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Showing posts with label Clinton Arnold. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clinton Arnold. Show all posts

Friday, September 9, 2022

Healing from Loss– Goodbye My Lover - Purity 832

Healing from Loss– Goodbye My Lover - Purity 832

Purity 832 09/09/2022  Purity 832 Podcast

Good morning,

Today’s photo of a sunset over St. Vincent Gulf from the vantage point of Marino Rocks in Adelaide South Australia comes to us from Dave Baun Photography (https://www.facebook.com/DaveBaunPhotography) who commented that they captured this scene on a “warmer day” because winter begins on May 31st and goes to August 30th in Australia. Things are different Down Under, so Dave is now enjoying Springtime as we are moving into Fall and are leaving summer behind.  

Well, it’s Friday and as the sunsets on another work week I have mixed emotions because I am excited and rejoicing because I am picking up a new car at the end of the day and will be driving it to my countryside home to see my wife. So, I am very happy about that.  

But I have to admit that there is a little sadness because I will be trading in my old car, a 2010 Honda CRV,  that will be another thing from my former life that will be “lost”.  The CRV was the “family” car from my previous marriage, and it went with me into to my new life and it was used to move 95 percent of my possessions to my new home.  It was also used to complete my children’s education in the fine are of driving in the tight streets of downtown Hudson. That car saw my kids become teenagers and young adults and it saw me changed from broken to whole as it was with me on my journey from addiction to sobriety.  

So there are lots of good memories tied into that car but admittedly there is also some painful memories because of the trauma of the losses that resulted from my divorce and all the changes since then.  But  through that journey of pain, there was lots of praise and worship in that car as we fought the darkness of fear and depression by proclaiming in song the goodness of God even when we were “in the middle of the road and we didn’t know which way to go”.    Great is your faithfulness to me!

That car drove me to recovery ministry. That car drove me to work in blizzards and to my second job that made the dream of a new home become a reality. So I know it is just an object but even though the high milage on it demands its replacement, I feel like I am losing an old friend.

I’m silly and sentimental so forgive me but in sitting down to write this morning I wanted to encourage those who are grieving or suffering loss that the key to healing is saying “goodbye”. 

I recommend Dr. H. Norman Wright’s “The Complete Guide to Crisis & Trauma Counseling”  to those who may need help in understanding grief, trauma, or loss and it may be helpful to those who need help moving on after loss.  

To move on we say goodbye to the people and things we have lost. Saying goodbye in our hearts allows us to move into the “new normal” of the rest of our lives beyond our grief and pain.  So say goodbye and walk and talk with God on your way to the rest of your life.  We don’t have to forget our loved ones or the things we once had but the Lord’s call on our lives is to keep moving forward.

There are a lot of scriptures about moving forward but Christ’s words in Luke 9:62 come to mind.  The context of that scripture is that people are telling Jesus that they want to follow Him but they are putting conditions on their answer to His call to discipleship.   The passage that came to mind, sort of ironically, considering my advice to “say good bye”, says:

Luke 9:61-62 (NLT2)
61  Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
62  But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

We have to remember that Christ knows the hearts of people and this exchange is with someone who didn’t follow. So it’s okay to say goodbye, but let’s follow Jesus.

Christ loved His friends and wept when Lazarus died. He knows about loss. And He knows about saying goodbye, as in His dying moments He made provisions for His mother’s care. 

John 19:26-27 (NLT2)
26  When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.”
27  And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

Jesus was saying “Goodbye Mom”.  Or I guess in Jesus’ case it was more like saying “ see you later”.   And that is the case for us too as we will see our departed brothers and sisters in Christ when we go into eternity.  

But for now, we should love deeply, and we should say goodbye to the people and things we have lost to be healed, and we should thank the Lord for allowing us to know such love, such pain, and such sorrow that came from a life in which we got to experience love and joy in the past and where we can move on to know it again in the future when we are faithful to follow the Lord from here to eternity.  

As I was thinking about loss, I remembered the James Blunt, heart breaking song, “Goodbye my lover". (See a lyric video of it here: ( https://youtu.be/4jAyZ4njHsc ) which ends by saying:

“ And I still hold your hand in mine,

In mine when I'm asleep.

And I will bare my soul in time,

When I'm kneeling at your feet.

[2x]

Goodbye, my lover.

Goodbye, my friend.

You have been the one.

You have been the one for me.

 

I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.

I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow.

I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.

I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow.”  (https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jamesblunt/goodbyemylover.html)

I know that the pain of loss can make us feel hollow. But the Lord gives us the Holy Spirit to fill us and to comfort us and to give us the strength to say “goodbye” and walk out of the shadows of grief into our new life.

