THE UNHOLY TRINITY

Satan is not very original. He seeks to mimic God, as he twists the truth. In the last days, there will arise an unholy trinity, as is pictured in Revelation 13. 

There is the dragon—Satan himself who is a perversion of the Sovereign God. He is the head of this unholy trinity. His is the power at work behind human government at the close of the age.

There is the beast—the Antichrist who is a distortion of the Son of God. There is even a counterfeit resurrection which brings awe to the  world, as they worship this man of sin.

There is the other beast—the False Prophet who is an imitator of the Spirit of God. As the Holy Spirit bears witness to Christ, this evil personage calls for the worship of the Antichrist. 

The result is that a world that rejects the witness of the Holy Spirit, by refusing the work that Christ has done in bringing salvation, and will not worship the True and Living God, will be given what they want—a false god from hell, and a false messiah as a demonic dictator of global governance, and a deceiving prophet that directs a one world religion.

While we can, let us shine the light of the Gospel. May we point people to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The church is to be salt, resisting the rot of sinful society. I believe there is coming a day when the church will be removed from the world, and then all hell will break loose. That time may be very near!

DEAD, BUT NOT DORMANT

“Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior! Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!” So, tomorrow, we will sing and celebrate, “Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes!” 

Yet, what of that in-between time, when His body was sealed in the sepulcher?  Peter tells us that though His crucified body was in a tomb, His spirit was very much alive and active, (1 Pet. 3:18). Christ was dead, but not dormant.

The Bible does not teach, “soul sleep.”  Paul said, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord,” (2 Cor.‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬‬).  Neither was Jesus in a state of unconsciousness between His death and resurrection. 

The Old Testament term for the world of the dead is Sheol and the New Testament word is Hades. According to the story our Lord told of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31, there were two areas where the souls of the dead would dwell: “torment” for the wicked and “Abraham’s bosom” (figurative language for “paradise”). Recall that Jesus promised the dying thief, “today you will be with Me in Paradise,” (Lk. 23:43). Thus, when Jesus died physically, He was alive spiritually—closing His eyes on Calvary, He opened them in Paradise. He was dead, but not dormant.

What did He do during that time?  We know that in Sheol/Hades there is “a great gulf fixed,” so that none can cross over from perdition to paradise or vice versa, (Lk. 16:26), yet they can converse as we hear the rich man in torment crying out to “Father Abraham,” for a drop of water to be brought to him by Lazarus, (Lk. 16:24) and Abraham responds to him with the impossibility of that. They communicate with each other. Jesus was spiritually in paradise with the repentant thief that very day as He promised. He was there and “preached to the spirits in prison,” (1 Pet. 3:19). 

This was not an evangelistic sermon. The decision of where we will spend eternity is made in this lifetime—with no “second chance” after death. It was in this case a proclamation “to the spirits in prison, who were formerly disobedient…in the days of Noah.”  In torment, these fallen demons were locked away in a special prison. Peter would add this in his second epistle, “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;” (2:4). The Greek word for “hell” is Tartarus, the name of that special compartment in torment for these wicked demons to be imprisoned. 

Jude speaks of them also, “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;”(Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬‬).

It is my understanding that these demons in some fashion inhabited human form and were used by Satan—the Prince of Demons—to corrupt the human race by sexual relations with human women in Noah’s day, (cf. Gen. 6:1-8). The Serpent had been told after he seduced Adam and Eve in the Garden, “ ‘And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.’ ” (Gen.‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬‬). If the Devil could corrupt “the daughters of men,” (Gen. 6:1), then there would be no seed of woman to crush his head!  It would have worked, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD,” (Gen. 6:8).

Satan persisted in attempts to fully corrupt the nation of Israel and thus no Messiah would be born. Yet, God always had a remnant of believers. Even, when Messiah came, the Devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Yet, Christ remained sinless and on the cross, though the Seed of woman had His heel bruised—the Lord’s suffering and physical death—by that means, crushed the Serpent’s head!

So, Christ descended into the realm of the dead and proclaimed His victory over the Devil and his demonic hordes!

As bad as this sermon was for the imprisoned demons, it was glorious for the people of God in paradise. You see, the Old Testament saints were saved by faith in Christ just like we are—Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and all the redeemed (cf. Heb. 11).  They were saved by looking ahead to Christ’s atoning work on the cross, whereas we look back to it. Those saved in the Old Testament were saved by “the lay-away plan.”  You know how you find a Christmas gift for someone, so you don’t want it reserved. It is put in lay-away, until the price is paid, and then you possess it. So, the Old Testament saints went to paradise, or “Abraham’s bosom,” so to speak, until Christ would pay the price of their redemption. After His resurrection, and His ascension, He would empty that compartment in Hades and take the souls of those Old Testament believers to Heaven and into the presence of the Father. “Therefore He says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.’ (Now this, ‘He ascended’—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)” (Eph. ‭4‬:‭8‬-‭10‬‬). 

