Do you feel like the chihuahua? Are you scared and you know "its" coming? You have to be wise to know that the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour...
1 Peter 5: 8...
(8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.)
We can't be scared, as God didn't give us a spirit of fear. We are secure in Christ.... but we can't ignore the devil and his schemes. You have to be fully prepared... HOW?
Ephesians 6: 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
I have been studying Ephesians for awhile..and I think we all too often attack each other when scripture is clear that is NOT where our struggle. (Eph 6: 12). When the devil gets us to attack each other, he has won exactly the ground he wanted. Think about 2 Tim 2: 24-26 24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
Why respond to "meaner" this way? Because we have to understand they are ensnared by Satan...and we should DESIRE to show them God's grace and pray that they are able to see Christ..and escape the devil's trap. The person isn't our enemy.... they are only a prisoner of our enemy. It is crazy to think we can win a battle with an enemy (the devil) by attacking his prisoners, but we do it all that time.... I hope the church body can see this and correct this.
So.... Love people... hate evil. ... Focus on putting on your armor, but always have a soft heart for people.
I've wondered before, how encouraged or nervous we would be if we could have our eyes open to the spiritual forces around us. Yes, to love someone despite their hatred towards us at times is so hard, but I do believe God equips us in moments like that, if we are walking in the Holy Spirit. Trying to work up that kind of love can be hopeless and actually lend to self-righteousness as if we are better than them. Love can also mean utterly opposing someone in boldness ( knowing they are responsible as well for their wickedness) to see a better result, as found in 1 Corinthians 5...
ReplyDeleteIt is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.
I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-12