On the Battlefield

When we become Christians we enter into a new set of relationships. We become children of the eternal God (John 1:12,13). As such, other believers become our family (1 John 2:7-11). We also become ambassadors of Christ to those on the outside (2 Corinthians 5:20). But we obtain a new enemy, too (1 Peter 5:8,9). Far from setting the Christian in a position of safety and security, putting faith in Christ sets them in the midst of a battlefield (Ephesians 6:10-13). This is not what we want to hear. We would like to be told that once we have come to know the true God, the King of the Universe, everything from there on will be a calm and uneventful sail over placid seas into a safe harbor. Some would even try to maintain we can, on the basis of God being our Father, claim health, wealth, and a Mercedes in the color of our choice. But even those of us who reflexively shrink away from going that far can often still be guilty of painting the Christian life as some idyllic state where everything runs smoothly and we have minor bumps but no serious problems. However, Scripture leads us to expect trouble in this life (John 16:33). 

The reason is that we live in enemy-occupied territory. God is the great King, the Lord of the universe to whom all rule rightfully belongs (Psalms 47:2). But as a result of the Fall (Genesis 3:1-7), Satan has made himself god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4) and has enslaved people to his rule (Hebrews 2:15). However, Christ by His death on the cross and His resurrection was victorious over sin, death, and Satan (Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14; 2 Corinthians 2:14). Further, when Christ returns He will be the absolute conqueror over all these things (1 Corinthians 15:54-57; Revelation 21:1-5; Philippians 3:20-21). But right now we are living between the accomplishment and the realization of the victory. One question sometimes asked is whether Christianity is a defender of the status quo or a rebellion against the current system. The answer is we are the resistance. We are those who oppose the usurper on behalf of the rightful King. Therefore, we are at odds with the system as it exists now (1 John 2:15-17), but we oppose it in the name of an older rule whose principles, even under the occupation, are still to some extent recognized (Romans 2:14-16).

Therefore, it is not surprising that in this situation we have trials. We need to see these trials as being minor in terms of the glory we will ultimately enjoy (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17,18). And we need to realize that God is using these troubles to make us into the kind of people He wants us to be (Romans 5:3,4; 8:28-30; James 1:2-4). For only then can we have the perspective to face the battle in which we will ultimately be victorious (Romans 8:37).

Victory in Christ

God will preserve us and bring us through the difficulties of life, if we are those who put our faith in Him for salvation (Romans 4:4,5; Ephesians 2:8,9; Acts 16:31). Now it is not my purpose here to discuss whether a person can lose their salvation, though I am convinced they cannot (Romans 8:29-30; John 10:27-30; 1 John 5:11-13). But even if it is possible for a person, by clear and determined choice, to reject God’s salvation (and I do not believe it is), for those who are His children there is victory over all the things that would try to destroy us (Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Peter 1:5). This does not mean we will not face challenges; we live in a fallen world and are in the midst of a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-12; 2 Timothy 2:3,4; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6). But God has given us victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil, who try to trip us up and destroy us (Galatians 5:24; 6:14; Colossians 2:15). The sins of our past have been forgiven (Romans 8:33,34; Philippians 3:13; 1 John 2:1,2), and God is at work in our life to transform us (2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 2:10). Further, He has promised to bring us through all tribulation and even use it for our good (Romans 8:28; James 1:2-4; 2 Corinthians 4:17,18), and even to give us victory over death itself (1 Corinthians 15:54-57; Revelation 21:4; Philippians 3:20,21). Therefore, we can trust Him for the future, knowing He is in control (1 Peter 5:7; Philippians 4:6,7; Matthew 6:25-34). But if all these things are true, how come I sometimes do not feel very victorious?  

I think a large part of this is a matter of perspective. God sees the end from the beginning and understands all of our life and, based on that, states that we are going to be victorious. It is a victory seen from God’s viewpoint. But we, looking at the present moment, do not see that. We do not know the whole story, and therefore we do not see how it will work out. Also, there is the danger of depending on feelings. The ultimate issue is not what I feel, but what is true. Therefore, we need to look beyond our immediate circumstances and trust God for His ultimate victory (Proverbs 3:5,6; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 8:24,25). This does not mean it will always be easy. We are promised that in this life we will have problems (John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 1 Peter 4:12,13). But we can face those problems confident in the victory we have in Christ.

Trusting in Hardtimes

In J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” there is a place in the story where Frodo and Samwise are on the stairs that lead into the land of Mordor. Darkness has come over the world so they cannot tell if it is day or night, and they are alone in enemy territory with only the help of the treacherous Gollum. And they speculate on what kind of story they are in and how that story might end, realizing they are at a hard place in the story and it is not clear will happen next. Have you ever felt that way about your life, that you are at a place where you do not know what God is doing? As we look at the Scripture we see many places where everything must have seemed lost and God’s people must have wondered if God had a plan. Israel in slavery in Egypt waiting for the coming of Moses, who God would use to deliver them; Isaiah seeing Assyria take the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity; Jeremiah seeing Babylon take the southern kingdom of Judah also into captivity; or the nation of Judah, returned from captivity but under foreign rulers, waiting for their Messiah. And in many of these times there were those who died, never having never seen the situation turn around. God is the God of the big picture. He is the God of the big picture in history, and He is the God of the big picture in our lives.  

Now Scripture does teach us that God is in control of our lives (Romans 8:28; Ephesians 2:10; 1:11). But it also tells us to expect problems (John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 1 Peter 4:12,13). While it tells us how the story ends (Revelation 21:4; 2 Corinthians 4:17,18; Philippians 3:20,21), sometimes, like Frodo and Samwise, we are in a hard part of the story and need to trust God to bring us through it (Proverbs 3:5,6; Hebrews 11:13-16; Matthew 6:33). Also, we need to trust God to forgive us if it is our own sin that has brought us to this impasse (Romans 8:33,34; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Proverbs 28:13) But this can be difficult, if for no other reason than we want to be in control of our own lives. I remember on one occasion when I was out of a job and was by myself praying. And as I was praying, God brought up to me my stubbornness and my tendency to think I was strong and could handle things. I protested that that was my personality, and He replied that it was my sin. In the same way, we need to be able to put aside our trust in ourselves and our idols (the various other things we trust in) and trust in the great God who is all-powerful (Isaiah 40:12-28) and who cares for us (Isaiah 40:9-11). Even when we are at a hard place in the story.