There’s no escape from Christians ‘swimming with sharks.’ Jesus has sent us out into this spiritually and physically dangerous world “as sheep in the midst of wolves.” As we saw in the first part of this new series, rather than escape – we ‘endure.’

Why?

Question – why did Jesus send us ‘as sheep in the midst of wolves?’ Another question – why did Jesus tell His disciples – “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34)? Why did Jesus tell His disciples – “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also” (John 15:18-20)?

If you read what Jesus said in the Gospel accounts, you should come away with a lot of questions like those. Jesus made it quite clear to His disciples before He died on the Cross that He had come to ‘suffer’ –

“The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” Luke 9:22

Jesus reminded His disciples of that truth after He rose from the dead –

“Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:25-27

‘Suffering’ for Christ is built into the DNA of the Church. However, too many Christian leaders don’t want to suffer for Christ. They would rather take an ‘easier’ path to Heaven. However, they cannot support that desire with Scripture. Church leaders who don’t want to suffer, struggle, and fight the battles of spiritual warfare should not be followed because they are preaching a ‘false gospel.’

If that is true (which I believe it is), why would anyone want to be a Christian? I mean, who wants to suffer? Can’t we just go to church and sit in nice air-conditioned buildings and listen to happy music and a positive message about what a great week we can have as followers of Jesus? The answer is ‘no,’ but that’s what many leaders of churches and denominations have fed to their flock for decades.

No wonder there’s so little ‘passion’ in churches today. No wonder so many people in churches believe heretical doctrines. No wonder the ‘church’ is in such a spiritual mess. No wonder Christians often find themselves ‘floundering’ in life not understanding their calling from God. It has nothing to do with ‘make me happy.’ It has EVERYTHING to do with bringing GLORY to God. We will find great reward in suffering for Christ on earth –

“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.” The Apostle Paul

Our Weapons of War

Jesus Christ did not ‘throw us to the wolves’ without giving us powerful ‘weapons of spiritual warfare.’ God’s ambition is not that every Christian is defeated by the enemy. Just the opposite! God wants to see us fight and win the battle using the weapons He provides for us through Jesus Christ His Son. That may sound strange to us in the 21st century, but it is God’s plan from eternity –

 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 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 10:3-5

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39

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.Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6:12-18

The Evil Day

Spiritual warfare is going on ALL THE TIME. That’s why Paul told the Christians in Ephesus to be ready “to withstand in the evil day.” When is that day? ἡμέρᾳ τῇ πονηρᾷ in Greek translates as ‘day the evil.’ The word ‘day’ was used for the normal 24-hour day. The word ‘evil’ was understood to mean ‘toilsome, bad, wicked, malicious, pain ridden.’ The article ‘the’ is definite and refers to a ‘specific’ type of day. It’s an ‘evil’ day.

As a Christian involved in spiritual warfare – every day is evil. Every day is fraught with dangers. Some days are more difficult than others, but every day is a day that Christians need to be in the ‘fight.’ If we’re not in the fight or not ready to fight, we can and will be defeated in our feeble attempts to lead the life God has called us to live. We may think we’re safe, but remember – we’re swimming with sharks. We’re sheep in a world filled with wolves.

Roman soldiers had to be ready to go into battle at any time. They had routines to follow that would keep them ‘ready’ for battle. Soldiers did sleep, but they did so while other soldiers were awake and on ‘watch.’ Even sleeping soldiers kept their armor and weapons close so they could go into battle at a moment’s notice. That’s what it meant to be a soldier.

The same is true for the Christian ‘soldier’ –

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:3-4

Christians must always be ready to do battle with the enemy. They must not ‘entangle’ themselves with the ‘affairs of this life’ for several reasons. One reason is that when a soldier is entangled with things of this world, they are not ready to fight. They can be defeated easily and are not in position to support their fellow soldiers who were counting on them. However, the biggest reason is that not ‘pleasing’ Jesus Christ who ‘enlisted’ us as a soldier in His Army. We see that clearly in words He spoke in the Gospels, as well as the words He had John send to some of the churches in the Book of Revelation. The Lord was disappointed and even angry with how some of the Christians had let down their guard and entangled themselves “with the affairs of this life.”

There will be days when things seem to be going along pretty well. If someone asked us the days were ‘evil,’ we might respond by saying that things seem to be going pretty well. Other times we might respond that things are going very badly and that, yes, the days are ‘evil.’ I get that. There are times when we feel as if we’re under attack from the ‘enemy.’ There are other times when things seem to be going great. The key is to be aware and ready for anything.

I have a saying in self-defense training that – ‘We can be attacked anywhere, at anytime, by anyone.’ We need beware and aware at all times. Yes, we have a powerful enemy. Yes, Jesus has sent us into the world “as sheep in the midst of wolves.” And, yes, Jesus has already WON the victory!!

“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

[Podcast version of this study.]

Next Time

Jesus never wasted a moment during His days on earth. Every word He spoke had great purpose for His followers. I want to share a few of those words with you in the next part of our series that I hope will give you courage and comfort in the battles you are fighting.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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