So keep walking and talking with God, and He will you see you through.  

 

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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verse is:

2 Chronicles 26:16 (NLT2)
16  But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the LORD his God by entering the sanctuary of the LORD’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar.

Today’s verse reminds us that pride leads to our downfall as this section of scripture tells of King Uzziah’s blasphemy by doing what He was not allowed to do by trying to perform the duties of the priests, and he was struck by the Lord with leprosy! Uzziah lived the rest of his life with leprosy in isolation until he died. The end.  

So don’t be proud!

My resource only shared the first part of that verse but I wanted to see the context and little did I know that it would be a lesson on God’s holiness and wrath. So don’t ever think that God can not or does not chastise people with disease as a punishment for unfaithfulness or wickedness.    Sometimes disease is a judgment.  And if God is sovereign which He is, he either commands or allows disease and healing according to His ultimate will.  

As disturbing as this can be, I think it is a good lesson to learn. God “don’t play that”. We don’t live in a vacuum. We live in the universe God created and He determined the “days of our lives” and will be in eternity to either welcome us into His kingdom because we put our faith in Christ, or He will be there to judge and send us to a place of eternal torment as His wrath is poured out upon us for our inequities.  

So as much as I encourage people to “walk and talk with God”,  make sure you put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and be sure to walk humbly before the Lord because He calls the shots and He can even chastise those who He has called to follow Him when they walk in pride.  

______________________________________________________________________

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we conclude sharing from Clinton E. Arnold’s “Powers of Darkness”

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Clinton Arnold’s books for your own private study and to support his work.  This resource is available on many websites for less than $20.00.

References to the Powers of Darkness in Paul’s Letters

Word RSV (NIV)

 

Greek Term

 

Occurrences

 

Satan

 

 

 

 

 

satan

 

satanas

 

Rom 16:20; 1 Cor 5:5; 7:5; 2 Cor 2:11; 11:14; 12:7; 1 Thess 2:18; 2 Thess 2:9; 1 Tim 1:20; 5:15

 

devil

 

diabolos

 

Eph 4:27; 6:11; 1 Tim 3:6, 7; 2 Tim 2:26

 

evil one

 

ponēros

 

Eph 6:16; 2 Thess 3:3

 

prince (ruler)

 

archōn

 

Eph 2:2

 

spirit

 

pneuma

 

Eph 2:2

 

Belial

 

belial

 

2 Cor 6:15

 

the enemy

 

antikeimenos

 

1 Tim 5:14

 

the serpent

 

ophis

 

2 Cor 11:3

 

the tempter

 

peirazon

 

1 Thess 3:5

 

the god of this world (the god of this age)

 

ho theos tou aiōnou toutou

 

2 Cor 4:4

 

angel

 

angelos

 

2 Cor 11:14

 

Principalities and Powers

 

 

 

 

 

principalities (rulers)

 

archai

 

Rom 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16; 2:10; 2:15

 

powers (authorities)

 

exousiai

 

1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 2:2; 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16; 2:10; 2:15

 

powers

 

dynameis

 

Rom 8:38; Eph 1:21

 

dominions (powers)

 

kyriotētes

 

Eph 1:21; Col 1:16

 

thrones

 

thronoi

 

Col 1:16

 

angels/messengers

 

angeloi

 

Rom 8:38; 1 Cor 4:9; 6:3; 11:10 (?); 2 Cor 12:7; Gal 1:8 (?); Col 2:18

 

world rulers (powers)

 

kosmokratores

 

Eph 6:12

 

spiritual hosts (spiritual forces)

 

pneumatika

 

Eph 6:12

 

rulers

 

archontes

 

1 Cor 2:6, 8

 

elemental spirits (basic principles)

 

stoicheia

 

Gal 4:3, 8; Col 2:8, 20

 

demons

 

daimonia

 

1 Cor 10:20–21; 1 Tim 4:1

 

Select Bibliography

Historical Background Works

Aune, David E. “Magic in Early Christianity.” In Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt. II.23.2, pp. 1507–57. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1980.

———. “Magic.” In International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. 3:213–19. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986.

Betz, Hans Dieter, ed. The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation. Vol. 1: Text. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1986. This represents a fairly comprehensive collection of Greek and Demotic magical papyri that have been translated into English. It also contains an excellent introduction to the magical papyri by Professor Betz.

Charlesworth, James H., ed. The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. 2 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1983, 1985.

Cramer, Frederick H. Astrology in Roman Law and Politics. Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society 37. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1954.

