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abundant life, battle, easter, God, Jesus, lent, Satan, spiritual warfare, triumph, victory, wrestling
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12 KJV
I’m rooting today for my grandson at the Huskerland Tournament 2012 – a big wrestling meet he’s won five times in his young career. I’d much rather be watching him show sheep at the county fair with no risk of concussion, dislocation, and other injuries my mind conjures up from the spectator seats. I can’t even imagine the panic I’d live with if I thought very often about my grandchildren wrestling against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Yikes!
When David finishes today, he’ll probably walk off the mat with mat burns somewhere on his body and scratches if another wrestler hasn’t clipped his fingernails. Those heal quickly and are gone. Likewise, after David stows his medal and leaves the Expo Center, he won’t talk about his win, but will be on to the next thing. (How his grandma loves this trait about him!) And after a short time, it will be forgotten.
Ephesians 6:12 in The Message describes the spiritual battle we’re in this way, “This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.”
Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 NIV Satan isn’t going for a pin, a decision on points, or a medal when he sends his henchmen to harass those who belong to Jesus. He’s going for the jugular. And if he fails this time, he’ll be back again…and again…and again.
What a helpless and hopeless state we’d be in if the all-powerful, all-knowing, always-present-everywhere Savior had not taken our place on the wrestling mat. When God, the Father, raised Jesus’ arm in triumph at the end of the struggle, Jesus had won for us life, full and eternal. Then to remind Satan of his defeat and of Christians’ eternal life, He hung His medal around our necks, so to speak, and gave us the right to claim a share in His victory.
Join me in proclaiming with Jude (Jude 24-25), “And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating – to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes.” Yeah, Jesus! We applaud You!!