One of the things that has fascinated me recently is God’s timetable.  More specifically the fact that He doesn’t appear to be in a rush to bring His promises to pass.

The more closely we look at scripture, we tend to see a pattern forming.  God makes a promise to a person or people, followed by a time of delay, and then the eventual fulfillment of that promise.

The most painful part?  That in-between time of delay.

Think of our present culture of instant gratification.  If I can hardly wait 60 seconds to boil a cup of water in the microwave, how can I wait months or years for God to bring to pass what I’ve committed to Him in prayer?

Nothing is harder than the time between… the waiting… transitioning between hope and despair.

Consider the following, listed in no specific order:

• David: he was anointed to be the future king of Israel when he was still a lad, perhaps in his early teens.  This was followed shortly by his slaying of Goliath.  Things look pretty promising.  Then he spent over a decade on the run, hiding out in caves and the wilderness, trying to evade the jealous King Saul.  He finally became king of Judah at age 30 and all Israel at age 37.
• Moses: at the age of 40, he had the inkling that perhaps he would be the Deliverer of Israel from the oppression of Egypt.  He took matters into his own hands one day and killed an Egyptian who was abusing a Jewish labourer.  Feeling somewhat powerful, he ventured out the next day and saw the man he delivered in an argument with another Jewish labourer and he confronted them.  The man passed Moses a sideways threat, causing Moses to fearfully go on the run, heading to the backside of the desert for 40 years.  This prince of Egypt, trained in the courts of Pharaoh was finally called by God when all he could do was speak ‘sheep’.  He became that Deliverer at the age of 80 years old.
• Joseph: after receiving two vivid dreams at the age of 17, telling him that he would be exalted above his brothers, he went through one of the most painful accounts recorded in the Bible.  Sold as a slave, then imprisoned…  13 years all told.  He then is exalted to the right hand of Pharaoh where he finally sees the dreams come to pass about 9 years later, at the age of 39.  That’s a total of 22 years between the promise and its fulfillment!  His brothers bow before him, and the promise of his dream comes flooding back.

Do you begin to see a trend?  We could have looked at faithful old Simeon, who waited and waited for the promise of Israel, fulfilled in the coming of the Lord Jesus.  Or the Apostle Paul who was sent to Antioch for a couple years to cool off after his conversion.  Or of the prophet Jeremiah – the weeping prophet – who was confused and discouraged by the hardness of hearts he was forced to preach to.

Amazingly, none of these men were ultimately hurt by the perceived delay.  In fact, God’s timetable worked out to be much more impactful and appreciated.

There always seems to be a promise – then a long period of delay – and then the fulfillment of that promise.

In light of this trend, instant success seems almost betraying.

Last night I was reading about Abraham.  Imagine…  God makes him a promise, at the age of 75, that God would make of him “a great nation”.  (Gen 12).  Of course, God never gave him a timetable as to when this would happen.  The only problem?  His wife was barren.  Only a couple who has gone month-to-month only to be disappointed each time could grasp the feelings he must have endured.  In fact, Abraham (Abram) poured out his heart to the Lord in Genesis 15:

But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”  And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

The Lord re-confirmed His promise and Abraham was comforted.  But still, Sarah never got pregnant…

Finally, at the advice of his wife he took matters into his own hands, and decided to help God out.  He impregnated his wife’s Egyptian servant, Hagar, who bore Ishmael.  Of course, this was not the seed of promise.  It wasn’t until Abraham was 100 years old that Isaac was born.  25 years after the promise God made.  That’s a long, long time.

Personally, I have desires that I’d like to see God fulfill.  I have prayed about them and pleaded with Him.  But it hasn’t come to pass on my timetable and the schedule that I’ve given Him.  What folly!

Can I wait for Him?  Can I cling to the promise that rain will be coming even though the sky is cloudless?

Can I avoid the temptation to take matters into my own feeble hands?  Can I remain faithful if He decides to never fulfill what I’ve asked Him to?

That is my desire… to trust and cling to Him throughout all seasons.  Throughout all discouragements and setbacks.

I praise Him for His unfailing faithfulness.  He is faithful that has promised.  The one thing, the only thing, He cannot do is lie.

