Yesterday's post was about remembering to stay in the fight against the enemy. Today's post is along a similar theme. This has been laid heavy on my heart the last few days; I hope you can take something from it.
Galatians 5:1 says this: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (NIV)
This is one of my favorite verses, and I see direct application to our engagement with the enemy. I'm glad this verse doesn't tell me I have to take up arms and, on my own power, defeat the enemy. Thank You, God, that his defeat has already occurred and been assured by Jesus!
There are a few very important points conveyed in this single verse:
1) I am already set free. Christ paid that price, did that work in totality and set me free. Past tense.
2) It is possible for me to be again weighed down by the slavery known to me before salvation. Otherwise, there would be no need to warn us to stand firm.
3) It is also possible for me to resist, to "stand firm" and NOT be again taken captive by the adversary.
I started to talk about "living victoriously" yesterday. I'm not a big fan of Christian lingo, but there is also usually a reason why certain phrases have become so popular; they're usually pivotal concepts, and this one is no different. What I'm reminded of is the secular concept of battle. My memory is clearly not an exhaustive database of information, but as I sit here, I can't think of any battle fought that wasn't over some sort of territory: physical land, ideological ground or emotional territory... in a way, they're all the same. And the metaphor in the Galatians verse to being burdened by a yoke of slavery is a powerful one; imagine the word picture.
I know I have felt the weight of my own burdens of slavery in many times of my life. But here's the thing... the point is to regain ground, to stand on top of the place which is rightfully ours, given to us by God. Bequeathed to His chosen people by the Creator of all. And, for me, the most important place to get territorial is in my own heart and mind. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that it is "impossible to please God" without faith. So, I have to believe Him - inside my very gut - if I'm going to please Him. And I think it's a fair assumption to say that the things that please Him are the very foundation of this "victorious living" all the Jesus-folk talk about. ;)
Let's stand firm, friends. We stand upon the rock; there could be no greater foundation!
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