Cumont, Franz. Astrology and Religion Among the Greeks and Romans. 1912. Reprint. New York: Dover, 1960.

———. The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism. New York: Dover, 1956.

Goodenough, E. R. Jewish Symbols in the Greco-Roman Period. 12 vols. New York: Pantheon, 1953.

Grant, Robert M. Gods and the One God. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1986.

Johnston, Sarah Iles. Hekate Soteira: A Study of Hekate’s Roles in the Chaldean Oracles and Related Literature. American Philological Association. American Classical Studies 21. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1990.

Langton, Edward. Essentials of Demonology. London: Epworth, 1949.

Luck, Georg. Arcana Mundi: Magic and the Occult in the Greek and Roman Worlds. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1985.

Martin, Luther H. Hellenistic Religions, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987.

Russell, D. S. The Message and Method of Jewish Apocalyptic. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1964. See especially chapter nine: “Angels and Demons.”

Schürer, Emil. The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ. Revised and edited by Geza Vermes, Fergus Millar and Martin Goodman. Vol. 3, Part 1. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1986. See especially chapter seven: “Incantations and Books of Magic.”

Smith, Jonathan Z. “Hellenistic Religion.” In Encyclopaedia Britannica. 8:749–51. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 1979.

Works Treating the Theme of Principalities and Powers

Anderson, Neil T. Victory over the Darkness: Realizing the Power of Your Identity in Christ. Ventura, Calif.: Regal Books, 1990.

———. The Bondage Breaker. Eugene, Ore.: Harvest House, 1990.

Arnold, Clinton E. Ephesians: Power and Magic. The Concept of Power in Ephesians in Light of Its Historical Setting. Society for New Testament Studies Monograph 63. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.

———. “Principalities and Powers.” Anchor Bible Dictionary. New York: Doubleday, forthcoming.

———. “ ‘Principalities and Powers’ in Recent Interpretation.” Catalyst 17.2 (1991):4–5.

Berkhof, Hendrik. Christ and the Powers. Tr. J. H. Yoder. Scottdale: Herald Press, 1977.

Bubeck, Mark. The Adversary. Chicago: Moody, 1975.

———. Overcoming the Adversary. Chicago: Moody, 1984.

Bufford, Rodger K. Counseling and the Demonic. Resources for Christian Counseling 17. Dallas: Word, 1988.

Caird, G. B. Principalities and Powers. Oxford: Clarendon, 1956.

Dickason, C. Fred. Demon Possession and the Christian: A New Perspective. Westchester, Ill.: Crossway, 1987.

Garrett, Susan R. The Demise of the Devil: Magic and the Demonic in Luke’s Writings. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1989.

Green, Michael. I Believe in Satan’s Downfall. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1981.

Hiebert, Paul. “Power Encounter and Folk Islam.” In Muslims and Christians on the Emmaus Road, pp. 45–61. Edited by J. Dudley Woodberry. Monrovia, Calif.: Missions Advanced Research & Communications Center, 1989.

Kraft, Charles H. Christianity with Power: Your Worldview and Your Experience of the Supernatural. Ann Arbor: Vine Books, 1989.

Leivestad, Ragnar. Christ the Conqueror: Ideas of Conflict and Victory in the New Testament. London: SPCK, 1954.

Mott, Stephen C. Biblical Ethics and Social Change. New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1982.

O’Brien, Peter T. “Principalities and Powers: Opponents of the Church.” In Biblical Interpretation and the Church, 110–50. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1984.

Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 1986.

Schlier, Heinrich. Principalities and Powers in the New Testament. Freiburg: Herder, 1961.

Stauffer, Ethelbert. New Testament Theology. 5th ed. New York: Macmillan, 1955.

Stewart, J. S. “On a Neglected Emphasis in New Testament Theology.” Scottish Journal of Theology 4 (1951):292–301.

Twelftree, Graham. Christ Triumphant: Exorcism Then and Now. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1985.

Webber, Robert. The Church in the World. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986.

Williams, Don. Signs, Wonders, and the Kingdom of God. Ann Arbor: Vine, 1989.

Wimber, John, and Kevin Springer. Power Evangelism. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1986.

———. Power Healing. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1987.

Wink, Walter. Naming the Powers. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984.

———. Unmasking the Powers. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986.

———. Engaging the Powers. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, forthcoming.[1]

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTxjSNstREpuGWuL0bF3U7w/featured

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship



[1] Clinton E. Arnold, Powers of Darkness: Principalities & Powers in Paul’s Letters (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 1992), 218–238.

