Skip to main content

The Victory

             The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.” (Numbers 11:23)

           Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)

          Recruits in the military have two types of power. They have the power that is developed in them, including physical strength, emotional strength, strength of skills developed, strength of routines and habits learned. They also have the power of the US military and (at least in theory) of the US government. The same is true of the Christian. We have the strength God develops in us, the power of the Church, and the power of God.

          But just as there are corrupt soldiers who use the power available to them for wrong ends or in wrong ways, so we as Christians may (and do) use the power available to us in wrong ways and for wrong ends. There are also soldiers who believe that they have been abandoned. They either do not know how to call on the military or the government for help, or they believe that calling won’t change anything. I tend to be in this latter group. According to the author of The Christian in Complete Armour, there are two keys to being strong in the Lord and in His mighty power and they are both acts of faith – of knowing and trusting.

          The first is that one must believe that God is almighty. If He has no power, there’s no use seeking it. The second is that God will share His power, will make it available to you and to me. This is where I run into trouble. I know that He can do anything that is within His character. That is what it means to be God. But I am not as rock solid on His willingness to do anything I ask.

          Part of the reason for this “failure” on His part is that I ask for things that are not within His character to do. I may also ask for things that He is too wise to do. I may ask for things that are contrary to His plans. In the passage in Ephesians, we are told to be strong specifically with regard to standing against evil, not for glorifying ourselves or even for glorifying God (though it does so.) We’re given instructions for our spiritual benefit, not our material benefit.

          And we are given reasons to trust God’s power in these areas: His past record, our present dilemmas, and His eternal desire. He wants us to seek His power. Of the first, this is why it is important for us to not only read Scripture (and Scripture as of first importance) but also to read individual histories of Christians. We are woefully under-educated about God’s interaction in the world. As far as our present dilemma goes, when else are we to ask God’s help? When we don’t need it?  Finally, how would you like it if your friend or your child refused to ask you for help – indeed if they went to everyone else but you for aid?

          So here’s the question of the day. What if victory is achieved because we have beaten back the enemy, but because we have turned to God? What if that turning to God doesn’t provide the victory, but is the victory?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Think About These Things

                 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) This passage is a major challenge for me. Like everyone else, I struggle to keep my thoughts from wandering off into the weeds, then wondering what possible benefits those weeds might have… Sigh. But as a writer, I have to delve at least a little into the ignoble, wrong, impure, unlovely, and debased. After all, there’s no story if everything’s just as it should be and everyone’s happy. As Christians, there are times when we need to deal with all the negatives, but that makes it even more important that we practice turning our minds by force of attention to what is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. It’s just too easy to get stuck in a swamp. With my...
1 comment
Read more

Higher Thoughts

  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)           The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,   for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord      so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:15-16) If you read about the ancient gods of the various peoples, you’ll find that they think just like people. In fact, they think just like the sort of people we really wouldn’t want to be around. They think like the most corrupt Hollywood producer or, like hormone overloaded teens with no upbringing.   It’s embarrassing to read. I have a friend who argues that because God is not just like us, He is so vastly dif...
2 comments
Read more

Pure...

            The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (I Timothy 1:5)   I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16) I’m probably cheating - or mishandling the Bible, but earlier I was thinking about love being pure and purifying. And hatred being pure and purifying. And anger…joy…patience… fear… jealousy… courage…lust… and other strongly felt feelings, attitudes, and beliefs. Today’s verse brings purity and love together, so it’s the verse of the day, but it’s not really the focus. That means my motive for sharing it with you probably isn’t pure. As you read through my list, you   probably thought, “Yeah” about some, and “What’s she on?” about others. But consider how much hatred, a...
Post a Comment
Read more