Do You Know How To Have Victory Over The Enemy?
Good Morning Friends,
Pope Francis had a homily not too long ago about the great evil of an anesthetized conscience. He pointed out that the evil in the world dulls our awareness to the point of enslaving our behavior. It made me think of those who try to become masters of our behavior by manipulating unconscious cues to create false relationships in our mind. I think we all agree this is a great evil and yet it is difficult to mount a unified response. Today we explore some scripture that tangentially deals with this issue and frankly it is a bit difficult to weave together. In it we have to have an act of faith to activate our conscience to an inspired understanding of its purpose. So stay with me until the light comes on. Do You Know How To Have Victory Over The Enemy?
Scripture: The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you; they shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways. The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out against them one way and flee before them seven ways. You shall become an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
Deuteronomy 28:7, 25 (NRSV)
Satan stood up against Israel, and incited David to count the people of Israel.
I Chronicles 21:1 (NRSV)
Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go, count the people of Israel and Judah.’
II Samuel 24:1 (NRSV)
They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them.
Romans 2:15 (NRSV)
I am giving you these instructions, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies made earlier about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, having faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have suffered shipwreck in the faith;
I Timothy 1:18-19 (NRSV)
for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’
Ephesians 5:14 (NRSV)
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:14 (NRSV)
Message: Though the Bible presents the Devil as a powerful and cunning opponent, it also tells us that Christians can have victory over this enemy. I addressed this in a recent devotional on putting on the full armor of God. But sometimes we are our own enemy. That is why it is important to learn who we are and to be intentional about understanding our identity in Christ. We are to awaken to our purpose and mission and commit to growth, seeking wise counsel and choosing to connect with the power of God. In this regard too few understand that the development of character is more important than achievement. We get it backwards. As the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land, God set before them a choice. We can heed His voice, obey His commandments, and experience continued victory. Or turn from God, disobey His word, and experience repeated and resounding defeat. Looking at today’s scripture from Deuteronomy it seems we have a choice between victory and defeat and I think what it is saying is that it all hinges on whether we remain in God’s will. So the ultimate victory is in learning to be with God.
And that, as Pope Francis points out, is not easy. I agree the problem with many of us today, is that we have been anesthetized by a weak moral and ethical system that desensitizes conscience. In other words, we have been lulled to sleep and in the process and enslaved. The problem is we do not even know it. We are asleep. But God knows how serious the situation is so he wants us to remember exactly what this is about. Think of Peter and the cock crowing. So God it seems allows us to succumb to Satan’s darts. And that is what is happening with King David in today’s scripture. Look at II Samuel 24:1. Here is one of the greatest testimonies to the inspiration of scripture about how God does things differently than we expect. Now stop for a moment, because this verse presents an interpretive nightmare. If taking the census was wrong – and it was the cause of David being judged– then how could God have incited him to do it? James 1:13b tells us, God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone to sin. To make matters worse, turn to I Chronicles 21:1 and look at the way this parallel account begins. Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel. The problem is obvious. Did God tempt David? If so, how could that be? Yet if Satan tempted him, why did Samuel say that God tempted him? Now listen because this is conscience awakening. You see, I Chronicles and II Samuel are parallel accounts. The two books, in fact, parallel each other in a way that is similar to Matthew, Mark, Luke and even John. They just view things from a different perspectives…Chronicles in the moment and Samuel across time. So the original tempter, the original cause is indeed, Satan. The Chronicle account is focusing on the scene at hand, while Samuel is focusing on the hand behind the scene demonstrating that God will have His way and His glory will be revealed. Friends, we need to develop that inner sense of right and wrong but we also need to know that God turns defeats into victories. We need to believe that victory can be achieved…even victory on a cross. So if you are continually being defeated by everything you face, maybe your heart has departed from God. If you have been experiencing defeat in the challenges you face, examine your heart. Maybe your consciousness needs a little awakening. Maybe we need to clothe ourselves in love in addition to armor. Maybe we need to believe that God is very good at turning defeat into victory. Maybe our consciousness needs to be awaken to a trust in God.
Pray we recognize the enemy and his agenda. Pray we never ignore God. Pray we realize that victory requires effort and getting up after falling down. Pray that we awake with God’s likeness, in His dwelling place. Pray that even now our corruption be turned to incorruption, our mortality to immortality, our dishonor to glory. Pray that God take our weakness and turn it into power, take our natural state and turn it into spiritual perfection. Pray we have wisdom to know right from wrong. Pray we have the self-control to not be overtaken by evil impulses. Pray we have the courage to do what is right. Pray we put our trust in God to use our life for good. Pray that Jesus becomes our victory.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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