stroll, taking in the scenery, stopping to smell the roses. He is walking with a purpose, seeking a victim, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. The devil does not go about his business, hoping an opportunity falls across his path, He is hunting, looking for his next meal.
Lion's never go for the strongest animal in the middle of the herd; they go out for the sick or weak animal, one that is separated from the group and easy to pick off. Lion's want an easy meal, not a battle, Satan doesn't want to go after those he can't beat, and so he goes for the ones who aren't paying attention, the ones who think he isn't real, or isn't on the move. We must be watchful and alert, ready for the attack.
My mind goes to David's argument to Saul when he was seeking to fight Goliath. 1 Samuel 17.34 says this, "But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock". The lion didn't go after the shepherd who was armed and ready, it went for a lamb, a small, defenseless, young sheep. It went for the easy target, and carried it off. That is how the enemy works. Those well armed and ready for the attack are not immune from lion attacks, look at Samson in Judges 14, but those who are watchful and alert are not easily picked off.
This is how he always works. Look at the temptation of Jesus, when does the devil show up? After Jesus has spent 40 days alone in the wilderness fasting. He has no human companionship with Him for encouragement, He is weak from huger, and his mind is probably not at its peak due to the combination of no food and physical exertion. Only then does the devil show up. The devil doesn't take on those who are strong and ready, because in that instance he always loses. The enemy goes after the weak and separated.
Let us be aware of how the enemy works, and let us be ready and watchful so that we do not present an easy target.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Identify the Enemy
"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." -1 Peter 5.8
The first step to any battle is to know who your enemy is; you have to know who are you fighting against. Here the Bible tells us that our enemy is the devil, Satan is the one we are at war with. He is our opponent, and he is the real enemy. Peter doesn't seek to sugarcoat anything, he is direct and tells it like it is, the enemy we face is the devil himself.
One of the key things the devil tries to do is convince us that he doesn't exist. We must make sure that we don't deny that he is real. Ignoring the devil and pretending he isn't real is like a cancer patient ignoring the fact that there are malignant tumors growing inside their body, they will destroy silently from within until it is too late to do anything about it.
As we go through life it is easy to get distracted, the devil is a master of deception, the father of lies according to Jesus (John 8.44) and his goal is to cause chaos so that we fight against other things, ignoring him. Even as I try to write this I'm finding it difficult to focus, it could be the fact that it's late, I'm tired, and there are 11 other things on my mind (I stopped and counted and that is the number I came up with), but it could also be an attempt of the enemy to keep me from saying what I need to say in this post.
We have a real enemy, the devil. He exists, and he seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, (John 10.10) all that is good, true, and beautiful. Let us never make the mistake of denying his existence or his ambition. Ignoring the lion doesn't make it any less dangerous. His claws aren't filed down when we close our eyes, and his teeth aren't removed when we cover our ears, we simply become a blind and deaf target that is easy prey for a 500 pound carnivore.
Let us identify the enemy, never denying the reality of his existence.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
The first step to any battle is to know who your enemy is; you have to know who are you fighting against. Here the Bible tells us that our enemy is the devil, Satan is the one we are at war with. He is our opponent, and he is the real enemy. Peter doesn't seek to sugarcoat anything, he is direct and tells it like it is, the enemy we face is the devil himself.
One of the key things the devil tries to do is convince us that he doesn't exist. We must make sure that we don't deny that he is real. Ignoring the devil and pretending he isn't real is like a cancer patient ignoring the fact that there are malignant tumors growing inside their body, they will destroy silently from within until it is too late to do anything about it.
As we go through life it is easy to get distracted, the devil is a master of deception, the father of lies according to Jesus (John 8.44) and his goal is to cause chaos so that we fight against other things, ignoring him. Even as I try to write this I'm finding it difficult to focus, it could be the fact that it's late, I'm tired, and there are 11 other things on my mind (I stopped and counted and that is the number I came up with), but it could also be an attempt of the enemy to keep me from saying what I need to say in this post.
