From the Heart of the Pastor

One of the greatest Christian hymns of all time is A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.  This Sunday as part of our Reformation Day focus we will sing this great hymn of the faith.  Of course, Martin Luther the Protestant Reformer wrote the hymn, but that is not the reason we sing the hymn.   Our goal this Sunday and every Sunday is not to celebrate history, and it is certainly not to celebrate man.  Our goal is the worship of God and a deeper understanding of him.  Consider the important message of this hymn.  The third verse says in part, “And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us.”

            These words of Martin Luther should serve to remind us that we do live in a world filled with devils set on our demise.  We should never deceive ourselves into thinking we don’t have an enemy in this world.  I wonder how often we ignore the spiritual battle of this life, to the great delight of our enemy.

            I am afraid that Christians often commit two different errors when it comes to the subject of spiritual warfare. First, they often overemphasize the activity of the enemy.  In other words, they obsess about Satan to the neglect of focusing on Christ.  Secondly, and even more often, they underestimate the power of the enemy.  The very same hymn says of Satan, “His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.”  Those are sobering words to Christians who would reduce Satan to a harmless nobody.  Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat” Luke 22:31.  That implies he could!  There are none on earth his equal in power.  But, Oh Believer, we serve one who is the creator of heaven and earth.  His Kingdom is beyond compare in power and strength.  Jesus went on to tell Peter in Luke 22 that He had prayed for him.  The same is true for you and me.  We have a mighty advocate.  Luther concludes the third verse with these encouraging words,

We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

Oak Crest Baptist Church, our God is indeed a Mighty Fortress! Praise Him today for His triumphal victory over darkness, sin and death!

 

 

In Christ,

Blain Craig