Your Heart, a Battlefield

Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

— Ephesians 6:11

I am sure the greatest day in your life was the day you put your faith in Jesus Christ. And as we grow in our faith and knowledge of what God actually did for us, we become more aware of how significant that day really was. That was the day when we literally had our eternal address changed from a place called hell to a place called heaven. That was the day when we turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. That was the day when, according to Jesus, there was a party in heaven given in our honor—a victory shout, if you will, from the angels and from those who have gone before us.

But it was also the day when a very real spiritual battle began. In fact, it has been said that conversion has made our hearts a battlefield. Just as surely as there is a God who loves you, there is also a devil who hates you—a devil who wants to stop the work God is doing in your life.

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus talked about the seed that fell on the roadside and was eaten by the birds. He said, "Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts" (Matthew 13:19). It is called an attack, and you had better get ready for it.

If you want to be a spiritual pacifist, then you are going down. You will have to toughen up and put on the armor of God, because in this spiritual battle, you are either advancing or retreating. You are either winning or losing. So you must fight to win. And it is a battle that can be won—if you march with Christ.

A Skillful Adversary

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

— 1 John 4:4

When I first became a Christian, other believers warned me, "you have to be careful, because the devil will tempt you." That was the craziest thing I had ever heard. The what is going to tempt me? Of course, I envisioned a caricatured version of Satan. I didn't think of him as a spiritual being, and I had never really dealt with temptation. Prior to my conversion, I saw temptation as an opportunity. I didn't know a lot about trying to resist it. So I asked these believers how I would know when I was being tempted. They said, "You will know."

So at school one day, a very attractive girl came walking toward me after class. She had never noticed me before, much less walked up to me or said anything to me. But then she actually spoke. I was dumbfounded. Why is this girl talking to me? What is happening? She asked, "What is your name?" I momentarily forgot my name. Then she said, "Hey, you know what? My parents have a cabin up in the mountains. I was thinking of going up there this weekend. Why don't you come with me?"

I thought, This is a temptation. This is it! She didn't have horns, and she wasn't carrying a pitchfork. But the temptation was attractive, it was enticing, and it was real. I knew this was the devil, because these things did not happen to me when I was in the world. Thankfully I resisted the temptation. But I also learned how it worked.

The enemy is quite clever. He knows how to offer his wares in an attractive way. But don't ever underestimate him. He is a sly and skillful adversary, with many years of experience in dealing with humankind. But even so, he can be overcome.

From One to Many

We all know how God mightily used Simon Peter as an apostle. But do you know how Peter originally came to believe in Jesus? His brother Andrew told him about the Lord.

We never read in Scripture of Andrew preaching to multitudes of people. Andrew never wrote any books of the Bible. Nor did God work miracles through his hands.

But God used him to reach his brother, Peter, who did all the above and more.

We can't all be Simon Peters. God is looking for people like Andrew too. The fact of the matter is, if we had more Andrews, we would have more Simon Peters.

This reminds me of a more contemporary version of this point.

From selling soles to saving souls

Edward Kimball was an ordinary man who taught Sunday school at his church. He sensed God's leading to share the gospel with a shoe salesman.

After nervously pacing outside the store several times, he found this young man in the storage room. Kimball shared God's love and the salesman received Christ.

The year was 1858 and the salesman's name was Dwight L. Moody, who went on to become one of the greatest evangelists in human history. But the story doesn't stop there.

But wait, there's more!

Several years later, when Moody was preaching, a pastor named Frederick B. Meyer was deeply stirred by Moody's preaching. As a result, he started a nationwide preaching ministry.

A college student named J. Wilbur Chapman accepted Christ after listening to one of Meyer's sermons. Chapman became a pastor and started holding evangelistic outreaches.

One of the assistants he hired was Billy Sunday, a former baseball player. Sunday went on to become a powerful evangelist, reaching thousands and thousands of people with the gospel in the early 20th-century.

