Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
I remember discovering the WWII section in my elementary school library. It was like finding a secret treasure. The first book I read was called Battle for the Atlantic, Then I read everyone one they had. There was something fascinating, noble heroic about that history.
That is what drew me to those stories? They speak to the human heart & condition? The struggle between good & evil, average people who rise, fight & sacrifice for a greater cause. The inner wish that we would be so noble and sacrificial in our own lives. The dream of being part of something truly significant.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
The truth is, We live in a war zone. If you have ever stepped up to really follow Jesus you have felt this. If not, you may not realize it yet. When you take your faith with Jesus seriously you become a target of His enemy. The whole purpose is to prevent us from going deeper in our relationship with Jesus, His family & especially His mission. He wants to disrupt Jesus’ work through us! This happens especially when you are on the verge of a spiritual breakthrough.
John's sermon thoughts 