Flourishing Through Resurrection Hope

I remember first clearly hearing the Gospel from a Campus Crusade intern when I was in college. She explained God’s good work of creation, the fall of humanity into sin, and the coming of the God-Man, Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, who is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. She made it clear that if I repented and turned from trusting in my own works and myself, and instead placed my trust in Christ, I could receive His gift of eternal life and the hope of the resurrection.

For decades, this resurrection hope carried me through lean seasons in ministry, hardships in my marriage, challenges in parenting, battles in daily life, and health issues. But somewhere along the way, over the past eight years, it began to take second seat in my life to a cultural emphasis in America—the gospel of human flourishing.

Cultural Emphasis on Human Flourishing

What is the gospel of human flourishing? In reading on the topic recently, I’ve seen that there has been a shift in many denominations over the past several decades from a focus on the gift of Christianity as eternal life to a focus on life here and now and the blessings we can receive as we put our hope and trust in Christ. The purpose behind this teaching is logical, as it reminds believers of the essential truth that new life in Christ is much more than just waiting for eternity. I believe it has been developed to help Christians embrace the Gospel reality that when we receive the Holy Spirit and are brought into God’s family, we are called to work together in the Spirit’s power to build His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

This emphasis was much-needed. Previously, theological imbalances caused many believers to embrace an overly spiritualized focus on the eternal to the neglect of the practical. With this imbalance came an abandoning of practical wisdom for flourishing in marriage, work, finances, parenting, and even the stewardship of our bodies. Leaders developed Bible studies and seminars to help believers learn to apply Biblical truths and concepts to all areas of life.

This brought great blessings to the church and spoke volumes to the watching world about the redeeming power of the Gospel. However, by spotlighting the call to flourish in this life, the light on the hope of the resurrection was dimmed. Instead of holding these Biblical truths in balance, which is crucial, the pendulum swung to the opposite extreme. Flourishing, which is evidence of the Gospel at work, is not the whole Gospel message, and when separated from the hope of Christ’s resurrection diminishes the finished work of Christ.

Paul explains the essential role of the resurrection hope of the Gospel clearly in Colossians 1:5. In this passage, he shows that Christ’s resurrection and our resurrection with and in Him are foundational to flourishing in faith and love—which includes all that we do in this life. He also highlights that our Father is the very “God of hope” who fills us “with joy and peace as we trust in Him” (Romans 15:13). Paul continues to echo this reality when he says that our hope is in the resurrection, and that if our hope is in this life only, we are to be pitied above all people (1 Corinthians 15:19–20).

Flourishing Anchored in the Resurrection

The blessing of flourishing in the Christian life, then, is not found in focusing on how we can thrive more in this life. Instead, as Paul reminds us, true flourishing—true blessedness—comes as we set our hope on the resurrected King, anchoring our hope in His resurrection, and setting our minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:1–2).

As I’ve been reading Colossians 1, the Lord is reminding me of this essential truth. One practical step that I’m taking—and that may help you—is taking time to daily meditate on the resurrection, along with Christ's ascension: “Keep seeking the things above not the things of earth, because you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Not only is the ascension essential, but His second coming and our coming back with Him in glory is vital to the Gospel (Colossians 3:4).

The more we set our minds on the hope of the resurrection, the more we will realize we are created for a relationship with the eternal, triune God. Just as light reflects off an object, the light of Gospel hope will shine into our lives, guiding us to live in a way that pleases the Lord and leads to genuine flourishing. Simultaneously, we will also see that all blessings in this life are preparing us to reign and rule with Him and will soon pass away. Both our trials and triumphs are momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory waiting for us in the resurrection, where we will live with the Lord forever (2 Corinthians 4:17–18). This helps us focus our minds on Christ and Christ alone as our very life: “And when Christ who is our life is revealed, we will be revealed with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4).

In essence, the hope of our eternal life in Christ is the crown jewel of our Christian life, with Jesus being the crown itself. True spiritual flourishing flows out of a deep and growing hope in His resurrection, not the other way around (Romans 5:2b-5). When we fix our eyes on Christ and the life He promises, we will be able to walk in faith and love in a way that bears fruit for His glory. 

“We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only [in this] so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love for us has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:2b-5).

"The Immeasurable Greatness of His Power Toward Us"

I wanted to share a link to a sermon by John Piper titled “The Immeasurable Greatness of His Power Toward Us,” because it so beautifully captures the heart of our new life in Christ and God’s desire for us to truly know the riches of our union with Him.

Over the past year, as I’ve been reading and meditating on Ephesians 1 at night, I’ve become increasingly aware of my own need to grow in the very knowledge Paul prayed for the Ephesians—to have “the eyes of my heart enlightened” so that I may know the hope of my calling, the riches I have in Christ, and the incomparable power of God at work in me—the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand (Ephesians 1:17–21). Many nights I close my Bible with a sense of both awe and disappointment. I'm amazed that God has promised such incredible blessings for everyone who is in Christ, but also disappointed, asking why I do not have a deeper degree of this spiritual understanding in my own life.

If you’ve ever felt the same and are longing for a greater awareness and experience of God’s supernatural work through your union with Christ in His death and resurrection, I hope this sermon will be a great encouragement. It has been for me! Piper clearly explains why we often struggle to grasp these truths and provides much-needed insight into how we can grow in our ability to apprehend the riches of our new life in Christ.

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-immeasurable-greatness-of-his-power-toward-us

Living in Our True Identity in Christ

Imagine waking up one morning to discover your entire identity has been remade. You receive instructions that you are being reimagined and redefined by different realities than before. Now imagine agreeing to this, saying goodbye to your previous identity, and taking on a whole new way of life.

This sounds like a Jason Bourne movie, but in a sense, it is what happens when we come to know Jesus Christ as both Savior and Lord. In that instant, we are regenerated and receive from God’s Spirit a new identity, as those who are now in union with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10). The Bible says we are literally transferred from an old kingdom—Adam-land—to the new kingdom of Christ and given new desires and desires to live for our new King (Colossians 1:13; Romans 6:4). The Bible assures us that this new identity cannot be removed, and that we are secure as newly adopted daughters and sons of the King (Romans 8:15-17).

But what if the ruler of the previous kingdom—the kingdom of darkness—sends messages contrary to God’s messages about our new identity? What happens if we choose to believe those lies? In the same way that we begin to live out Gospel truth, we can, in a lesser and temporary sense, begin to live out a false identity if we choose to listen to and believe false information about God, ourselves, and others.

Here’s how it works: maybe we go through a series of difficult trials, hurts, and disappointments. Through this, we are asking God for answers and help, but not seeing definite results. Thoughts begin to emerge and we wonder if things will improve, if God is really with us, and if He will come through. We begin to doubt if we are really that different than we were before, and if we can handle the stress of these trials if they continue. Slowly, we start to believe small lies like “I need more than I have to get through this,” “God doesn’t care,” and "I've got to figure this out on my own." With these lies come the foundations of a new, alternate identity. We’ve shifted from a position of trust in what God says about us and Himself to believing what our feelings and circumstances say (Proverbs 3:5-6; Jeremiah 17:9).

The Greater Reality

We look at the things around us—our homes, nature, and the world—and conclude that what we see and experience is the greatest form of reality and constitutes our real identity. In addition, our flesh, the world system and Satan are constantly trying to tell us that God and His invisible truths are illusory. But the Bible says this is not true (2 Corinthians 4:18). In an instant, everything we consider reliable in the world can shift and be destroyed, including health, finances, and relationships. It is an illusion to believe these things are more stable or can sustain us better than the reality that God tells us is true in His Word. Thus, two definitions of what is true and what is illusory are at battle, because there are two kingdoms at war—the domain of darkness and the kingdom of our Father’s beloved Son.