He was dead, but not dormant!

VICTORY IN JESUS

The old Gospel song declares our “Victory in Jesus.”  Paul promised, “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us,” (Rom. 8:37). Now, Peter proclaims the triumph of our faith in Christ and the means by which we secure it in 1 Pet. 5:8-11. 

First, consider THE REALITY OF OUR FOE,  “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Pet. 5:8). The Devil is not a fairy tale. Satan is real, and we best face this fact so as to be ready to fight.

This calls for seriousness. “Be sober,” Peter says. It is not a game. This world is a battleground, not a playground. We have an adversary on the prowl who is ready to pounce, and we must take this seriously. 

There must then be watchfulness. “Be vigilant,” is the command.  In the jungle of this world, Satan is a lion stalking his prey. Suddenly, he roars that he may paralyze us with fear. He will devour us, if we are not alert to the danger.

Second, observe THE RESISTANCE OF OUR FAITH.  “Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world,” (1 Pet. 5:9). Faith is the antidote to fear. These are mutually exclusive.

This summons us to steadfastness. “Resist him, steadfast in the faith.”  Rather than turn our back and run, we take a stand and resist. When Paul described our spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:10-20, he stressed that we are to stand our ground—the ground already secured for us by the victory of Jesus in His crucifixion and resurrection. One notes there is no armor for the back!  We are to face the foe. You cannot outrun the roaring lion, but you can outgun him! Faith is the victory that overcomes the world, (cf. 1 Jn. 5:4). 

Yet, there is also the fact of suffering as Peter stated, “knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” We can win, but that doesn’t mean there will be no wounds. We long for final victory, ultimate conquest, but that is secured when Christ returns. In this hostile world, suffering is a realty for the soldiers of the cross. But what the devil means for evil, God means for good—the fiery trials that refine our faith, as we find in the next section.

Third, note THE RELIANCE ON OUR FATHER, “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Pet. ‭5‬:‭8‬-‭11‬‬). While we are no match for Satan, he is no match for our Father. It is in reliance on the Lord that victory is assured.

We have the promise of grace, as He is, “the God of all grace.”  There is grace for every need. God’s resources come to those in reliance. Martin Luther put it this way in his hymn:

1 A mighty fortress is our God,

a bulwark never failing;

our helper he, amid the flood

of mortal ills prevailing.

For still our ancient foe

does seek to work us woe;

his craft and power are great,

and armed with cruel hate,

on earth is not his equal.

2 Did we in our own strength confide,
 our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God's own choosing.

You ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is he;

Lord Sabaoth his name,

from age to age the same;

and he must win the battle.

3 And though this world, with devils filled,

should threaten to undo us,

we will not fear, for God has willed

his truth to triumph through us.

The prince of darkness grim,

we tremble not for him;

his rage we can endure,

for lo! his doom is sure;

one little word shall fell him.

4 That Word above all earthly powers

no thanks to them abideth;

the Spirit and the gifts are ours

through him who with us sideth.

Let goods and kindred go,

this mortal life also;

the body they may kill:

God's truth abideth still;

his kingdom is forever!

This grace leads to glory.  “[God] called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”  It is all about the glory of God and one day we shall enter that glory—to abide in it. Paul echoed this when he wrote, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us,” (Rom.‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬‬). These sufferings will purify us as gold and temper us as steel in the fire.

“To Him be the glory and the dominion direct and ever. Amen.”

DEFEATING THE DRAGON

 

There is much that might be said concerning the long war between God and Satan, that this brief devotional on Revelation 12 cannot exhaust. We will be able to only touch the hem of the garment, but pray that the virtue of Christ will flow into the reader.

Satan is real. He is not some bogeyman of myth meant to frighten little children.  His fight against God though fierce is futile. God is omnipotent and the Dragon is not. In fact, when Satan attacks the gates of Heaven, God does not need to lift a finger.  It is Michael who leads a band of holy angels to repel this hellish horde. The outcome has never been in doubt. 

Though he has no might to resist God, he has been granted permission to deceive and destroy.  His movements are only within the parameters a sovereign God permits. As we learn in the book of Job, the Devil and his demonic hosts must still report to God (Job 1-2).  There will come a time, however, that his access to heaven is halted and he who has been cast down, will be cast out, awaiting only a few years until he is ultimately cast into the lake of fire.

