Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."¹

It was Vance Havner who said in his own inimitable way, "The enemy surrounds us—don't let one escape."

Neither was he, nor am I, referring to any man-made wars. Havner was referring to the spiritual warfare that every Christian is involved in either actively or sitting idly by on the sidelines oblivious to what is happening in the world around them.

Having said that, I have always been impressed with the resolve of Winston Churchill when Hitler's army and the might of the German military power were threatening to bomb England almost out of existence. At the height of World War II in one of England's darkest yet finest hours Mr. Churchill valiantly declared: "We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old."

May we who claim to be Christ-followers have the same resolve in today's sin-sick-broken-world in the spiritual warfare where the forces of evil are running rampant in every corner of the world.

Again, I am not referring to man-made wars, I'm referring to spiritual warfare against the prince of darkness, Satan, and his forces of evil. The only effective resolution of which—and victory over—is the transforming power of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

To battle effectively in this urgent hour of world conflict, we Christians need first of all to LIVE the gospel and demonstrate its transforming power in our own lives, and then PROCLAIM the gospel—as Jesus commanded us to do. We are to preach / proclaim / communicate it to everyone everywhere.

Remember, too, if we don't live the gospel, our words are worthless and may do more to drive people away from Christ rather than draw them to him.

As committed followers of Jesus Christ, let us join forces, and as Vance Havner said, "The enemy surrounds us. Don't let one escape!"

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please grant that the tragic man-made conflicts our world is facing today trigger a great spiritual awakening as never before seen—one that will sweep the earth from north to south and east to west. Grant that it will cause people everywhere to turn to you and be saved. And please start this spiritual awakening in me so that my life will be a living witness to your saving power, and by your grace help me to have a small but vital part in your plan to reach everyone in the world with the gospel while there is time. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."


Ephesians 6:12(NIV).

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