Line Upon Line

"Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour." (1 Pet. 5:8 NLT)

I've noticed a disturbing pattern of spiritual attacks on believers over the past couple of weeks. I'm convinced this is a counter-attack by Satan against God's children--a calculated response to the phenomenal success of Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ.

I can only imagine how much all this talk about Jesus torments the Devil. If he weren't already mad, I'm quite sure this would drive him over the edge.

You Are a Target

My wife Debbi, my daughter Tiffany, and I traveled to Lee's Summit, Missouri, recently, to spend a few days with friends. Leo and Barb were faithful members of Life of Faith Fellowship in Port Huron. Because of a job change, they moved from Michigan to Missouri last year. One evening, Leo and I went out to a store so I could pick up a couple things for Debbi. As we approached the interstate exit ramp, I noticed a large, red bulls-eye, glowing in the darkness of the night. It marked our destination--Super Target. I said to Leo, "You know, anyone who's serious about following Christ and doing the will of God, is a target for the enemy." And I might add, those who are super serious, are super-targets!

That's important to remember--if you're serving Christ, you're on Satan's "hit list." He'll do everything he can do to bring you down and take you out of the game. He is hell-bent on silencing the saints of God!

I really wish someone had told me this when I first received Jesus. It took many years for me to understand the spiritual battle we are in, and to realize the intense hatred Satan has for God's children. You see, if you're in Christ, you're a marked man or woman--you're marked for harassment, marked for persecution, and marked for elimination.

If we could only see into the spiritual realm, we'd be able to identify (as Satan is able to), the children of light and the children of darkness. Just like that giant, red Super Target bulls-eye shining in the Missouri night, the light of Christ in you and me shines forth into the darkness of this world, and shouts to the evil one, "Here we are, come and get us!"

Got Depression?

One of Satan's chief weapons is discouragement. When you get discouraged, you lose your strength and the will to fight. If you've experienced depression or weariness recently, you're not alone. As I communicate with believers across the country, the word "discouragement" has come up far too often to be mere coincidence. Once again, I believe this present attack on God's people is Satan's retaliation to all the questions and conversations about who Jesus is, and the meaning of His death upon the cross--questions and conversations that have resulted from the sweeping success of The Passion of the Christ.

Saints of God, it's time to stand up and resist the Devil--it's time to fight back! The apostle Paul sounded a "call to arms" when he wrote the following words to the church at Ephesus. We'd be wise to take them to heart, also.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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" (Eph. 6:10-18 NKJV).

Someone observed, "We don't fight for a place of victory--we fight from a place of victory!" That is a powerful truth--one worth remembering. I pray that you will be able to recognize the attacks of the enemy against you, and overcome every one, in the name of Jesus! Be strong in the Lord, and the power of His might--be encouraged!

think on these things...

James 4:7 (NLT)
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:8-10 (NKJV)
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

1 Corinthians 15:57,58 (NKJV)
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.