From Billy to Billy

One of Billy Sunday's evangelistic crusades was held in Charlotte, North Carolina. Afterward, a group of enthusiastic businessmen wanted to do more outreach in the area and asked another evangelist named Mordecai Ham to come and preach.

During Ham's revival meetings, a young farm boy known to neighbors as Billy Frank made his way down the "Sawdust Trail" and gave his life to Christ. Today, we know Billy Frank by his given name, Billy Graham.

So look at this chain of events, starting with this unsung hero. Kimball reached Moody, who touched Meyer, who reached Chapman, who helped Sunday, who reached businessmen in Charlotte, causing them to invite Ham, who reached Graham!

It starts with one!

It all began with the simple witness of Edward Kimball!

If we had more Andrews, we would have more Simon Peters. If we had more Edward Kimballs, we would have more D.L. Moodys. If we had more Mordecai Hams, we would have more Billy Grahams!

So do your part to reach someone today. Who knows, they could be the next great evangelist God uses to reach a generation!

When We Sin

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

— 1 John 1:8–9

It is not a matter of if we are going to sin; it is a matter of when. The Bible says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). We all will sin. The question is, what are we going to do when we sin? Will we listen to the wrong voice and do the wrong thing? Or will we listen to the right voice and do the right thing?

Both Judas Iscariot and Peter betrayed Jesus in their own way. Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Peter denied knowing Christ. But I believe that had Judas wanted it, he could have been forgiven by Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when he came to identify Jesus as the one the authorities were seeking, Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" (Matthew 26:50). He offered him a final act of forgiveness. Still, Judas betrayed Jesus. He later realized what he had done, but he never repented of his sin. He listened to the wrong voice and did the wrong thing.

Peter denied knowing Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. But then he went and wept bitterly afterward. Peter stayed with his Christian friends, he turned to Jesus, and he received forgiveness. Peter listened to the right voice and did the right thing.

The wrong voice, the devil, would drive us from Jesus, from church, from fellowship, from the Word of God, and from everything that could help us. But the right voice will take us to the Word of God, to church, to our Christian friends, to God in prayer, and to forgiveness and restoration in a relationship with Him. You have a choice. Which voice will you listen to?

When We Sin

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

— 1 John 1:8–9

It is not a matter of if we are going to sin; it is a matter of when. The Bible says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). We all will sin. The question is, what are we going to do when we sin? Will we listen to the wrong voice and do the wrong thing? Or will we listen to the right voice and do the right thing?

Both Judas Iscariot and Peter betrayed Jesus in their own way. Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Peter denied knowing Christ. But I believe that had Judas wanted it, he could have been forgiven by Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when he came to identify Jesus as the one the authorities were seeking, Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" (Matthew 26:50). He offered him a final act of forgiveness. Still, Judas betrayed Jesus. He later realized what he had done, but he never repented of his sin. He listened to the wrong voice and did the wrong thing.

Peter denied knowing Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. But then he went and wept bitterly afterward. Peter stayed with his Christian friends, he turned to Jesus, and he received forgiveness. Peter listened to the right voice and did the right thing.

The wrong voice, the devil, would drive us from Jesus, from church, from fellowship, from the Word of God, and from everything that could help us. But the right voice will take us to the Word of God, to church, to our Christian friends, to God in prayer, and to forgiveness and restoration in a relationship with Him. You have a choice. Which voice will you listen to?

When We Sin

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

— 1 John 1:8–9

It is not a matter of if we are going to sin; it is a matter of when. The Bible says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). We all will sin. The question is, what are we going to do when we sin? Will we listen to the wrong voice and do the wrong thing? Or will we listen to the right voice and do the right thing?

Both Judas Iscariot and Peter betrayed Jesus in their own way. Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Peter denied knowing Christ. But I believe that had Judas wanted it, he could have been forgiven by Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when he came to identify Jesus as the one the authorities were seeking, Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" (Matthew 26:50). He offered him a final act of forgiveness. Still, Judas betrayed Jesus. He later realized what he had done, but he never repented of his sin. He listened to the wrong voice and did the wrong thing.