But, the devil is not in hell today. He is raging against the saints.  He is “the accuser of [the] brethren,” (Rev.12:10). He wants to present a list of crimes for which the people of God are guilty—that God might condemn us and consign us to hell with Satan. Yet, we have an Advocate who has ascended (Rev.12:5) who “is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them,” (Heb.7:25).

So, if the Serpent cannot bring us eternal punishment, he will cause earthly pain. Not only is his hatred directed toward the church, but to Israel—God’s chosen people who birthed Christ (Rev.12:1-6). Old Testament history shows repeated attempts by the Devil to obliterate Israel in an effort to prevent Messiah from being born.  Failing in that, the New Testament story shows  Satan seeking to slay the Savior, which only accomplished His mission as the Lamb, leading to Him overcoming death as the Lion, and ascending to glory as the Lord!  What is left for the Dragon to do, but to seek the genocide of the Jews and the slaughter of the saints?  The story of the last two thousand years shows this.

So much more might be said concerning this long war against God. But, I want to move beyond the panorama of spiritual conflict through the ages and the prophetic aspect of the end of the age, to the present application of this to the church age.

There are three essentials to overcome the Devil.  He is overcome by our communion with our Substitute, our communication of the Scriptures, and our commitment to the Savior.

Our communion with our Substitute is indicated by this, “they overcame [the Devil] by the blood of the Lamb.”  The accuser has no answer to this. The powerful blood of Jesus has blotted out our sins. When Satan wants to point out our sins, we point to the blood and say, “What sins are you talking about?”  Jesus became our Substitute on the cross—paying the debt in full that we could never pay and giving us His perfect righteousness that we could never procure. Regularly, we should have communion, so those elements of the bread and the cup remind us of this truth (1 Cor.11:24).

Our communication of the Scriptures is stressed in this, “they overcame him…by the word of their testimony.”  God has given us the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph.6:17). As we practice that truth in obedience and proclaim it in witness, we go on the offense against the Dragon. The Word in our heart and confession of our lips is the testimony of our faith that puts the Devil to flight. It is how the perfect Man, Jesus overcame and how we must (Matt.4:1-11). 

Our commitment to the Savior is underscored by, “they overcame him…[because] they did not love their lives to the death.”  What is Satan’s worst threat?  He can tell us, “I am going to kill you!”  He cannot so long as God has a purpose for us in this world. The moment of our death is by God’s appointment and not the Devil’s decision. Should God in His providence decide that suffering and martyrdom is to be the means of our testing in this world and exit from this life, all Satan can accomplish is to send us on our journey to the glory that awaits!  So, why should we fear?

“How does this future war apply to the church today? The same serpent who accuses the saints in heaven also deceives the nations on earth (Rev. 12:9); and one of his strategies is to lie about the church. He deceives the nations into thinking that the people of God are dangerous, deluded, even destructive. It is through Satan’s deception that the leaders of the nations band together against Christ and His people (Ps. 2; Acts 4:23–30). God’s people in every age must expect the world’s opposition, but the church can always defeat the enemy by being faithful to Jesus Christ" (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol.2.Warren Wiersbe, p.603).

In America, the church had a period of favor as our religious liberty was enshrined in our Constitution. The citizenry saw the church as a positive force to be embraced. That favor became apathy as a changing culture decided to ignore us and though unbelieving, tolerated the church. The nation saw the church as a neutral force to be endured. Now, the forces of secularism are speaking of animosity toward the church. The voices are louder and more direct.  They speak publicly from the highest platforms of civil authority and you can hear the Dragon’s fire in their voices.  The majority are starting to see the church as a negative force to be eradicated. 

Brace yourselves, saints of God as you meditate on these truths in Revelation 12!

(Thanks to the late Dr. Henry Morris, for the phrase, “the long war against God,” taken from his book by that title).

WHO’S YOUR ONE? Day 20

The Blindness of Unbelievers

“In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake. For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:4-6‬ ‭CSB‬‬

The way we live as Christians looks like foolishness to the unbeliever. They are prevented from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, and consequently, the things of Christ appear strange and foreign. They are prevented from seeing and being in an intimate relationship with God Himself. As we share the gospel with our one, we do not share in such a way as to make ourselves look great. We proclaim Christ as servant messengers who are praying God would use us to shine light into the darkness of the lives of unbelievers. May this light give knowledge to those we share the good news with each day.

