August 2010
Dear Friends,
“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:10-12)
The last five weeks we have been in a struggle with our mail. Yes, the United States Postal Service, the organization that does not make mistakes, the organization you can count on in rain, snow or sleet. Apparently, our mailing address was changed and we were not notified for two weeks. Our mail was all “return to sender.” We noticed something was up when we stopped receiving checks in the mail for work we had completed. Funny, we notice the lack of checks before we notice the lack of bills. Ha,ha. Anyway, we were told, “oh don’t worry, everything is fine.”
Everything was NOT fine. After two weeks, we received a notice that our address had been changed and nothing was being forwarded from our old address. Our phone started to ring as vendor after vendor started getting all our mail returned. We had no idea. Our office manager spent hour after hour giving companies our new address, calling our suppliers, trying to track down bills so we were not late on payments, requesting our address be changed with our largest customer so we could be paid. You can imagine the nightmare.
When junk like that happens, I want to find someone to blame. I want to file a complaint. I want our money. I’m embarrassed and want our bills paid. Do you hear all those selfish I, I, I comments? We come out of the gates in a struggle and we assume the fight is against flesh and blood. We want revenge, we want a settlement, we want “our rights” and act like we “deserve” compensation for our inconvenience. Psalm 97:10 says, “Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of the faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” We must hate the evil, not the person that might be a part of inflicting the evil. In reality, the battle is against evil. The US Postal Service is managed by humans, people like us, who make mistakes.
What good would it do to raise a big ruckus, yell and scream or sue someone? Do I really want someone to lose their job over a five-week inconvenience? “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.” (James 4:1-2) The chances are THAT someone, who made a mistake, is friends with someone I know and love. We expect mercy for our mistakes, but do not want to give it to others when their mistakes affect us. What is wrong with us? Do I really think that God cannot provide a solution while we are sorting through the details and getting things back on track? Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Do I think He is not fully aware of everything that stresses me? Do I not believe He is our Provider whether the mail service works or fails? Do we really believe God controls everything? 1 Chronicles 29:11 “Yours O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and in earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all.” God gives us His armor so we can stand. Remember from a few months back, He fights for us when we stand. He reigns over ALL.
God knows the torment, nuisances and trouble that the adversary wants to play against us. God knows these little annoyances that are meant for evil, He can bring about for good in our lives. When bad things happen, we must remember that God allows them to pass through His hand. Remember Job 1 when Satan asks permission to attack God’s servant. Did the fool think he could really win against God? He is fully aware that the devil wages a war against us and wants to steal the peace that is ours from Christ Jesus. God is to be praised that He knows our struggle and He fights for us. The Lord says in Job 41:10-11 “Who then can stand against me? Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me.” No one can conquer our Lord. He will always win.
1 Peter 5:8-9 teaches us “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” God warns us that the evil is looking for us, it is real. We must be watchful and stand through the test. The enemy is sneaking around stalking us like a lion, trying to trip us up when we least expect it. He does not look like a lion or we would run in fear; he blends himself into our world so we do not expect him in that moment or struggle. The devil wins if we act out in sin against any struggle that bombards our world. God wins if we stand firm in the faith and trust Him to work out the confusion for us. It takes self-control not to lash out at people as it seems a part of the human condition is to blame someone else for anything bad that happens to us.
When struggles come, let us look to how we can resist the enemy and stand against his schemes. “So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide you a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:12-13) God has given me peace to stand and wait patiently for him. We still have not gotten those checks that were returned and now we have some bills that are overdue, but God will fight for us. The mail will eventually show up and I will feel so dumb that I got anxious, worried, angry and upset about something God can handle without my wrong thoughts, outbursts, doubts and complaining.
Let’s remember to fight against the right things… not against flesh and blood (people) but against the devil’s schemes, against the evil and the darkness of this world. Let’s fight for God’s LIGHT to shine in difficulty and that we stand firm in the faith when the road ahead looks confusing, scary and not worth the risk. Deuteronomy 33:27 “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” In Nahum 1:13 the Lords says, “I will break their yokes from your neck and tear your shackles away.” He was promising His people that He would free them from Nineveh and today, for us, He will break the yokes off our necks and tear the shackles away. We are free in the Lord so when the enemy tries to trick us into putting the shackles back on and putting the burdens back on our back, let us be alert so as not to fall for his evil schemes. “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:18) We can sow peace in a struggle and reap a harvest of living right before God. And check this out…”Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) When we live in the Light, the powers of darkness have no power and flee from us. Back to the drawing board, sucker, we figured out your dirty scheme this time! Our hope is in God and in Him we place our trust all day long.
Keep your game face on friends. Stay in the Word, for the Word is truth, and it will build your faith for the battles that will come and help you resist the evil one. Be self-controlled when a struggle comes your way and think things through before reacting and doing something you will later regret. Talk to God. He gives wisdom to all who ask. Love you all!
Living for His glory,
Hebrews 13:16 “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”