I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.  Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.  For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

When I was a kid, there was a detergent commercial that would often come on for a brand called ABC.  Two boys would spend the day running through mud and collecting grass stains, then at the end of the day, mom would wash the clothes… one in ABC and the other in a more expensive brand of detergent.  Having both boys standing on either side of her, dressed in the newly washed clothes, she would say, “I can’t see the difference.  Can you see the difference?  Why pay more?”

A pretty clear message: why spend your money for the same results?  Get the cheaper brand and pocket the difference.

If only life were that simple…

Can you tell the difference between truth and error?  Between a truth-teller and a false-prophet?

Almost 3,000 years ago, the bible records a fascinating interaction between the false prophet Hananiah and the true prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 28).

We are introduced to the bold character of Hananiah as he approaches Jeremiah in the temple in Jerusalem, right in the middle of all the people and the priests.  In his booming voice and grand theatrics, he utters:

“This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles of the LORD’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon.” (v 2-3)

This man was a preacher!  He had stage-presence and an air of certainty that was so persuasive.  In addition, he claimed to be speaking on behalf of God (dangerous territory to begin with), but he was only telling the people what he thought they wanted to hear.  A sure way to gain popularity.  While Jeremiah had told them to settle down, build homes and plant gardens because there was to be a 70 year captivity, this man reduced it to only 2 years with a convincing “Thus saith the Lord!”

Who are you going to believe?  The one who tells you the ‘good news’ and what you want to hear?

Well, even Jeremiah reluctantly joined the chorus saying, “Amen! May the LORD do so!” (v. 6).

But being the man he was, he went on to declare the Hananiah was misleading the people.  But Hananiah wasn’t about to let Jeremiah spoil the show:

Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, and he said before all the people, “This is what the LORD says: ‘In the same way will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’ ” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.

Now, if you were in the crowd that day, who would appear more convincing?  Honestly?  Jeremiah was wearing a wooden-yolk on his shoulders to symbolize Israel’s bondage.  What a foolish looking man.  On the other side was the strapping Hananiah, brimming with confidence, eloquence and charisma, running circles around the more meek Jeremiah.  Could you imagine the gasp, followed by nodding heads that would have rippled through the crowd as Hananiah snapped the yoke over his knee and wood splintered into the air?

Jeremiah understood the tide had shifted away from truth to error and so decided to go his way, leaving the people in the hands of the false prophet.  After all, he was telling them precisely what they wanted to hear.  Who wants to hear:

• you are raising rebellious children with no discipline
• you are not being a good steward of the resources the Lord has entrusted to you
• you claim to be living for Christ but have yet to break off your sinful ways
• the relationship you are in is not what God would approve of
• you are on the path to destruction
• your god is money

In a nutshell, who really wants to hear the truth? Not the truth of great sweeping statements (for example, “God loves you”), but the truth that cuts to the quick and is direct and personal… that actually affects your daily life?  Not many, which is why most – if not all – the prophets were murdered. (Matthew 23:37).

The Egyptian magicians, Jannes and Jambres, opposed Moses by mimicking almost every miracle he performed, though by demonic powers.  How would Pharaoh and his court be able to tell the difference?

2,000 years ago, the Apostle Paul observed the Corinthian church’s decline due to their willingness to heed false preaching:

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.

You mean that even the Devil preaches the gospel?  Yes.  Of course, with a slant that is sure to mislead and ultimately destroy.  Remember, when he approached Jesus he quoted scripture!  Can you tell the difference?

Do you look for affirmation when you are doing or living wrong?

Do you find yourself more moved by emotionalism and stimulation (loud speaking, jokes, eloquence) than unapologetic truth telling?

Do you prefer to be told ‘smooth things’ in a soft tone than to hear the honest truth, though it may cut?

Do you prefer truth or religion?  Something to do on Sunday that quells your conscience or a life-altering experience with the risen Christ?

Do you even care to hear the truth?

I fear that in our day of information overload, very few people possess the knowledge to actually discern biblical truth from plain error.  Fewer still possess the desire and hunger to hear the truth if it will alter their lives too much.

I admire the men who stand and proclaim the word of God in the spirit of love, yet plainly, pleading with people to amend their ways and turn whole-heartedly to God.   When you fear men, you will seek to please men.  When you fear God above all, you will seek to please Him – even at the displeasure of your fellow men and all they can do and say about you.

