Armed With Truth In The Battle

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through  Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”                                        Romans 8:37-39
 
             You will often recognize the principle of “inviting God into our circumstances” included in many of the devotions I write. This spiritual discipline and practice of prayer, involving God in the daily circumstances of our lives is essential, not only in the ordinary happenings of life all around us, but especially in the midst of the spiritual battles we encounter more often than we realize. Both knowing and speaking the truth of God into our circumstances is our greatest offensive weapon which the Apostle Paul referred to as “the Sword of the Spirit – which is the Word of God.” Armed with the Gospel of Peace in our souls (our salvation in Christ) and God’s truth and promises in our hearts, we are able to speak light into darkness, and dispel the lies of our enemies.   

          However, we often struggle with the promise that God is with us in the moment by moment circumstances of life with the same power with which He resurrected our Savior, Jesus Christ from the dead. We tend to more easily trust Him with our sense of eternal security, but find less comfort and peace in Him during what Paul calls our “momentary troubles.” Addressing this issue in his book The Full Armor of God: Defending Your Life from Satan’s Schemes, Larry Richards comments, ‘Paul is very aware of our human frailty. He knows how hard it is for us to trust God for today. Oh, we rely on Jesus to bring us safely to heaven. But somehow it seems more difficult to have confidence that He (the Lord) is here, totally involved in our lives right now…Satan and his demons can cast their fiery arrows, but there is no circumstance that can cut us off from God’s love or make God’s love for us ineffective.’ 

         Some of the most devastating and fiery arrows of our enemy and his dark forces are the “accusations of past sins” which cause us unmerited guilt and shame, because once those sins were confessed to God, they were immediately forgiven (1 John 1:9) and also “cast as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12) - God remembers them no more. However, we can be made to feel isolated, separated, unforgiven, unloved, and unusable by God because of these “false accusations” believing somehow we remain unfit to be used for the glory, purposes, and will of our heavenly Father. This is certainly one of the great lies of our enemy used to render us paralyzed with fear, anxiety, panic, even prolonged depression – with little if any hope to hold onto.

           Therefore, Paul reminds us in Romans 8, first using an emphatic “NO”, saying, “No, in all these things (in daily life, in family, in marriage, in parenting, in work, in ministering and caring for others) we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us,” and continues to love us unconditionally, moment by moment, day by day.   Paul closes this passage with a most powerful truth of assurance for us as we arm ourselves with truth for each daily battle. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We are empowered by the truth and promises of God to persevere, even in times of hardship, trials, testing, and when we feel persecuted by enemies from within or without. But God, has set us apart through Jesus Christ to walk in His victory with simple steps of daily obedience, taking with us and holding onto His promises, that He will never leave us or forsake us. He will never stop loving us, and He has specific plans for each of our lives that cannot be thwarted by Satan, his powers of darkness, nor anyone on this earth who is influenced by them. We are free in Christ to walk in His power and bring glory and honor to Him. 

            Father, I thank you on this day for arming me with Your truth for the battle. Your promises are the greatest source of power, strength, and hope in my life moment by moment for this day's journey. If I experience moments of doubt, fear, or heaviness, may the truth of Your word and Your Spirit breathe life back into my soul enabling me to press on setting my gaze on You. Thank You that nothing can ever separate me from the love You have poured over me through Jesus my Savior. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.