The flesh and Satan’s demons continually tell us that God’s truth and the new identity we have in Christ are an illusion. On the other hand, the Lord describes all the riches we have in Christ. The two are antithetical. For example, God says our life is now hidden with Christ in God, and Christ is our life. Yet the whole culture surrounding us screams that this description of our identity and riches in Christ is false, and that true identity is found in that which we handle, see, and hear. 

We may not feel it, but God’s description of our identity is more real than anything in this universe that our senses perceive and our emotions feel. We walk by faith, not by sight. Since this is true, it’s vital to know God’s truth so that we can discern the lies we are tempted to believe. Here are a few that impact our lives, along with God’s promises, which we can stand on.

Three Key Lies

“I am not complete.”

This is the serpent’s lie in the Garden, tempting Adam and Eve to seek transcendence through special wisdom and knowledge that would make them whole (Genesis 3:1–6). Yet they were already complete in their relationship with God. As those who are now in Christ, the Bible says we are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10). That means that though we are sinful, broken, and lacking perfection in our flesh—in everything from our intellect to physical strength and ability—Christ has given us His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21) and made us spiritually alive and whole through union with Him. Now, we live as those who fully measure up in Christ because of His sufficiency, not our own.

As we trust this, we can go out each day from a place of fullness so that His living waters flow from us (John 7:38), rather than going out seeking validation, acceptance, and completion through what we do, know, or accomplish. If we believe the lie that we are incomplete, we will live in an entirely different identity than what Christ has given us, and instead of bearing good fruit, we will bear the bitter fruit of the flesh (Galatians 5:22–23).

“I am alone.”

Another lie is that we are alone—that God is not with us on a practical level. Adam and Eve likely gave in to this deception, forgetting about God’s nearness and His faithfulness. If they had trusted that the Lord was with them and was not withholding any good, in their moment of temptation, they would have called out to Him as their ever-present help and protector (Psalm 46:1). In response, the Lord Himself would have driven out the wicked one.

The wonderful reality is that He has given believers His Holy Spirit, our Helper and Advocate, to dwell within us, sealing us to Himself eternally (John 14:26; Ephesians 1:14). We are never alone and never will be! He promises, “I am with you always even to the end i of the world” (Matthew 28:20).

If we truly trust that God is with us and helping us, we will live at peace, walk in his wisdom and wait for Him, rather than turning to idols for support when life doesn’t work out the way we want (Isaiah 41:10; Philippians 4:6-7).

“I must protect and defend myself.”

When we believe the lie that we’re not complete in Christ and that we are alone, we will inevitably think that we have to protect and defend ourselves to flourish and remain safe. This puts us in both an offensive and defensive position that eventually exhausts us—leaving us to discern all danger, form strategies to evade it, fight the enemy, and protect ourselves (Ephesians 6:12).

In a sense, we become our own god, trying to validate our worth through striving and contending, then seeking to protect ourselves from danger by either fight or flight. Adam and Eve did this after eating from the forbidden tree, as they hid from God to defend themselves and put together fig leaves to cover their shame. The same is true for us. All our strategies to guard ourselves from shame, pain, and evil are like flimsy fig leaf coverings that cannot protect us. But if we trust in the Lord’s protection and actively put ourselves under His care, He will fulfill His promises.

Returning to our True Identity

The way back to living in our true identity is often easier to trace once we’ve recognized the lies we’re believing. Dissatisfied with the chaotic static of our misplaced identity, we begin to hear God clearly beckoning us to return to Him and the truth to find freedom and flourishing (John 8:32). This begins by actively turning our eyes and ears back to His unchanging Word, acknowledging that despite how we feel or what we sense in this ever-changing physical world, His Word is true, and every creature is a liar (Hebrews 4:12; Romans 3:4). Because of His gift of faith in Christ (1 Timothy 1:14; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Peter 1:1), we can renounce the lies of our flesh, the world, and Satan, and embrace God’s inerrant, infallible Word with complete trust that we are complete and qualified in Christ (Colossians 2:10). He will never leave or forsake us and is fighting on our behalf.

By putting our complete confidence in Him, we can rest in the assurance that He is in charge, upholding us with His powerful right hand and that the battle belongs to the Lord – not us (Exodus 14:14; Isaiah 41:10). As we do this, we begin to live from a place of rest, just as God promised in Hebrews: “for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:10). We no longer need to strive to prove, defend, or complete ourselves, because the one who is our very life has already made us whole (Colossians 3:3–4). We don’t have to live as those who are orphans, since we rest in our Father’s care. And we do not need to be hyper-alert, with an adrenaline surge and cortisol explosion, because our Father is the sovereign ruler over all the details of life—just as Jesus said in Matthew 6:25-34.

The battle for our identity is essentially a battle for our fully persuaded trust. Will we trust the voice of our loving Lord or the lies of th world, the flesh and the deceiver? Every day, we are free to live as those who are secure in Christ. The more we learn to stand on this reality, the more the illusions of our flesh and the world begin to fade. The truth becomes clear—we are his chosen, adopted, beloved, holy children who are not only complete but secure in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-5; Colossians 3:12).

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:1-2)

God's Promises for Tomorrow's "What-Ifs"

What if?... Fear often comes with “what ifs” and vain speculation about the future. One example from the Bible that comes to mind when I think of this is when Jesus told Peter about his certain death. On hearing this, Peter began wondering about how John would also die. Rather than join him in this future speculation, Jesus told him not to be concerned about John. Instead, He wanted Peter to focus on counting the cost of his service to Christ and trusting Him.

Jesus rarely foretold personal details, but when He did, it was always to prepare His followers for trials or to point them to the sovereignty of God. When Jesus predicted the hardships His disciples would go through for the sake of the Gospel as He was sending them out in Matthew 10, He exhorted them not to be afraid because He would be with them—to rescue, deliver, embolden, and give them the words they needed when they stood before rulers and councils. He explained that as the sovereign Lord He was in charge of even a sparrow falling to the ground and had numbered their very hairs, saying, “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:30–31).

The pattern of Jesus’ life and teaching was consistent with Scripture’s command not to look anxiously into tomorrow. He told the disciples, “Do not worry about tomorrow, what you will eat or drink, or what you will wear. Tomorrow has enough worries of its own” (Matthew 6:34). In a similar way, Paul in Philippians commands us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).

So why worry?

We are often lured into the “what ifs” by the desire to have a better understanding of what will happen. From the time we are young, we are taught problem-solving skills that help us plan for the future and avoid danger. We learn consequential thinking—“if this, then that”—to determine outcomes. We’re also taught to plan ahead, which requires some speculation about what might happen. In addition to this, we are wired in the flesh to seek to be in control, rather than to surrender our future to the Lord. By trying to predict what will happen, we fool ourselves into thinking that we are able, through reasoning, planning, and strategizing, to gain the wisdom and knowledge needed to shape our future. Instead, we often end up gripped by fear if our view of tomorrow looks bleak -- or clothed in pride if it looks promising.

While God commands us to be wise in planning for the future and exhorts us that a “wise man sees the danger and hides himself from it" (Proverbs 22:3), He never gives us license to either worry about or put our hope in our future circumstances. As we make diligent plans, we’re called to surrender them to Him and keep our hope in Christ, who alone knows our future.

How do we live in the tension of tomorrow without allowing “what ifs” to destroy our peace?

The apostle Paul leaves an example for us to follow when he acknowledges the brevity and uncertainty of his own future, declaring, “If I live, I live for Christ; if I die, I die for Christ. Whether I live or die, I belong to Christ.” Paul starts with the greatest point of anxiety—losing his very life—and makes a faith declaration that even in death, he is confident and at peace because he belongs to Christ. He recognizes that God alone has numbered his days.