When you look out on the religious landscape today, particularly Christianity, what do you see?  Well, before you answer this question, consider another: immediately before the Lord Jesus’ coming on the scene 2,000 years ago, what was the religious climate in Israel?

It’s a difficult question to answer, especially as it pertains to our day.  Both questions depend on your viewpoint and a healthy dose of discernment, don’t they?

Jesus comes upon the nation of Israel during a time of burgeoning religion.  Arguably, the nation was never more religious than at the time He was heralded as the “Lamb of God” by John the Baptist.  On the surface, all was well.  There were Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Herodians, various cults, zealots, doctors of the law and every flavour in between.  People made every effort to attend the feast days, the sacrifices were kept, circumcision was in full effect, prayer and fasting were common, Sabbath keeping was observed to a tee.

But what did God see?  Amazingly, in all this, Jesus is described “like a root out of dry ground” (Isaiah 53:2).  Imagine a parched, empty, bleak desert landscape.  That’s what God saw…  and then, out of the earth a Green Shoot begins to sprout – the Lord Jesus.  We know, based on God’s word, that this little root would later become a towering tree on the barren landscape of humankind’s existence.  Sure, there are many counterfeits, but only one genuine article.

I wonder if anyone else saw things the same way at the time?  Religion was flourishing, but the gospel of Mark records that Jesus felt compassion for the masses because they “were like sheep without a shepherd”. (Mark 6:34).  Sounds like the days of Ezekiel (Ezek 34).  Yet, in the midst of all this there were still the Simeons, Annas, Josephs, Marys, shepherds and unrecorded names who were serving the Lord under the radar.

The more you read the Bible, it becomes apparent that what man sees is often contrary to what God sees and what, in fact, is reality.  It was the same in the days of all the prophets as well.  Read Isaiah 1 for starters: the people thought they were on solid ground with God, but they had long ago departed from His ways while retaining an outward shell of piety.  Likewise in Malachi 1.

Perhaps one of the most dire warnings, given in a vivid picture occurred when the Lord was passing through the Judean wilderness en-route to Jerusalem:

Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry.  Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. – Matthew 21:18-19

Despite all the trappings of fruitfulness (lovely, luscious green leaves) there was no fruit (what the Lord was really after).  This was precisely the religious climate in the Lord’s day.

Now, back to our day…  I wonder how the Lord regards the Christian landscape, including the part I occupy?

In our haste, we proclaim a loud “YES!” to Jesus’ question: “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).  But this question was not meant to be answered, but rather deeply considered.  It was cautionary.

A church on every corner; Jesus preached on the television, radio and Internet; some churches claiming millions of adherents.  But what does God see?  That is the question.

The Pharisees had a smug self-assurance that they were on the right path.  In fact, that’s why they actually rejected their Messiah.  The Lord actually told them, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life…” (John 5:39).  But where was the fruit?  Non-existent.

When we used to live in Africe (Kenya), there was saying commonly spoken that in this region, “Christianity is a million miles wide but only an inch deep.”  There was some truth in that I think.  How much has the gospel, the life of Christ, transformed me and you personally?

Today it is socially acceptable to be a Christian (a nominal one) and people actually “inherit” their faith from their parents like they would a nationality.  The polls tell us that worldwide there are almost 2 billion Christians today.  But the transformation power of the gospel as recorded in Galatians 5:22 or 2 Peter 1; the cleaving faith of the saint to his God; true faith the renders worldly accomplishment a small thing; Jesus as Lord in your life and mine?  Not as common.

What does God see?  What do you see?

Ever heard of Hell Week?  It’s the defining event for a Navy SEAL soldier, held early on in evaluation to help weed out those that are unfit for the job.  It last 5 1/2 days.  Almost an entire week of cold, wet, brutally difficult operational drills and fewer than four hours of sleep.  The SEAL instructors play mental tricks on them as well, in an attempt to break the resolve of the unresolved.

The point is to push the young man (no women allowed) beyond the point of physical strength to where they have to dig deep within themselves if they’re going to make it.  In short, it is a test of determination and desire.