Peter denied knowing Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. But then he went and wept bitterly afterward. Peter stayed with his Christian friends, he turned to Jesus, and he received forgiveness. Peter listened to the right voice and did the right thing.

The wrong voice, the devil, would drive us from Jesus, from church, from fellowship, from the Word of God, and from everything that could help us. But the right voice will take us to the Word of God, to church, to our Christian friends, to God in prayer, and to forgiveness and restoration in a relationship with Him. You have a choice. Which voice will you listen to?

When We Sin

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

— 1 John 1:8–9

It is not a matter of if we are going to sin; it is a matter of when. The Bible says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). We all will sin. The question is, what are we going to do when we sin? Will we listen to the wrong voice and do the wrong thing? Or will we listen to the right voice and do the right thing?

Both Judas Iscariot and Peter betrayed Jesus in their own way. Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Peter denied knowing Christ. But I believe that had Judas wanted it, he could have been forgiven by Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when he came to identify Jesus as the one the authorities were seeking, Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" (Matthew 26:50). He offered him a final act of forgiveness. Still, Judas betrayed Jesus. He later realized what he had done, but he never repented of his sin. He listened to the wrong voice and did the wrong thing.

Peter denied knowing Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. But then he went and wept bitterly afterward. Peter stayed with his Christian friends, he turned to Jesus, and he received forgiveness. Peter listened to the right voice and did the right thing.

The wrong voice, the devil, would drive us from Jesus, from church, from fellowship, from the Word of God, and from everything that could help us. But the right voice will take us to the Word of God, to church, to our Christian friends, to God in prayer, and to forgiveness and restoration in a relationship with Him. You have a choice. Which voice will you listen to?

God's Ministering Spirits

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."

— Acts 12:11

The Old and New Testament contain at least 300 references to angels. Everywhere in Scripture, we see examples of angels at work. Story after story tells us about the work of angels.

When Peter was arrested for preaching the gospel, the first-century church prayed. And in answer to their prayers, God dispatched an angel to deliver Peter, who was in such deep sleep, the Bible tells us, that the angel had to strike him to wake him up. The chains fell off his wrists, the prison door opened automatically, and Peter walked out.

Often when we pray, it might be an angel who is actually dispatched to help bring about the answer to our prayers. Angels straddle both heaven and earth, and it would appear that although they are created beings, they never die. Jesus said of people who have gone on to heaven, "Nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection" (Luke 20:36).

And as Hebrews 1:14 tells us, angels have a special work they do in the lives of believers: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" Generally we don't know what angels are doing and when they are doing it. They are sort of like an elite fighting force: they are dispatched on a mission, they go in, they take care of business, and we are never aware of it.

As Billy Graham put it, angels are God's secret agents. They are His ministering servants, protecting, delivering, and sometimes guiding. You don't know it is them. You don't need to engage them. You don't need to try and communicate with them. They are simply doing the work that God has called them to do.

The Invisible World

"Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

— 2 Kings 6:16

It is difficult for us to believe there is an invisible world, because we live in the natural world. We relate to what we can see, what we can hear, and what we can reach out and touch. But the Bible teaches there is a supernatural world, an invisible world. It is the realm of God and Satan, of angels and demons, and it is all around us. If we could somehow peek into the invisible world, it would blow our minds to see the angels of God at work, the demons of hell at work, and all the spiritual activity swirling around us at any given moment.

The Bible gives an account of this actually happening to someone—the servant of Elisha the prophet. The servant woke up one morning to find the city surrounded by enemy forces. Panicked, he woke up Elisha, asking, "What shall we do?" (2 Kings 6:15).

Elisha, probably wiping the sleep from his eyes, told him, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (verse 16). Then Elisha prayed, "Lord, . . . open his eyes that he may see." And the Bible tells us his servant looked up and saw "the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (verse 17). Those were the angelic forces of God.

The activity of angels, especially in the lives of believers, is constant. We may not necessarily be aware of the presence of angels and can't necessarily predict how and when they will appear, but the Bible tells us they are there. Psalm 34:7 says, "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them."

