You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
TO PONDER
This verse from 1 John needs a bit of context. Here John is talking about spirits that do not come from God, we would most often call the evil spirits or devils or something along those lines. John is telling the recipients of this letter that they have already overcome these things because we are from God; the Apostle Paul might have said the same thing but used the phrase 'in Christ'.
Because we are 'in Christ' and he, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, is in us, we now have living in us the one whose name is above all names, the one who said to his disciples, "all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me". That same poor is now alive and present in us. The one who is you you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Of course we still live in the world and bump into and interact with all sorts of powers and authorities. Children live under the power and authority of their parents, school teachers, and any other adult charged with having some level of responsibility for their care and safety. Adults experience and live under the authority of their employers and the governments that rule and govern their communities and their delegated representatives, like police. These are not the things John is telling us to overcome. In fact, throughout the New Testament, Christians are encouraged to recognise good government and right leadership as a gift from God for the good and right ordering of society.
However, the world is often blind to the spiritual reality that surrounds us, and so our Lord Jesus has established his people, his church, as a means by which his authority over the spiritual world can still be manifested in the world. If we can do it without developing an inflated ego, it would do each of us well to hear that not only are we 'from God' as John puts it, but we are sent from God or put another way, we are a gift from God to the world, through which he has a plan to continue his redemptive work by continuing to reveal himself to the world, through his people, through his church.
What would change in your attitude or your life today, if you saw yourself as a gift of God to your community?
PRAYER: Lord, it is hard to see yourself as a gift to the world when so much of the world seems to not want to know you or have anything to do with you. So today I simply ask that you would help me to see and to do the things you have in store for me to do so that I might truly be your gift to those who cross my path today. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.
TO PONDER
We often go to the New Testament to learn about spiritual warfare, but I think this verse offers perhaps one of the most helpful insights when it comes to spiritual warfare and spiritual pressure. Now I know that in the time of Moses and Joshua, right up to and including the time of Jesus, that the people of Israel often faced physical threats from other nations and foreign armies and God often delivered them from these threats.
And yet, behind all of God's acts of deliverance he was working towards delivering all humanity form, sin, death, and the devil, through the life, death and resurrection of his son Jesus. Joshua knew and trusted that God would give them victory as they marched around the city walls of Jericho, King David recognised that it was God who delivered Goliath into his hands. In exile, Daniel knew that God would deliver him from the lion's den. None of these men claimed to have done anything but trust in God and to faithfully do as he had instructed them.
In Christ, God has done everything to overcome your enemies and to give you victory. Remember your enemies are not other people; those who oppose you or hold different perspectives or worldviews. The real enemy is sin and those things that seek to turn your focus away from the love and grace of God. You do not have to fight those things, you simply have to trust God's victory and real on Jesus to see you through. Sometime spiritual pressure is like quicksand, the more we struggle against it by ourselves the quicker we sink. Try resting in the presence and power of Jesus. He has promised to deliver you, trust that promise and let him show you what he can do. Lean on him and let him pull you from the quicksand as he is the only one who has the power to overcome the spiritual pressure that comes against you.
PRAYER: Lord God, thank you that you are the one on whom I can rely to fight my battles and to give me victory. Help me to not waste time and energy fighting battles that are not mine to fight but to instead place myself in your hands and trust that you are with me to guide me and deliver me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
TO PONDER
As a child one of my favourite books was 'Fantastic Mr. Fox" by Roald Dahl. I was delighted a few years ago when Hollywood released a stop-motion animated movie of the story. When I read this verse about strongholds, the Fantastic Mr Fox story immediately came to mind.
For the uninitiated, Mr Fox (who is a literal fox), has an ongoing enmity with three local farmers, Boggis, Bunch, and Bean, from whom Mr Fox regularly pilfered poultry to feed his family. In the story, the three farmers go to some extreme lengths to protect their livestock and their storehouses, and yet Mr. Fox, using only his own cunning and burrowing abilities, seems always to be able to infiltrate the strongholds of these three farmers and almost single handedly bring down the farming enterprises of all three.
When you look through all the victorious battles that the Israelites fought in the Old Testament you quickly discover that some of the most incredible were not even fought with conventional weapons. Joshua and the Israelites overcame the walls of Jericho with praise and worship accompanied with loud trumpets. Gideon experienced victory without even lifting a weapon causing fear and confusion among God's enemies with simple lanterns and torches. Samson took out 1000 enemies with the jawbone of a dead donkey, and King David killed Goliath with a shepherds sling and river stone (and a little help from Goliath's own sword). While none of these stories utilise conventional weapons what they all have in common is trust in God.
