Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Ephesians 4:11-12 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
MALWARE
Computers have many benefits, but also many dangers. One of the worst being malware. Some people have nothing better to do with their time than to sit at home and write programs that infiltrate your computer, slowing them down or causing them to crash altogether.
As devious and sneaky as those hackers are, we have enemies who are much more cunning and manipulative. Paul calls them "spiritual hosts of wickedness." The devil and all his evil angels are trying to attack our hearts and minds in the same way that hackers attack our computers.
This great struggle has gone on since Eve took that first bite in the Garden of Eden and the devil is still using the same weapon today that he used back then: temptation. Temptations come in all different forms, but if followed, they all lead to sin. Some seem like harmless fun and some entice us, luring us in through desire. Some are stepping stones to larger sins and some are so overwhelming that they threaten to take over our lives.
The devil has a mighty weapon, but we have a greater. When Jesus was tempted for forty days in the wilderness, what did He use to fend off Satan's temptations? The Word of God, the Bible. The same Word with the same power that each of us has today.
Everyday, every one of us has a wrestling match on our schedule. A wrestling match with our old Adam inside of us, who wants to follow the temptations that the devil sets before us. Our enemies are great, but our God is greater. He gives us the Gospel message of Christ crucified for sinners. With that He gives us the strength to hold off all our wicked, evil enemies and He promises that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able (1 Corinthians 10:13).
This world's prince may still scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none, he's judged; the deed is done;
One little word can fell him. Amen!