There is indeed a God, a Satan, angels, and demons. There is indeed an invisible world.

God's Mirror

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.

— Romans 3:19

Some people say, "Well, I don't need Jesus Christ because I live by the Ten Commandments."

My response to someone who said that would be, "Let's start by asking if you can name the Ten Commandments."

"Uh, thou shalt recycle?"

"No. . . . Have you broken any of them?"

"Well, I don't know."

Those who want to live by the law are in trouble, because the Bible says, "For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws" (James 2:10). God's law was never given to make a person righteous; it is a moral mirror that shows us our true state before God, to drive us into the open arms of Jesus. The law says, "You are not good enough. You need God's help."

The Bible compares God's law to a mirror. Mirrors are helpful, because they reveal truth to us. If you go out to lunch with your friends and don't know why they seem to be laughing as you are talking, then they probably haven't told you something that you need to know. When you go into the restroom, you realize that when you put your lipstick on in the dark that morning, you missed your lips. Your friends didn't tell you the truth about yourself, but the mirror did. So God's law was not given to make you righteous, but to show you that you have fallen short of it.

Romans 3:19 says, "Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God." Everyone who has been exposed to the truth of God's law will be held responsible.

A Freely Chosen Path

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.

— Deuteronomy 30:19

Hell was not made for people; hell was created for the devil and his angels (see Matthew 25:41). It was never God's intention to send a person to hell. He does everything He can to keep us out of it. But God has given us a free will. We have the ability to choose, and God will not violate that. If you want to go to heaven, then you will—if you put your faith in Christ. If you want to go to hell, then you will. It is your choice.

People will protest on that final day and say, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" (Matthew 7:22). And Jesus will sadly but firmly say, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (verse 23).

Some people might say, "Wait! I went to church on Sunday!" And, "Wait! I received communion!" And, "Wait! I was baptized." But Jesus will say, in effect, "But I never knew you. It was just a thing you did. We never had a relationship. You broke My commandments left and right. It's your own choice that you are facing."

It is not enough to say you believe in God. It is not enough to acknowledge that God exists. You need to turn from your sin and put your faith in Jesus Christ, and Him alone, as Savior and Lord.

As Timothy Keller said, "Hell is simply one's freely chosen path going on forever." If that is what you want, then that is what you will get. God wants you to go to heaven, but He will not force you. He gives you a choice, and it is up to you what you do with that choice.

Don't Stop Praying

And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

— Luke 23:43

When Jesus was on the cross, one of the men being crucified next to Him came to his senses and said, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42).

So Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (verse 43). You might describe what happened to this man as a deathbed conversion. And this gives a measure of hope to those who maybe have given up on certain people who have no need for God—or at least think they have no need for God. Don't stop praying for them. Because I have heard glorious stories of people coming to Christ right before their deaths. My own mother did not really come to Christ until about a month before she went to heaven, and I had prayed for her throughout my life as a Christian. Maybe you feel right now that someone you know never will come around. But they may.

Or sometimes we fear that certain people who have died are in hell right now. But we are not in a position to say who is in hell. I do think I can authoritatively say who is in heaven, because if a person has put his or her faith in Christ, the Bible assures us that this person is in heaven. But unless you were with someone when they passed into eternity, you don't know what happened. It is possible that someone you shared the gospel with, someone you told about Jesus, perhaps put their faith in Christ in the last few moments of their life. And you might be surprised to see them in glory some day.

I think there will be some surprises when we get to heaven. So don't give up on the people you are praying for.

Being Fishers of Men

Over the years, I've had the pleasure of visiting Israel a number of times, particularly the area around the Sea of Galilee.

What I love about this area of Israel is that it is much like it was in the days when Jesus Himself walked here. As you feel the warmth of the sun on your skin and hear the gentle lapping of waves on the shore, you realize that this is what Jesus would have experienced as well.

It is also the area where called Peter, James, and John (who fished on the shores) to be His own disciples.

