defensive – The Arrow Preacher

Private Property

Alone in the house I sit, the walls around and the roof above provide protection from the wolves at night, the predators that prowl searching for the weak. When we want to be left alone on our property we post Do Not Disturb signs. These signs let everyone know that their presence is not welcomed, not to enter without explicit permissions. That’s the unfortunate essence of our lives. Our creator gives us the choice of free will, so this summarily makes us sentient. With that free will comes the right to choose whether or not we will accept or deny the existence of God.

In Scripture it is written that those who follow in Christ will be saved, and those who do not will spend eternity suffering. It’s not easy for some to acknowledge there is something greater out there then they can see with their own eyes. For some the truth is reading between the lines. Reading and studying what exists but in the past. God never forces His way into our hearts. It must be a free voluntary choice to allow God into our lives. There is one however that ignores the stay out signs. The Devil a burglar that creeps around the shadows, pulling at strings, testing the defenses of the house, looking anyway in. Our heart is what the Devil wants. Our minds and our souls are what the Devil tries to gain access too. The Devil doesn’t look for our permission to wreak havoc in our lives. Why do we spend so much time and energy placing defenses for our homes, but we don’t do the same for our eternal souls? 1 John 3:8 “8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” The Devil destroyed the relationship between God and his children. The Serpent divided the home and got Eve to disobey the Father. 2 Corinthians 11:3 “3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” The Devil trespasses as often as he likes with no care for your own personal feelings.

Vigilance is so important. We keep our homes locked at night, our vehicles locked in public. We do not leave our belongings lying around for anyone to take, so why then are we so careless with the only thing that truly matters, our eternal salvation? The most dangerous intruder we could ever come across and we almost give Him the keys to our home to come and go whenever he wants. 1 Peter 5:8-9 “8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” The Devil will find any unlocked window, any loose bored, any unlocked door, anyway he can to break into your heart. It doesn’t matter if you have your private property sign out there it’s not enough. You have to find the protections and shields for your heart.

We often fall pray to the worldly desires of our hearts thus giving in to a sin nature. What defenses do we have against the Devil? We have the Armor of God. We have the teaching and warnings of Christ. We were given the instructions and told to resist. We do this by knowing scripture, knowing it well enough to have it memorized to heart. Being able to see sin in our lives is an important first step. Remember how to treat others, knowing the right and wrong in our walk is vital to fighting sin nature. Others may harm us, others may steal from us, and the Devil will use our desires against us, it’s important to see what’s in front of us, and don’t take the bait.

Collateral Damage

In life we are promised salvation, but we aren’t promised a life without pain or suffering. In my past I have questioned why God would let bad things happen to me, I would question why I was destined for so much pain. The truth is neither simple nor straightforward, but what is clear is that God allows free will to reign on this planet. Other people’s decisions are often the cause of unintended misfortune. The greatest of truths is we have the power to follow the path set before us, to listen to what God wants by paying attention. When we stray from that path we will find obstacles we weren’t intended to face. When others make choices against Gods plan or design we are often the collateral damage. Every day on this planet a hidden war is being waged and there are always casualties in war. We may not be able to see the battles being waged but trust to know it’s real. The battles are for the very annihilation of our salvation to Christ. The Devil wants nothing more to stop as many souls from joining God in heaven. What better way to fight for someone’s soul then to fire as many volleys as you can to constantly push them back, force someone to always be on the defensive. When the Devil gets an edge he won’t quit, he’ll never stop fighting to break the bond between God and you. God has soldiers on this planet. God has chosen people to fight for him, people of faith, who will stop at nothing then to gather and build the flock. He wants his soldiers to follow the 11 Apostles who went out into the world and taught his word. The devil wants to destroy those soldiers and as promised in the Word, to be Christian is to face suffering, to face pain, to be targeted. Our pain is part of the war. We mustn’t let the Devils attacks draw us away from the battlefield. We must remember when we feel outnumbered and we feel like surrender, the words God has spoken. Ephesians 6;12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”