Chaos seems to be the state of nature. Everything loses heat and dies; then chaos ensues.Who can’t relate to mixed feelings about the chaos that comes with Christmas? We’ve got three sets of guests scheduled to come through. All need food, fun, and our full attention.
charge to us. We who are created in his image need to implement his strategy.
1) Be fruitful2) Increase in number3) Fill the earth4) Subdue (the earth)5) Rule over (the earth)
right off the bat (Gen. 1:2) by “hovering over the chaos.”
as he charged Adam with the task of bringing order, so we are to hover over the
chaos in our lives, exercising our God-delegated authority to bring order.
perpetually contests our delegated authority. Given that evil’s strategy is to defy authority and
increase chaos, how important is our job of countering evil as men and women created in God’s image? Given our charge, we need to be prepared to “let it feel the weight of our presence.”
life.”
spiritual reality. If you were to have
grown up in Africa, for instance, you would
have a healthy respect for the every-day reality of evil.
quick to discount its role in your life.
As an African Jesus-follower, you would take seriously the authority he
delegated you (in Matt. 10:1 and Matt. 28:18) to confront evil by driving out
demons and healing sick people.
Look at your life; can you see the areas where evil is
contesting your authority? Look at the
way chaos has infiltrated your family.
Look at the bad habits you fight.
Look at the compromises you are tempted to make – all are evidence of a
titanic battle being waged at every level for control of the earth.
Our task is to engage in the battle and our
role in it. The majority of American
Christians feel impotent in the fight against
chaos. They complain about circumstances
as though they had no delegated authority and were selected for special
suffering by evil.
The truth is, everyone is caught up in a ragged battle for
control of this world. Our struggle is
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 6:12)
Our posture in this conflict is to be offensive – to be an
affront to evil, to take back territory that it has expropriated from our Lord
and master. In short, we have been
delegated the job of taking dominion.
God’s word to man hasn’t changed since the days of Adam.
Our home may not have reached the chaos level of the Griswalds yet, but we’re prepared for the worst. In our corner of the world, we are prepared to fight chaos one
problem at a time.
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Your blog today seems to fit into what I was contemplating yesterday and still today, which is the question I posed to my Toastmasters Club yesterday, “Why are we doing what we are doing”. We should ask that of everything we are doing.
And that takes me to Paul. Reading all the introductions to his letters, he calls himself and his readers many things related to their lives in Christ, like apostle, believer, brethren, called, and other names I can’t recall right now. He never calls himself a tent maker, though he was one. He never identifies himself by his occupation, only by his spiritual identity.
The in Philippians, he talks about “pressing on” towards the high calling, counting everything else as dung, AND tells us to think the same way. It’s not that he is an apostle and should be the only one thin king this way. He says we should too.
Is that scary to you? It is to me. What things am I going to count as “dung” so that I can “press on” towards gaining the prize that is found in Christ Jesus?
Thanks Seth. Good insights here…I’m attending to family business on a few fronts and this was a good reminder. Love you…
Appreciate the love, Butch & Philip. Hope your Christmas season is wonderful.
you can never have too much overspiritualization. we called them O.S. moments on Team JUGS. 🙂
You’re awesome Seth.
I just have to say a big AMEN! Thanks for reminding us that we have the authority!
“…how important is our job of countering evil as men and women created in God’s image? Given our charge, we need to be prepared to ‘let it feel the weight of our presence.’”
Profound statement worth pondering and action steps.
As always, I love reading your blogs Seth. You are like a spiritual guru (A spiritual teacher, esp. one who imparts initiation.) without the need of applause or recognition. Although you are well worthy of both applause and recognition. Your insights, and spiritual wisdom, are captivating to all your readers. Can’t wait to see you soon. Miss my mentor and friend.