I fight yet the victory belongs to God . . .

 

After a distressing dream, I rose today feeling terrible. After singing a few worship songs and yielding my feelings to God, I began to experience His joy and presence. I know He is with me and I know that He loves me. A dream is only a dream, even though dreams often show me attitudes that I need to deal with when awake.

Today’s devotional is about those attitudes. How am I to think when the enemy does such things as trying to use a dream to challenge my faith in God? The NT says:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (Ephesians 6:10–11)

While MacArthur makes a case that spiritual victory is not passive and involves the discipline of daily obedience to Christ and His Word, that Word also says:

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12–13, italics mine)

If I am to be strong “in the Lord and in the strength of His might” then I need to know what it means to be in Him and relying on His strength. The NT also says:

Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:2–3)

I’m to put off the deeds of the flesh in full awareness of what they are. That is, the spirit is to be directed by the Spirit of God, not by my fleshy faculties that desire whatever will glorify me or make me feel in control, etc. I can praise God each morning then turn around and mentally belittle others who fail in that spiritual discipline like the Pharisee did concerning the publican (Luke 18:9-14). Praise is from the Holy Spirit, but my critical spirit is fleshy.

The flesh can elbow its way in when I pray for others too, or when engaged in spiritual warfare. I am not strong “in the Lord” if I’m doing anything for my own glory. I’m not strong in Him if I am feeling powerful in myself. Because of this, “waiting on the Lord” is vital, not a passive exercise or an evidence of “quietism” as suggested by some as wimping out, but in my life, it is not that at all. In fact, waiting on the Lord takes all the self-control that the Holy Spirit can give me. When bad things happen, if the Spirit motivates me to act, my flesh will resist, but if the Spirit does not tell me to do something, my flesh will be anxious to “just do something” and go ahead of God’s leading. This is about obedience, not about my efforts fitting in with God’s efforts.

The movement called “quietism” refers to Christians doing nothing after claiming to wait on God. If I’m truly waiting for His instruction, He gives it to me. It can be to speak up or act, but it can also be to sit down and shut up. This isn’t about my skills; it is about obeying God. It is also about being in the Word so I know what He is apt to tell me, and never about supposing or assuming. The Word exposes my motives.

As MacArthur says, my life is like a war, a race, and a fight, yet the battle is often between me and God, not me and the devil.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:16–18)

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

I need to submit first to God before resisting the Devil. Even though the Bible says to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, it adds, “yet it is God who works in me, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) I cannot take credit for any good I do, for the power to resist or to submit. This salvation is about Jesus Christ, not about me. Yes, God supplies the resources, and He also supplies the effort.

PRAY: Thank You Jesus for all that You provide for spiritual victory. Even as I pray and do what You say, it is You on the throne of my heart. May that old fleshy nature stay dead and not be stirred up to interfere with what You want for my life.

PONDER: What qualities does God give me to live for Him? See 2 Peter 1:3–7. Can I do any of this without His supply? If I could, who would I boast about?