 

Thursday, September 8, 2022

A PERFECT Walking Day - Purity 831


A PERFECT Walking Day - Purity 831

Purity 831 09/08/2022  

Good morning,

Today’s photo a wooden pathway into the forest of the Malta Ecological Park comes to us from a friend who shared this scene on social media back on August 25th declaring that it was a “PERFECT walking day.” , with perfect in all caps.   

Well it’s Thursday again and as is my habit I am sharing another photo of a pathway because traditionally Thursdays are the days I have done recovery or discipleship ministry and I like to encourage others to get on the path towards a closer relationship with God but in all honesty any day that we choose to follow the Lord is a “PERFECT walking day” as in walking in the Spirit.  

Tonight, I step on a new path as I will be meeting with some of the graduates of the Freedom in Christ course for an informal study or walk through of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship and even though I will be traversing over some new ground I have decided to be “bold and courageous” and share the sessions on the mt4christ247 podcast and the MT4Christ247 YouTube channel.   I’m officially calling it an “informal study” right now so no one will expect a professionally produced program, lol.  

So tune in tonight or tomorrow to see just how many bloopers happen!  

And so let’s talk about being “PERFECT” and how the idea that we MUST BE PERFECT can be a real stumbling block to our Christian walk and our relationship with God.  

Christ told us to be perfect in His Sermon on the Mount. So you better be PERFECT.  

Well to give this some context I want to share just a small section of scripture that leads up to that famous verse, and I’m not sure if it will encourage or discourage you but stay with me because we will try to give you some balance so you can accept Christ’s words and not condemn yourselves.   In

Matthew 5:43-48 (NKJV) , Jesus says
43  "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44  But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
45  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
48  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

If we even just look at the immediate context of the preceding verses of that “perfect verse”, we can see that Jesus isn’t delivering a message on fulfilling the law or “doing everything right”. Jesus is talking about love!  Jesus is calling for a change of heart that would cause us to consider loving our enemies!  

What is He crazy.  No Jesus wasn’t crazy but the love of God is “crazy love” as in extreme.

John 3:16 (NKJV) tells us about God’s love:
16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

We were enemies to God, separated from Him by our rebellious sins. But God loved his enemies enough to send Christ to die for us. So if we are to follow Christ, Jesus is encouraging us to show the same type of “PERFECT” love to others.   

I am not a Greek Scholar and I am not exactly the “word study” guy but I decided to look at that “perfect” word in this verse and this is what I found:  

Strong’s Definitions Legend tells us that this perfect word is:

τέλειος téleios, tel'-i-os; from G5056; complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with G3588) completeness:—of full age, man, perfect.

The Common English Bible uses this “complete” use of teleios in it’s translation and with it

Matthew 5:48 (CEB) says
48  Therefore, just as your heavenly Father is complete in showing love to everyone, so also you must be complete.

WOW, talk about a change from thinking that we have to do everything perfectly, as in “doing everything right” or being without sin.   Here are a couple of scriptures that should further temper those who would tell us to “BE PERFECT”.  

I almost hesitate to share this one but here we go: 

1 John 1:8-10 (NKJV)
8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Okay, there it is – this is a letter from John to the church and in it it makes it clear that we will never “BE PERFECT”  as in being sinless.  

HOWEVER, I would point to the fact that we are not to remain complacent in our blatant sins because these verses say that we will sin.  I included verse 9 because it tells us that if we confess our sins we will be cleansed and I believe that the rest of John’s letter would indicate that we are not powerless with our besetting sins because the remaining four chapters of this epistle encourages Christians to turn from their sin. That means we can have victory.  

But wait, if we can have victory, why does John say we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves? 

I think

James 4:17 (NKJV) helps us with that
17  Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Here we go, I pretty sure all of us can admit to not always doing the “good” we know to do.   Even when we can have victory over overt sins, we will never be sinless because there will undoubtedly be some “good” we have left undone.  

Paul’s “discipleship instructions” to the church show us to abstain from evil and to do what is good. 

1 Thessalonians 5:15-22 (NKJV)
15  See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16  Rejoice always,
17  pray without ceasing,
18  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19  Do not quench the Spirit.
20  Do not despise prophecies.
21  Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22  Abstain from every form of evil.  

So instead of feeling powerless to those besetting sins, fight them. You won’t BE PERFECT but you can make progress. You won’t be sinless. But you can sin less.  

But back to being “PERFECT” -  Paul’s and John’s verse and all the New Testament teach us how to walk with Christ.  And as a reminder, that “perfect” word could be read as complete and the context of the passage it is used in tells us to be “complete” in our love towards others.   

