The Final Fight

Journal #10

            Ephesians 6:10-12 says: “Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.”

Ephesians six has long been one of my favorite passages of scripture, because it always comes to mind when I need it most. Spiritual warfare is real, and it is a constant challenge in my walk with Christ. Particularly, I feel the effects of spiritual warfare when I am entering a period of spiritual growth. Satan hates to see God win, and he will fight the hardest whenever it seems that he is losing a foothold in my life. He will come from every angle—spiritual, physical, and emotional—to try to destroy, and I cannot resist him on my own. I get frustrated, confused, and distressed, and two questions always come to mind: Why is spiritual warfare so difficult, and how do I win? Pointing to the Savior and His strength in the spiritual realm, Ephesians chapter six answers both of these questions.

First, verse 12 provides insight into the difficulty of the battle. The reason that spiritual struggles seem impossible to overcome is that we are fighting beings against whom we have no human defense against. They are “the rulers…authorities…the world powers of this darkness…the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.” (Verse 12). We men may know how to handle the local bully, a rival business, or a hostile government, but we cannot fight these evil spiritual beings because we do not even really know what they are. Without the help of a stronger Spiritual Being, we will fall every time. Also, spiritual struggles are not on our battlefield. While the effects of spiritual warfare can be seen on earth, it is truly being played out “in the heavens,” which is a place we cannot see or understand. Once again, our only hope is in the Lord, who is perpetually present and authoritative in the heavens.

If the battle is against beings we cannot fight and on a plain we cannot access, then how can we hope to gain the victory? The answer is provided in verse 10: “Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.” Our victory will come from God’s might, not our own. Too often I think I know the best plan of attack or defense, and I commit to carry it out without surrendering to the One who is the master strategist. However, by having faith in Christ and cultivating my relationship with Him, I will have victory in His strength. Further, we have been charged to be prepared. God will provide the strength, so we are expected to turn every area of our lives over to Him, taking time to “Put on the full armor of God” (Verse 11). Quiet time and striving to be Christ-like will prepare us for the battle by ensuring that we are protected from every area of assault, as explained in verses 14-17. We cannot be prepared just with a belt of truth, for we also need a helmet of salvation, breast-plate of righteousness, sandals of readiness, a shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit, all of which come from God. Finally, to gain the victory we must “Stand” (Verse 14). To stand takes courage, and to stand takes strength. We cannot win by giving in and running away from evil, because then our backs are turned and we are defenseless. Instead, we are to have hope in the Lord, take the strength He offers, face evil, and fight with all of our might. Like a boxer in the final round, we may be exhausted and wounded, but the victory will one day be ours. Just as He already defeated death and Hell, Christ will inevitably defeat evil once and for all. When that happens, those who follow Him will follow Him to victory.   

             

            

God's Fireworks

Journal #9

            As autumn intensifies, the mountains become God’s fireworks. Blanketing peaks, valleys, and ridges, the trees of upstate South Carolina are transforming from their summer green to the explosive colors of fall. Red, orange, and yellow leaves mimic fire-engines and jack-o-lanterns, and their brilliance leaves me awestruck. Unlike the lively beauty of spring, though, the splendor of autumn leaves comes from a passing, not a growth. Though striking and admirable, the leaves that highlight our fall skies are dying.

            I was studying in the library when my mind captured the thought. Through the window, I could see the leaves quivering in the wind, and occasionally one would lose strength and fall from its source of life. How stirring, I thought. Beauty was the result of death. For the tree to survive, it was shedding its worn clothes and preparing for a new season of growth. What would happen if the tree refused to discard its worn-out leaves, or if it didn’t rest during the winter months of stress? It would die. Without change, the tree would never live and fulfill its purpose. Death was necessary for life.

            Like a tree, some things in our lives must change in order to be who God desires us to be. Why do we cling to the things of old, continually cherishing them as if they help us live? Our vices—and even our virtues—will kill us if we refuse to give them to God. God knows the ins and the outs of change. He sees the great spring in the end, and He knows exactly what needs to die so that the fruits of the Spirit can live. We cannot have both. I often find myself refusing to allow an old, useless leaf of my soul to die, and then I wonder why I cannot seem to grow. I can’t grow during these times because the old is in the way of the new. Like Paul said, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.” Even if we do not know what those new things are, Christ has promised that they will come. If we give our lives to God, He will grow us into the new creations that He intends us to be, and as our flesh passes away, it will be more beautiful and stirring than a mere tree will ever be.  

            A tree doesn’t lose its leaves in a day. It gradually changes until the job is complete. For a time it is barren, and then the new growth blossoms into spring. We cannot become discouraged during times of change. Old passes away and new is birthed, but it will not be in an instant. Our seasons may be long and wearisome, and our souls will likely long for the months of spiritual winter to be finished. One day, though, the preparations will be complete. Our souls will be ready, and our new will light up our lives. Until then, though, we must be encouraged by the beauty in every season. Whether in growth or in refinement, God has made a way for our lives to be transformed into pleasing vessels of grace, fellowship, and worship.    

God through the Grief

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort..."

