Scripturtes for Spiritual Victory #31

 II Chronicles 20 has a fascinating account of one of the many, many times God delivered the people of Judah, the southern Kingdom of Israel, from invasion and defeat.  King Jehoshaphat has gathered the people to come together and cry out to God to deliver them in what seems like a hopeless situation. They are greatly outnumbered by a coalition of armies set on their destruction. Then Jehoshaphat says this:

For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 13 Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 14 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

There are times we need to do exactly what Jehoshaphat did: simply and honestly say: We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” Then God will say: "I thought you'd never ask." The next day God shows them all that indeed the battle was His, not theirs. When they went to the lookout tower to observe the invading army they found that they were all dead on the battlefield; they had stirred them up to turn on one another and kill each other. The battle was done as soon and Jehoshaphat and Judah turned their trust from themselves to the Lord. Whatever the spiritual battle is you face today: the battle is not yours but His. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #30

Sometimes in our lives it seems like every day is a battle - temptation keeps on knocking, opposition keeps on building, accusation keeps on coming.  The psalmist knew it well. Though Psalm 91 is not designated as being David's personal testimony, we know he often was in similar situations when he was on the run from both Saul and the Philistines, neither of which he could trust. 

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

Though there was nowhere physically the psalmist could turn for safety, shelter, comfort, protection, there was someone he could trust: The Lord. Going into His temple, His presence, His care, under His roof, we can be calm, confident, and comforted. He will not let us be trapped by temptation; He will protect us from those things we cannot even see - spiritual forces in heavenly places; He will be like the mother bird sheltering her young under her wing. God says: "they are mine; you can't have them. Today, in the heat of the battle, the stress of the day, the attacks that come your way, find shelter and solace in the shadow of God. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #29

 

Psalm 18 is a longer Psalm, because David has a lot to celebrate. It is a reflection on the years of battle he had been through, both with enemies like the Philistines, and on the run from King Saul. Finally, David has had victory over them all, and is able to look back and see God's guiding, strengthening, and protecting hand. He says in verse

39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
    you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
    and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 They cried for help, but there was none to save;
    they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine as dust before the wind;
    I cast them out like the mire of the streets.
43 You delivered me from strife with the people;
    you made me the head of the nations;
    people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
    foreigners came cringing to me.
45 Foreigners lost heart
    and came trembling out of their fortresses.
46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
    and exalted be the God of my salvation—

Throughout the Psalm David says "I was able to do this, I defeated them, I beat them to the dust...", but in the final analysis he keeps coming back to reality: You equipped me with strength; You made my enemies turn their backs and run; You delivered me; You made me King.  David keeps erupting with songs like 46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,

    and exalted be the God of my salvation—

David looks back on all his victories on the way to becoming king, and realizes it all boils down to this: Lord, you did it. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #28

The book of Joshua opens with God saying to Him: "Look, Moses is dead; you're it.  All you have to do is lead this multitude of grumbling people into the promised land, drive out the current wicked people, and get these people happily settled in their new home. God then starts piling up the promises:

5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Notice that God tends to repeat Himself. We need that.  He tells Joshua that He will be able to do what he has been called to do, because God will be there every day; He's not going to run away. Joshua just needs to accept the strength and courage God provides. If that message in verse 6 did not get in one ear, God repeats it in verse 7 for the other ear: be strong and VERY courageous, sprinkled with a lot of obedience; stay on course. If you begin to wonder what to do, go to the rulebook, over and over again; keep coming back to it. Then you will: cause this people to inherit the land ... have good success ...  make your way prosperous ... have good success.  Then, in the final verse, the best-known, verse 9, God says: "Have you forgotten yet what I said? A third time He repeats:  Be strong and courageous. and since sometimes, yes we do need to hear it put negatively: Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed.  Don't be frozen with fear; accept the strength and courage God offers. Remember: the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #27

