Hello Everyone,
When Jesus weighs in. The Bible speaks to us about the thick, combative, ongoing spiritual battle that we are enmeshed in where the enemy never rests from seeking to lure us into a life of destruction and defeat. Not much of a character with that motivation! Imagine his profile; the author of rebellion (Isaiah 14:12-15), the evil one (Matthew 13:19), a murderer, the father of lies (John 8:44), the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), a thief; the one who seeks to steal our first love (God), kill every opportunity for us to flourish and mutilate our humanity (John 10:10). He is comfortable to create pain and suffering in God’s creatures (in fact the worse our suffering, the more he is delighted). He is comfortable to groom us for sin and lead us away from truth by sabotaging what we were created for. He seeks to scramble our thinking, creating questions about our creator and His character. He hopes to annihilate our purpose and short circuit our destiny. He is comfortable to drop the atomic bomb of destruction on humanity by leading any who are willing on a downward spiral of ruin to the pit of hell and he does so, rejoicing when he captures any human for eternal separation from God. And if that’s not all, he is the ultimate deflector, casting the spotlight on God, tricking humans into blaming God for the mess he makes. Sometimes he subtly launches the battle in the shadows and other times his strike is like a violent lightening show. He will do anything to rattle our spiritual cages and shackle us with the cuffs of fear. He is the general of evil in the war for our souls.
But, when Jesus weighs in, our footing is immediately shifted. Jesus is the supreme General who has already won the war and wears the victory badge that is forever flashed in the face of the enemy. When Jesus weighs in He stands in ultimate authority because he victoriously disarmed this adversary and shamed him through the cross and resurrection (Colossians 2:13-15). When Jesus weighs in, He makes sure every soldier in His army gets a new life and a victory badge that signals all debts have been paid and forgiveness is final. When Jesus weighs in, no weapon formed against us can stand (Isaiah 54:17). Jesus is our shield and our defender (Psalm 18:2) and we can claim victory (Romans 8:37). Jesus always wins because He has all authority (Matthew 28:18). But Jesus not only weighs in on the battles, He also leads us victoriously through this war, He dwells with us and gives us life in abundance, restores purpose, fulfils us, heals us, and leads us on an upward spiral towards our eternal home where we will dwell with Him forever in final fulfilment. Now, that’s a General with a perfect character, who seeks our utmost and sacrifices Himself to attain that.
The enemy may go around like a roaring lion, but Jesus has ROARED back and it’s a roar above all roars. The enemy is on borrowed time and his fate is more than sealed. There’s a final battle coming but because Jesus weighed in, the enemy is heading for final destruction and we will be in the army and presence of the greatest of all Generals; Jesus! And we will shout and scream “victory! we; He won the war!”
So, friends, get your armour on today.
Best days to come
Wen