Like Paul, once we settle the greatest “what if,” death itself, then we can move to the lesser “what ifs.” What if I have financial hardship? What if my health fails? What if my marriage doesn’t make it? What if my children aren’t healthy? Like Paul with life and death, we need to have a settled response for each of these based on our trust and confidence in the Father’s good plans for us and His promises.

The Bible makes it clear that “the secret things belong to the Lord” (Deuteronomy 29:29). When these questions come, we can answer: “I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but God knows. He has gone before me, numbered my days, and promised that every hardship must first pass through His loving hands. He’s guaranteed that He’ll be with me, take care of me, give me wisdom, and strengthen me for every trial I face, giving me all that I need to flourish and live for His glory.”

We can take these “what ifs” and lay them at the foot of the cross under the promises of God, which is where they belong. As we see them in their rightful place under the kind jurisdiction of our loving Father, who tenderly cares for us, we are free to set our gaze on Christ and all of His promises.

Our Father has said that He’s come to give us an abundant life, overflowing with thankfulness and the fruit of the Spirit—among which are joy and peace. As Paul reminds us in Romans, they flow out of our lives as we trust in Christ—that He is who He says He is and will do all that He promises to do. When we trust Him and do this, we will find that every “what if” has its answer in Christ. As we rest in Him and His sovereign care, tomorrow’s uncertainties lose their power, and we are freed to live in His peace. “And the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

A Gravestone and an Empty Tomb

Something radical, life-transforming, and supernatural happened to me in April 1988. The Spirit of the living God—the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead—came upon me and sealed me eternally to God in Christ. As Paul writes in Ephesians 1, the Spirit is given “as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” That day brought new life, forgiveness, adoption, redemption, hope, and the fruit of the Spirit. But it also brought a gravestone – the death of slavery to sin, Satan, and the rule of my flesh. Like a gravestone marking a burial, this marked the death of my old self and the beginning of my new life in Christ.

When we come to Christ through repentant faith in His finished work on the cross, death and new life occur simultaneously: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4). Paul echoes this reality in Colossians 3:3: “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” In Galatians 2:20 he explains, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”

As those who have died to sin (Romans 6:2), we are released from its power and are free to live and walk in the Spirit. For 24 years, my sinful nature ruled me, but through the atoning blood of Christ and His resurrection it was rendered powerless (Romans 6:6). As a result, my allegiance is no longer to Satan or the flesh but to the Father, the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of God: “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God” (Romans 8:14). The Spirit assures us daily of our adoption (Romans 8:15–16) and that we are “co-heirs with Christ” as we share in His sufferings (Romans 8:17).

Paul emphasizes this doctrine because it is integral to the Christian faith. We must know and trust that our death to sin and resurrection with Christ are both present and future realities. Why? Because trusting Christ’s finished work and our new identity in Him is the foundation that prepares us to begin putting off the works of the flesh and putting on His righteousness, so that we can bear fruit for His glory. 

If we try to produce righteousness in our own strength, we will always fail. But when we learn to live by faith in His promises in union with Him, we are enabled to walk in newness of life. Paul exhorts us in Romans 6:13: “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life.” In Colossians 3:5–18, he provides details of the sin we are to put off, in the Spirit’s power, along with the righteousness we are now called to live in. He uses strong language like “put to death” and “rid yourselves of” to describe how actively we are to resist the desires of the flesh. He then instructs us in the Spirit’s power to “clothe ourselves” and to “put on” the very character and nature of Christ—compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12).

Is it that simple?

If you’re anything like me, you’re wondering, “Is it really that simple?” The answer is both yes and no. Paul is not implying that understanding our union with Christ solves all spiritual struggles or negates the need to daily “put to death the misdeeds of the body”(Romans 8:13), which he shows is essential for eternal life. Instead, he’s showing that the resurrection power to live righteously is closely connected to understanding and trusting our new identity in Christ (Romans 6:11). As theologian Sinclair Ferguson writes, Paul knows that, “Our who determines our do.” He is clear that while we’re still tempted to sin and struggle, sin no longer has the right to reign over our lives. About this he declares, “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). 

We have died with Christ to the law through His perfect obedience on our behalf. He now calls us to fulfill the law of love, not by our human works, but by grace, as we trust in His righteousness imputed to us. The indwelling Spirit enables us to do this – to live and walk in righteousness, holiness and truth like Jesus did (Romans 8:11; 1 John 2:6). “If we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). In Romans 8:4, Paul shows that “the righteousness the law describes is fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

After wrestling to embrace and understand these truths for many years, I’ve come to realize that they are not abstract doctrines but essential for spiritual growth and flourishing in the Christian life. The patterns of the flesh still daily seek to control us (Romans 7:21), but by faith in Christ’s finished work, we can learn to walk in the Spirit and increasingly put to death the misdeeds of the body (Romans 8:13). 

This gravestone over my sinful flesh is much more than a metaphor. It is a daily reminder of the transforming power of the crucified and resurrected Lord Jesus Christ in me. The death to sin I experienced in 1988 was not a one-time event but an ongoing reality I embrace each day. By faith, I am empowered to live more and more in the freedom of the Spirit, bearing fruit and walking in victory over sin—not by my strength, but by the Spirit who raised Christ from the dead and now lives in me: “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:11).

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:3-8).

You Can Always Tell (Every Single Time): God's Faithfulness in Every Season

The Father’s wisdom and knowledge are so far beyond our comprehension that we rarely truly understand what is happening behind the scenes in our lives. He often leads us down paths we never expected, to places we were not looking for, through unsuspecting circumstances. At the same time, there is a rock-solid predictability to His character. We can remain steadfastly confident that regardless of the what, where, when and how of His mysterious ways, the “Who” remains the same. Regarding our Father’s character, we can always remain certain – every single time – that He is faithful and we can trust Him!

A strange tension exists between the absolute certainty of His character and our changing circumstances. Without the guarantee of His faithfulness, we’d be left to wring our hands in wonder if everything could possibly work out. We may have to wait long seasons like Abraham and Sarah for a promised blessing, or we might be taken aback by the seeming insignificance of God’s choice for us – like Samuel was when God revealed Israel’s future king, who was just a shepherd. But we can be sure that the One who sculpted us with His loving hands, hears our prayers, sees our tears and has a heart that is steadfastly faithful and devoted to our ultimate good (Psalm 139; 2 Kings 20:5). 

Life may appear on the surface non-sensical rather than ordered and good, like a tangle of loose strings instead of a tapestry. We at times may feel alone in our wilderness, but God assures us he will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He also promises that he will bring eternal good and purpose from even our most difficult circumstances and seasons of waiting (Romans 8:28). Like Joseph, we may discover that one disappointment leads to another and then possibly another, only to wake up one day and find all the broken pieces have been artfully formed into a mosaic displaying God’s glory in perfect pattern. 

Those of great faith throughout Scripture could never have predicted all of God’s incredible answers to their prayers, but they could stand with confidence on the character of the One they were depending on to lead and care for them. We can have this same confidence as we start and finish every day, in spite of the perplexing difficulties and long seasons of waiting we experience. Though our paths often take us through valleys of waiting and wilderness, we can always trust—every single time—that His character remains unchanging and His mercies are new each morning. Great is His faithfulness, now and forever!

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33).

Thriving in the Wilderness

God reminded the people of Israel through Moses and Joshua that they must choose who they were going to serve—whether the gods of the nations or the one true God (Joshua 24:14-15). He provided them with a clear picture of the blessings they would experience if they chose to trust Him and the curses they would receive if they turned their backs on Him to worship idols (Deuteronomy 28:1-68). These outcomes served to remind all of Israel that Yahweh was Lord over all and that, to flourish, they must keep Him at the center of their lives.

