Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
October 9, 2002 Randall Caselman
The Battle Is On!
Life was fantastic. Adam and Eve had everything! Then came Satan. When he comes, the results are always the same--a ruined life. He took this couple's most important possession--their walk with God.
- God's Response: One day I will restore this relationship. "The seed of this woman will bruise Satan's head."
- Satan's Response: He sent out his demons and the entire world became so wicked that God's heart was pained. He grieved that He had made man.
God vowed to destroy the world. This would break His promise to restore, so He searched and found one righteous family. Satan almost won.
Again, the world was plunged into sin. Again God searched for the righteous one. The call was to Abraham. God and Abraham exchanged vows, faith for blessings. It seemed that God waited too long to give the blessing of a promised son, so Abraham and Sarah decided to help. A decision to assist God rather than simply trust His promises seems to always bring disappointment.
God's people were enslaved in Egypt. A decree went out to kill the male children. A quiet, humble couple kept a baby boy hidden for 90 days. Winning over Satan is simple. Let God work through you. Not just in big things, but in small ways like hiding a child in Jesus--perhaps your child!
God delivers His people. He guides, provides and protects them. They occupy cities they did not build, eat of vineyards they did not plant, drink of wells they did not dig. But, they became apathetic. "Every man did what was right in his own sight." Satan is still good at using apathy, isn't he?
Ten of the twelve tribes seemed to have disappeared. The last two are in exile. It is indeed dark for Israel and God's promised restoration. The decree was, "kill all Jews." Satan has won! But wait. One brave soul, a lady, steps forward. "Who knows, Esther, perhaps God has brought you to this place in the kingdom for this purpose?" One woman makes the difference, keeping God's promise alive. You and I have a job to do. Who knows that we have not been brought to this time, to this church, for this purpose?
It's close to midnight. Jesus and the eleven cross the Kidron. The heart of the Son is anxious. In His prayer Jesus questions God, "Is there another way?" Then as Heaven holds its breath, "Thy will be done." Satan can never win when we pray, "Thy will be done."
The Kingdom was persecuted relentlessly. Saints were burned at the stake, impaled on spears, hung on crosses, beheaded, drowned, fed to the lions, tortured in every way possible--hundreds, thousands at a time. Satan was winning.
Then came the Dark Ages. God's word was chained to pulpits, the truth that sets men free was taken from the people. This darkness lasted for more than a thousand years. On October 31, 1517 one brave soul had the courage and faith of David. He nailed 95 theses to the church house door in Wittenburg. In 1521 Martin Luther was excommunicated from the church of Rome and the Reformation Movement was on. Christ uses brave men who are willing to stand for truth against all odds.
The Reformation Movement did not accomplish what Luther hoped it would. But in the late 1700's and early 1800's, another attempt was made. The plea was not for reform, but restoration. Reforming the church from old molds had not succeeded. Now the idea was to start over, restore to the original pattern… Plant the original seed. Let religious matters be settled by scripture only. Great concept!
Satan never quits. Today he is maintaining that the job is done, task accomplished. Do not be fooled. Becoming God's people corporately as a church, and as an individual is an ongoing, maturing process. Only the devil wants us to think we have arrived at moral or theological perfection. Restoration, becoming the people and person that God would have us be, is a never ending process, not an accomplished fact. Peter says, "Add to your faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love." Paul writes, "I have not reached perfection, but I keep pressing toward the goal." We must understand that Christianity is a journey, a life to be lived daily. Do not let Satan win by stopping us from becoming more and more like Jesus.
The battle is on--has been from the beginning. It's on in my life, in yours, and in the church where we worship. Satan will not win. "No. In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life....nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord."
Randall Caselman