Pray God would give “the light of the knowledge of God’s glory” to your one. (From “Who’s Your One?” Devotional, NAMB)

YAHWEH OF HOSTS

“Then Elijah said, ‘As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today.’” (1 Kings 18:15)

Yahweh Sabaoth, translated, “LORD of hosts,” is one of the most frequent names of God that we find in the Old Testament, being used about two hundred and fifty times.  It means that He is the Lord God of spiritual armies—Yahweh who rules over the angelic hosts.  These supernatural beings of incredible might and splendor are creations of the Lord.  Their allegiance is to Him and they move at His command.

In a number of ways, the angels are different than humans, yet in one way they are the same—they were created with free will, and with the capacity to obey God came the possibility to disobey.  As hard as it is to imagine, one-third of these heavenly beings follow Satan in his rebellion against God. The twelfth chapter of Revelation gives an overview of this cosmic clash as it  describes war in heaven.

 The outcome of the war is never in doubt.  Satan has no hope of vanquishing God. Yahweh sends forth His holy hosts of angel warriors, and the Devil is cast out. Satan still makes trouble for the church today, and will stir up one final war against Christ on earth, but at last he and his demonic army will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

In the text today, we find Elijah, the man of God standing alone against the power of the malevolent monarchs, King Ahab and his consort, the wicked Jezebel. Yet, he is fearless, for he knows he is not alone. His trust is in the LORD of Hosts.

Today, we also have angels watching over us. All about, unseen, are these mighty ones, ready to minister to the saints. Yet, we do not worship them and trust in them, but in their Maker and Commander, Yahweh Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts!

GOD’S RULE OVER THE CREATION

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.” (1 Chron.29:11-12).

God claims dominion over all that He made.  David declares the comprehensive nature of it in these verses.

God rules over creation because:

• HE CAUSED IT.  Because God brought all things into existence, He exerts the right to rule over them.  If I make something, it is mine to do with as I please.

• HE CLAIMS IT.  Isaiah and Jeremiah in the Old Testament (Isa.29:16, 45:9, 64:8; Jer.18:1-23) and Paul in the New Testament (Rom.9:1-33; 2 Cor.4:7; 2 Tim.2:20) use the analogy of God being the Potter—shaping the clay according to His design.

• HE CONTROLS IT. Because He has made all things, His control extends to every facet of nature.  Not a raindrop falls from the sky, not a bolt of lightning descends to earth, not a blade of grass grows, or a breeze blows except by God’s command.  He is Lord over the angels, as He is called the Lord of Hosts.  He is Master over the demons—even Satan has to report in (Job 1:6-12, 2:1-6).  But, He isn’t a tyrant, “a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom” (Ps.45:6; Heb.1:8).

It’s comforting to know this day what I learned from a song, long ago as a child, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.”

CHRIST’S REIGN: Ruling in Majesty

Read Revelation 20.

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” He was not teasing us. There is literally a time coming when Christ will return and bring the Kingdom of God to earth and the will of God to be done for a thousand golden years. Jesus will sit on the throne of global dominion and rule in majesty.

The Millennium—the thousand year reign of Christ on earth—means that Satan will be bound (v.1-3). When the Serpent slithered into Eden, paradise was lost. Then paradise is regained as he is chained and cast into the bottomless pit.

It will be a time when saints will be enthroned (v.4-6). The people of God will be delegated areas of responsibility during the Millennium. The church—raptured from earth and glorified—returns with Christ to reign. Then the Tribulation martyrs are raised, as well as the Old Testament saints, so all the people of God reign with Christ.

There will be people who survive the horrors of the Tribulation, who bowing to Christ, will be welcomed into the Millennium. These will have children as earth is repopulated. As wonderful as the conditions—Christ reigning and Satan removed—these must still deal with their fallen nature, and sadly some will rebel and face the consequences.  In fact, when Satan is released, many will follow him (v.7-10). That rebellion is quickly crushed and Satan joins the Beast and False Prophet in Hell.
It is then time for all the wicked dead to be raised and judged (v.11-15). They will be given bodies suited for their eternal state of torment—the second death, in dying and being unable to die as they are cast into the lake of fire.

Paradise or punishment?  Where will you spend eternity?

CHRIST’S REIGN: The Victory of Calvary

Read John 12:31-33. 

The popularity of Christ among the masses was diminishing. The tide had turned.  Most of the religious leaders had rejected Him, and now the common people were following suit.  Christ had come as their rightful Ruler, but because He was not the kind of king they were looking for, they would crown Him with thorns, rather than gold. 