Jesus taught a similar concept in John 15 to His disciples by using the analogy of a vine and branches. He reminded them that He was the True Vine and that His people were the branches. To bear fruit in our relationship with Him, we must remain in Him by remaining in His Word through trust. He promised that those who do this will bring God glory by bearing much fruit and showing that they are his true disciples (John 15:8).

Since God is the author of life and is life Himself, it’s logical that to experience flourishing, we need to remain in His presence. The Lord helped me understand this better on a trip to the Grand Canyon several years ago. As we walked around the rim, I noticed three sights that initially seemed unrelated. 

The first was a single, small wildflower growing among weeds on the dry and dusty trail. This flower was unique in that it survived the hot, desert climate, revealing that it had just the right amount of light, water, and shade to flourish. 

As we stood at the south rim of the canyon, I looked out and saw a patch of deep green surrounded by an ocean of brown right in the middle of the canyon. I knew there had to be a spring keeping the plants and grass nourished so they could grow in this sun-scorched spot. 

When I turned to look further at the canyon’s north and south rims, I noticed another stark contrast. The north rim was covered in lush, green pines, while the south was filled with dried, dead plants. The shade on the north rim provided not only a higher altitude but much-needed protection from the harsh afternoon sunlight, allowing the trees to remain green.

As I thought about these three seemingly unrelated  sights, I realized they all had a common theme, serving as a metaphor for abiding in the vine of the Father’s love. To survive and thrive in a harsh climate, they required the right amount of water, air and sunlight. 

Like these plants, we must have the right spiritual elements in our lives to survive and thrive. We need to drink from and be nourished by the water of Father’s Word, strengthened by the air of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and find life and shade in the presence of the Son of Righteousness.

The Lord promises that when we rely on Him and His resources, we will be like a fruitful vine that bears much fruit and does not wither in the heat, much like the plants in the canyon (Psalm 1, John 15). As we consistently, day by day and minute by minute, draw life from God, we not only survive but begin to thrive – despite the harsh conditions of life. 

The promise of God is certain – when we remain in Him, we will receive his abundant spiritual blessings and the strength we need to flourish in an often dry and weary land. 

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1). 

A Tale of Two Hearts: Eli's Silence and Josiah's Repentance

The Lord declared a sobering prophecy over Eli’s life, after years of unfaithfulness and choosing to honor his sons over the Lord: “Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained” (1 Samuel 2:30).  He assured Eli that because he refused to repent and worship the Lord rightly, the priesthood would be forever removed from his family. Instead of the blessing that was originally promised, all his male offspring would live short lives and would be cut off from serving him (1 Samuel 2:30-33).  

Later, God gave Samuel a similar message concerning the judgment that was coming upon Eli and his sons. When Eli heard the message, his only response was, “He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes” (1 Samuel 3:18). On the surface, this seemed to reflect humble submission to God’s decision. But there was a noticeable absence of evidence that Eli had a contrite heart that was responsive to the Lord’s rebuke -- something we see clearly in King Josiah when he was confronted with a prophecy of the Lord’s impending judgment for Israel’s sin and rebellion. 

In contrast, when King Josiah received God's warning of destruction, he responded with humility and true repentance—and, as a result, God honored him. Josiah, who had become king when he was 8, was in his 20’s when Hilkiah the high priest discovered the Book of the Law as they were repairing the temple (2 Kings 22:8). It had been neglected and possibly hidden within the temple complex for about 57 years during the reign of King Manasseh, who the Bible says was the most wicked of all kings. 

When the priest read God’s Word in the presence of Josiah, he was so convicted, he wept and tore his robe and asked Hilkiah to inquire of the Lord about what they should do. He knew they had been disobedient to God and that “great is the Lord’s wrath that burns against us because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book” (2 Kings 22:13). 

God responded to his heart attitude of grief and humility by sending the prophet Huldah with a two-fold message – one of both judgment and blessing.  He warned that while disaster was certainly coming on the people of Israel because they had forsaken God and his Word, Josiah would be spared. 

Because his heart was “responsive and [he] humbled [himself] before the Lord” when he heard of the impending judgment, God determined to pour out his blessings on him (2 Kings 22:19). What should have been judgment for Josiah, as it was for Eli, became a blessing because he turned back to trust the Lord. Just as God declared, he honors those who honor him and is willing to relent when we repent. 

A responsive vs a non-responsive heart

In looking at Eli’s and Josiah’s different reactions to God’s rebuke, we see evidence of different heart conditions. Josiah's response reflects a tender heart that God delights in, as described in Isaiah 66:2 – one that is “humble, contrite, and trembles at God’s Word.” This heart honors God and his instruction, acknowledging him as sovereign Lord. It grieves over sins, not just with emotions, but with actions, as seen in the reforms Josiah enacted to bring the people to repentance and restoration with the Lord. 

On the other hand, an unresponsive heart – as seen in Eli’s life and the lives of most of the kings of Israel – is hardened and insensitive to the Lord’s correction, rejecting his guidance and warning.  Rather than honoring God, previous kings like Manasseh and Amon encouraged idolatry, shed innocent blood, and reversed many of God’s Laws. Like Eli, they failed to uphold God’s holiness and chose to fear and honor man over God. And though for a season they appeared to get away with this hard-hearted response, God’s judgment burned against them. Since they chose to despise him, God declared that they, too, would be disdained. 

How can we get this kind of heart?

Because God favors and honors those who respond humbly to him, it’s important to consider how we can attain this kind of heart. Josiah’s heart was transformed by trust in God and his promises, as he looked forward to the coming Messiah. As those in the New Covenant, our hearts are transformed as we look back at the finished work of Christ on the cross, trusting him to save us from our sins and make our hearts new. 

We see in Romans 8 that all who are in Christ Jesus, who have repented of their sins and trusted in Christ’s redeeming blood, are given a new, responsive heart by the indwelling Holy Spirit.  As Paul writes, if we are in Christ we are a new creation – “the old is gone and the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Once we are in Christ, we are no longer in the flesh with a heart of stone but are now in the Spirit with a soft heart that longs to please God (Romans 8:5–9). This is a gift of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Daily turning back to trust

Yet even those who have been eternally joined to Christ through faith in his atoning blood can begin practicing sin in areas that bring God’s severe discipline, though never judgment, into their lives. Paul gives an example of this in 1 Corinthians 11:27-30, warning that if someone takes of the Lord’s supper in an unworthy way, they are not only practicing sin but will experience the Lord’s discipline. He goes on to explain that this is the reason many are “weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.” 

In 1 Thessalonians 4:6, he warned the church about practicing sexual immorality and wronging others, saying that the Lord will chastise those who commit these sins.  The implication was if they were sinning in these areas, they needed to turn back to trust the Lord that he might relent from sending his severe discipline. 

To guard against an unbelieving heart, God wants us to moment-by-moment present ourselves to him as a living sacrifice as those who are alive from the dead (Romans 6:12-13; 12:1-2), remembering we have been adopted, forgiven, raised up and seated with him in the heavenly places (Colossians 3:1-4). As we stand in our new identity in union with Christ, knowing that we have been given a new heart that longs to please him, we’re able to trust and obey his promises, living for him in a way that brings him glory.

Two different hearts, two different outcomes

At the end of his life, Eli received all the judgment God said would come upon him and his descendants (1 Samuel 4:12-22). He and his sons died tragic deaths, and the priesthood was transferred to the line of Zadok after Ahimelech’s murder by Saul. Josiah’s life, on the other hand, was filled with peace as he trusted the Lord and implemented the reforms he promised, leading Israel back to worship the one true God. Both men sinned against the Lord, and yet both experienced different outcomes. 

Josiah humbled himself before the Lord, while Eli refused to honor the Lord higher than his sons. He could have turned and repented, weeping and tearing his tunic, and ended his days at peace with the sovereign Lord. Perhaps God would have refrained from sending such a terrible judgment. But even if he didn’t, Eli’s story could have ended with worship, bringing glory to God.

I don’t know about you, but I greatly desire to live daily with a responsive heart that’s been given to me by the Lord, turning back to repent when he reveals my sins and humbly submitting to his rightful Lordship over my life. God has promised that he desires to honor and bless those who honor him – not only in this life but in the one to come. 

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).

When Everything and Nothing Changes

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is found in John 21, when Jesus returns in His resurrected body to where Peter and the disciples have been fishing all night in the Sea of Galilee, and have caught nothing. He’s come to call them to discipleship and to reveal that He’s the living, miracle working God – just as He promised. A few years earlier, something similar happened. After fishing all night with no results, Peter and the disciples followed Jesus’ instruction to cast the nets again—and caught an abundance of fish along with an understanding of Jesus’ identity as Lord and God. It was also here that Jesus first called Peter to discipleship.

These two stories form an inclusio over Peter’s life and are connected by the truth that our position and calling in Christ are based on His righteousness and sovereign plans – not our own. Though Peter’s sin threatened to block him from a relationship with the sinless Savior and his failure in denying Christ seemed to disqualify him from his new identity in union with the Lord, he remained who God declared him to be – His forgiven, beloved, chosen son who was called to be much more than a fisherman.

The first catch

Fresh on the boat and in a new relationship with the disciples, Jesus encouraged them in Luke 5 to cast their nets even lower after a very long night of catching nothing. They respond that they’ve already tried everything, but that because it’s Him asking they will do it. As they trust and obey His command that goes against human reason, they not only catch a few fish, but the catch is so enormous that both boats almost sink.

While they were all amazed at the power God displayed in this miracle, we get a glimpse of Peter’s awestruck vision in seeing Jesus as Lord. He realizes that Jesus is completely different from himself, even though they both have human bodies and look very similar on the outside. And his response is one of shame and the need for separation as he says, “Get away from me. I’m an unclean man.”

Interestingly, Jesus does not respond in agreement, which He could have justifiably done since what Peter said was completely right — he was an unclean man, a sinner who deserved to die. But Jesus wanted him to see beyond his identity in union with Adam to his new identity in union with Christ that would come with regeneration. Peter, He said, “You’re going to be a fisher of men.” He calls that which is not yet as if it were, exactly like God did with Abraham, calling him the Father of many nations when he had not yet had a son. Jesus was pointing his gaze to the greater reality of redemption, where Peter would be transformed from a man who was dead in his sins and made alive in the very righteousness of Christ -- to live for the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom (2 Corinthians 5:15).

The second catch

As we fast forward to John 21, it looks like everything has changed, since Peter has denied Christ three times. This fulfilled another solemn word the Lord had spoken over him, reminding him even more of his need for the cleansing, healing blood of his Savior. After his denial and Christ’s crucifixion, a great silence loomed over his life — one that left him feeling shamed and disgraced. After all, he had done the very thing he swore he would never do, opening his mind to the accusation that he was destined to be the man of unclean lips and hands who was unworthy of any service to the Lord.

Again, Jesus responded with hope -- though not denying his sin and failure. He saw Peter as one who now had a new identity, just as He had prophesied in John 5. He looked past the sinful patterns and the tendency to make impulsive decisions, past the unstable sin nature that had characterized this fisherman all his life and instead saw a shepherd -- one he entrusted to care for his flock.

In beautiful parallelism, Jesus arrives once again on the fishing scene — this time some distance from the boat where Peter and the disciples were fishing. Like before, they had fished all night and caught nothing. And just as He had done before, Jesus called out with instructions for them to try catching the fish on the other side. Once again, they listened, trusted and obeyed, which resulted in an overflow of catch from the net (John 21:6). And like before, but perhaps in the most climactic way imaginable, Peter’s spiritual eyes were opened to see that this was the same living Christ he had encountered on the boat years before. In a bold demonstration of hope, he threw himself into the water and rushed to meet the Lord – running toward His grace.

Restored to his true identity

In my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful illustrations of our unshakable new identity in Christ in the New Testament. Though everything in Peter’s life was shifting, he learned that he was eternally joined to the living Lord so that nothing – even his worst failures – could tear him out of His love (Romans 8:28).

Like Peter, every believer in Christ heard His call to discipleship and has heeded the call to follow Him. At this moment of surrender and trust, our lives were transformed, and we were transferred from our union with Adam to union with Christ-- eternally joined to the Lord in His death and resurrection. We became a new creation by His life-giving, indwelling Holy Spirit. Then sadly, along the way, like Peter and all believers, we also sinned and experienced failures and disappointments. Some of us lost important battles that began to redefine us – not as victors in union with the Lord but as those who had failed and done the very things we said we would never do.

Thankfully, the Lord beckons us to remember who we truly are and to return to Him – running toward His grace. He reminds us through Peter’s life to leave behind defeat, disappointment, and the lies that we’ve been disqualified—and return to the One who promised: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). He assures us when we doubt this could be true: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to bear much fruit...” (John 15:16). And He guarantees: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). When Jesus declared us His sons and daughters, that promise was sealed by His blood (Hebrews 10:19–22), through His Spirit (Ephesians 1:13–14). Not only so, He vowed to finish the good work of redemption He began in us (Philippians 1:6), so that “those He…called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified” (Romans 8:30).

Even now, the risen Christ is making intercession for us and sustaining us by His power (Hebrews 7:25). Through every tangled thread of sin, discouragement and failure, He declares the greater reality that we are now, at this very moment, His beloved children who have been made fishers of men (1 John 3:2). And because of our vital, unmovable union with Christ He assures us that “Nothing will ever separate [us] from [His] love.” (Romans 8:38–39).

Better Plans than My Own

Six months after becoming a Christian, the Lord began calling me to missions and seminary. I knew little about hearing from God or discerning his leading, but he clearly showed me that my career in advertising was ending. At the end of work one day, once all my ads had been turned in, I sat down and wrote this poem the Lord had placed on my heart.

My life before salvation was built on chasing my own dreams and plans, which led to deep frustration and anxiety, because I couldn’t make life happen as I wanted. I watched as others seemed to achieve similar goals with little effort and wondered what was wrong. As I started reading the Bible, I began to learn about God’s sovereignty. Though I wasn’t familiar with the term, the Spirit started to reveal to me that He, not I or anyone else, was in control of every detail -- from the falling of the tiniest sparrow to the ground to the rising of leaders and nations (Matthew 10:29; Proverbs 21:1; Job 12:23).

This week, as I've been reflecting on expectations I've had for the Christian life (some of which haven’t come true as I’d hoped), this poem has reminded me that everything happens on God’s timeline and according to His plan. While He wants me to work diligently, set realistic goals, and prepare for the future, He also calls me to surrender all of my life to Him -- holding my dreams loosely. He is the all-wise God who determines my steps (Proverbs 16:9). 

As I'm remembering this, I'm refocusing my gaze on this eternal truth: I have a good, sovereign Father who knows best and who goes before me to order my steps. I’m encouraged to rest in His unchanging love and faithfulness and release my grip on some expectations. This frees my hands to receive His gifts in His perfect timing and releases my heart to anticipate the good He has for me so that I can enjoy Him (James 1:17). 

God's Awesome Gift of Time

Who can make the sun shine

or cause the wind to blow,

or even change his brother’s mind

about things he doesn’t know.

Who can search God’s wisdom

or begin to see his thoughts.

And where’s the man who understands

His awesome list of oughts.

How can I then by worrying

change one thing in this world.

And what’s the use of scurrying

when his plans have not unfurled.

I cannot make tomorrow’s dreams

arise to life today,

as I cannot turn a baby’s screams

into words that grown-ups say.

