February 27, 2020 -- Psalm 119:123 -- What are you watching for?

My eyes long for your salvation

and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.

Psalm 119:123 English Standard Version

Beloved in the LORD this verse raises a question for us as believers: “what is it your eyes long for?” Basically, it is asking what are you anticipating? Right now, the city I live in is under a winter storm warning. When the angry, grey clouds outside my study window break open it is expected they’ll release freezing rain, then ice pellets and finally 20 to 30 cm of snow. I found myself waking up in the night and thinking about it. Asking myself: “Will I travel to tomorrow? Will I have to cancel my appointments?”

You see, something as simple as a storm can change our plans. Now, consider the coming salvation of Jesus Christ. Our hearts ought to beat in anticipation of all that this means! We are in a most fortunate place in history. We know Jesus Christ has come. We know He is seated in power and glory at the Father’s right hand, subduing all His enemies and ours. We read Scripture with the profound confidence He rules in this way until the day He rises from the throne and, like the Mighty Warrior He Is, returns to judge the living and the dead.

We preach this to our souls when we are weary. We preach this to our friends when they are tired or worn in their fight against sin. We remember that we are engaged in a battle.

It is guerrilla warfare…

The problem is that as Christians, we often forget we are in a war.

Or worse, we don’t even know that there is a war.

Unlike most warfare, where at least we know

that there is an enemy somewhere, spiritual warfare

tends to be especially covert. No one is getting shot

and many people—even addicts themselves—

seem to be managing their lives fairly well.

E. Welch ADDICTIONS A Banquet in the Grave. page 226, 227

Yet God has promised He is victorious. He has repeatedly demonstrated His victory in Scripture: over Egypt, over the seven nations in the Promised Land, over Persia, over the Babylonians, over Rome. His righteous promises never fail. Fellow Christians be encouraged this day—the victory of Jesus Christ is sure, it is “Yes” and “Amen”. Satan is fierce and angriest because he knows he is defeated already. His time is nearly spent, and he will be tormented in hell with all the demonic hosts and all those who hated God. So, he is roaring and snarling like a lion. The righteous promise of God is this: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:17).

Thank You Jesus, for Your great and sweeping victory. Spirit of God give us the eyes of faith to see the work of Christ in the spiritual realms, in the history of the church and in our own lives. Spirit of God renew our hearts in celebratory submission to our Father in heaven. Direct us in His righteous promises. Wake us to the warfare all around us so that we will be equipped and ready for the guerrilla tactics of the enemy. More than this even, Spirit—Councillor of the hearts of true believers—direct us so that we fix our eyes on Jesus Christ, the Captain of our Salvation and the Author and Perfecter of all true believing. Amen.