In Psalm 44, the Sons of Korah come to God with a plea for help. In verse  

4 You are my King, O God;
    ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 Through you we push down our foes;
    through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in my bow do I trust,
    nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes
    and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually,
    and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

With the beautiful parallelism of the Psalms, these songwriters say with one voice: "You are my King and our Savior.  You defeat our foes who rise up against us. It is not my weapons or our army. You win our battles.  Therefore, we praise you, we thank you, we trust you to deliver us once again." We never outlive our need for God, His strength, His leadership, His deliverance in the spiritual battles of life. He will always be worthy of our praise, our thanks our trust.  Is that what you're doing today? Selah - meditate on that - pause and consider Who He is, what He has done, and if you are responding to Him this way today.  

Scriptures for Victory #26

In Romans 8, having discussed what God does in and through us through His Holy Spirit, Paul brings things to a conclusion in verse:

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The first statement is concise and to the point:  If God is for us, who can be against us? For many of us, most of the time, that is enough.  But Paul builds to a crescendo as he mounts up the evidence to support it, using a series of questions: If God gave His Son, He won't hold back on giving us anything else we need; if the great accuser brings false charges against us, the Holy Spirit is our Advocate, Christ is our Intercessor, and God is Judge; if our sin, which separated us from God can be taken care of and cured by His love, then there is nothing else that can separate us from Him. Then comes the climax of the paragraph: 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. God will give the victory, through His love, His strength, His Son, His Spirit, which is greater than any challenge. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #25

We looked yesterday at the promise God gave through Joshua as he was passing off the scene, reminding the people of Israel that if they remained obedient and faithful, God would continue to fight for them. This actually was a principle he had received from Moses, before he had passed off the scene. Looking back to the time when the wilderness wanderings were over, and there were enemies they had to defeat even before they got to the Jordan River, God said through Moses:

18 “And I commanded you at that time, saying, ‘The Lord your God has given you this land to possess. All your men of valor shall cross over armed before your brothers, the people of Israel. 19 Only your wives, your little ones, and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock) shall remain in the cities that I have given you, 20 until the Lord gives rest to your brothers, as to you, and they also occupy the land that the Lord your God gives them beyond the Jordan. Then each of you may return to his possession which I have given you.’ 21 And I commanded Joshua at that time, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. So will the Lord do to all the kingdoms into which you are crossing. 22 You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.’

To have victory over our enemies, our faith and our faithfulness must overcome our fear. First, we must not be selfish about our victories.  Here, Moses addressed those who were staying on the East side of the Jordan river. They already had secured their towns, their homes.  But they were not to stay behind; they were to go with their brothers, standing with them and fighting for them. This meant they needed to trust God with their families and their possessions - to believe that God would protect them and provide for them while they were away.  This faithfulness to their brothers was connected to their faith; they needed to really trust God at His word, and not fear the unknown, the unseen.  Moses had told Joshua: Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. So will the Lord do to all the kingdoms into which you are crossing. What he and the people of Israel had seen was their foundation for faith and freedom from fear for what they yet had to see.  Therefore: 22 You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.’

Scriptures for Victory #24

As Joshua, the courageous leader charged with taking the people into the promised land, was giving his final challenge before going to be with God, he reviewed all that God had done for them, and he said:

6 Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, 7 that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, 8 but you shall cling to the Lord your God just as you have done to this day. 9 For the Lord has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. 10 One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as he promised you.

Israel was almost always outnumbered, but God almost always gave the victory. What were the exceptions? When they disobeyed God's word; when they loved false gods instead of Him; when they tried to do things their own way, in their own strength, on their own schedule.  In the middle of this passage Joshua puts it visually: but you shall cling to the Lord your God just as you have done to this day. Cling to God; cherish Him; love Him like a newlywed does a spouse.  Then you will continue to see God give you the victory. 