The world is set on godly time,

and things happen at His pace,

I’m simply here to live it out

and humbly run the race.

By struggling to the left and right

When God says “Just be still”

I cause myself a lot of doubt

And compromise His will.

So now that I have understood

God’s awesome gift of time,

I’ll press on toward my heavenly goal

and enjoy all that’s mine… today.

Down, But Not Out!

The apostle Paul and King David had more in common than meets the eye. Both were key leaders in God’s plan of redemption. They both shared deep, spiritual insights, underwent a radical transformation, and then suffered greatly for the Kingdom of God. Paul and David also both used warrior imagery to describe their lives in the Kingdom of God, with Paul referring to himself and other believers as soldiers who needed to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), and mentioning believers as “fellow soldiers” (Philippians 2:25) and “good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3–4). He described the spiritual battle with words like “waging war” and “destroying strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:3–6).

In a similar way, David wrote about warfare and the need for endurance. He declared that God was the one who trained his hands for war (Psalm 144:1), and with God’s help, he could advance against a troop (Psalm 18:29). Paul’s writings tended to focus more on the spiritual battle as the cause of the opposition he was experiencing, as seen in 2 Corinthians 10:3–4: “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh.” In a similar way, David knew the ultimate cause behind war and hardship was the evil human heart that was present because of the Serpent’s temptation in the garden (Genesis 3). Though he did not specifically address Satan and his demons, he wrote about the wicked and their schemes to destroy (Psalms 10, 52), accusers (Psalm 109), and the darkness of the human heart (Psalm 51).

Both men learned to be strong in the Lord through the Spirit’s disciplines of prayer and meditation on the Word, and yet both experienced life-threatening blows that knocked them down. Paul was beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, stoned (2 Corinthians 11:23–28), and constantly persecuted for preaching the Gospel. David was hunted down, mocked, and betrayed repeatedly – even by his own family. Like Paul, he was in danger “from bandits, in danger from [his] fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country…and in danger from false believers” (2 Corinthians 11:26).

Yet, as many times as both men were knocked down, they were not knocked out. Paul described this miraculous and supernatural ability to remain in the good fight of faith clearly in 2 Corinthians 4:8–9, saying, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” Though David was looking forward in faith to the coming of Christ, and Paul was looking back to his finished work on the cross, both men found their strength in the Spirit of the Lord. They both carried around in their body the death of Christ, so that the life of Christ would be revealed in them (2 Corinthians 4:10).

Struck down, but not destroyed

Though Paul and David were giants of the faith, I have learned that the spiritual battles I face often knock me down in similar ways—on a much smaller scale, of course. Throughout 37 years as a Christ follower, I’ve faced many battles – some much more intense than others. The most difficult by far were the first few years as a believer when God was completely redirecting my steps and path from the pursuit of fleshly goals to the purposes and plans He had for me. This involved radical changes in my career, friendships, and how I spent my time and money. Because my new life in Christ was so drastically different from my old life in Adam, and I had a fresh zeal to share the Gospel wherever I went, I was often opposed by others and mocked for my faith. And because I did not have someone to weekly disciple me in the reality of the spiritual battle, I became very discouraged and depressed, thinking it was an unnatural phenomenon.

Other seasons involved persecution in ministry, difficulties in my family and marriage, and health issues. During some of these times, I began to get battle-weary and shrink back in fear. The spiritual war became so severe I wanted to move from the middle to the rear lines, and better yet, back to camp, where I could get some sleep and only hear news from the battlefield.

Welcome to Battlefield!

I’ll never forget the day three years ago when, after long hours of driving from Phoenix, we finally arrived at our new home… in Battlefield, MO. My husband and I had been studying and writing about the spiritual battle, and this was a topic that I often taught about in my classes. To live in an actual city with the name “Battlefield” felt apropos, since this seemed to be a major developing theme in our lives and our new mission work in the Middle East. I smiled to myself as I studied the sign and thought how awesome this was. At the same time, I had a deep sense in my spirit that the name was there as a gift from God to remind me of something I tended to forget, especially living in a comfortable home in a quiet, peaceful neighborhood—that I was in the midst of an epic spiritual battle and needed to stand strong in his gifted armor. 

After three months in our new home and mission training trips to South Africa and Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, the spiritual battle heated up like never before in my life. I joked and said that I now felt like I had a bull’s eye on my back, which seemed even more true when I injured a disc and was homebound for several months. I then went through a series of physical hardships that spanned over two years, culminating in a drug-resistant infection that weakened my immune system and left me homebound again – this time for five months. Much of our savings was exhausted on medical bills, we lost significant financing for our trips, and it was clear we had been knocked down. I no longer thought about going on mission trips or sharing the Gospel—or doing anything that could bring hardship or persecution. Instead, I began finding ways to avoid the battle and hide out at home, where I felt safe. My prayers went from the offensive to the defensive, asking God to protect me and keep me from all harm, rather than asking for ways to go out in His Gospel peace.

Like waking up from a dream, the Spirit has been reminding me through the Word of the need to get back up again so that I can continue fighting the good fight of faith. He is encouraging me with promises about the purpose of my life here—to live for His glory, to lose my life in building His kingdom—rather than loving it and trying to preserve it (Matthew 16:25). It’s been a slow journey back to the battleground, where I’m facing fears of the troubles that lie ahead, having vivid memories of some of the suffering and losses, and often tempted to turn back and run for cover. But God is helping me to move forward slowly each day as I count the cost of what it means to lay down my life for the Gospel.

There is a great certainty that I will get knocked down repeatedly, but God assures me by His Word that though I may go down, I will not go out—nothing can separate me from His love, which has been poured out in my heart by the Holy Spirit. And no one can snatch me from His hand (Romans 5:5, 8:38-39; John 10:28-30). I may experience a myriad of losses, but God promises that He is with me to help me to stand firm until the end—the day He has foreordained that I come to be with Him forever.” In Isaiah 41:10 he declares, “I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). 

Until then, I will keep fighting—not in my own strength, but in the strength of His might and in the very armor of Christ that he wore when he came down to rescue and redeem his people and destroy the power of sin, death and Satan. Like Paul and David, he promises to train my hands for battle and lead me in triumph: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests in us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of him in every place" (2 Corinthians 2:14). And when I fall, I will get back up again -- because “The one who calls [me] is faithful, and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). 

“Must the Sword Devour Forever?” by Nancy and Mark Kreitzer

Since the Fall, there has been a perpetual war between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15). At the moment Adam and Eve chose to eat from the forbidden tree, their hearts were darkened, and they were no longer able to walk in righteousness and peace with God (Romans 6:20). Sin infected not only their relationship with God but with each other — and infiltrated the entire human race, leading to conflict, war, and every kind of evil (Genesis 6:5). 

Amid this ongoing conflict, God raised up leaders like King David—men empowered by His Holy Spirit to love and serve Him and pursue peace with others. Yet even David, who was a man after God’s own heart, was incapable of breaking the curse and was only a shadow of the greater Prince of Peace to come (Isaiah 9:6).

David was chosen by God and anointed by Samuel to serve as king. Led by the Spirit, he assumed leadership after almost 15 years — seven of which he endured intense suffering from Saul’s bitter envy. When it was time for him to rule, Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, rebelled against God’s instructions just as Saul had done. Instead of seeking peace, he anointed Ish-Bosheth, Saul’s last son, as king. 

As a result, a battle ensued between the men of Judah and the Israelites, with David and his troops killing many Benjamites, the smallest of the tribes allied by blood to Saul and his family. This tragedy moved Abner to ask a profound question that is relevant for us today: “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?” (2 Samuel 2:26).

