8-12-2016

      Good Morning All!!      

         Ephesians 6:11; “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

    We are in a battle; we are in a war.  Each day, each hour we do battle with the devil.  When we baptize we speak of being marked with the cross upon the forehead and the heart; we should also speak of having a target on our back.  The devil takes aim at that target and tries to score direct hits.  These hits are designed to cause pain, to cause doubt, to cause us to question God and, ultimately, to cause us to stop trusting in God and his promises.

      We often misunderstand this war.  It is not between God and the devil; it is between man and the devil.  The devil is not God’s equal.  The devil is a creature and the creature is never equal to the creator.  The devil is not all-knowing or all-powerful or present everywhere all the time.  The devil is not eternal; he was created and can be destroyed.  The devil cannot conquer God.

    Yet there are many in the world who want you to believe that this war is between two powers, good and evil, that are evenly matched and it can go either way.  Yet it cannot, Christ completely defeated the devil and all his minions.  The victory is completely Jesus’ and this is the victory that he gives you in your Baptism.  When you are marked with the cross, you are claimed by Christ the crucified and are given his victory as your own.  Yet if we fight this battle on our; if we use our skills, our strength and our “goodness” we will lose.

    We cannot defeat the devil on our own but we do not have to.  Jesus has already defeated him for us; that war is over and God won.  The only battle is the one that the devil fights against you.  This is the battle for your heart and your faith.  His goal is to deceive you and to lead you astray.  His goal is to cause doubt in your mind, sadness and sorrow in your relationships, fear of your future, worry about today, restlessness and a loss of peace.  This is his goal, a goal that Jesus gives you the power to avoid.  Jesus came and died to pay the price and rose again to show the complete victory.  This victory he gives to you because he loves you.  If you want to defeat the devil, trust God’s promise that you have won.

    The victory is yours to use.  Anytime you feel lost or restless, whenever you have doubts or question the direction or purpose of your life you only need to remember that you are marked for victory.  You are claimed by the risen Savior Jesus.  It is your victory he has won; trust it to give you hope.

Father, through Jesus we have victory.  Keep us mindful that our salvation is from you and not of our own power.  Lead us to always trust in your Word that we may know your peace.  Guide us to always stand firm in your mercy.  Protect those who are especially vulnerable to the devil’s attacks.  Calm their hearts and strengthen their faith.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret