Up & Down // Ephesians 6:12

Today’s verse is one that has become real to me in the last several years. John Diamond is quoted as saying, “All our problems are spiritual, and our only spiritual problem is not realizing we are spiritual.” That quote reflects what the Apostle Paul wrote millennia prior about the nature of spiritual warfare. There is a pitched battle between good and evil, light and dark. There are times when the battles feel more like skirmishes and others when it feels like an all-out assault. The enemy tries to defeat us, but he has no power over those in Christ. Satan then turns to tactics like deception and discouragement to attack the Jesus follower. The prophet Isaiah gave a glimpse into how the devil would work to invert our understanding of the world by calling evil things good, proper things upside-down, and sweet things bitter. On the surface it seems like we should be able to tell the difference, but getting caught up in a war against reality can cause almost anyone to question their convictions. The Apostle Paul went on to write about the full armor of God with a exhortation to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10). I think it’s prudent to close out today’s writing with Proverbs 3:5-6…may it help you keep your paths and principles straight according to God’s purpose…

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”