Greetings to you in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! … and the Author and Finisher of our faith! Let us rejoice and be glad in this day that God has created for us…and let us make this day ‘count’! I trust that you had a great weekend and Monday … and an extra week as well. I pray that you had many blessings and opportunities to share you faith, both with and without using words. Today is the last day of a church season called -“ordinary time” and tomorrow is Day 1 of Lent and we begin to journey with Jesus towards Jerusalem and Easter. I will be praying for you today, asking Father to infuse you with holy anticipation and a sensitivity to His presence…and may “healing” be released to you in restorative and preventative ways.
I am aware that this being February and for whatever reason seems to be a challenging month for people that there are people struggling. Yesterday at our prayer gathering I overheard someone say that they did not understand what was happening because they had being faithfully putting on their spiritual armour. Later, as I pondered that it occurred to me that just because we put on spiritual armour does not mean we are not going to experience ‘wounds’ in the battle. In fact in Ephesians 6 we are told that the final victory of spiritual warfare is to be found by the fact that we are still “standing” vv.- 10,14, 15. Yes our armour protects but that doesn’t eliminate the bruises, scrapes, and cuts that he inflicts.
I know that you know this but I need to remind you that our enemy is not people, especially not our fellow-battlers, who by the way the enemy uses against us. Our enemy has three aims in mind that he longs to do to us…A thief has only one thing in mind–he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy – John 10:10a The Passion Translation. In the process of this he tries to isolate us from each other to increase our vulnerability. I believe that is why the writer of Hebrews stated: This is not a time to pull away and neglect meeting together…because we need each other {I need you and you need me…wow! I am needed by others]. Hebrews 10:25 The Passion Translation.
Again, I know that you know…but, the one reliable weapon that is part of our spiritual armour is the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and it is the ‘short-sword’ for hand to hand fighting…this battle is really personal. We need the Word of God and we are told in 2 Timothy 3:16 – It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. The Passion Translation. – so you can stand together with the rest of the spiritual warriors.
A little something to think about – be blessed and “be armed and dangerous!”