December 8

Ephesians 5:15-6:23; Colossians 1:1-23

Our enemy, the devil, is very clever and very crafty. The better he can camouflage himself and have Christians fighting others and each other, the easier it is to render us powerless. Divisions within the body of Christ are formed over political ideology, denominational differences, non-essential elements of the faith, etc. Fear and isolation has further separated the body of Christ as many now choose to stay “safe” in their homes, watching services privately, rather than engaging in fellowship with others. Among the various pieces of armor that Paul mentions is “the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil” (Ephesians 6:16). Paul had in mind the armor of a Roman soldier. The Roman shield was 2 1/2 feet wide and 4 feet long. In battle, side by side, edge of shield to edge of shield the front line would crouch behind their shields. The front of the shield was overlaid with leather and a fireproof substance. All subsequent battle lines would crouch behind the front line with shield side by side over their heads. They were impenetrable as they would approach their adversary in unison. So are we Christians when we approach our enemy side by side in fellowship. But as many have chosen to remove themselves for “safety”, the result is our defenses have been weakened as there are spaces in our army. This isolation, driven by fear, empowered by our enemy the devil, has made chinks in our armor.

Peter warned us in 1 Peter 5:8, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” He is behind the scenes and fuels the forces against the people of God. Paul writes in Ephesians 6:10-12, “ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Paul was attacked on every side by others, but he never lost sight of the true enemy. With his battle experience, he then tells us how to prepare in 6:13-18(NKJV), “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. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”

Our situation is not unique, nor is our enemy the devil or the techniques he uses. If you believe what you or we are experiencing is worse than ever, read 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 for a sampling of what Paul went through as a result of his faith. Despite all of this Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NKJV), “ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,”. As Christians we need to get our eyes on Jesus and off of others. Distractions and fear are tools of the enemy which are having a profound effect on the army of God. We need you. I need you. We are brothers and sisters in the family of God. We are strong when unified, but weak when separated. If you question, in fear, just remember 1 John 4:4, “ But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”

Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley:

Marj Lancaster