     Death brings pain. It brings suffering, grief, and a sense of overwhelming loss. To know that someone I love has lost someone they love... it hurts. I grieve for them and with them, because death is a sting that can only be overcome by the One who has power to overcome it. Even though I know that death for a Christian is the gateway to life, it's difficult to accept that they will no longer be with us for a while. It's difficult, and it is dismaying. But God is the God of all comfort. Comfort through persecution, comfort through uncertainty, and comfort through loss. It's not our strength that will prevail; it's His. It's not we who know the secret to comfort; it's Him. He's the only one who can sustain through times of loss because He's the only one who truly knows what it is like to lose someone unjustly. For us, death is the wages of sin. When God, though, gave his son to death on the cross, it was not the wages of His sin. It was the wages of our sin. God handed His son over to sin. Jesus was lashed, humiliated, tortured, and killed for something someone else had done-- for something everyone else had done. That is loss.
     It was for a reason, though. Three days later, God worked the most miraculous, joyous, and glorious miracle that has ever been done on the face of the earth. He conquered sin with His power, He put it to shame with His might. No longer was the loss of Jesus a catastrophe; it was transformed into a tool by which the sins of the world were paid for, and man could be restored to God through faith in Christ. The story didn't end with death. It ended with life.
     For Christians, death doesn't just signal the end of an era, it signals a beginning. Grieving is acceptable and even good. It is a chance for us to vent our pain and suffering, and it shows the extent of our love. However, grieving isn't to last forever. Just as Christ's resurrection changed the course of the world and gave the disciples new hope, so our lives must continue after loss and grief, even if it is different. In fact, it will never be the same. That is the very reason why we are able to live a life of fulfillment and peace after losing someone to death's grip; "He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God." Loss is excruciating and maddening, but with Christ the loss will turn to growth. We are filled with the life of Christ. Hang on. Hold on to hope. Trust in the Lord. Grieve, be saddened, but be not paralyzed. Yahweh is here.

A Taste of Apologetics

Journal #7

Apologetics: having an explanation for what we believe. Over the weekend, I went to one of the most renowned apologetics conferences in the nation. The speaker lineup included Josh McDowell, Dinesh D’Souza, Hank Hanegraaff, JP Moreland, Gary Habermas, and many other highly intelligent Christian leaders. In just two days, I was able to watch as teachers presented rational explanations for topics such as faith, the resurrection, the existence of the soul, the accuracy of the Gospels, and the divine inspiration of scripture. It was comforting and challenging to hear these arguments spelled out. Comforting, because questions I had pondered for a long time were finally resolved. Challenging, because the truth has been revealed, yet our culture does not believe. Learning about the rational arguments for our faith does the Kingdom very little good if we don’t take the truth into the world and use it to share the love of Christ. 

I will briefly explain one of the most profound evidences I encountered. In one session, Michael Licona answered the question “Do the Gospels Contradict?” The simplest answer is “no.” There are differences, he explained, but not contradictions. Contradictions are incompatible, but differences are compatible. Often, Licona stated, witnesses state simultaneously true aspects of the same story. Take, for example, the women at the tomb. Mathew, Mark, and Luke, clearly explain that multiple women went down to the tomb on the third day. John, however, only specifically mentions Mary Magdalene. While this is a difference, it is not an incompatible difference. Importantly, the next verse records that Mary said “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!” Licona points out that she said “we don’t know where they have put Him!” In this passage, Mary is implying that there were in fact others with her when she discovered that Jesus’s tomb was empty. 
So why are these differences there? Licona goes on to describe the literary genre of the gospels; they are Greco-Roman biographies. Unlike the biographies of modern times, ancient Greco-Roman biographies were not as focused on details. Yes, they had “some intent” to report history, but there was not a heavy emphasis on minute details. Instead, writers of the 1st century AD were more concerned with conveying the character and nature of their subjects. In other words, the person was more important than the event. This does not mean, however, that the Gospels (or other Greco-Roman biographies of the time) are inaccurate or unhistorical. Instead, it means that 1st Century writers were allowed to employ techniques such as time compression and narrative flow. Time compression allowed for stories to be condensed, and narrative flow is the rearranging of events out of chronological order. Both of these literary techniques were used so that the overall story flows smoothly and more effectively presents the character of the individual being described. 
Through the Gospels, the character of Jesus Christ the Messiah is presented to the world. There are differences between Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, but they are literary differences resulting from their nature as Greco-Roman biographies. They are still inspired, accurate works which present the truth of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 
   

Puzzle Pieces

Journal #6

                I remember my family putting together a puzzle once. I was young and easily distracted, so it was difficult for me to sit still long enough to make any headway on that frustrating task. The pieces were scattered out all over the living room floor, the mass of tangled pieces didn’t look anything like the box, and I would have given up if my parents hadn’t been there to help me. Slowly, though, over the course of several weeks, the puzzle came together piece-by-piece to form the picture of a scarlet, rustic barn that was printed on the box. As we put the last straggling piece in place, I rejoiced and celebrated. The picture was complete; we had won.

                Sometimes my inability to see the box-top of my life overwhelms me. It seems that my talents, my interests, my experiences, my calling, my personality, my desires, et cetera have no hope of coming together to form a coherent plan. I get frustrated by a missing piece and try to fix it by my own power, cramming together unfitting areas and neglecting areas that are actually part of the design. Since I cannot yet see the big picture of my life, I try to create my own picture, and all I end up with is a mix-matched pile of uselessness.

                The Great Creator, however, knows full and well what my box-top looks like. He designed it, and He is orchestrating it moment-by-moment. He knows my scattered talents and desires, my gifts and my weaknesses, and He will one day bring them together into a whole. Right now, I see only in part but, one day I will “see not in part but in whole,” and I will “know fully as I am known.” That day is my goal and my desire, but until then I have a job to do. I plan and I try, but my assurance comes from the knowledge of the power and love of God. As His child, He is with me, and He expects me to work through my confusion and to focus on Him. If I strive to align my desires to His will, to seek after His heart, then I have no need to worry. No, I can’t see the future. But He does, and that is all I need to know.