Dictionary
Posted the below note on You Version and then sent it to some Mighty Men this morning after listening to Pastor Mark Driscoll preach on Christ's crucifixion. I thought I'd add some thoughts here on the blog taking a little extra time to share in this “season of giving" we're beginning soon!
Here's the verse reference: 1Cor 15:17
“This morning it just dawned on me (pun intended) Satan doesn't know the future. If he did, he'd probably give up… If Satan knew Jesus would, by dying on the cross, redeem us and then rise again defeating death, he might not have persuaded Judas to betray Christ.
Satan doesn't know God's plan for me, but he's afraid of it so he attacks me now. In war we take advantage of the enemy's unknowns. Some enemies don't know when they've already been defeated, and some warriors don't know when they've already won! And so in both cases, we continue to do battle, but knowledge of this concept will certainly affect how we fight."
You know, I probably focus on the spiritual warfare aspect of life too much at times. Some people I talk to would take that sentence and change the probably to definitely. But I'm also a Marine and I've flown a helicopter in combat, so I believe I have an enhanced perspective on war that many don't have. Especially when I hear about people getting shot at (actually seeing them get shot at) and yet never getting shot at personally over 7 months and 500 hours in the air. Something about God making my enemies at peace with me when my ways please Him seems to compel me that there is more to life than the physical, and when we neglect the spiritual aspect of war we do so at our peril.
I read this book (pictured) last year during a time of focused study on spiritual warfare and I highly recommend it. I even hope some day to write a book on the parallels between MCDP-1 “War fighting" and what I call BCDP-1 “Spiritual War fighting" (MCDP stands for Marine Corps Doctrinal Principles" and BCDP would stand for “Bible Core Doctrinal Principles")
So that's the idea, we'll see what happens, but God already knows what will happen; the devil will be surprised when it happens because he, like everyone else, doesn't really know what will happen either. Only God knows the future, I don't know about you, but I take comfort in that.
Peace,
Adam