Scriptures for Victory #23

 Isaiah 40 is a powerful chapter on what God can do.  After 39 chapters of gloom and doom, it opens with a call for God's people to be comforted - that there is hope. Why? Two Reasons: first, God keeps His Word - it stands forever. That is connected to the second reason: Who we're dealing with here - "Behold your God", we are told! He is the Great One. By the time we get to the end of the chapter we are overwhelmed with a great and well-known promise of renewed strength by Almighty God. Today we will let God speak for Himself as we read beginning in verse:

21 Do you not know? Do you not hear?

    Has it not been told you from the beginning?

    Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,

    and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;

who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,

    and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;

23 who brings princes to nothing,

    and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.

24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,

    scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,

when he blows on them, and they wither,

    and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

25 To whom then will you compare me,

    that I should be like him? says the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:

    who created these?

He who brings out their host by number,

    calling them all by name;

by the greatness of his might

    and because he is strong in power,

    not one is missing.

27 Why do you say, O Jacob,

    and speak, O Israel,

“My way is hidden from the Lord,

    and my right is disregarded by my God”?

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

    the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

    his understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the faint,

    and to him who has no might he increases strength.

30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,

    and young men shall fall exhausted;

31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

    they shall walk and not faint.

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #22

We noted before in this series that the Apostle John seems especially aware of the spiritual warfare we as believers are involved in. We see that again in I John 3 
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

John is very cut-and-dry, black-and-white, matter-of fact about who we are and how we are to live as Christ-followers.  There are two sides in the battle: those who know God and those who do not, those who pursue purity and those who do not; those who practice sin and lawlessness and those who practice righteousness, those who are of the Devil and those who are of the Son of God, those who are God's children and those who are children of the devil.  What is John saying here? Notice the one little command John sneaks in here in verse 7: Little children, let no one deceive you. Be who you are, and don't let anyone convince you otherwise. Who is trying to? The devil and his dominion of darkness are trying to convince us that it really doesn't matter, that we are no different, and that the Son has not done what He has done: He came to destroy the works of the devil. He came to wage war on our behalf, and He has won. Let's not live like that's not true. To have spiritual victory, we need to take what Christ has done, who we are and what He has called us to seriously. Don't lose the victory in the mind before the battle cry even goes out. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #21

When Jesus walked and talked with disciples during His earthly ministry, he often brought up the issue of spiritual warfare, like in Matthew 16:

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

Once again, this war, these battles are not against physical peoples or institutions. Even "the Church", of which this is the first mention, is not some earthly institution or political body - it is the people of God under the leadership and lordship of Christ.  That is evident in that these other personalities were not kings or even priests - they were prophets who called people to repent.  Our head is no mere man. The Son of Man is also the Son of God. He transcends the physical/spiritual divide. As such, He is able to give us the victory where it matters most and forever - in the heavenly, unseen places. To be sure, such victories will affect the here and now on earth, but their effect is much further, longer, deeper. The church grows as we allow Him to bring the victories in and through us. When we do, the power of darkness weakens. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #20

In Paul's first letter to Timothy, we find some personal counsel on how to have spiritual victory. Chapter 6:

11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

The first question, of course, is what are "these things" that Timothy is to run away from? The whole paragraph before, and after, has to do with the pursuit of happiness through financial gain and material possessions. Those are exactly the things our society values most.  Paul says: "don't run after them, run away from them." Instead, pursue a right relationship with God, character like God, faith in God, the love of God, a steadfast trust in God, and a gentle way of dealing with people like God does.  These things are all steps toward winning the fight, spiritual victory. Don't try to grab all the things you can in this world; take hold of things eternal.  Paul then commissions Timothy as an officer in God's army, as He says "I charge you in the presence of God, to obey your Commanding Officer and to wear your uniform well. Remember Who you serve: the only Sovereign King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Live a life to honor Him. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #19

One of the writers of Scripture very in tune with the topic of spiritual warfare was the Apostle John. In his Revelation he records this in chapter 12:

