Syria.
ISIS.
Afghanistan.
Iraq.
Iran.
Genocides in Africa.
Racism in Ferguson, Missiouri and New York City and everywhere in between.
Jealously, affairs, divorce.
Frustration, anger, child abuse.
Everywhere you look, sin stares right back at you.
Everyone, everywhere is affected.
We are ALL involved in this war.
Though, we tend to forget.
We get busy with life. The responsibilities, the chores, the tasks, the running to and fro.
In all our coming and going, we don't actually SEE the enemy.
But he's there. And he's ALWAYS attacking, ALWAYS sneaking, ALWAYS plotting.
Oh yes, he's very real.
Ephesians 6: 12 assures us of that, "For we are not fighthing against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."
And he's very serious about his mission.
"The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy." ~John 10:10
"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." ~1 Peter 5:8
Satan may be a theif and roaring lion out to steal, kill, destroy, and devour, but he's extremely quiet and stealth in the way he goes about his evil work.
In fact, I think one of his greatest tactics is to keep us so busy that we forget about him.
He distracts us with everything else going on in life.
He overwhelms us. He discourages us.
He highlights things that don't go our way, heaping on the disappointment.
He emphasizes how life isn't fair, and blinds us in our disillusionment.
We don't even realize what's happening because we have become so accustomed to running around like chickens with our heads cut off. We fall into bed each night exhausted, and as we lay our heads on the pillow, we go to sleep, wondering if there isn't more to life.
We wake up in the morning, still exhausted, looking for satisfaction and fulfillment.
We don't really have time to do any soul searching, though.
We're too busy keeping up with the Jones, hurrying from one activity to another.
Going through the motions, trying to look like we have it all together, takes up all our time, all our energy. We don't have anything left to give. We're emptying and running on fumes.
But that's just how life is, right?
WRONG!!
It does NOT have to be that way.
It is NOT supposed to be this way!
Jesus has a much different, much BETTER way.
Looking back at John 10:10 we see that He came to "give us a rich and satisfying life." Some other translations describe this as the "abundant life." This is His purpose. His passion.
Yes, our God is a purposeful, passionate God.
Being created in His image, shouldn't we be purposeful, passionate people?
Should we not be living passionate, purposeful lives?
Jesus left all of heaven's glories to come to earth. Born a babe, in a dusty stable, a manage of hay for a bed. How fitting to remember as we celebrate Christmas...
He then lived for 33 short years, misunderstood and severely mistreated. He gave up all His rights of deity to become man, to suffer and die on my behalf, in MY place. He was beaten past recognition, then nailed to a cross, mocked and left to suffocate. As He breathed his last, He cried out, "It is finished!" My debt was paid. My sins erased. Forgiven. Forgotten. And 3 days later, when the stone was rolled from the tomb, and my Savior was raised back to life, death was defeated. A new life began.
This new life is available for anyone and everyone.
Jesus' offer for a "rich and satisfying life" in John 10:10 is open to all mankind.
To me.
To YOU.
If we choose to accept this amazing gift, we are able to start afresh.
As Paul encourages us in 2 Corinthians 5, "the old is gone, the new has come!"
This new life is all about living out the purpose for which we were created, fulfilling the destiny God has for each and every one of us.
You see, my dear friends, we are not aimlessly wandering this earth. We are here for a REASON.
We have purpose.
And by all means we should be filled and overflowing with PASSION as we "do the good things planned for us long ago." (see Ephesians 2:10 and be sure to catch that you are God's MASTERPIECE!)
We ought to be consumed with ZEAL for Jesus. Our hearts should be bursting with love and gratitude for this man who gave His life on our behalf. Every day, every moment, should be spent expressing our thanks to Him. From the moment we open our eyes in the morning to the time we close them at night, we should be EAGERLY awaiting His return, EARNESTLY seeking to know Him more and more, DILIGENTLY working to make Him known to every man, woman, and child in every corner of the world.
When someone sees us, they should notice something different about us.
Our passion should set us apart.
But it should also draw others to us, for they are LONGING for what we have.
They may not come out and admit it, but they are empty, broken, wanting more.
They are looking in all the wrong places, though.
Sex.
Drugs.
Money.
Cars.
Clothes.
Beauty.
A big house with a 3 car garage.
Education.
A title.
Fill in the blank...
We have the answer!!! We have the hope they need. We have the joy they are missing. We have the peace they are frantically trying to find. We have JESUS. And get this - the same power that raised Jesus from the dead all those years ago is inside US today. Right now.
Tell me that isn't powerful.
Tell me we shouldn't be excited about that.
Tell me we shouldn't be jumping up and down, shouting at the top of our lungs to share what we have.
Tell me we shouldn't be purposeful in reaching others with this amazing, life-changing news so they too can experience the power and peace and joy and strength and hope and love of Jesus themselves.
Tell me we shouldn't be passionate about this mission we have been given.
Tell me we should just go with the flow.
Fit in.
Be normal.
Ordinary.
Boring.
Bored.
No, thank you.
I much prefer the wild, crazy, fierce, passionate, purposeful life to which God has called me.
So, today, I face my enemy.
I look him square in the eye.
And I let him know that he's not going to defeat me.
He may have come to steal, kill, and destroy, but he's not going to win. Not in my life.
I am claiming victory - not in my own strength or power, but through the name of Jesus Christ.
I stand armed for battle, dressed for war.
Stand with me.
We'll be stronger together...
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