Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Keeping first things first”
Our Bible verse for today: “For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.” Ephesians 6:12 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Don’t forget who the real enemy is.”
Welcome to Monday morning! I hope you’re looking forward with eagerness and anticipation to a productive and successful week. If you’re like me, then you probably have a full schedule of tasks, meetings, responsibilities, and yes, challenges, lying before you.
Chances are that not all of those activities are going to go smoothly or well. In all likelihood you will find yourself dealing with unexpected situations, unhelpful or even difficult people, and there will probably some frustrations and disappointments to contend with.
And if you’re like me, your tendency will be to focus specifically on the issues and people who are giving you problems. That’s natural, but it’s also wrong. The truth is that we spend most of our time focused on our struggles in the physical world, when the underlying cause of our difficulties is almost always spiritual.
As you lean into those difficult situations you are surely going to face this week, and as you push through them, I encourage you to remember Paul’s helpful caution in Ephesians 6:12. He reminds us there that we are involved in a spiritual battle. People are not your enemy, not really. There is an enemy of our souls, the devil, who wants us to struggle and fail. Even if he can no longer lay claim to your soul (because you belong to Jesus), he can still harass you and do his best to make you ineffective and miserable. And you can bet that he will!
Paul goes on in that passage to instruct us on how to deal with Satan. He tells us to pray; read your Bible; keep in mind what you are really involved in and who you’re really contending with. The battle is spiritual and the enemy is the devil and his demonic forces.
So in verse 13 Paul tells us to be prepared. In verse 14 he urges us to stand strong. In verse 18 he instructs us to pray at all times. Also in verse 18 he reminds us to stay alert and to persevere. The clear implication is that if we will do that, we will win the battle that really matters, the one that takes place in the spiritual realm. That then will give us victory and success in the physical world too.
As you go through your week I encourage you to remember who the real adversary is, and remember also that the Lord has prepared you and equipped you to be able to deal with him. Your battle is spiritual and your victory will be found in and through Jesus.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 