On average, fewer than 25% of SEAL candidates make it through the week.

Imagine waking up at 3 am, climbing out from under your boat where you spent only an hour sleeping, to be walked down to the cold Pacific, where you lie down, armlocked with other candidates whose chattering teeth can almost be heard above the sound of the surf.   Seconds seem like hours.  That’s tough.

I remember watching a Youtube video (part of a series) of the training where one young man broke his leg, yet refused to quit.  He did ALL the drills the other soldiers performed, though much slower and through gritted teeth as he bore the pain, and completed the 5 1/2 days (after this he was treated medically and would rejoin another group upon his recovery).  What do you call that, if not determination, resolve and desire?

On the fourth day, this got my attention – a comment from an instructor:

“Somebody says why ‘Hell Week’?  Why not ‘Hell 3 days’, why not 7 days, why 5 days?  Well, when you get to this point, nobody’s going to quit.  They’ll stay here.  They’ll die if we let’em.”

Read that statement again.  What resolve!  What determination!  If it was “Hell Month” some of these men would rather die than end up quitting.

What are you resolved to be and do in your life?  What have you determined, by the grace of God?  Where do your desires ultimately lay?

Is there any passion in your life?  Any resolve and determination?

When we look at the Lord Jesus, this is what the author of Hebrews says:

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. – Hebrews 12:2-3

Isn’t that amazing?

The goal was shining so brightly before Him that He was able to wade through the deepest and darkest of waters in order to conquer.  In looking to Him, we are not to lose heart.

“But that’s the Lord!  He wasn’t just the average man or woman,” you might say.  And you’d be right.  But the preceding chapter (Hebrews 11) is spent cataloging the lives of men and women who ended their lives in faith despite setbacks, trials and seeming failure.  What’s a prostitute doing in this catalog (:31)?  Or Samson, the failed judge (:32)?

This chapter is full of people who may not have started well, but they did end well.  They endured, by the grace of God, and their faith and hope grew steadily, until it was almost tangible.  This faith and hope changed the course of their lives and even the course of history.  Some died as stalwarts of the faith while others died in obscurity.  But in all, v. 16 tells us that “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

Guess what?  He has prepared a “city” (the hope of the coming Kingdom) for you as well.  Living for God in the present world requires resolve, commitment, determination and desire.  This is the doctrine of the early church and of Christ Himself.

Let us run the race and endure to the end.

One of the most brutally honest Psalms can be found in #73, written by a young man named Asaph.  Here we get a tour of the battle going on inside the mind of a youth as he wrestles with the benefits of serving God versus the benefits he observes in those who live as though He does not exist.

He starts off by acknowledging the faithfulness of God to true believers, but he categorizes himself as one of little faith. He then admits:

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.

For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

The closer we get to the edge of the precipice, the greater the chances of us tumbling over.  As the saying goes, the “grass is greener on the other side”… that is, until you actually get there.  Wasn’t this the mindset of the Prodigal Son who decided to forge his own way in the world, tired of being under his father’s roof with all its restrictions?

On the surface, it seems as though the man without regard for God lives so carefree and at ease.  He speaks freely without fear of divine retribution; he lives it up and does whatever he pleases never pausing to look over his shoulder.   Essentially, he is his own god and master.  Amazingly, this is the world we live in today.  In a recent book entitled, “The Day America Told the Truth”, the overwhelming majority of people surveyed – 93% – said that they, and nobody else, determine what is and what isn’t moral in their lives.   93%.  This way of thinking has not only permeated society, but affects the church as well.  We live in a society completely adrift of any moorings.  Every man is regarded as his own king and lord.  As in the days of the Judges, every man does what is right in his own eyes.

Is there a worse place to be?  We are on slippery ground indeed when a man regards himself as the pinnacle of moral authority, unaware of the subtlety, deception and evil of his own heart.

Young Asaph, the author of this Psalm, came dangerously close to buying into this mode of thinking:

Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;
in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.

He was saying that all my attempts to live for God are futile and bring no tangible and present benefits.  Meanwhile, the man who doesn’t even care for God is prospering and enjoying life.  He was ripe for the Devil’s attack; ready to switch allegiance.  He was confused, but the mist began to clear when he “entered the sanctuary of God.”