The weapon we have that demolishes strongholds is an unyielding confidence and trust in God and faith in the saving life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. God has given us everything we need to stand against the advances of the enemy. Like Mr. Fox, the gifts and talents and abilities we already have are the precise ones God intends for us to use, together with faith and trust in his presence with us, to undo the work of the enemy and see people driven into the loving arms of their Heavenly Father. Your weapons are prayer, and scripture, and sacraments, anything that God gives that connects us more closely to Him is a tool we can use to stand against the stronghold of the enemy. So what are you going to do today that will deepen your relationship and trust in God?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you are the risen and victorious one, you are the one to whom all power and authority in heaven and on earth has been given. You are my refuge and my strength, in you I have nothing to fear. Help me to know more of your love and grace towards me so that whatever might come my way, nothing will shake my trust and confidence in you. May that confidence also lead others to you and out of the strongholds of the enemy. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
TO PONDER
Ever asked yourself the question, 'Why me?' I think we have all done it, and perhaps we do it a little too quickly and a little too often these days.
The problem is, as Peter points out in this letter, we are not going through anything different or anything worse than what Christians all over the world are facing. We might lament the 'golden years' of the Christian Church (if there ever was such a thing). The times when Christian faith was common between most people in our society. When perhaps not everyone might have gone to church, but no one raised an eyebrow if they knew that you did. When Christian morality and ethics were the basis of most public policy.
You know the only problem with that kind of situation, is that it made easy targets for the roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
In the wake of the September 11 attacks in America, there was an anti-terrorism ad campaign here in Australia with the catch phrase, 'be alert, not alarmed'. It aimed to encourage people to report suspicious behaviour, but not to incite national panic. That's kind of what the Apostle Peter is encouraging in this text. Be alert and aware that we have an enemy who is looking for any opening to 'devour' us, to deceive us and lead us away from our faith and confidence in Christ. Yet in Christ, we do not need to fear or be alarmed because when we are 'in Him' we know that we are already more than conquerors in Christ. The lion might be prowling around, but we are well and truely secured in Jesus, the lion proof safari vehicle.
Christians, be alert but not alarmed. Stand firm in your faith and know that your not experiencing anything more or less than other Christians at any other point in history. God got them through their trials, he will also get you through yours.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you that you have given us your son Jesus to be our victory and assurance in the face of difficult times and circumstances. Thank you for the reminder that when I feel attacked because of my faith, that I am only experiencing what countless other Christians have faced before me, and that just as you delivered them, you will also deliver me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
TO PONDER
John 17 is one of my favourite passages of all scripture. Here we have Jesus, only hours before he is handed over to be put on trial and crucified and he is praying. Not for himself mind you (although we know from the other gospel accounts that he did this too). He's praying for his disciples and for those who would believe in him because of their witness and testimony. That means Jesus was praying for you and me. In the hours before he was betrayed, he was thinking of you and praying that God would protect you. Isn't that an incredible thought!!!
Jesus didn't pray that God would just suddenly whisk all the faithful people off into heaven to be with him in heaven. He probably could have, but he was thinking about you and me, those who were still to come who needed someone to stay behind and pass on the good news. However, right there at that point in time, just hours before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus knew like no one else before him, the spiritual battle that would be in front of those who followed him and so he prayed that God would protect you from the evil one.
And God has protected you. He has given you the righteousness of Christ. He has included you in the victory of Christ. He has made you co-heirs with Christ in His kingdom. The other reading from this week from Ephesians 6, tells us everything God has given us to protect us from the plans and attacks of the evil one. All we have to do to stay protected is to remain in Christ. Let you whole life, even the bits you usually try to hide from God, let it all come under the authority and reign of Jesus and that's it, 100% enemy protection.
The problem is usually that we don't like to let Jesus have full control. So what are you holding back from Jesus? What is it that is so messed up in your life that you are not prepared to trust it to the person who, facing his own death, was thinking of and praying for you?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Help me to bring all of my life under your authority so that in all things I might glorify you and share in your victory over the evil one. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
TO PONDER
Strength. It's something that people define differently. Of course there is physical strength but there is also emotional strength, strength of conviction, strength of faith, etc.
The biggest problem for Christians is learning that we are strongest when we are in Christ. In our verse today, St Paul encourages the Christians in Ephesus, to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. He acknowledges that we do face a spiritual battle every day and it is a battle we are called to take a stand in. But we can only make our stand if we are strengthened and protected by the gifts which we have in Christ Jesus.
We have his righteousness in place of our guilt, to guard our hearts from the accusations of the accuser. We have the belt of truth, to help us see through the deceptions of the deceiver. We have the gospel of peace to bring us comfort in the face of despair; and weapon the enemy has to throw against us has its counter in Christ, in whose strength and power we stand.
