It stands to reason that if Satan’s objective, according to Scripture, is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), we must realize that he is our enemy and that our objective is to overcome his strategies through a life of victory. Satan is radical in his desire to derail the will of God for our lives. If you and I simply choose to try to coexist with him, not to harm him, then be sure we will suffer great defeat.
By James Holland Sr.
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In the pursuit of life, there are millions of challenges that one will face. It really is immaterial where on the planet you may live; you will face challenges. While the location and environment one is in may have a great deal to do with the level and frequency of those challenges, the fact remains that we all will deal with them. It’s called life, and life is about choices. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (I Corinthians 10:13).
Therefore, it is in our best interests to learn early how to make right choices. It is not a given that people will always simply make the right choices. Even in the Christian life, Christians do not always make the right choices.
We struggle so many times with these choices of life, and when we make a wrong choice it seems very hard for us to rise above that point in our life and go on. Unfortunately for some, it is easier to live in defeat, deception, and fear than it is to overcome. Many have come to believe that life is easy and, especially if I am a believer, things should just automatically be good.
Yet we see a totally different viewpoint of the Christian in the pages of God’s Word. It is referred to as a race. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which cloth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).
This passage makes clear that we are engaged in a journey that has a destination. When you enter a race, several points of interest come to bear. First, one purposely enters a race. It’s not like the runner is on the track, looking around and wondering, “How did I get here? What am I going to do now that I am here?”
Secondly, if you are aware that you are in a race, preparation must be made so you can run the race to the very best of your ability. You will need some training.
The third point that we realize is that the objective to entering the race is not just to show up or not just to run but also to run to win. Now, the good news is that everyone who enters the race of life as a believer can win.
Our spiritual journey is also described in the Scriptures as a war. That is, there will be opposition to our efforts to live victoriously for God in this present world. Yet we see in Scripture that God has supplied not only the battle attire we should wear but also the weapons needed to engage in the battle so that when they are used correctly, we will secure our victory (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Then our relationship with God is referred to as a “walk” in Scripture. I would remind you that each of these examples– and for that matter every example in Scripture that makes reference to the Christian life—involves action on the part of the believer. Then, of course, God does His part as well.
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