So keep walking and talking with God, it just happens to be a PERFECT walking day and God will always be with you regardless of the place, time, or weather to walk with you on the path of “completeness”.

And one last verse:

Colossians 2:10 (NKJV) tells us that
10  and you are complete in Him…

 As in Jesus Christ. So guess what, when you put your faith in Him you are already complete!   You might make some mistakes or not do the good you know to do, so you will sin, but in Christ you are complete. In Him, you are perfect!

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Running short on time so with all that scripture we are going to skip the verse of the day today.  But we will be back with another verse of the day from the  “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men” tomorrow.

______________________________________________________________________

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from Clinton E. Arnold’s “Powers of Darkness”

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Clinton Arnold’s books for your own private study and to support his work.  This resource is available on many websites for less than $20.00.

Resist the Evil One

Paul showed incredible concern for the cultivation of Christian virtue into the lives of the people to whom he ministered. Christian virtue, or “the fruit of the Spirit,” stands quite apart from worldly vice, or “the deeds of the flesh.” The powers of darkness are utterly opposed to the development of Christian virtue. These demonic powers represent everything that is evil, fleshly and worldly.

For Paul resisting the evil one is closely related to putting to death the deeds of the flesh or stripping off the old nature. These are similar activities viewed from different angles. The goal is to recognize when you face temptation—whether the source of the temptation is viewed as coming from the flesh, the old nature or Satan’s enticement—and to resist it by the power of God. According to Paul, spiritual warfare is primarily resistance. It involves taking a closer look at the supernatural nature of temptation and preparing yourself to face the spiritual onslaught in a spiritual manner.

One cannot “simply” resist the evil one. It is not as easy as just saying no. Satan and his forces are supernaturally powerful foes. One must be a Christian and appropriate the resources that are his or hers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Following Jesus, knowledge of the truth, faith and prayer are all prerequisites to resisting the devil and making progress in the Christian life.

Join God’s People in the Redemptive Mission

The Christian life is not a “holding pattern” until the day of our death. Nor is it something designed by God merely to freshen our lives until we are joined with him in heaven. The church is called to a task, to reach out into the unredeemed world with the good news of the gospel. Christ has given the church the task of “proclaiming release to the captives” of Satan’s kingdom. In the context of Paul’s teaching on spiritual warfare, this represents the offensive part of that warfare.

The Father suspends the Second Coming of Christ to provide time for the church to engage in this mission. Paul urged his readers to “redeem the time” which God gives for this task. It is furthermore the task of the entire church, each individual member, not just those perceived to be uniquely gifted to carry it out.

Expressed in these terms, the threat of evangelism to Satan and his kingdom is clear. It is little wonder that he opposes this activity with all his might.

Let us engage in a moment of speculation about Satan’s “game plan” for the West. How might he best work to blunt the zeal for the mission of the church? If he were to oppose it in a direct way where people could clearly perceive his hostile intention, it might prove counterproductive. People would rally to the occasion.

If he were to use subtle measures, perhaps his strategy would prove more effective.

What if he were to …

□ make Christians think that everyone has already heard the gospel?

□ promote so many problems in the church that the resolution of conflict would sap all their energy and attention?

□ cause Christians to believe only missionaries and evangelists should be concerned with outreach?

□ make Christians think how extremist they might appear to their friends by “forcing their faith” on other folks?

□ point out everything repulsive about the non-Christians whom they know and with whom they might be willing to share the gospel?

□ convince Christians that there is a fair chance that everyone will be saved ultimately anyway, given such a loving God?

□ cause enough “visible” Christians to fall on such a regular basis that Christians appear no different from any other people?

In the West at least, I am convinced Satan has used such devices (and many more) to hinder the redemptive mission of the church. As part of our resistance strategy to Satan and to fulfill our redemptive task, we need to unmask these false pretensions and redirect our energy toward outreach. This call is at the heart of what it means to be evangelical.

The obligation of Christians to the world does not end with the proclamation of the gospel. We are called to be “salt and light” and to demonstrate love to the world. While Paul did not give us an agenda or an example for social activism, his ethics (influenced by Jesus) provide us with a foundation for developing Christian social ethics. Because the powers, through people, work to influence the structures of our existence, we do have a responsibility to countermand as much as possible their polluting sway. The lesson to be learned from Paul, however, is that Christians should place the primary focus of their energy on changing people. Society can change only to the extent that the hearts of the people are changed.[1]

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTxjSNstREpuGWuL0bF3U7w/featured

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship



[1] Clinton E. Arnold, Powers of Darkness: Principalities & Powers in Paul’s Letters (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 1992), 215–217.