June 13, 2023 -- Ephesians 6:10-11 -- Be strong in the Lord and protected against the devil's schemes

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 6:10-11 ESV

A friend gave me a copy of the biography of Daniel Rowland. Rowland was a Welsh preacher who has been somewhat forgotten as many of his sermons and manuscripts have been lost. Eifion Evans researched and gathered information in order to put together a pretty comprehensive biography. One of Rowlands contemporaries and admirers said his preaching was second only to George Whitefield's. Rowlands preached, prompted by the Spirit, to awaken sleepy and lazy consciences. He sought to expose the temptations and schemes of the devil. When explaining how the devil tempts the human nature he gave this analogy:
    He is a fisherman and knows where to draw his net;
    when under the word, and especially when we come
    from under the word. When one is newly come from
    the war, he throws his armour down, and goes to 
    drink and rejoice, until the enemy comes on him and
    finds him unarmed. So when you have had victory over
    Satan, he'll come in again through levity or self.
    Eifion Evans Daniel Rowland and the Great Evangelical
   Awakening in Wales, page 203

Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote that the devil schemes, plans, waits for the perfect opportunity to go up against you. Rowland noted that after a victory believers tend to relax. The old self looks to old ways and past bad habits for self-congratulations. Furthermore, levity, or joking, is often disarming to the believer as well. Men get comfortable with crudeness and toying with sin. No wonder the Bible is full of warnings against sin and temptation. No wonder Paul sounds the alarm, "be strong in the Lord". Just thirty years after this was written, John in his Revelation vision from the Lord (Revelation 2:4), called the Ephesians to account because they had forgotten their first love, Jesus.

Our Father in heaven hallowed and blessed, honored and adored be Your Name, now and forevermore. Thank You for Your great love which decreed our rescue in Jesus Christ. Thank You for the probing and revealing work of the Holy Spirit Who lifts high the lamp of the word and by it  exposes the dark intentions of our reckless hearts. Triune God, thank You for Your vigilance over our wild, restless hearts and thoughtless, vulnerable and exposed minds. Oh Spirit, we confess how lightly we have draped ourselves in Christ's righteousness and how neglectful we have been of engaging in true spiritual warfare and dedicated obedience to Jesus, the Captain of our Salvation. Have mercy on us, Father in heaven, have great mercy. Renew in us, Spirit of God, an awareness that Jesus' blood was spilled for the complete forgiveness of our sins so that the appropriate response from us, His redeemed ones, is to give our all in wonder-filled, and devoted service to Jesus and this to the glory of our Father in heaven. Amen.

"Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul" K. & K. Getty and Matt Merker

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