7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Here we have exposed the true nature of our enemy. Satan has always been around living up to his name. The term devil means "false accuser, one who slanders", while his very name Satan means "adversary." He is the one that gives lawyers a bad name. John describes him and his cohorts here as being kicked out of the courtroom for his contempt for God, his lies about the saints, and his bent on destroying everything and everyone God has made. This passage is a victory to behold.   And how is it all possible? The salvation God has provided, the omnipotence and sovereignty of God at work, and the authority He has given Christ, whose shed blood has cleansed His people and emboldened them to stand for the truth, even at the cost of their own physical lives. This is powerful stuff. It is a celebration of victory in court, as well as a reminder that out in the streets - on earth today, until Christ returns, Satan will be doing his thing, falsely accusing us, doing all he can to silence us and discourage us. Our weapons are still the same: the truth, power, and work of Christ on our behalf, letting Him argue our case in court, while we live life for Him. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #18

In Romans 12, Paul has gotten to the application section of his epistle, and what he addresses is how we appear and interact as God's people in an antagonistic and fallen world. We are to think, speak, act, and react differently. Thinking about our responses and reactions, he says in verse

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Here Paul addresses how we treat everyone: fellow believers, people we are associated with, and especially our enemies in the flesh.  What we need to keep straight is the distinction between our physical enemies and our spiritual enemies.  Our spiritual enemies are in the heavenlies, in unseen places, and are to be dealt with according to passages like Ephesians 6. Our physical enemies could be in the next country, in our government, in our neighborhood, or even our own homes.  How do we respond to them/react to them? Is it with retaliation? Bitterness? Revenge? Spiritual victory does not come when we act in unspiritual ways toward others. It goes back to the opening challenge in Romans 12:1: a renewed mind: changing the way we think about others, and a transformed life: responding to others as Christ did. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #17

In John 8, Jesus is recorded to have spoken with great authority, with many believing in Him, while others were not quite so sure.  Then this interaction took place:

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 

Nothing is more central to spiritual warfare than the Truth.  What we believe to be true will determine what we give our minds to and therefore our lives to. The truth is that all of us, on our own, are slaves to sin. If we will not admit that, we will not be able to be freed; we will not be able to live in spiritual victory. But if we will admit that reality, and trust in the Only One Who can make us free, we are on the path to victory. We need Him, what He has done, and what He can and will do to give us victory over temptation, doubt and fear, and the ability to live life confidently - to know what is true and act and speak accordingly. May we live in truth today. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #16

One of the verses about Spiritual Victory which has been important in my life since I was a young man is found in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 10:

11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

In context here, Paul is talking to them about the stubborn, rebellious people of Israel who fell into gross idolatry and immorality while Moses drew close to God on Mt. Sinai. They became overconfident in their relationship with God and ability on their own to live in righteousness.  They came to think they were above temptation.  We are all prone to the same power of pride in our lives.  And just like them, we tend to make excuses, to think that we are special cases, and we have a reason to give into sin and selfishness. They blamed Moses for being up on the mountain so long, and in a sense God, for making them wait. We deserve no such exemption. Though each of us are a  unique creation in the image of God, and as believers we are a new creation in Christ, we do not have unique circumstances that make us exempt from God's rules. God is most unique of all: He is Holy, and He is faithful to provide us with the way of escape, and with the grace and strength of Christ, if we are only willing to humbly say and live like we need Him to do so. God promises victory as we rely upon Him, and Christ's righteousness for the way to go and will to live out His purposes for us. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #15

As Jesus was winding down his time with the disciples in the upper room on the night he was betrayed, John records his statement in chapter 16:

32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

What an oxymoron. Jesus has been talking to them about the battles they will face, and how they will be like scattered troops, scattered sheep, running scared for their lives. At the same time He would stand alone, fighting the greatest spiritual battle of all times against sin, Satan and death.  They were, and we are to take heart, to find courage in Him and His strength and victory.  Though everything around us may make us afraid, though temptation after temptation may come, there is hope for victory, and that hope is found in Christ, and Christ alone.

