Strong In the Lord

[This the second article on the subject of spiritual warfare. You may access the first article online at www.givemethatbook.com, in the section entitled, “Articles.”]

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph 6:10-12

His adversaries complained that “Wilberforce jumped up whenever they knocked him down.” One of them in particular put it like this: “It is necessary to watch him as he is blessed with a very sufficient quantity of that Enthusiastic spirit, which is so far from yielding that it grows more vigorous from blows.” [Quoted from John Piper’s “Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce, p.47]

Basic Training

[The first in a series of articles designed to show how we can fight and win the battle for faith and joy by being strong in the Lord and by using the spiritual weapons he has provided.]

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph 6:10-12

“Spiritual warfare made the Puritans what they were. They accepted conflict as their calling, seeing themselves as their Lord’s soldier pilgrims, just as in Bunyan’s allegory, and not expecting to be able to advance a single step without opposition of one sort or another.” J. I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness, p. 22]

Providence and Service

“Almighty God, just because He is almighty needs no support. Twentieth-century Christianity has put God on charity. So lofty is our opinion of ourselves that we find it quite easy, if not enjoyable, to believe we are necessary to God.” A.W. Tozer

When I was growing up in the church, it was a common thing to hear evangelists and missionaries attempt to motivate us to go to the ends of the earth to complete the Great Commission. I still remember one story that was designed to get us to leave all for the “sake of Christ and the lost.” It was told that Jesus was met by an angel as he returned to heaven. The angel asked, “Jesus, with you in heaven, how will the heathen in the world be saved?” Jesus answered, “I have established my Church and commissioned them to go to the ends of the earth.” “But, Jesus,” the angel queried, “What if your people don’t go?” What is the back-up plan?” Jesus hesitated, and then said, “I have no other plan.”

Providence and Prayer

"Prayer is not designed to inform God, but to give man a sight of his mercy; to humble his heart, to excite his desire, to inflame his faith, to animate his hope, to raise his soul from earth to heaven." Adam Clark

The doctrine of providence should give us great confidence. It affirms that God controls everything for the glory of his name and the salvation of his people. Paul said it like this: “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” [Eph 1:11-13]

God so loved…He gave. [2003 Missions Convention]

“All the different ways God has chosen to display his glory in creation and redemption seem to reach their culmination in the praises of his redeemed people. God governs the world with glory precisely that he might be admired, marveled at, exalted and praised. The climax of his happiness is the delight he takes in the echoes of his excellence in the praises of the saints.” John Piper

It is the high point of our year. It is our month of mission emphasis. We get to praise God for His love for us. We get to share the blessing he has poured into our lives. We get to meet our missionary family and get to participate in God’s blessing upon their ministries. As we prepare for these awesome days I have one question:
Question: What is the most loving gift God could give us?
Answer: Himself.
Conclusion: If he gave us all things in this world and withheld Himself he would not be love.

Providence and Evil

“The church has not been spending its energy to go deep with the unfathomable God of the Bible. Against the overwhelming weight and seriousness of the Bible, much of the church is choosing, at this very moment, to become more light and shallow and entertainment-oriented, and therefore successful in its irrelevance to massive suffering and evil. The popular God of fun church is simply too small and too affable to hold a hurricane in his hand, The biblical categories of God’s sovereignty lie like land mines in the pages of the Bible waiting for someone to seriously open the book. They don’t kill, but they do explode trivial notions of the Almighty”.  John Piper: The Sovereignty of God in Suffering

Piper’s comment was addressing the church’s shallow and weak response to the terrible events of 9/11. The church of today simply does not think or sink deep enough into the truth of God’s Word to display a God great enough to rule even over the calamities like 9/11. In our entertainment, fun-oriented church, we simply have not taken the time or the discipline to mine the truth hidden deep within the Scriptures. Consequently, our God is too small. He simply is not the God “who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.” [Eph 1:11-12]

“What may seem to us as “accidents” are no such things in the universe governed by the providence of the true and living God. Prayers may be directed to this mighty and reigning King knowing that while he tenderly and compassionately hears the cries of his people, he “sits” in the unique position of knowing perfectly what is best and possessing unthwarted power to bring to pass what he wills. The world is not spinning out of control; in fact, not one atom or despot or demon acts in any respect to hinder the fulfillment of what God has eternally ordained. To know this God, and better to be known by him [Gal. 4:9], is to enter into the security and confidence of a lifetime of trust in his never-failing arms.”   Bruce Ware: God’s Greater Glory, p. 15

 “I could not exist if Jesus was not glorified; it would be hell to me if he were to be always thus dishonored.” Henry Martyn

Countless men and women have left the comfort and safety of home for the risk and joy of missions. There are many reasons for choosing such a radical life: obedience to the Great Commission, love for the lost, and desire to share with the less fortunate. All of those are good motives. But, only one motivation is strong enough and heavy enough to keep us from discouragement when our efforts are not appreciated, when they have not produced the success we imagined, or when the opposition intensifies. The weight that keeps us steady and faithful in the midst of all troubles can be summed up in one phrase: “The glory of God.”