We have a real enemy, the devil. He exists, and he seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, (John 10.10) all that is good, true, and beautiful. Let us never make the mistake of denying his existence or his ambition. Ignoring the lion doesn't make it any less dangerous. His claws aren't filed down when we close our eyes, and his teeth aren't removed when we cover our ears, we simply become a blind and deaf target that is easy prey for a 500 pound carnivore.
Let us identify the enemy, never denying the reality of his existence.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, June 11, 2018
Watchful and Ready
"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." -1 Peter 5.8
Preparing for battle begins with peace that is rooted in God. A warrior does not go into battle anxious about the outcome, but confident, knowing that everything has been done to prepare, that he possesses the skills to complete the mission, and ready for whatever may come. This is the foundation, and peace allows for watchful readiness.
The next instruction is to "be on the alert". The word in Greek is grēgoreō, and it means to watch, actively giving strict attention, taking heed that no destruction overtakes you due to ignorant carelessness. This word is used by Jesus in parables that pointed to His second coming, and it points to an active watching that is not caught off guard or taken by surprise. We live in a world at war, and we must exercise constant vigilance so that we are ready for the attacks when they come.
It is time to share part of this, I'm working on a book that will further develop this thought as well as the thoughts in my future posts around this third topic of 1 Peter 5.1-11.
In Judges 14, Samson is on his way to Timnah and as he nears the vineyards a young lion charges him. God empowers him in a mighty way, and he tears the lion apart with his bare hands. I don't know if Samson was ready for the attack; he was on his way to his wedding, so I'm guessing his mind may have been else wear, but the lion saw him and attacked.
Lions are out there. I shared these verses in my Vision Quest 2017 series, Proverbs twice points out that lions are outside, waiting to attack.
"The sluggard says, 'There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets!'" -Proverbs 22.13
"The sluggard says, 'There is a lion in the road! A lion is in the open square!'" -Proverbs 26.13
There are lions out there, they are hungry and looking for a meal. Without the peace and confidence that comes from a sober spirit, we would never take the risk of going outside. Without a watchful and ready attitude that comes from being alert, we cannot hope to survive for long.
The lions are real, and we must be watchful and ready.
Fight the lion 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Preparing for battle begins with peace that is rooted in God. A warrior does not go into battle anxious about the outcome, but confident, knowing that everything has been done to prepare, that he possesses the skills to complete the mission, and ready for whatever may come. This is the foundation, and peace allows for watchful readiness.
The next instruction is to "be on the alert". The word in Greek is grēgoreō, and it means to watch, actively giving strict attention, taking heed that no destruction overtakes you due to ignorant carelessness. This word is used by Jesus in parables that pointed to His second coming, and it points to an active watching that is not caught off guard or taken by surprise. We live in a world at war, and we must exercise constant vigilance so that we are ready for the attacks when they come.
It is time to share part of this, I'm working on a book that will further develop this thought as well as the thoughts in my future posts around this third topic of 1 Peter 5.1-11.
In Judges 14, Samson is on his way to Timnah and as he nears the vineyards a young lion charges him. God empowers him in a mighty way, and he tears the lion apart with his bare hands. I don't know if Samson was ready for the attack; he was on his way to his wedding, so I'm guessing his mind may have been else wear, but the lion saw him and attacked.
Lions are out there. I shared these verses in my Vision Quest 2017 series, Proverbs twice points out that lions are outside, waiting to attack.
"The sluggard says, 'There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets!'" -Proverbs 22.13
"The sluggard says, 'There is a lion in the road! A lion is in the open square!'" -Proverbs 26.13
There are lions out there, they are hungry and looking for a meal. Without the peace and confidence that comes from a sober spirit, we would never take the risk of going outside. Without a watchful and ready attitude that comes from being alert, we cannot hope to survive for long.
The lions are real, and we must be watchful and ready.