Yet, in judging Him unworthy to reign over them, they were actually judging themselves unworthy of His kingdom. Their act of rejecting Him on earth would bring His rejection of them in eternity.  The only way to evade judgment for sin is to receive by faith the Savior’s work on the cross.  To refuse to bow at His nail-scarred feet is to endure judgment for sin which is deserved.

In the apparent defeat of Christ in His death, was actually accomplished the true victory over death. The ruler of this world—Satan—was overthrown. This fulfills the first prophecy concerning Jesus in Genesis 3:15. Sin had entered the world, as the serpent seduced Adam and Eve, but God already had a plan of redemption in place. “I will put enmity between you [the serpent, Satan], and the woman [Christ would be born of a virgin—the Seed of a woman, rather than man], and between your seed and her Seed [the spiritual warfare between sinners and saints seen in the hostility of the world rejecting Christ]; He shall bruise your head [the death of Jesus, crushing the serpent’s head], and you shall bruise His heel [the suffering for sin Christ bore].”

The cross, far from ending Christ’s claim as Lord, assured it!  The message of the cross will have a magnetic effect on all people. The Jews rejected their Messiah, but the result would be people from every nation will have opportunity to bow to the Lord and Savior.  An old rugged cross would become a royal throne!  He would not be a victim, but the Victor!

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Remember the old Beatles’ song, “All You Need Is Love”?  That’s true!  The all-encompassing commandment is to love God with all our being, which if truly done means we will also love others—made in the image of God—as we love ourselves.  Easy to say; hard to do. Yet, having received the grace of God, we have the motivation and might to extend that grace to others.  Ephesians 4:25-27 presents this challenge.

1.  BE HONEST. “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.” (v.25). Understand, that “no man is an island,” as the saying goes. What we do impacts others—and may have far-reaching effects. I am to reject deception and embrace truth. Jesus declared that He was the incarnation of Truth, and since He abides in the Christian, we are to be truth-tellers. Gossip, innuendo, exaggeration, slander, and so forth are deceitful and demonic. Such words destroy relationships.  You cannot have a love relationship without honesty.

2.  BE SELF-CONTROLLED.  “‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,” (v.26).  Anger is like an alarm system.  It arises when someone’s rights are violated—whether ours or another’s. You cannot stop anger from arising any more than you cannot jerk your hand back when you touch something hot.  It is not a sin to feel anger, but such a powerful emotion that it moves quickly to sin if we don’t deal with anger. Self-control is paramount, so that we respond properly. Yet, neither do we conceal anger, and let it fester. The issues that gave rise to it must be faced, or it will smolder, and ignite at another time.

 

3.  BE VIGILANT. “nor give place to the devil.” (v.27). Satan is always looking for an entry point to assault you, and you must be vigilant. Many times his attacks come through wrong attitudes and wrathful actions as we fail to love others. A lack of honesty in relationships opens the door to Satan who is the father of lies.  Exploding in anger is a manifestation of the Devil, who is the origin of murder—the ultimate expression of anger. Jesus spoke of both in John 8:44.

How we treat others really matters.  If we cannot love those whom we see, how can we claim to love the God we cannot see, Who made them in His likeness?

Sincerely,
Dennis Thurman

POWER FROM OUR PAIN

We have likely heard the expression, “No pain; no gain.”  That is true in getting physically fit.  Working out is exactly that—work!  If muscles are to be built they are first made sore.  It is the exertion that produces the stamina and strength.  There is no easy way.  This is a spiritual axiom as well.  Faith muscle can only develop through resistance.  Pain produces power.  It is for our profit if received as such.  We have the notable example of the Apostle Paul as he shared it in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10:

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:  I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.  And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.  Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.  For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul is speaking of an experience he had—unsure whether it was a vision or transported physically into God’s presence.  The occasion is uncertain, but the destination is said to be, “the third heaven.”  The first heaven is our sky—the atmosphere where clouds form and birds fly; the second heaven is space—where the stars shine and planets pursue their courses; the third heaven is Paradise where God sits on His throne—the object of worship by angels and departed saints.

It is of note that Paul refused to give details of his trip to Heaven, unlike many who have found great profit in writing books and making movies about “near death” experiences.  If Paul was forbidden to speak of what he heard, then why are people free today to describe such?  I am making no judgment, just asking the question.

Be that as it may, what is known is that God put a governor on the Apostle, lest he run away with pride and wreck his ministry.  Conceit over his experience would potentially prove his downfall, so God moved to preserve his servant—and in a most unusual manner.  God sent Paul “a thorn in the flesh…a messenger of Satan to buffet me….” 

We do not know the nature of Paul’s affliction—a myriad of ideas have been proposed—and we simply cannot say with confidence.  Perhaps this is God’s intent, so that whatever affliction we may face enables us to identify with the Apostle, and it would prevent pride from those who had the same problem were it defined, perhaps prompting the boast, “I’ve got Paul’s disease!”  That is how sinister pride can be, and that is why God would afflict his choice servant with pain so he would not fall.

Notice the source of Paul’s pain—God!  It was, “a messenger of Satan,” to be sure, but dispensed by a sovereign God as a gift!  He says this was “given” to him.  Strange gift!  Not exactly what you would want to find under your Christmas tree!  Yet, the omniscient and omnibenevolent God gave Paul precisely what was needed when he gave permission for this demonic buffeting to occur.  This is reminiscent of Job’s experience, where God initiated the waves of disaster that would sweep over him as a result of the Lord’s challenge to Satan and subsequent permission to attack him.  Always remember that God is in charge.  Satan and his imps have no power but what God permits, and if he permits them to bring problems then it is to fulfill His purpose with that very evil generating good (Rom.8:28).  The Old Testament story of Joseph is a perfect illustration.  All the harm that was meant for him would become the very vehicle that would carry him to power!

Paul described this as a “thorn,” literally, a sharp stake driven into him.  That is most suggestive.  It recalls the sharp spikes hammered into the flesh of Christ and the spear thrust into His side.  What an awful evil was done; what agonizing pain He felt!  Yet, this is how God wrought His most wondrous work as the satanic act of killing Jesus would be the very means of crushing the Serpent (Gen.3:15).  This is God’s mysterious and glorious way.

Still, Paul was human and not a masochist who found pleasure in the pain itself.  Normal folk would not.  They would do what he did—pray for deliverance!  Jesus prayed that if there would be any other way to accomplish His mission than to drink that bitter cup, then that would be His desire.  There was not, and He submitted after praying three times.  In this, Paul followed the Lord’s example.

Beware those who claim that if you have enough faith then all your problems will vanish.  Faith often creates more pain than it removes!  It was true for Jesus.  It was true for Paul.  It was true for Job.  It was true for Joseph.  It will be true for us.

God had something better in mind for His servant.  He promised something superior to physical deliverance.  God gave him abundant, amazing grace.  The Apostle’s pain that drove him to his knees in submission would enable him to rise clothed in power!  The affliction would not limit him, but enable him to tap into God’s limitless might.  So, instead of expressing grief, he exuded gladness.  Paul’s contentment in his circumstances was found in being in the will of the Lord.  There is no better place to be!

SNATCHED FROM THE FIRE

 

Is this not a brand plucked from the fire? (Zechariah 3:2b)

This is one of my favorite pictures of salvation portrayed in the Old Testament.  It was how John Wesley described the preservation of his life and ultimately of his soul.

Wesley was about six years old, when a fire broke out in his house, and he was stranded in an upper room of the burning building.  Two neighbors barely got him out before the roof caved in and John would have died in the flames.  He would later refer to himself as, “a brand plucked out of the fire.”

John and his brother Charles became great evangelists.  From them the Methodist church began.    John never forgot how God saved him and saw it as an illustration of the sinner’s rescue from the flames of hell.  The result has been untold multitudes won to Christ from this Gospel ministry.

Let’s examine this text that a grateful John Wesley loved so dearly.  Then, it ought to be that gratitude to God will rise in us also, and though we may never have the impact Wesley had, we can be moved by God’s deliverance of us, to a desire to see others snatched from the fire.

This text paints a picture of REBUKING (Zech.3:1-2a).  Joshua as High Priest was a representative of the nation of Israel.  Satan stands there, pointing an accusing finger and levels the charges against him.  But, God rebukes Satan and makes provision for Joshua—and thus, by extension to all those whom God has chosen.  Our sins are hidden under the blood of Christ!  So, when Satan begins to try to dredge up the dirt of our past, and name our sins, just say, “What sins are you talking about?  They are gone, old Devil!  May the Lord rebuke you!”  The Accuser has no answer to that.

Our text also provides a portrait of RESCUING (Zech.3:2b).  We are a dry limb that is engulfed in flames, about to be consumed, snatched from the fire.  Hell would have been our final destination—the Lake of Fire our everlasting place of torment—had not God reached out the hand of grace and saved us!  Every child of God can take John Wesley’s self-description as his or her own.  I am a burning stick snatched from the fire!

Then Zechariah also paints from his palette of truth a word about REMOVING (Zech.3:3-4a).  Joshua stood there, dressed in filthy robes, defiled and disqualified from entering the presence of the Lord.  That was the spiritual condition of the nation—soiled by sin.  It is also an accurate description of any who are outside of salvation.  God has removed the filthy robe I was wearing.  He has bathed me in Christ’s cleansing fountain—washed in the blood of the Lamb. 

On the Biblical canvas, we also see a portrayal of ROBING (Zech.3:4b-5).  If our soiled attire was removed that is good, but not good enough!  We are moreover clothed in the righteous robe of Christ!  On Heaven’s golden streets, we will stroll among those dressed in white linen.

The final word picture is one of RESIDING (Zec.3:6-7).  God invites Joshua in.  He is given access to God’s courts, and by implication to abide in the presence of the Almighty.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) That way is open.  The truth is clearly presented.  The life is offered.  Have you been snatched from the fire?

PURPOSE IN OUR PAIN

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.  (2 Corinthians 12:10)

If you find pleasure in pain, then you have a psychological problem!  So, how are we to understand what Paul says here?  His pleasure is not in the pain itself, but in the purpose for which God permits it and the result that purpose accomplished.

There is something worse than pain—no pain!  Pain is designed as a warning system.  It alerts us to a problem needing our attention.  For example, suppose we never had pain—then we could stand against a hot stove and never realize it was searing our flesh, or we could have an appendix about to rupture and spread deadly infection throughout our body, without being aware of it.  Of course, we look forward to a land where there is no pain—a place called heaven!  We are not there yet, and so long as we live in this fallen world there will be pain, but for the child of God the purpose our Sovereign Lord accomplishes is worth every hurt.  That there are temporal benefits, and eternal blessings, can even bring us to rejoice and glory in our infirmities.  That is what Paul is describing in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10.

Paul uses the third person in this testimony and identifies himself as, “a man in Christ” (v.2).  Everything is grounded in this relationship.  Being in Christ is transformative.  It is an experience all of grace—for we cannot achieve nor deserve such an exalted position.  Being in Christ means that all Jesus is has become available to us and God does not see us as we are, but as He views His Son.  We may not have had the same experiences as Paul, or the same position as an Apostle, but every believer has the same spiritual standing of being “in Christ.”  It also means that everything that reaches us must first pass through Christ and will help shape us into His image.

Fourteen years previously, Paul had a dramatic experience where he was caught up into the presence of God (v.2-3).  He calls it, “the third heaven”—not the first heaven, which is the atmosphere where clouds form and birds fly; not the second heaven, which is what we call outer space where sun and stars shine; but, the third heaven, where God dwells.  Whether he was physically or spiritually present not even Paul comprehends.  Unlike those who have made a mint in our day describing their heavenly trips, Paul heard things he was forbidden to write about.  The Apostle wanted to glorify God, not himself (v.5-6).

Lest Paul be puffed up with pride, God put a governor on his throttle, “a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me” (v.7).  The pain was given by a Sovereign God to accomplish His purposes, though Satan provided the delivery service!  In this fallen world, God takes even evil and works it together for our good (Rom.8:28).

Paul did what any of us would do—instinctively praying for relief.  In fact, this man of faith requests God to remove it three times (v.8).  That should say something to the health and wealth preachers of today!  God had something better than healing, He gave grace (v.9)!  This transformed Paul’s perspective on his pain (v.10).   When the pain is intense and the prayer for healing denied, learn that it is only because God has a higher purpose.

SMASHING SATAN'S STRONGHOLDS

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ….  (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

What do you do about a stubborn sin?  You have prayed about it; you have promised not to do it again; but once more you have succumbed. Your life has become a miserable cycle of temptation, surrender, sorrow, repentance, and recommitment—only to be repeated over and over.  This is no longer only a sin—it has become a stronghold of Satan.

Paul’s use of the word here in 2 Corinthians is rooted in a term for a fortress or castle.  A stronghold is a place where the Devil has a “strong hold” on you.  The enemy is firmly entrenched.  A castle is not constructed overnight.  The foundation is laid when a sin is committed, and then brick after brick the fortifying occurs as the sin is repeated.  For example, here is how a stronghold of pornography would develop: 

You are surfing the internet.  An advertisement catches your attention—perhaps some celebrity has been caught in a scandalous situation—photos included.  You are curious and you click on it.  Images are burned in your mind.  Links take you to other sites, even more sordid—like a moth drawn to the flame.  Then, you get a grip, and close it down.  You confess it and ask God’s forgiveness.  Still the images haunt your mind, and the next time you are online you feel the tug.  Again you surrender—soon you become obsessed—accompanied by the inevitable guilt and shame. 