Your job in the spiritual battle it not to 'Rambo' it and go out as a solo mercenary with guns blazing. Rather it is more like the role of a sentry after the victory has been won, standing guard against any last minute surprise attacks. If you spot the enemy, then call on the name of the Lord, in whose strength you will be able to stand.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, thank you that we get to share in your victory. Thank you that we stand before the Father clothed in your righteousness, that we have the peace that comes from your good news and that in the face of the spiritual battle around us, all we have to do is make our stand in you and know that you have placed all things under your feet. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
TO PONDER:
One of the greatest inventions, I think, has to be noise cancelling headphones!! They mute life's soundtrack, helping you block out distractions around you, enabling you to focus, relax and restore some peace and tranquility into your life. And don't we need it.
Our live are bombarded by constant noise; adverts, television, influencers, lobbyists are turning up the volume in an attempt to get our attention, our energy, our resources. We are surrounded by notification dings that demand an immediate response, distracting us from the task at hand so things take longer to do which eats into the limited time available in our lives anyway.
God is your noise-cancelling headphones when the worries of life crash in on you, when they occupy all the airspace you have, all the ability you have to think, when they are there first thing in the morning, and last thing at night. Amid the cacophony of these worries yelling and screaming in your hearts and minds, God is your fortress. Behind the thick walls of his presence, is a fortress that blocks out the noise, the attacks, the demands, allowing you to rest, be restored and renewed to face the onslaught beyond the walls. In God's presence, the noise is cancelled and muted giving clarity to hear what is most needed - that he is your rock, he is your hope, he will not let you be overcome for his peace with guard your hearts and minds forever.
How are you building time each day, to put on the noise-cancelling headphones of God, so you can listen to him alone?
PRAYER:
God, when the noise of this world, overwhelms, give me ears to hear your voice alone, for your words are healing and life to me, and in your presence I find peace.. Amen.
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit
TO PONDER:
This is a real conversation I had with a person this week. "In ten years of business, I had never been through this before, and the pressure got to me. I had no answers and I couldn't cope and went through a time of real depression. And the result of this was that I let a lot of my clients down, including you."
It was a hard admission for this person to make but one that many are familiar with. When we trust in our own resources, there comes a time when our reserves are depleted, our strength is gone, and there is nothing left to give. It becomes a downward spiral that can be hard to get out of. But Jeremiah reminds us that when you put your trust in God, there is an abundance of resources that enable us to thrive, even in the midst of the most challenging times. Those who are centred in the Lord, who draw their strength from the Lord and trust in him, are able to remain strong and vibrant, to find the strength to endure and persevere, even in the face of adversity. But it doesn't stop there. The tree is able to bear fruit even in drought. When we draw from the endless supply of God's grace, we are able to make a positive impact on the world around us, providing nourishment and sustenance to others. As the Psalmist reminds us, 'My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. -Psalm 73:26.
Where do you need to trust and put your confidence in the Lord today?
PRAYER:
God, in all I face today, be the strength of my heart. Amen.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
TO PONDER:
What gets you out of bed each morning? To be a good role model for your children? Curiosity - you are eager to learn something new each day? A passion for helping others? A desire to shape and influence the lives of others? Necessity - there are bills to be paid and mouths to be filled? Or maybe what gets you out of bed is fear - fear of missing out on something or fear of letting someone down.
What gets you out of bed each morning is a question of motivation. Paul addresses this question of motivation in the reading today. He tells the people to work hard - to put all their effort into what you are doing. Why? So that they would get a promotion? So that they would make a lot of money? No! There is a different motivation in play here. It's that we see whatever we are doing as part of our service to God, a response to what Christ has done for us and given to us. What's interesting is to who Paul writes this. In verse 22 Paul is addressing the slaves in households, whose very title means they work for someone else. But Paul tells them that their relationship to Jesus Christ, their transformed life in him becomes a new motivation for why they get out of bed in the morning. Because they have a new employer, God himself!
When I was ordained as a pastor, I was set apart for the holy things of God. The Church was saying that it recognised that God, had called me to, gifted and prepared me for vocational pastoral ministry. What I love about these verses is that Paul is saying that your baptism has ordained you, set you apart, gifted and prepared you for that work you are doing now. That God is at work in whatever you are doing to reveal his presence in this world. So as you get out of bed this morning, as you head into your day, will you remind yourself that you are an ordained bus driver, an ordained stay at home parent, an ordained teacher, an ordained business owner, an ordained grandparent, an ordained lecturer, an ordained secretary, an ordained ________ (insert your own occupation). As you go about your day, remember God is your employer so let working for him be your motivation. May your actions and your effort be inspired by who you work for. May you make Christ look good in this world.
PRAYER:
God, thank you for ordaining me and taking a chance on me and qualifying me for work in your kingdom. Strengthen me by your Spirit, that all I do today, may reflect well on you as my boss, my Lord, and my Saviour. Amen.