Feet on the Rock

Matthew 7:24-29 (NLT) -

"Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash." When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority - quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

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Ephesians 6:10-11, 13 (NIV) -

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes... Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

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It is one of the great joys of my life to be a involved with my local youth ministry. Having the opportunity to use the gifts, talents, experiences, and personality that God has given me in order to shape the next generation, helping them to find and set their foundation on the rock that is Jesus Christ, is such a blessing and a reward. For all my failures and shortcomings, God is using me to help raise disciples who are on fire for him and, in the process, is developing my own discipleship with him to the same end.

Our most recent youth event was one which we call 'Lifegroup Hangouts'. Essentially, all the small groups in our youth ministry organise some kind of activity together where we can hang out, have fun, and grow in relationship with each other. My group decided on dinner and movie, with one of the families in our group kindly opening their home, projector, and Amazon Prime subscription to us for the latter half of our night. Another one of the families very kindly offered to drop me home after the event (since I don't have a car of my own). At the end of the night, as we were moving towards the car, the Year 12 whose family was giving me a lift insisted on my taking the front seat of the car, while I insisted that he take it since it was his car. A sort of wrestling match ensued, with him pinning my arms to my side in a bear hug and pushing me step by step around the front of the car.

To begin with, there was nothing I could do but stumble along in the direction he was moving me as I tried to struggle and break free, but I soon realised the futility of doing so and decided that if I couldn't break free, I was at least going to make it so that he couldn't keep pushing me towards the front seat. I stopped struggling and instead planted my feet on the ground in a fairly wide stance, and he stopped in his tracks. He tried to keep pushing me, and he successfully shifted me forward by two more half-steps, but there was nothing else he could do - I was not moving. Despite the fact that he is twice my weight, and much of that in muscle, he couldn't push me around anymore because I'd planted my feet on the concrete, which meant he was now trying to push not just me, but the very earth, which wasn't going anywhere. He was forced to concede defeat and let me go. We both had a laugh about it, got in the car, and went home.

This morning, I felt God pointing me back to this funny, light-hearted moment from Friday night. While reflecting on it, I realised just how true this is of our spiritual lives as well. At the end of my last Thought, I talked about how if Satan can get us 'reacting' to our failures, then we'll always be off-balance and easier to knock down or push around. When I was wrestling with my youth, I started by trying to struggle and break free of his grip, but because I was in a bad position to fight from and because he was so much stronger than me, I was powerless to escape. Instead, I was just getting pushed closer and closer to the place I was trying to avoid. Make no mistake, Satan is far bigger than us believers, and far stronger. He's cunning and vicious, and he has been carefully examining us our entire lives, watching for cracks in our defense that he can exploit to turn us from God and drag us to the places we don't want to be, separated and far from him. As long as we keep trying to struggle, fight, and break free in our own strength, we will always be at a disadvantage and off-balance, making it easy for Satan to have his way with us.

However, if we set our feet on the Rock which is Jesus Christ - the one who is infinitely bigger and stronger than Satan - and decide to simply stand our ground, Satan might be able to shove us a small step or two, but even that action will take all his best efforts. You see, when we set our feet and stand firm, Satan is no longer just pushing us around - he's now trying to push God, which is like my youth trying to push the earth. When we plant our feet on Jesus, Satan can't do anything because we are no longer relying on our own strength but on God's. This is what Paul was talking about when he said to, "Put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." He didn't say to wrestle. He didn't even say to fight. He said to stand firm. When we stand on the Word of God and on Jesus, Satan can push and shove and scream and wrestle as much as he likes, but eventually he will be forced to admit defeat and let us go, because God will never let us be tempted beyond what we can bear, but will always provide a way of escape. (1 Cor 10:13)

On the other side of that temptation is always blessing. To those who persevere through Satan's attacks, God will give, "the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12 NIV) So then, how do we stand firm against Satan's attacks? There are three ways, and all of them must be used at the same time if we are to be fully protected. Firstly, we must listen to God's Word and apply it to our lives (which we see in the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders above). Secondly, we must equip ourselves with the armour of God (which Paul talks about in Ephesians). Thirdly, we must pray (the best example of this is in 2 Chronicles 20, particularly verse 17). These 3 things are what we'll be unpacking in the next few days.