Our enemy is more aware than we are of the spiritual possibilities that depend upon obedience. We should never be surprised that he seeks by assault and, if that fails, by undermining our defenses, to compel us to give way.
~Amy Carmichael
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
~ paul, The Least of The Apostles, in 1 Corinthians 15
Oh beloved, it is true.
We are pushed from all sides. So many things vie for our attention. And nearly everything that can catch and hold our glance, really can take us out. We are in a terrible battle for the very survival of our souls.
Lust
Doubt
Fear
Anger
Death
Sickness
Bitterness
And so much more…
We are hurting. We feel the falling dark of the world around us, and we hope that things are going to get better. But really, we know that they are are not – absent some sort of powerful change.
Politics fail
People fail
Religion fails
Diets fail
Recoveries fail
Businesses fail
Programs fail
Countries fail
Every-thing fails
And this may be some of the clearest and best news that we have every received.
There is much call to ‘authenticity’ lately. And this can be good. … But, to simply be authentic to our flesh is merely rebellion. Only in being authentic to our new-creation spirit man, do we truly find freedom. And for us to being trying to fight this horrendous battle by ourselves – using the very part of us that got us into trouble in the first place – is just not going to work.
Can we see it?
There is no way to win this war. There is no place to go. We are already defeated. And to keep fighting our flesh, with the flesh, is not going to work. It will, in fact, kill us even more.
And so, the only way for us to really make a difference, is for us to hold on to a very important truth regarding our faith: We are dead to sin (self), and alive to G_d, in Christ Jesus.
So, are you struggling with the fall of the world around you? Are you struggling against the failures in your own life? It is time for you (and this fool of a writer) to hold on to a vital reality. We are only going to have success when we come to realize that flesh always loses, and spirit always wins.
Tonight is your night beloved. Time to walk in the Spirit. There is no need to let go of His hand. Just hold on, as you walk through the dark. The Dawn is coming.
