Attacks happen. It is life. Satan attacks children of God most viciously and enthusiastically in three situations.
I. When there is unconfessed sin in our life
II. When we are in the middle of crisis – hurt, pain, discomfort, wounded, whatever label you want to apply for the time you are thinking about – this can be a crisis of faith.
III. When we have had great spiritual victory.
In these attacks his primary goal is to convince us that we are either not a child of God or we are so soiled and worthless that we are unforgiveable and forever of no use or value to God and His kingdom.
Why is it that satan seems to so easily gain victory over us or our lives when we are promised the strength of the King of Kings? What happens to our faith and peace? Why? Where? How?
I. If you are a child of God – a Christian – a believer – you have been given eternal life – it begins at the moment you accept Christ. It is difficult - our temporary here and now life is lived in enemy territory. Becoming a Christian does not make us super human or give us the power to immediately be immune to the sin around us or our inborn sin nature. Don’t you wish that becoming a Christian meant we had a big ‘C’ on our forehead and rendered us immediately and totally able to withstand any attack of satan? Would that not be excellent! But it isn’t so. The Apostle Paul, a great warrior of Christ, said it best I think when he wrote, the very things I don’t want to do – I do. The things I want so badly to do – I don’t do. Wretched man that I am!!!!! (Romans 7: 17-24) When we stray into enemy territory we are wretched indeed. We are miserable! Low and dirty, tired and weak. Sometimes defiant and rebellious but miserable nevertheless. The Word tells us that when we are children of God, He will discipline us like an earthly Father disciplines his child (Hebrews 12: 5-6; Rev 3:19).
Is there unconfessed sin in your life? Are you miserable, knowing that you are not in agreement with your heavenly Father about the choices you have made? You can take comfort in knowing that you are indeed His child. He chastens or disciplines His child. He is also faithful and just (always there and always fair) to forgive us our sin and pick us up and clean us up from the mess our willfulness has created (I John 1:9). If you are under attack because of sin in your life – run to Jesus! He is waiting as a patient, loving Father to forgive, comfort, and restore you.
II. I was reminded this morning that we must be careful how we define blessing. We often consider ourselves privileged children of God who should walk in sunshine and lollipops if we obey and serve. That is not what the Bible promises. Jesus Himself said that we will have trials and troubles just like He did. In this world we will have troubles but He also said for us not to be afraid. He has overcome the world! (John 16:33, I Peter 4:12-19). Life as a Christian is not a matter of whether we will face trials or hardships. They will come. It is a matter of what we do with those trials and hardships. Do we put on the whole armor of God and having done all else, STAND? (Eph 6: 10-20) or do we cave and cower at the first sign of difficulty. What are you made of? Are you a wimpy rubber legged rag doll Christian or do you know that in Him you are complete, able to face life because you know who you believe in and you know that He is able to take that which you have committed to Him and keep you against any attack of the enemy? (Romans 4:20-25; Romans 8:31-39) These are hard things to say. It is not easy to stand when life deal you blows that make you want to crawl in a hole and pull the dirt over your head? When loved ones desert you, when a friend betrays, when your children are hurting, when illness strikes and seems insurmountable, when life deals out blow after blow after blow. When you are persecuted all day long for your faith, can you stand? Not without the strength that comes from a daily- day in and day out – walk with your best friend, the lover of your soul, the one who died bearing your sin, rose again and lives now – LIVES NOW at the right hand of the Father interceding for you and me. He is sitting there saying, “Hey, Abba, see my son (or daughter)…………, they are mine, they are ours – they are under attack, watch how he used the Word there, they missed that one but look he (she) picked right back up after the time we spent in worship this morning, bring them through this, they will be found faithful………”
III. In times of victory – try out this visual with me – great victory in Christ – you have withstood attack and are rejoicing, you have lead a friend to Christ or taken a stand when it was really hard, helped a friend who was suffering, sat with a sick loved one who was less than loveable – you have been obedient and are worshipping and it feels so great. You are mountain top loving it and praising His name and you look up and the roof falls – why does He let that happen. Go back and read #1 and 2 again. We live in enemy territory. Write it down – victory will always result in attack. The real issue is will you be ready. Go back to the Ephesians 6 passage. Having done all – having put on the whole armor of God and walking in obedience – you are prayed up, walking in His ways, spending time every day with Him in the Word - are you standing in His strength or trying to go it in your own strength. The first is our battle plan, the second leads to our disaster.
WOW – so you ask –what you are saying is that most of the time we are either under attack or ‘fixin’ to be? In the vernacular of OKie land, the answer is ‘Yep’ that’s how it works. Ask any soldier – in battle there are no vacations, no R&R, no time outs or rests. When the enemy’s guard is down that is the best time to attack. And our enemy is like a roaring lion prancing, pacing to see who he can devour (I Peter 5:8).
This all sounds so discouraging you say. Not really. We live in a war zone but our day will come. We have been given a mission by the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, The One who sits upon the throne of all creation. He allows us to serve Him for a few short years on this planet called Earth. Our mission is to serve Him, to be obedient and by doing so we bring others out of the enemy territory into eternal victory in Christ. There is coming a day, not so very far away, when we will stand before the throne. All of this life will have passed away and only what we have done for Him will stand.
This is a wonderful life despite the struggles. We have been entrusted as children of God with a very short time of service here – to love our families, serve each other and reach out to others – all in our love and devotion to Him.
Are you being disciplined? Take heart – you are His child and He is calling you back to Him?
Are you in a valley of some kind? Take heart – you are His child and He is able to carry you in His strength.
Are you enjoying victory and walking the mountain top? Take heart – you are His child and He will rejoice in these days as you worship and carry you in His strength in the days ahead.
Take heart – as His child you are an overcomer. On that final day, when we stand (fall on our faces) before the throne – no matter how much we have loved this life and our family and friends – it will all be past. We stand before Him in His righteousness, not our own and we lay at His feet our gratitude and love as we worship for ever and ever with our Lord.
Victory here and now, victory forever! Run to the battle as our friend at SWI reminds us. RUN to the battle – the enemy is a coward and cannot think about standing in the face of our King!
