The enemy is brutal but Christ is greater!
I forgot how intense it was!!! What? The attacks of the enemy!
Now before you write me off, let me just give you a few pieces of clear evidence amongst a mountain of evidence that exists. Consider this:
Since the garden, the enemy has sowed doubt in us to not trust God. What were his words? “Did God really say?” And today he still whispers those words to our souls causing us to trust in ourselves rather than our Creator.
As Jesus began his ministry, the enemy immediately full court pressed Jesus with temptations to surrender to him instead of God’s plan.
Jesus tells us the mission of the enemy is to “rob, kill and destroy.”
Even the writers of the NT repeatedly give us counsel to “be alert” to his attacks and to “stand firm” in our authority in Christ.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
So why it is so often that we are surprised? Caught off guard? Shocked when it happens to us in our pursuit of following Christ?
Personally speaking, since we have said ‘yes’ to a new chapter in ministry, and particularly in the past few weeks, we have seen and experienced the brutality of the enemy trying to “rob, kill and destroy” so much in our lives.
Rather than get into the details I’ll say this; “Yes, we need and value your prayers! Yes, we have been frustrated, wounded, and doubtful recently, possibly like many of you. Yes, we need and desire for you to stand with us in the authority of Christ.”
But even as we have walked through this, I recognize the fact that many of you have recently walked through the same kind of intensities. And instead of dwelling on it, (whatever it is for each of us) how about we stand together on the words of Jesus?
“I have come to give life and life to the full.”
Jesus said that in spite of the enemy’s mission to destroy, His mission in our lives is to give new life. He works in us to overcome whatever the enemy tries to rob us of. He takes the awful, broken, brutal, and hurtful of our lives and creates something incredible. So, today, be reminded of Jesus’ powerful work that is life-giving in these ways:
It is Jesus who stands with you in friendship when you feel alone in your pain.
It is Jesus who gives you the power to overcome whatever physical, mental, spiritual, or relational crisis seems to be overpowering you.
It is Jesus who says that your identity is found in and rooted in Him rather than in the ever-changing world of jobs, money, sexuality, followers, titles, or the acceptance of others.
It is Jesus who takes the areas of your past where you have failed and reminds you not of your failures but of the future hope you have in him.
It is Jesus who gives us the authority to stand together in His name on behalf of those whom we love and who are being attacked by the enemy.
It is Jesus who went through everything you have ever gone through and said, “Don’t lose heart. I’m with you to the end.”
Yes, the attacks of the enemy are brutal, however, the power of Christ is greater and the love He has for you is deeper! And on top of that, Jesus takes whatever the enemy tries to break and always turns it into something beautiful.
That is the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
~Steve