And this is the turning point.

Anyone who claims they can live a successful Christian life without a steady and balanced diet of God’s word from God’s man is deceived.  There’s something about being among fellow believers and hearing the word of God that makes all the difference.  It did for Asaph.  A beam of light raised him from his dejection and caused the mist to fade…

He realizes something about the finality of those who refuse to acknowledge any authority higher than themselves:

Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.

But rather than getting down on the arrogance of those who strut like peacocks, he turned the light inward and humbled himself before the Lord.  A new days dawns as he pens these words:

I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

Now that is what I call true repentance: a changing of his entire mind.  He reflected on his former state and regarded himself as no more than an animal – living just for the minute without consideration of eternity.  We would do well to remember that the most significant battles we face occur within the trenches of our minds, hidden even from those closest to us.  God seeks to change our minds and hearts by renewing us through His word and Spirit.  It is a process requiring a solid diet of spiritual food, prayer and walking in the light of the gospel.  Finally, he declares:

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

When our view expands from the immediate and we take in the big picture, we can rest in the fact that God is in control. Cling to Him, no matter how things look on the surface.  There is no better place to be than in fellowship with Him.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. - Prov 29:25

The fellow on the right is an intimidating character to be sure.  There’s something about having a 190 lb. pet hyena that sends a crystal-clear message.  His job?  To extort money from other poor people in West Africa.  Which emotion do you think he triggers in order to do his job well?  You got it: fear.

Fear can be healthy.  It’s a built-in warning system that we have to protect us.  It acts like a sixth sense a lot of the time.

Honestly now.  How would you respond if he approached you?

Well, forget about him.  Truth be told, many of crumple under the gaze of much less fearsome folk all the time.  We fear a rude look or a rude word.  But I think what we fear most is what people will THINK of us.  It’s a fact that the majority of us live and make decisions based on how others will perceive us.

If we find ourselves asking “What if?” all the time, we are governed by fear.  What if the stock market crashes, that person doesn’t like me, I lose my job, I get sick, my house gets robbed?  On and on.  But the greatest fear we have is of one another: the fear of men.  That’s why scripture warns against it incessantly.

When you live your life in fear of men, Proverbs tells us it will be a snare.  You will want people to like you, you will shy away from living or speaking anything remotely offensive – including the truth.  In short, you will learn the art of the chameleon.  That’s why the Lord said:

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! – Luke 6:26

Fear is not an emotion you can turn on and off.  It’s like lust.  It rises from within.  It’s been programmed and embedded into us so deeply.  But it can be conquered.  And being free of what people THINK of us is the most liberating of all. Then we are free to serve God in spirit and truth.

In the first chapter of Joshua, when this man was taking over the reigns from Moses and entering unchartered territory, the word “courage”, “courageous” or “discouraged” (as in “don’t be discouraged”) appears 5 times.  In a single chapter.

When Paul wrote to young Timothy he tells him, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7).  Paul spent a lot of time building this man up.

In Matthew 10, when Jesus was sending His disciples out to minister for the first time, He tells them “do not be afraid” 3 times.

I am no great conqueror of fear myself – something I battle with like most.  But courage is not the absence of fear; it is what drives us through fear.  But I find that the following help me to overcome it sometimes:

• hope: that person may reject me or the truth; but what if they receive it?
• love: instead of worrying about how I’ll be perceived, just acting or speaking in love is powerful
• perspective: what can they really do to me?  Gossip?  Shout?  Hit?  Most of the time what we envision in our minds never comes to fruition (though sometimes it does)
• God’s word: it is a shield indeed and is really the foundation of the above items
• Trust God: when you can’t figure Him out, lean on Him (note: if the only time you call on Him is when you’re going through fearful experiences, you might be disappointed; but maybe not)
• Just do it: instead of mulling over all the consequences, just stepping out in faith works wonders
• Realizing Who actually does the work: “It is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.”

I read this in a novel years ago and wrote it in my Bible:

Fear inspires the timid and makes bold the brave, but the greatest advocate of action is hope.