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #14

In Deuteronomy 28, Moses is giving a final call to the people of Israel as they prepare to enter into the promised land.  His primary challenge is to obey the commandments of God. He says in verse 

7 “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. 8 The Lord will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 9 The Lord will establish you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways. 

Once again, this is a promise primarily for the people of Israel at that time. God is not necessarily promising us military victory individually or as nations if we claim this verse. But there is an underlying truth here: If we want spiritual victory in our battles against sin and the wiles of the Devil, obedience to the clear commands of God is essential.  We cannot and should not think that we can think, do and say things that are displeasing to God day in and day out, and then expect to be able to resist temptation and be able to discern the attacks Satan is making against us.  When we are thinking like God thinks- approaching life's daily decisions, relationships and meaning according to God's principles, we will be in both a mental and spiritual position to be on guard against Satan's attacks and to trust God's way to take us through them. God will keep His promises to us; will we keep them to Him?

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #13

Our passage today may not at first glance seem to be about spiritual victory, but indeed it is: Matthew 18:

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

One of the enemy's greatest tactics is to divide us and isolate us, convincing us that we are in this battle all by ourselves; we often give in and give up to his devices. We either become so shamed by our sin, or so proud in our own strength, that we try to go it alone.  We also quickly abandon one another when we see a brother or sister struggling in sin, because we are afraid that he/she will either pull us down with them, or turn on us as seeming self-righteous.  Jesus says: "look, you are in this together; you need each other; you need to hold each other accountable. be submissive to the spiritual leaders over you, and pray together - come together to me to make a plan."  To see spiritual victory, we need to include Him and one another. Let's not let Satan convince us otherwise. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #12

Often, Jesus would give illustrations as He spoke and His followers - even His closest disciples - could not understand at first. Such is the case when in John 10 He sought to contrast a true shepherd with a stranger, a thief, a robber.  
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Jesus responds to their confusion with a double-barreled I am statement: I am the door of the sheep and I am the good shepherd. On the one hand, he was contrasting Himself with the religious hirelings, the scribes and Pharisees that really did not care about the well-being of the sheep.  But He was also looking deeper, to the Thief of Thieves, Satan, who is out to get God's sheep. He is the great protector, who lays down his body at the entrance to the sheephold, keeping the sheep safe. And He is the Good Shepherd, Who was, like David, willing to fight off the thief, even if it meant His own death. The picture is this: we are not trained warriors by nature; we are spiritual sheep. We need the shepherd to fight the battles for us. He is our protector and defender. Just as He has laid down His life to pay for our sins, He will be there whenever the thief, deceiver, and accuser comes to wage battles against us. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #11

Today's Passage is one of those where context is everything: Luke 10:
 17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

At the beginning of the chapter, Jesus had send out seventy-two disciples, two-by-two, ahead of Him, as he traveled throughout the towns and cities of Israel.  They were to present the Gospel - that the kingdom of God had come in the person of Jesus Christ.  As they did, they were entering into spiritual battle. He told them that they could expect resistance to the good news, and many would reject them, but they were to keep on moving forward to where people would respond.  When they came back to report to Him, they were excited to report that they had seen people receive the good news, and that even those who had been controlled by demons responded and were delivered.  Jesus then says in verse 19: Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Some throughout history have taken this as an invitation to play with snakes during worship, but it is obvious here that this is an illustration of spiritual battle. Satan had deceived Eve and Adam as a serpent, and he has all sorts of underlings who present themselves in disguise.  We might also have an allusion here to the event where Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake and brushed it off, not holding him back from sharing the Gospel - Luke, who is writing here was the penman for Paul. Rather than playing with pythons, Jesus calls on them, and us, to focus on what is important: getting our names, and those of others, in the book of those who will be with Him in eternity.  Let us not be afraid of the battle, but rather listen to the instructions of our Commander, trusting in Him for the victory.  

