It’s officially spring now and all around me are signs of new life.
The crocuses and daffodils planted by previous owner have bloomed and the tulips that Mark and I planted last fall are peeking through. I’m encouraged knowing that warmer weather is on its way.
But, it’s not always this way. Some people are surprised that we get snow here in Texas. Just last winter, we had several inches that blanketed our backyard.
And this year, we’ve had some record lows and bitter winds even a few weeks ago. But despite the winter weather, we always knew that summer would come. It always has and always will.
Think how silly it would have been, had I feared that winter would last forever. Imagine me sitting beside my window, cowering from the cold, complaining about the snow, and crying about the ice. What if I had allowed a “forever winter lie” to so control my thoughts that I neglected to water the bulbs in the ground or pot the seeds in the shed?
Of course, whether or not I believe that spring is coming, it will come. Yet, readying our yard for its arrival makes it all the more enjoyable once it does arrive, don’t you agree?
Right now, we are in a season of life in which the devil’s winter seems all around us. Some days, the news causes us to despair rather than hope for the future.
We read Ephesians 6:12 about the rulers, powers, world forces and spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places and want to just turn tail and cover our heads. Invisible somehow translates to invincible and we doubt we have the strength to overcome.
Indeed, Paul’s reference to our dark foes testify to a spiritual reality which we don’t readily understand. Their influence extends past geographical localities and they are very busy “hovering about us, trying to obscure and pervert the truth (by dazzling) our eyes with the glory of earth, (and entangling) us in subtle temptations” (H.M. Spence). If that were the whole story, life would be quite unbearable.
But spiritual spring is inevitable. All of these invisible creepy-crawlies have already been dominated by Life (Colossians 1:16-17). And Life is on our side.
Just as the sun melts the snow and ice to become moisture for the coming spring, Christ has already melted the death and destruction of those rulers and authorities to be your victory (Colossians 2:15). It is a done deal.
The first step of spiritual victory is a faith that believes that He is indeed stronger than our foes (1 John 5:4). His strength and His armor is more powerful than the powers of darkness, even in your present moment. Becoming pliable in God’s Hand melts away satan’s grip (1 Corinthians 15:24).
Sure, satan is on the prowl for someone to dig his teeth into (1 Peter 5:8). He stands in the heavenlies just looking for a way to accuse God’s people (Zechariah 3:1). But it doesn’t have to be you!
Submission to the Lord is more powerful than the sun coming out to melt the snow. Becoming pliable in God’s Hand melts away satan’s grip (Luke 10:18).
And that’s a scene, I want Christ to experience day after day in my life. Let’s believe together, shall we?
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