This past weekend we dealt with spiritual warfare and the subtlety and aims of the Adversary to undermine our faith.  In the minds of many Christians, we wonder what we would do if a gun was held to our head and we were ordered to deny the Lord or face the consequences.  But the battle we’re in most often is a constant “dripping of water” which wears away the stone of our resolve to live for Him.  This is the warfare we face daily.

Erosion doesn’t happen instantly, but over weeks, months and years.  Likewise, the erosion of one’s faith, hunger and thirst for God is how the Devil attacks most often.

I have met a number of drug addicts or recovering addicts.  One thing is consistent among all.  Not one ever got out of bed one morning and said, “I think I’m going to try heroine today” or “I’ve always wanted to smoke crack”.  Rather, the downward trajectory started ever so slowly.

For example (not necessarily in this order), hanging out with the wrong people led to … smoking … drinking and softer drugs …   going to the wrong places … a bad life situation resulting in a careless attitude…  a sense of overconfidence (“I’ll just try it once”)… trying it… addicted… life unravels.

If you look at your life and consider what addictions, vices or strongholds you wrestle with, chances are they started out as a seedling that has now grown into a mighty oak.   Internet pornography is a perfect example of this.  In his brief epistle, James was very wise when he wrote:

Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. – James 1:15

From a religious perspective, a gradual backsliding, casualness and cooling off in regards to your relationship with God happens over time.  Just as a marriage dies long before the divorce actually happens, if we are not vigilant and nurturing, our hunger and thirst for God will shrivel and be replaced with other cares.  We may continue in our religious duties, but the life has been sucked out of our relationship with Him.

Here are a few things to consider in order to keep yourself in check:

The Church at Rome: Paul had written a letter to this church years before, but in Acts 28 he was finally able to meet with the church in person – though as a prisoner.  ”The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us.”  (Acts 28:15).  So eager were the people to meet with him for the first time that they traveled more than 60 km – probably on foot – from Rome to accompany him on the last leg of his journey!

Fast forward a few more years.  In his last letter, Paul describes his first Roman trial.  Things were beginning to get a little hot.  He says, “At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me.”  (2 Tim 4:16).  What happened between the celebration at Three Taverns and his first court date?

Demas: Here’s a man who is mentioned only sparingly in a few verses of scripture.  But those mentions tell us quite a bit.  In Philemon 24, Paul calls him his one of “my fellow workers.”  He is also mentioned in Colossians 4 as sending his greetings to the church at Colosse.

But in 2 Timothy 4, Paul says, “Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.”

How did he go from fellow worker to forsaker?

Laodicea: In Colossians 4, Paul mentions the church at Laodicea with not even a hint of rebuke.

“Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea… After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.” – Col 4:15-16

Yet 25 years later, this same church receives perhaps the harshest rebuke from none other than the Lord Jesus, as recorded in the book of Revelation.  His words:

“But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” (3:17)

How did they go from a vibrant church to one that was lukewarm to the point that Christ warned He would spew them out of His mouth?

Consider.

In the days of old, when a country was invaded by an aggressive nation, people for miles around would centralize in the nearest castle or walled city.  Sometimes the invading country would attempt to breach the walls, weaken the foundations by digging or burn the gates; other times they would lay siege to the city for months or years, waiting for the people inside to get desperate as water and food supplies dwindled or plague spread, forcing them to open the gates at last.

Well, think about the concept of spiritual warfare.  Here we’ll just briefly touch on a few thoughts – this is a massive subject.

First things first.  We need to grasp that there is a battle on for our souls, just like two armies might fight over a piece of land.  Spiritually, before receiving Christ you were owned by the Devil.  If you have not bowed the knee to Christ, you are still in bondage to the Devil – no matter how good you might consider yourself to be:

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. – Eph 2:1-2

But, when the light penetrated the darkness of your heart and Christ became your Saviour, the Devil lost his sovereign right to you.  Christ the Conqueror became your Lord.  Battle over, right?  No. Here the battle begins.

Just as a country might have been peppered with strongholds, built up in strategic places throughout the land, you have strongholds that have not yet been surrendered to the Lord.  Strongholds are ways of thinking so deeply imbedded in us, contrary to the way of God, that serve as roadblocks to our spiritual growth.  We should be able to identify a few of these areas, but some are so ingrained in our thinking we don’t even know they are strongholds at all.