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #10

Our scripture for Spiritual Victory today  comes from II Thessalonians 3:

 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

When Paul wrote his letters it was not all about correcting errors at the churches; he also wanted them to be encouraged, including when they knew he was on the frontlines, suffering persecution for the faith. He tells these faithful Thessalonian believers that God is more faithful.  He is not only watchful like they are to be; He sees everything. He is the core of stability, and we can put our confidence in Him, both for ourselves, and for others. What we need to do for spiritual victory is willingly trust in His love for us, and depend upon the grace He offers in Christ. God sees; He cares; He can. Let's put our faith there. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #9

Our Sunday School study these past few months has taken us through the prophecies God gave Zechariah, which can be difficult to understand, as they were to Zechariah. How, after God used the Babylonians to chastise Israel and level the Temple, could things ever be restored? Zechariah gets part of the answer in chapter 4:

5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7 Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

When the battle seems impossible, and victory hopeless, we need to remember that it is not our own might or power that matters; it is the power of the Spirit of God that matters.  It is indeed the grace of God who works in us, doing what we cannot do on our own. What we cannot see is the Spirit of God at work, and what we cannot hear is Him shouting:  "Grace, Grace, Give it more Grace!" What seems hopeless to us is indeed possible with God. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #8

Many of you will recognize the scriptural address of I Corinthians 15 as "The Resurrection Chapter." Paul begins the chapter talking about the historical resurrection of Christ as the highly witnessed event of human history. He then goes on to emphasize how important His resurrection is to our salvation both past and present. He does this to encourage us in facing the problems of this life as well as the possibility that most will experience physical death.  But this is not the end of the story, as he concludes in the final paragraph:

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

The resurrection of Christ drives us, motivates us, and the thought of this future victory at the trump of God moves us to this trumpet sound: But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. What Christ accomplished in the past, and the assurance of what He will do in the future is to affect how we live in the present: steadfast, faithful, and confident in Christ and His plan for our lives.  May we live thankful lives today, allowing Him to lead us to victory. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #7

Romans 8 is full of spiritual battles: The enemy uses the sins of our past to haunt our minds with guilt; our flesh keeps trying to pull us back into sin; the struggles of life in this fallen world seek to weigh us down; sometimes we even struggle to know how to talk with God.  In each of these attacks and attempts, Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit is at work within us to help us. He then summarizes in the last paragraph:

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of
God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Paul points us not only to the work of the Holy Spirit presently, but back to the work of Christ, past and present. He is standing next to the Father testifying on our behalf as Satan accuses us in our minds and interceding for us as we struggle. God's love still holds us strong, and He is much more powerful than the enemy. What we are going through is not unique - as the Old Testament quote reminds us, God's people have always faced such things. But God is unique and will make us super conquerors in the spiritual battles.

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #6

No discussion of Spiritual Victory would be complete without Ephesians 6:

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 

Paul says: "know the enemy."  Satan, sin and self-sufficiency are devious, persistent, and persuasive. In order to defend and win against such enemies, we need to be ready at all times, with  a mental and spiritual awareness that does not wear us out. That means a commitment to truth, keeping our relationships with God and others right, showing people what we believe by how we live, so they are not surprised. These need to be on at all times, so we do not live in fear, having the adrenaline flowing, which will wear us out.  Then, we also need to have readily available our trust in Christ, assurance of salvation and such a familiarity with scripture that we will be ready to respond when the actual attack comes. Stand ready. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #5

Today we go to the Old Testament for a principle of Spiritual Warfare, looking a prophecy given through Isaiah in chapter 54:

15 If anyone stirs up strife,
    it is not from me;
whoever stirs up strife with you
    shall fall because of you.
16 Behold, I have created the smith
    who blows the fire of coals
    and produces a weapon for its purpose.
I have also created the ravager to destroy;
17     no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,
    and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord
    and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

