I was chatting to a friend in my office block a few weeks ago about God and he was saying that as there all these different religions, it is impossible to know what to believe. He stated that at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. If your heart is right and you are trying your best, then everything will be ok.
However, the Bible disagrees. It describes dark spiritual forces, who use lies and deception to lead humanity to destruction and rebellion. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. In other words, Jesus is actively, aggressively set against all the works of the devil (anything that goes against his dream for this world). So, it is important to recognise that there are thoughts, beliefs and actions that set us against God and in partnership with the devil. That is a sobering thought.
For followers of Jesus, it is a bit like a footballer who gives the ball away or knocks it into their own net by mistake. They may have helped the opposition but their intention was to help their team. John isn’t saying that because you make mistakes you have swapped sides. He is saying that because you are on the same side, you will try to do the right things. If you mess up, you get up and go again.
This is important for us to be aware of because these spiritual dynamics affect us every day and if we are unaware of them, we will find ourselves frustrated and confused. Most people I meet don’t like to talk about spiritual dynamics and those who do, I often wish that they would talk about them less. However, unless you recognise that they are there, you will vulnerable to attack and will struggle to see forward movement. We are on a mission to transform the world through selfless love and radical grace.
Reflect
- If faith is a football match, what would scoring a goal look like?
- Where would you like to grow stronger to make a greater impact?
Respond
The Bible says that prayer is one of the greatest weapons that we have against the enemy. Prayer is a cheat code that brings the power of God into our lives. Where do you want to see God move today?