A lot of Christians feel terribly weak and alone because we have this concept that once we’ve accepted the Lord, all darkness ought to be banished away.  But in reality, the process of conversion and sanctification takes a lifetime, as one area after another becomes the domain of the Lord.  This is not a passive process.  You’re actively involved in your sanctification.

Even after repentance and acceptance of the Lord, strongholds persist as:

• guilt: “Have I really been forgiven?” (doubting the true power of what Christ came to do, for you)
• religion: binding you to duty, ceremony and forms of penance (in a word, ‘works’) as a means of placating God
• lust: takes various forms
• materialism: a constant battle to find security in things rather than God (in a word, ‘idolatry’)
• fear: of people, of death; deep anxiety and lack of peace
• worldly philosophy: “It is arrogance to claim to be certain about anything.”; tolerance vs. godly conviction
• doubt: as the serpent said to Eve, “Hath God said..?”
• a besetting sin: usually something that plagues your mind and tries to make you rationalize certain actions that are contrary to following Christ (can be very deep-seated)

There are a ton of areas that we couldn’t possibly cover – ways of thinking that are contrary to God, but so ingrained in our personage that we see no way of being free of them.  Just as a physical stronghold was built to withstand external forces, these are areas in our lives that will not disappear easily.  They have deep foundations, high walls and sturdy doors.

As you already know, most of the significant battles we face occur beneath the surface, in our own minds and hearts.  But the Lord has not left us at the mercy of these strongholds.  By the power of His Spirit, we can lay siege to these areas, and by believing and living according to His word, patiently but purposely gain the victory.

Here’s what the Apostle Paul said:

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. – 2 Cor 10:4-5

Notice that: the weapons we are equipped with (the word of God, prayer, the promise of salvation, believing you are adopted into the family of God, the certainty of Christ’s supremacy, the power of the gospel to save to the uttermost, etc) are able to demolish these areas that keep us in bondage.

If we don’t use the weapons or back away when things get uncomfortable (ie: ending a relationship detrimental to our growth in God)?  No ultimate victory.  Slowly, the forces gathered behind the fortress wall will regain strength and re-conquer you, leaving you worse off than when you started (see Matt 12:43-45).

We are to be free from self-deception (kidding ourselves that habits we entertain or ways of thinking aren’t really all that bad).  This is not a casual exercise.  Paul continues:

“…and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (v 5b)

This is a brutal picture, not a passive exercise.  Bound and shackled, we are to banish these areas that exalt themselves against God.  This is warfare.  With the help of God, we demolish the walls, but don’t leave the stronghold alone after that.  No…  we thoroughly address the core issue until it has been conquered.  Only then can we claim the victory in that area.

At the end of it all, we can say like Paul: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” – 2 Timothy 4:7.  We will finally lay down the sword and pick up the crown.

Never have 3 little words carried so much weight.

‘Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.’ – John 19:30

These were the final words He uttered before dying a horrible death on the cross.  But in uttering these 3 words, the Lord Jesus washed away the sins of those who place their trust in Him, led death captive, destroyed the wall of separation between Gentiles and God, and paved the way for eternal life.  He tore the chains of sin out of the wall, freeing those who call upon Him to live unto God.  The prison door has been opened, and we have been called to walk in freedom and newness of life.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” - 2 Cor 5:21

He became poor that we might be made rich.

What more could a Saviour do for mankind?

This past weekend, Pastor Desmond Singh preached on precisely what was accomplished for us in the death of the Lord Jesus.  The statement a few people made was that, “My hope just got a whole lot larger.”  And this is what happens when it finally dawns on us the massive victory that was achieved on our behalf.

No longer should we live as those who have no hope, racked by fear and uncertainty.  When Jesus arose, He told his disciples:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…” – Matt 28:18

We have now been made citizens of a new country (heaven) and are to live according to the declarations of our King.

These few verses from Ephesians 3 captures the wonder of this new life in Christ:

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Do you see that?  Paul’s prayer is that we KNOW the love that surpasses KNOWLEDGE.  How can you know something that is beyond knowing?  This is so much more than just a mental assent or religious nod.  It is an experience that the world could never give, nor could it take it away.  May we begin to grasp these things and then live accordingly.