These armies were comprised of men all from the same family—descendants of Jacob—who were now fighting and opposing one another. The promise in Scripture that “a house divided cannot stand” proved true, as their constant division kept them from taking the Promised Land and eventually resulted in their exile (Matthew 12:25). Jesus also said in Matthew 10:36 that often our enemies will be in our own household. 

This scene from David’s life serves as a summarizing snapshot of the dire consequences of Adam’s refusal to trust and obey. It reveals the total depravity of human sin, where God’s established family—the 12 tribes—were to represent the Kingdom of God and yet were “biting and devouring” one another (Galatians 5:15).

Jesus promises eternal hope and peace

And it did not end there. Throughout the Old Testament, God provided hundreds of prophecies about King Jesus, who would come as the Victor promised in the first proclamation of the Gospel to destroy the work of the devil and bring peace (1 John 3:8). 

It was foretold that he would reign in righteousness and establish an everlasting Kingdom of harmony and shalom. Isaiah saw this in a vision declaring: “They will beat their swords into plowshares …” (Isaiah 2:4). He also prophesied that Jesus would be called the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), and all who live with him in this eternal kingdom will be people of peace—free from sin, sorrow, and fighting (Revelation 21:4). 

Of course, this is a picture of the new heavens and the new earth, but it’s also a beautiful reminder of what Jesus has already accomplished for us at the cross and through His resurrection. The promises and prophecies are the indicative—what God has given to us in Christ—and we are now to take hold of them and live out the imperatives to be people of peace in action. Paul writes in Ephesians 4:3 that we are to be “with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

We now live in eschatological tension as we wait for the consummation of the Kingdom of God, when opposition from the kingdom of darkness will forever end. Until that day, Jesus calls us to keep advancing Christ’s Kingdom in the strength of His might. 

He has not left us as orphans to figure this out on our own (John 14:18). Instead, He has given us “the Advocate, the Holy Spirit” whom He sent in his name (John 14:26). This is the same Spirit who empowered David and his kingdom to proclaim the Good News to the nations and pursue peace (Psalm 96:1 3). 

In the meantime, He calls us to take up the whole armor of God, standing in our identity in union with Christ and advancing against the enemy. In His power, we boldly declare the Good News with the Gospel sword in our mouths (Ephesians 6:17). While many will oppose us and the message of peace, others will repent and put their trust in Christ — joining the ranks of the ever-increasing, expanding Kingdom of God.

What seemed, according to Abner, to be a perpetual sword, devouring and ending in bitterness, has given way in King Jesus to a life-giving sword of the Gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15, 17). He promises, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you…” (John 14:27). And the end of the divine drama is even more glorious and hope filled: “After this I looked and saw a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages … standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9). 

David's Alabaster Jar Breaking Love

It’s one thing to withhold speaking evil of someone who has hurt us, and quite another to speak well of them. But that’s what David did regarding Saul, who hated him and sought to end his life. In 2 Samuel 1, we read his beautifully written lament, grieving the loss of King Saul and honoring him and Jonathan before the people of Judah. David’s relationship with the Lord cultivated in him a mindset that reflected the very heart of the Father, who pours out blessings on both the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45).

When King Saul was killed in battle and word reached David, he and all his leaders tore their clothes, grieved, wept, and fasted (2 Samuel 1:12). He executed the Amalekite who brought news of Saul’s death after he boasted that he had struck Saul with the blow that ended his life. In anger, David asked, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” (2 Samuel 1:14). His commitment was to Saul’s position as the King of Israel—the one commissioned to rule by the God of Israel and the nations.

While such honor was a natural response to their king’s tragic death, David moved beyond this expectation by lavishly blessing the man who had mercilessly hunted him down like a dog for over seven years (1 Samuel 24:14). He wrote a lament honoring Saul and Jonathan, commanding the people of Judah to learn and recite it like a funeral song (1 Samuel 1:18). Shockingly absent in his poem is any mention of Saul’s harmful actions or the evil he committed against God and David. Instead, David publicly honored him, calling for the “daughters of Israel to weep” for him (v. 24). He used rich metaphors— comparing Saul to a gazelle, declaring he was faster than an eagle and stronger than a lion (v. 23). He referred to Saul and Jonathan as “mighty…in battle” (v. 25), proclaiming that they were both loved and admired.

How is this kind of love possible?

If you’re anything like me, you’re left scratching your head, wondering how on earth he did this. And, if we’re anything alike, you’re also left with a knot in your throat for all the times you’ve stopped short of such a blessing. But this is the norm for the Christian life, as exemplified by David’s attitudes and actions and seen perfectly in the life of the greater David, Jesus. In the Sermon on the Mount, 

Jesus spoke about this radical requirement of enemy love, warning us: “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Matthew 5:46–47). Instead, He calls for a love beyond human capability that only the Spirit of God can work in us as we abide in Christ. This results in what my husband refers to as the LDBP principle, taken from Luke 6, one of the two versions of the Sermon on the Mount. Here, we’re commanded to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us and pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:27-28).

David’s lament, known as the “Song of the Bow,” testifies to the Spirit’s transforming work in his life and his submission to the will and Word of God. He understood the Father’s undeserved mercy and grace which he had received, enabling him to pour it out—rather than sprinkle it—on his greatest enemy. David trusted in the sovereign Lord for vindication, which freed him to show alabaster-jar breaking love and abundant mercy to someone who hated him without cause. Like the "sinner" who broke a costly alabaster jar of perfume to pour on Jesus’ head and feet, so David, her forefather in the faith, did the same with his words of blessing to his worst enemy.

I’m challenged today to yield my hurts to the Lord and remember His incredible love for me at the cross, where He forgave my darkest and most egregious sins and then spoke blessings over my life. I’m asking the Lord to help me continue refraining from angry thoughts and slander and to provide me with opportunities to show even greater love -- to speak truthful, kind blessings about my enemies whenever I get the chance. Praying that He will do the same for you through his transforming grace and mercy. 

Finding Strength in the Lord

As I’ve been reading a book on spiritual warfare and standing firm in the faith, I’ve been simultaneously studying 1 Samuel. Together, they have opened a window for me to see more clearly the nature of the spiritual battle, as I’ve witnessed firsthand how David learned to stand and fight in the strength of the Lord rather than in the arm of the flesh. Instead of leading him to depression or despair, the ongoing opposition led him to greater dependence on the Lord through prayer, which resulted in a humble willingness to listen and obey, and a greater ability to love and show others mercy.

Hard Pressed on Every Side

When the apostle Paul wrote 2 Corinthians 4:8–12 under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he was describing the intense difficulties he and the other apostles were experiencing because of the Gospel. The same enemy of their souls was seeking to destroy David’s life with the same intensity 1,000 years earlier, revealing the timeless application of these truths. 

For seven years after being anointed king by Samuel, David was mercilessly hunted down by Saul and forced into hiding in caves and remote cities like an outlaw. During this time, he had many near-death experiences and was even rejected by his own men (1 Samuel 30:6). Like Paul, he was hard-pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down—but not crushed or in despair, never abandoned, and not destroyed.

In 1 Samuel 30, after he and his army were sent away from fighting alongside the Philistines (because the commanders feared he might turn on them in the battle), David returned to Ziklag only to find even more trouble. The Amalekites had attacked and burned the city and taken everyone captive. David and his men were so distraught that they “wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep” (30:4). The men were so embittered by their losses that they even talked about stoning David.

Looking to the Lord for Help

In what seems to be a plot twist, David turned from focusing on the losses and threats against his life to focusing on the Lord. Rather than becoming bitter or seeking revenge, the Bible says, “David found strength in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6). This echoes the words of Psalm 28, where he declared that “the Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in him, and I am helped” (Psalm 28:7). David’s response reveals a humble heart that accepted the reality of the ongoing battle. But instead of trying to control or escape it in his own strength and wisdom, he looked to the Lord and found shelter in his presence.

