1-15-2016

 Good Morning All!!   

    Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” 

   Some days.  Some days are just a real struggle, a real battle.  At the end of the day, we are completely exhausted.  Yet we go to bed and rest very little.  How come our life can be a struggle?  Sometimes it seems like others don’t have struggles.  The truth is that we all have struggles; it is just that some can be seen while others cannot.

    Everyone struggles with some issue.  It might be trouble at work.  It might be trouble at school.  It might be a struggle at home.  But sometimes it seems like Christians have more struggles than non-believers, why is that?  If we are God’s children, why is it such a struggle in life?  Because dealing with death, family relationships especially with children or spouses, issues that may require some ethical decisions like hospice or adoption test our faith and our obedience to Jesus.  We all struggle and we struggle because we are Christians. 

      That is what our verse tells us.  We wrestle (struggle) not against flesh and blood but against the devil.  We struggle because our faith matters in our life.  We struggle because we strive to follow God’s will.  Look at our examples.  What unbeliever would care if their daughter was or wasn’t an unbeliever?  What unbeliever would give up personal gain to serve God and his Church?  What unbeliever doesn’t place a measure on their relationship and as soon as “you are more trouble than you are worth” don’t bail on that relationship?  We struggle because of our faith.  When it happens, don’t be caught off guard, don’t be surprised. 

     As a believer, you are in the devil’s sights and when you struggle the devil is ready to make it more difficult.  The devil is ready to make it difficult to follow Christ.  Why does it always seem that everyone else can cheat, lie, steal, act in any fashion they want but we think it is wrong so we struggle with these actions?  It is because we know God’s will and the spirit moves us to follow God’s will but our own sinful nature tries to cause troubles so we struggle.

     So when those struggles occur always remember this.  At the end of it all, you are God’s forgiven redeemed child.  He loves you, cares for you and gives you the promise of eternal life.  Jesus has fought the world and has defeated it.  He has won the victory for you so that you will know that you will emerge victorious in all of our struggles.  Jesus’ death and resurrection means that through it all, we have the certainty of salvation.  Our struggle is not of this world but our victory is even greater for ours is the victory of God.  This doesn’t always remove the struggles but it gives us hope to overcome them.

Father in heaven, you know the days that we struggle and the devil whispers loudly in our ear.  Give us an extra measure of your grace that we will defeat him.  Lead us to seek out your Word for comfort and also the arms and ears of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray.  Amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret