Ephesians 6:12 (KJV): For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
I love being a Christian for many reasons: one is experiencing God’s love as He shows Himself to me as I read the Bible. Today I read in Romans 8 that nothing will ever separate me from the love of Christ. Not principalities, nor powers, nor tribulations, and I’m paraphrasing here. I’ve been running into some difficulties lately, which feels like spiritual warfare. Some of the stress is because I need to let go of things and give them to God. So when I read Romans 8 today and then Ephesians 1, which reminds me that God predestined believers to come to Him before time began, I experienced such peace, which is the second reason I’m glad to be a Christian.
In 2 Peter 3:9 it says that God does not want anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance. In Romans 3:23 it tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So, we all need a savior to make it into God’s holy heaven.
I wonder if everyone is predestined to go to heaven if only they will choose. I guess that doesn’t make sense. Someone once told me that they thought everyone’s name is written in the Book of Life until they reject Jesus Christ, God the Son, or the Father, or the Holy Spirit, and then their name is blotted out. So I guess they believe everyone is predestined until they say, “No thank you.”
The third thing I enjoy about Christianity is leaving the guilt behind. Once I repent, if I need to every ten minutes, God says our sins are as far away as the East is from the West in Psalm 103:12. He remembers them no more.
The fourth thing that I enjoy is that God wants what’s best for me and for all of mankind, so He tells us in the Bible to fear not. My daughter said it tells us that 365 different places in the sixty-six books. Which is why I’ve been willing to face rejections when I send manuscripts out to publishers. I ignore the fear and try to do the best writing and follow the writers’ guidelines and choose topics the editors actually want to see and send them out.
So, do I wrestle against flesh and blood when things go bad in my life and people act against me? According to God, when terrible things come my way I have to consider the source. Satan comes to kill, steal and destroy, Jesus said in John, chapter 10. Jesus came to give life and that abundantly, according to John 10:10.
I write because I really like to write. I surrendered my life to God many years ago so I will never have to surrender to the enemy of my soul, who only wants to inflict pain, and keep me from what I like to do. When things get bad, I turn to the word of God and He fights my battles for me. Jesus spoke the word against the devil and the power of that word sent him scurrying. I speak the word and it changes the atmosphere. To God be the glory.
