Your Daily Devotional for December 4, 2006

 

December 4, 2006

 

 

Ready to Fight

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

 

 

1 Corinthians 9:26-27

 

 

The air war over Bosnia in the late 1990s made famous the escape of Scott O’Grady. The downed American flier evaded capture for days in enemy territory until rescue helicopters found him. When the helicopter landed in the clearing near where O’Grady was hiding, he didn’t relax in the brush and wait for the pilot to come get him. He shook off his fatigue, fought through bushes, drew his weapon, and with every ounce of energy he had, ran to the escape that had been provided for him.

 

His actions parallel the engagement God requires of us in spiritual warfare. We should not assume that because God promises to provide a way out of temptation, we have no role in our own rescue. God always provides a way of escape, but He may also require effort from us. We must be ready to fight.

 

The word fight means “to contend with adversaries.” The devil has many different ways of warring against us in this world. From movies, to television, to magazines, to billboards, to music, the devil is using many venues to try to get us to fall. It is not a matter of us choosing whether or not to fight; God has commanded us! The minute you got saved, the devil declared war against you. He is throwing every possible attack he has against you in hopes that you will desert God’s army.

 

First John 2:16-17 says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” This world is not helping Christians live for God. The world is Satan’s society that is opposed to God and is taking the place of God. It has been said that anything in our lives that dulls our love for spiritual things or that makes it easy for us to sin is worldly and must be put away.

 

If we expect to live for Christ and to finish the course with joy, we need to be daily fighting against the devil. We must be fighting the desires of this world that he sends to trap us. Are you being wounded in some area by the enemy? Seek God and ask Him to help you overcome these weaknesses in your life. You must prepare for the battle every day by reading His Word and praying. Only He can help you gain the victory every day!

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