The very tool the enemy was using to drive David despair, God designed to help him flourish in his faith (Psalm 119:71). These hardships, rather than turning him away from trust, drove him into the very presence of the only One who could both protect him and deliver him from evil—so much so that he could say with confidence, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

This position of trusting dependence led him to earnestly pray and seek the Lord’s wisdom. He asked whether he should pursue the enemies who had plundered them (30:7), and the Lord answered clearly: “Pursue them… You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue” (1 Samuel 30:8). David’s reliance on God led to practical direction and wisdom, which he acted on. He trusted God's Word and obeyed it, believing God would keep His promise to help him. 

After defeating the enemy and recovering everything that had been taken, just as God said, David then chose to show mercy to the 200 men who had been too exhausted to fight in the battle, while others in the army demanded they receive nothing, David’s decision to set his gaze and his hope on the Lord had transformed his life, making him a conduit of the same supernatural love and grace he had received.

As I reflect on the spiritual battles I’ve faced over the years, I realize that my focus has too often been on the problems and opposition instead of the Lord and His promise to shield and protect me. 

By shifting my gaze back to Him—and away from the enemy’s distractions and disappointments—I hope to find renewed strength to persevere with hope, along with a quieted heart to rest in the Lord’s presence, hear his instruction and follow in his peace — pouring out the same mercy and grace to others that I’ve received. What about you? Is the enemy distracting your gaze and keeping you from looking to and trusting in the Lord? If so, today is the perfect time to turn back to Him in trust!

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” Psalm 28:7

Trusting in the Unchanging God

In a world where everything is shifting, it’s been incredibly comforting to remember each day that God is unchanging. He’s the same today as He’s been for eternity. As He declares concerning His eternal nature, “I the LORD do not change” (Malachi 3:6). Since His rock‑solid, unchanging character is a Gospel essential and a necessary foundation for our faith to flourish, it’s no surprise that the enemy of our souls seeks to undermine and destroy this truth—so that we shift our gaze and steady stand from the Rock to the sinking sand of trusting in ourselves, others, and the wisdom of the world. But Scripture teaches that “the way that seems right to a man leads to death” (Proverbs 14:12), and as Jeremiah declares, trusting in anyone or anything besides God leads to a desert wasteland (Jeremiah 17:6).

Is God really who He says He is?

This is the oldest lie in the Bible, uttered by the Serpent in the garden as He tempted Adam and Eve to doubt God’s absolute goodness and sovereign rule (Genesis 3:1). At the core of His deception was the lie that God is not who He says He is and cannot be trusted. The enemy speaks the same lies today—trying to get us to move from resting in the goodness and character of God.

One of the greatest temptations I’ve faced over 37 years as a Christian has been to doubt God’s eternal, unchanging nature as the God who is not only able to do all things, but the One who “acts on behalf of those who wait for Him” (Isaiah 64:4). This temptation first surfaced when I quit my job to attend seminary in my early 20s. I knew the Lord was leading me to pursue theological education, but at the time I only had enough money for the first classes and a part‑time job to support me for the next four years. The constraints of my salary left me with almost no money after paying my tithe, bills, and tuition—but I was convinced this was God’s plan. At times, lies would break through, telling me that God would not or could not provide, that I would never make it and that I was going to be destitute. 

Over three decades later, I can testify that those five years (it took longer than I’d hoped), rather than leaving me destitute, shaped me more than any other life experience. Through daily dependence on the Lord and studying His Word I learned to trust that He is who He says He is and can and will do everything He promises. I learned to trust God for manna, which would be necessary in other seasons of life, to find my hope in God alone, and to rest in His unwavering promise to provide (Philippians 4:19).

Can God really provide?

The enemy stepped up His strategy to discourage and destroy my faith during the same time with another temptation—to doubt God’s unchanging power. He whispered through my own thoughts, the careless words of others, and the lies of the culture that I would never get married. As a woman in her late 20s living in the South, not being married was a travesty, and I was marked as one who must have somehow missed the kindness and grace of God. I remember one day running into a friend from college in a store who, upon learning I wasn’t married, asked bluntly, “What’s wrong with you?”

The fiery dart of her words pierced my heart, and I began praying to God in fear with complaints, asking why He didn’t, wouldn’t, or couldn’t bring me a husband. All that I’d learned about the sovereignty of God went out the window as I traded this truth for man‑made wisdom which said I needed to figure this out on my own. The more I focused on these fears and doubts, the less I trusted God and the more I despaired. Some advised me to look for a husband, to put myself out there, to lower the bar—after all, it wasn’t that desirable to be so spiritual, they argued. Like Job’s counselors, they echoed the Serpent’s lie, seeking to cast a slur on God’s character, unchanging nature and power. Their message could be summed up with this declaration: “You cannot trust or rely on God alone for this. He’s God, but not that powerful. You’ve got to look to yourself, others, and the wisdom of the world to get what you want.”

Thanks to the kindness and mercy of the Lord, He shone the spotlight on the lies I was believing (Psalm 23:3). He gave me wisdom to discern the enemy’s strategy to undermine my faith and get me to turn away from trusting God (Proverbs 2:6). After realizing this, I resolved before the Lord to stake all my hope in Him alone and reject every other plan that would lead me away from trusting in the living Lord (Psalm 62:5). I quit accepting offers to go out on dates and stopped trying to figure out how I could find a husband. Instead, I focused on my studies, work, and time with other believers—and gave a firm reply to anyone who asked how I expected to get married: “If God wants me to get married, He will have to drop my husband on my doorstep.” Most laughed or smirked—but amazingly, no one ever said another word. For once, the enemy seemed silent.

After settling into this rhythm, God began to restore my hope, joy and peace (Romans 15:13). When I returned from a trip to Israel with my grandmother in the middle of the school year, I discovered that a man had mysteriously joined our class. We became friends and began spending time after class talking. Surprisingly, one Sunday afternoon, I heard a knock at the door. I opened it to find standing on my doorstep the answer to years of prayer—this man of faith, who was full of the Holy Spirit and who had firmly determined to trust in the same unchanging, all‑powerful God I was trusting. A year and a half later, we were married.

Had I listened to the lies of the enemy and those who sought to discredit God’s character and power, I would have missed this blessing: The Lord miraculously brought my husband across the world to pursue PhD studies—from South Africa to Mississippi—and dropped him on the doorstep of my seminary class and of my home—just as I had prayed.

Standing Firm Against the Lies

Since that time, hundreds, if not thousands, of voices have tried to pull me away from believing that God can do all things and that nothing is impossible for Him (Luke 1:37). I was told we’d never make it on the mission field with middle‑school aged daughters, that a ministry salary wouldn’t meet our expenses, that I’d never be healed of depression or sickness, and that God would never give me the job I prayed for. Their advice always urged me to shrink back in fear—shifting my trust from Christ to self, others, or worldly wisdom.

Like the Serpent in the Garden, their strategy wasn’t designed to help me—but to draw me away from pure devotion to God—the same God who spoke the world into creation, parted the Red Sea, made covenants with His people, and sent His Son to do the unimaginable—offering His life on the cross to atone for our sins so we could be reconciled to God and gain eternal life.

If God did not withhold His one and only Son, as the apostle Paul writes, “but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Moving from the greater to the lesser, we can be absolutely, utterly confident that our loving Father “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). He is the same God, and we can fully trust Him to fulfill every promise and provide for our every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). 

When the enemy whispers that He cannot be trusted, that His power is insufficient, or that His kindness won’t extend to us, we can stand firmly on the unshakable truth of His Word, and with confidence declare: “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him” (1 Timothy 1:12). And with these words, we can also echo the Lord’s command: “Get behind Me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23).

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