One day, Jesus was being pressed by the multitudes as He always was (Luke 5). He saw Peter, James, and John on the shore, and asked Peter if He could borrow his boat for a while. Peter agreed, and Jesus addressed the eager crowds.

Then Jesus said to Peter, "Why don't you launch out your boat into the deep water for a big catch of fish!"

Peter protested, "Lord, we have been fishing all night, yet at Your word we will do it."

Peter was a seasoned fisherman. He spent his life by this lake, and he knew they were not going to be catching any fish after an entire night of fishing. And Jesus was not a fisherman, but a landlubber!

To his credit, Peter did what Jesus told him to do. In the original language, what Peter said in response to Jesus could be translated, "At your word we will do it, captain of this boat!"

You know what happened next? Their nets were breaking with fish, and Peter was dumbfounded. Jesus had just invaded his little world and shown Himself unlimited in power.

Peter said to Jesus, "Depart from me Lord, I am a sinful man!" In other words, "Jesus, with all due respect, don't waste your time on someone like me. I am just not worth the effort!"

Jesus said, "Don't be afraid. From now on, you will be fishing for people."

When I visited Israel in 2008, my granddaughter Stella and I spent some time feeding the catfish in the Sea of Galilee, tossing pieces of bread into the water. The catfish were huge, but they also seemed to have endless appetites!

In the same way, there is a world out there that is hungry for spiritual truth too. We all need to go "fishing for people."

You might think that God could never use someone like yourself! That's what Peter thought. But Jesus used him powerfully to touch his world, and I believe God can use you to touch yours.

Let Jesus "invade your world" today. Let Him be the "captain of your ship," whatever that ship might be. I think you will end up with nets that are full.

The Reality of Hell

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

— 2 Peter 3:9

When I was being interviewed on a Christian television show, I was asked why I spoke so much about eternity. I had never really noticed that before. I thought about it for a moment and said, "You know, I guess the answer is that when you get down to it, it is the most important thing there is."

Most people believe in heaven, and most people believe they are going there. But Jesus said, "Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it" (Matthew 7:13). If we believe the Bible, then we have to accept this simple fact: Most people are actually headed to hell. We are very uncomfortable with that. But the truth is that hell is a real place.

Jesus Christ spoke more about hell than all of the other preachers of the Bible put together. It has been estimated that of the 40 parables that Jesus told, more than half of them dealt with God's eternal judgment and hell. Most of the teaching we have on the topic of hell was given to us by Christ himself. For the very reason that He is the personification of love and grace and mercy, He doesn't want any man or woman uniquely made in His image to spend eternity in hell.

As a pastor, I want to teach the Word of God. I want to help people grow in their faith as followers of Jesus. But when it is all said and done, the greatest thing I want to see happen is that people who were on their way to hell will be on their way to heaven instead. I want people to change their eternal address. That is why I do what I do.

A Crown for You

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

— James 1:12

With two granddaughters, I am just discovering that little girls like to dress up as princesses. Having raised two boys, I had never dealt with this. But now I know that little girls like to be princesses. This was further confirmed when I was at Disneyland awhile ago and saw little Cinderellas and Sleeping Beauties walking around, complete with full gowns, crowns, and scepters.

There is something about us that wants to be royalty. The good news is that for believers, a crown of life is specifically promised for the man or woman who has resisted temptation and persevered under trial: "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12).

It doesn't seem fair sometimes when we see people suffer, when we see someone who has to go through life with a disability or difficulty. But God says, "I have a special crown for those who have endured this. I have a special crown for those who are hurting. I have a special crown for those have resisted temptation."

Maybe while many of your friends caved in and said, "You are missing out on all of the fun," you said, "I am going to be faithful to God. I am not going to do what you are doing." One day, you will have a crown to show for it.

Not only that, but there is also the crown of righteousness, which will be given to those who have served God and have a heart for heaven (see 2 Timothy 4:8). Do you long for the return of Jesus Christ? Then there is a crown that awaits you. So complete the work God has given you to do. Make your life count.