Fight the lion 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, June 8, 2018
Calm and Collected
"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." -1 Peter 5.8
Before we begin to fight the enemy, we must prepare ourselves and enter battle with the right mindset. Verse 8 begins by telling us to be of sober spirit. The word in Greek is nēphō, and it means to be calm and collected in spirit. This is a call to serenity and confidence in God. The sober spirit does not live in anxious fear of the enemy, but it rests securely in God. The sober spirit does not have a blood lust longing for battle, but is ready to fight when it must in order to defend what is good, true, and beautiful.
This is the attitude God calls His warriors to posses. In the opening verses of Joshua, Israel is on the verge of conquest. They are on the eastern shore of the Jordan preparing to enter and claim the land that was promised to Abraham centuries earlier. Moses has died, Israel has a new leader, and they are about to enter a new land, a land that is possessed by nations who are powerful and live in well defended cities (Numbers 13), and have no intention of going anywhere.
God speaks to Joshua, reassuring him of His presence and promise, He gives instructions for Joshua to live by, and ends with a command for Joshua to be of sober spirit, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1.9)
God calls Joshua to be strong and courageous, ready for the battles that are coming. These are battles that must be fought for God's promise to be fulfilled, but it is battle for a purpose, not battle for the sake of battle. God commands Joshua to not be afraid or discourage, to be calm and at peace, because God is going to be with him every step of the way. Joshua can move forward sober in spirit because of the confident assurance of God.
This is the same attitude we are called to live with. Let us be at peace, God is with us, God is in control, the cross and the tomb are both empty, and Jesus has conquered sin, death, and hell. There is nothing to be afraid of, let us be calm and collected as we face the enemy; he has already been defeated. Let us go into battle ready to fight, confident in our training and ability, but brokenhearted that war is the reality. This is not what God intended, and it is not the ultimate reality; the war will end, and that is what we are fighting for, the end of the war and eternal peace.
God is in control, and we can face the enemy with a sober spirit, calm and collected, ready to face the enemy as we fight for the Kingdom.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Before we begin to fight the enemy, we must prepare ourselves and enter battle with the right mindset. Verse 8 begins by telling us to be of sober spirit. The word in Greek is nēphō, and it means to be calm and collected in spirit. This is a call to serenity and confidence in God. The sober spirit does not live in anxious fear of the enemy, but it rests securely in God. The sober spirit does not have a blood lust longing for battle, but is ready to fight when it must in order to defend what is good, true, and beautiful.
This is the attitude God calls His warriors to posses. In the opening verses of Joshua, Israel is on the verge of conquest. They are on the eastern shore of the Jordan preparing to enter and claim the land that was promised to Abraham centuries earlier. Moses has died, Israel has a new leader, and they are about to enter a new land, a land that is possessed by nations who are powerful and live in well defended cities (Numbers 13), and have no intention of going anywhere.
God speaks to Joshua, reassuring him of His presence and promise, He gives instructions for Joshua to live by, and ends with a command for Joshua to be of sober spirit, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1.9)
God calls Joshua to be strong and courageous, ready for the battles that are coming. These are battles that must be fought for God's promise to be fulfilled, but it is battle for a purpose, not battle for the sake of battle. God commands Joshua to not be afraid or discourage, to be calm and at peace, because God is going to be with him every step of the way. Joshua can move forward sober in spirit because of the confident assurance of God.
This is the same attitude we are called to live with. Let us be at peace, God is with us, God is in control, the cross and the tomb are both empty, and Jesus has conquered sin, death, and hell. There is nothing to be afraid of, let us be calm and collected as we face the enemy; he has already been defeated. Let us go into battle ready to fight, confident in our training and ability, but brokenhearted that war is the reality. This is not what God intended, and it is not the ultimate reality; the war will end, and that is what we are fighting for, the end of the war and eternal peace.
God is in control, and we can face the enemy with a sober spirit, calm and collected, ready to face the enemy as we fight for the Kingdom.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
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