Don’t think it cannot happen to you.  It may be something else—greed, exaggeration, bitterness, anger, fear, gluttony, drunkenness, pride—the list is large.  Has it happened to you?

The battlefield is in your mind—and that is where the spiritual weapons God has given us must be applied.  There must be submission to the truth, confession of the stronghold, and dependence on God.  We must put on the whole armor of God (see Eph.6:10-20), each piece put on with the prayer of faith.  Take up the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—and go on the offensive.  This is how Jesus overcame temptation in the wilderness and put Satan to flight. He knew the Word, trusted it, submitted to it, quoted it, and stood His ground.  He did that as a man to show us how humans can overcome.  We do not argue with the Devil—he can always outtalk us—we rebuke those arguments.  We bring our thoughts into submission to the Word of God.  When our minds are full of Scripture, there is no room for Satan to flood our thoughts with evil.  In fact, our thoughts will either be captive to the enemy or conquered by Christ.

Revelation 12:11 names three powerful weapons for overcoming Satan: the blood of Jesus, the word of our testimony, and a commitment unto death.  The blood of Jesus cleanses and covers us.  It seals us as belonging to God—the purchase price of redemption.  We do not have to be mastered by sin anymore. We belong to Jesus.  We testify to that—confessing God’s promises to counter the enemy.  Our lives are no longer our own.  The cross signifies our death to sin, and the empty tomb promises new life.  The power that raised Christ from the dead is available to us!

Demolish that stronghold in Jesus’ name!

THE STRATEGIES OF SATAN

But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors.  (Joshua 9:3-4a)

Not only was Israel’s conquest of Canaan supernaturally supervised, it was strategically sound.  Beginning at Jericho, a wedge would be driven through the middle of Canaan, and then mopping up operations would follow in the north and south.  They would divide and conquer—a wise war plan.  I want to remind you that the church is in a war.  Our foe is Satan, not sinners.  Our weapons are not material, but spiritual.  It is no less real because it is spiritual in nature.  Yet, most Christians have no battle plan.  I want to assure you that the enemy of our souls has a strategy.  Satan is right now plotting your defeat.  Paul wrote the Corinthians and commended them that they were not ignorant of Satan’s “schemes” (2 Cor.2:11 HCSB).  I am not sure Paul could say that about us.  The Apostle warned us about “the tactics of the Devil” (Eph.6:11 HCSB).  We learn of Satan’s strategies he employed in Joshua 9.

We read of THE SCHEME OF THE ENEMIES OF GOD (v.1-13).  There were two ways the Canaanites chose to fight the people of God.  First, they attacked by direct assault (v.1-2).  Satan attacks us as a roaring lion.  When the child of God determines to walk by faith, the Devil will seek to paralyze us with fear.  Any advance on his kingdom of darkness will bring a counter-attack.  There is a bigger danger and that is deceitful appearance (v.3-13).  Satan doesn’t always come as a roaring lion, but as an angel of light!  The Gibeonites used guile to gain their way. 

The enemy was successful due to THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD (v.14-15).  Why were the Israeli’s fooled?  There are three areas where they failed.  They failed because communion was absent. There is not a hint that they considered praying about this proposal.  The place of prayer is where the battle is won.  Paul’s discussion of spiritual warfare and our armor culminates in a call to prayer.  He who stands strongest, first kneels in weakness.  There was a second shortcoming: counsel was avoided.  They trusted in their own wisdom rather than God’s Word.  They leaned on human reason rather than looking to heavenly revelation.  Having a Word from God is critical for conquering the enemy.  The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.  It is how the Perfect Man won.  The Devil is a deceiver—error can seem so right.  The Bible is the litmus test (see 1 John 4:1).  Then the people of God failed because compromise was allowed.  An unholy alliance was formed.  If Satan cannot have your soul, he will seek to ruin your testimony.  He does this through compromise.  Who knows how far we will go?

Yet, we also discover THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE PURPOSES OF GOD (v.16-27).  Where sin abounds grace does much more abound.  God has a sovereign purpose He will accomplish.  There was the salvation of the Gibeonites (10:6-10).  Israel kept their promise.  Even when we fail, we may still be used of God.  Then, there was the service of the Gibeonites.  They became servants, aiding in worship.  If you have failed, humble yourself and serve God.  Tears purify the soul.  This does not give us an excuse to surrender to Satan’s schemes.  It does remind us that even though you cannot change your past, you can be changed by it, and have a great future.