What makes spiritual warfare so difficult is how to fight an invisible battle of thoughts and words.  It is hard when people say things about you, falsely accusing you.  But that is one of Satan's greatest strategies. He is the great accuser, using lies, half-truths, forgiven sins and failure to assail God's people. God points this out to His people here. God will vindicate us when we are faithful to Him. That does not mean that we will never be falsely accused nor that people will not believe the lies, but that ultimately the truth will be shown and his people vindicated. God had a greater weapon than Satan's weapon, and that is the Truth. And He has an army we cannot see protecting the souls of His people.  Satan can never beat that. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #4

We've seen what James, John, and Paul have to say about spiritual victory. Today we look in I Peter 5:

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 

We've already talked about the great humility and submission we need to have before God for victory, as well as the core issue of Satan's attack on the mind. He is devious and relentless.  Something else this passage reminds us of is how much our emotions can mislead us. Our anxieties, fears and worries which are not submitted to God can wreak havoc on how we respond to trials and temptations; we need to give them all to God.  Another key element of spiritual battle is to constantly remember that we are not alone in our struggles: believers throughout the world are under attack as well, remaining faithful in even more severe and difficult situations. In spiritual warfare it is easy for us to think we are a special case - worse than any other case, and that this gives us an excuse for giving in, letting up, responding to temptations and trials with less dedication to being victorious. Peter says: that is simply not the case. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #3

In II Corinthians 10, Paul talks tough about the Spiritual Battle we are in:

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

We have already seen the need we have to submit to God and depend on the Holy Spirit to have victory. Here Paul talks about the weapons and ammunition we are to use.  The weapons are our minds: fully under the control of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. We are not talking about being smart or crafty in debating - it is actually the proud enemy who thinks he is smarter and he is tricky- he is the great deceiver; we are not going to out-trick the great trickster. We need to begin from a humble perspective, like Paul does, making sure our hearts and minds are protected with truth. What is truth? Reality as God sees it. And when Truth guides our thinking, victorious obedience follows. Today, may God and His truth take every thought captive, and may we humbly obey and serve Him. 

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #2

Today we look at another of the shorter letters of the New Testament: I John chapter 4.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 

As we face the daily, and sometimes, intense spiritual battles, we need to have the perspective we talked about yesterday: humility.  We should not have the attitude that we are big, bad adults, but young children. Yet that does not make us weak, because as followers of Christ, we have withing us the indwelling powerful Spirit of God. We need to be very aware and in tune to His speaking and His leading. We also need to be aware that there is another spirit at work in the world - the spirit of the enemy. We are not to live in fear of his spirit, but we are to be very aware of his influence, and not allow him to sway us, be it emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.  This all leads us to our key verse for the day, verse 4: When we have this in balance, we can overcome, we can have the victory in our daily lives. Face today depending on Him.

Scriptures for Spiritual Victory #1

Today, as we enter into a weekend of celebration and commemoration of our nation's freedom, we begin a new series of studies on Scriptures for Spiritual Victory.  There is war going on all around us and within us - an unseen battle of heart, soul and mind. We want to be prepared for these battles we encounter daily. James 4 says:

6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

Our core verse is brief and succinct, but we need to make sure we keep things in order. We cannot fight this war on our own, and we are not in charge. We must first submit ourselves to the authority and power of our Commander and Creator; we need to draw closer to Him; we need to recognize Him as "in charge." The other half of the command is to resist the enemy general, refusing to fall into his plan. And what is his main plan? Pride. He wants us to think and act like he does; he wants us to think that it's all about me, and how I feel, what I want.  Spiritual victory is best for me, but it's not all about me. We cannot be double-minded or two-faced about this. We can only serve one Commander, and that requires that we report to Him, and have Him inspect our hands and hearts, our actions and motives, to make sure we are fighting for Him, and not the enemy.