Bring It On!

“’We must go through many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God,’ they said.” Acts 14:22

I have always thought that suffering was just our lot as Christians to build our faith. It gave me a level of comfort that all things must pass through the filter of God so whatever I experience I will be delivered by God. This morning in my Bible Study I realize there is another reason for hardship and suffering.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Eph. 6:12

So many of my Christian friends experience suffering in large doses everyday. Satan is not going to be satisfied with our fellowship with God. Anyone who is deepening their intimacy with Christ should be prepared for an ‘all out war’. Satan and God are after the same goal – our souls, our peace and our loyalty. Once we belong to God the only thing left for Satan to claim is our peace. I equate hardship with being in the crossfire of two political running mates with the same goal in mind. When running for office, it is inevitable that the opposition will try to discredit, destroy and eliminate the other person from receiving the goal of office. These attacks are many times based on lies, rumors and manipulation of details. In order to receive the goal, much slander and suffering will be experienced as a result of the heated battle.

Satan has lost the war of claiming our soul and loyalty so he must declare a full scale war on the Christians whose goal is to further the Kingdom of God. Through hardship he hopes to lessen our loyalty, frustrate our peace and deplete us of our spiritual testimony. With my love for Christ being paramount in my life I am claiming 1 John 4:4 as my shield against evil.

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

Bring it on!