Submission is always a prerequisite to resistance…

 

God hears the needs of our hearts. Yesterday, a big decision was confusing because of my emotions. Weighing the options didn’t help. Making a list of pros and cons didn’t help. I had a few strong I wants on both sides and had no sense of God’s will, except realizing how easy it can be to read His will according to my ‘I wants’ —as in giving emotions the power instead of looking for truth.

However, this morning I wondered if I should think of the negatives of both choices and see if that helps. But before I could grab paper and pen, this came to mind:

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. (Matthew 4:1–11)

Ha! That is one thing that had never occurred to me; that the choices presented are a test. Do I know who is presenting at least one of them? Is the devil trying to get me to jump off a cliff so I can have something that appeals to me and using “God will help me do this” as an excuse to consider taking the leap?

Immediately my mixed emotions were gone. This does not mean that the devil is behind the choices; they could be an opportunity from God. Yet if the opportunity appeals to my flesh and will draw me away from genuine worship, then the devil is trying to twist it so that the will of God is thwarted. Thinking this could be a trap gave clarity. Making this decision is no longer muddled because of my personal ‘I wants’ — being clarified. God does this very well:

It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

In this case, it was not His will that first needed to be revealed, but that my will was clarified, changed or settled to want His will, no matter what it is. This could apply to many choices, such as  buy or sell, go or stay, say something or shut up.

Not only that, experience shows that the devil is able to use any option or choice as a temptation — if I am not clear on how I am thinking about it. In this case, a couple of strong I wants and a list of logical reasonings were not helping me do that. God made it black and white: Me — or the enemy? And that booted my wishes off to the side as non-issues.

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

Now I’ve done the first part and the second part and waiting to see if the devil takes the options with him or if this is a choice that God presents to us for our good and His glory.

PRAY: Jesus, I’ve shared this with my spouse. He and our son are going to decide, and I am totally okay with whatever decision they make. I do not want to “put You to the test” with the option that seems totally impossible, but if You will be glorified in it, that’s okay. I also will not balk or be unhappy with the easier choice and will worship and serve You no matter what. Thank You for giving me clarity on how to think about this!

Growing up

 

Theologians and mature Christians often point out stages in spiritual growth. Those recently saved are in a “honeymoon” phase, then as they grow, they begin to see the challenges and start to feel inadequate and helpless as they learn to rely on Christ for everything. These experiences are part of growing to be more like Jesus. John wrote a brief description comparing the process to physical growth:

I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (1 John 2:13–14)

He summarizes those stages as the realities experienced: forgiveness, fellowship with God, and victory over the evil one. MacArthur suggests that mature spiritual fathers have a deep relationship with God that comes from prolonged time in prayer and the Word. He says many Christians struggle with spiritual defeat or recurring sins because they haven’t learned to apply Biblical principles to specific situations. This could stem from several things, yet Paul did say:

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

However, he also prayed for spiritual maturity:

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9–11)

Jesus gave us a pattern of how to resist the enemy by quoting specific portions of Scripture that applied to specific temptations. (See Matthew 4:1–11). He knew the Word, believed it, and refused to compromise its principles setting a pattern for us to follow. I know that when I fall, it is because I’ve either forgotten or neglected to use Scripture to settle the issues tempting me.

This instruction is also in the OT. The psalmist wrote:

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:9–11)

When the Lord came, He created a body of believers, a community for our growth described this way:

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:11–16)

Spiritual growth happens through paying attention to the direction of others that God gives as teachers and examples, through seeking unity and the knowledge of Christ and desiring to be like Him. I’m to discern truth, speak truth in love, and deeply care and pray for unity in the Body of Christ so we are building up one another and growing as we each do what God assigns us to do. In other words, seek the will of God, do it whatever He asks and trusting Him with the results as I encourage others to do the same.

Obedience is vital to growing up in Christ: “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2–3)

PRAY: Jesus, I can see how loving You means always wanting to know You more, to discover Your thoughts and heart and to agree with You in every way, showing it by obedience. It also means to grow in an intense love for Your people and in the desire to be one with them so You are glorified. This means knowing Your Word and doing what it says. Increase my hunger for it and for being more like You.

PONDER: the simplicity of Psalm 119:11. I must read what You say and store those truths in my inmost being that I might not sin against You, but also so Your Word teaches me what I should be doing instead of living selfishly for my own glory.

 

 

Resources for Victory

 

Today’s devotional begins with, “In Christ you have every resource necessary for spiritual victory.” However, after yesterday, I’m thinking “in Christ, I have resources for victory over everything.”

With some amusement, I’ve been imagining a newspaper story that begins with: “Eighty-one-year old woman tumbles down circular staircase at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and gets up smiling with only a few bruises. Her son thinks she moonlights as a stunt woman.”

Even though I’d now change ‘few’ to ‘several’, I’m still smiling. Jesus is my Savior from sin — including self-pity and a focus on my own comfort. So, I hurt. Is that any different than losing my car keys or dropping a bowl of stew inside the frig? Joy is not about external comforts.

Would I feel the same way if bones were broken, an ambulance called, and I was in a hospital bed? God knows, but I believe in the power of God to overcome a ‘poor me’ attitude just as He can overcome the obvious doubt and fears that the devil always tries to produce.

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)

MacArthur explains that Satan opposes God and wants to prevent believers from glorifying Him by convincing them that he is either so strong we cannot defeat him, or so weak we can fight him in our own strength. However, when Jesus comes alongside instantly, He demonstrates that no matter what the enemy tries to do, He can rescue me:

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

My resources alone cannot defeat a spiritual enemy or the power of the old nature to be self-centered, but Jesus can and this shouts the vital reason for being in Scripture and understanding what I have in Christ.

Ephesians 1 has an incredible list that includes: every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places; chosen in him before the foundation of the world; becoming holy and blameless before him; in love predestined for adoption according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace; blessed in the Beloved; redemption through his blood; forgiveness of our trespasses; grace lavished wisdom and insight; knowing the mystery of his will and his plan to unite all things in him; faith to believe; sealed with the Holy Spirit; our inheritance guaranteed; ; all to the praise of his glory;  . . .  and the prayers of others for greater knowledge of Christ, enlightened to know our hope and the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:3–18) His grace adds:

According to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:16–21)

Think of it — the people of God represent the power of God in this world — the same power that raised Christ from the dead, seated Him at the right hand of the Father, and subjected all things under His feet . . .  

Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:21–23)

Who can stand against the sovereignty of God? He tells me to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” by putting on the armor He supplies: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the written Word, and the privilege of prayer. No matter what the enemy does, even pushing old ladies down some stairs (it felt like that), I can remain focused on Jesus instead of the results of the devil’s efforts. Jesus does not want me to live anxiously and fearing Satan’s attacks or anything else, but keep my heart focused on Him and the resources He has given me.

PRAY: Jesus, I understand that spiritual warfare is anything that threatens to take away my trust in You. It can be events and people, inner attitudes, anything that seems like You have forgotten me or are not protecting or loving me. Keep me in Your Word and trusting You with all my heart.

PONDER: Read Matthew 4:1–11 and think how I can better use Scripture when Satan’s attacks tell me lies about who I am in Christ or about all that the Lord has done for or promised me.