"For we do not wrestle against flesh & blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." [Ephesians 6:12]
This is my verse for the next two weeks for the Siesta Scripture Memory. I've heard it over & over the last few months, so I finally decided I needed to memorize it. I think it contains a really important lesson for us to learn.
We do not wrestle against flesh & blood...pretty simple. Our battle is not against people.
But what are rules, authorities, cosmic powers, & spiritual forces of evil? Satan. Spiritual warfare.
"You heard me say, 'I am going away & I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over Me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father & do exactly what my Father has commanded Me." [John 14:28-30]
I think sometimes people find it much easier to believe in God than they do to believe in Satan. God is a loving, merciful, Savior...but to many, that is all He is. He is also sovereign & holy & cannot allow our sinfulness into His presence, which is why we must be washed clean by the blood of Jesus in order to attain salvation.
However, Satan is very real on this earth today. John calls him the "father of lies" (8:44). The lies we tell ourselves are from Satan. The worry & fear that we allow to reside in our minds, those are from Satan. Those things are not of God & are part of this spiritual battle that we fight.
I love that in the verses from John 14, Jesus talks about Satan coming, but also talks about the Holy Spirit coming. I think that is they key. That is how we fight these spiritual forces of evil...with the Holy Spirit. We "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). The Holy Spirit has come as our Helper, & is what allows us to fight off Satan.
I got a little off of what I was trying to say, but know today that you are dearly loved by God. Things like worry, fear, stress, & inadequacies are not of Him. He desperately wants to replace those feelings with the confident knowledge that He is for you (Romans 8:31).
*if you're on Reader, click over...there's a video here.*
*if you're on Reader, click over...there's a video here.*
& if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?
& if our God is with us, then what could stand against?
Love that song, girl! Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeletethank you. i really really needed this today.
ReplyDelete4 things:
ReplyDelete1) Just discovered that song yesterday... it is SO beautiful!
2) Love the verse you chose for siestas. Thanks for telling a little bit about why it's significant for you.
3) Crazy that I chose the same verse as you did last week... very excited to commit Psalm 119:4 to heart.
4) Totally diggin' your artwork & new etsy shop. I really love to do mixed media projects too!
this is one of my absolute favorite songs and we sing it with the youth all of the time! It just gives me such comfort every time that I hear it!
ReplyDeleteLove your thoughts on this.... such an important reminder for our hearts.
ReplyDeleteAnd that song....acutally every Kari Jobe song is beautiful and just flat out wonderful.
(LOVE your new Etsy shop since I did not comment the other day...but just had to tell you!)