goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Love is a Battlefield

By Linda Tancs

Singer Pat Benatar is famous for her anthem, “Love is a Battlefield.” Love is, indeed, a battlefield. God fights for it, and the devil fights against it. God is love (1 John 4:8). That’s all God does. The devil, on the other hand, hates love. The Bible reminds us that he is the deceiver of the brethren (Revelation 12:9). He deceives by establishing strongholds in the mind of every believer, tempting us with lies, imaginings and thoughts that are contrary to the Word and that trigger misunderstanding and offense. That’s the opposite of love. Submit to God’s love. Then you’ll be able to resist the devil, and he’ll have no choice but to leave the battlefield (James 4:7).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES, Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Learn more at goforwardinfaith.com. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

 

 

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Know Your Enemy

By Linda Tancs

The first rule of warfare is to know your enemy. In the physical realm, you may view your enemy as someone whose interests, values, beliefs or actions are antagonistic to your own. According to Scripture, however, your true enemy is not a physical opponent—it’s the devil (Ephesians 6:12). And, unlike a physical opponent, this enemy is in constant warfare with you, every second of every day. Every time you become offended, hurt, angry, jealous, resentful, hateful, unforgiving or self-loathing (to name a few things), you are battling the devil, public enemy number one. He’ll never quit, and neither should you. Resist the bait (James 4:7). Be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove (Matthew 10:16). Forgive others as you would have God forgive you (Matthew 6:14-15). As you obey God’s commands, you’ll have a peace that obstructs the wiles of your greatest enemy (Psalm 119:165).

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

The Blame Game

By Linda Tancs

In psychology, projection is a theory in which the human ego defends itself against unconscious impulses or qualities (both positive and negative) by denying their existence in themselves while attributing them to others. In the vernacular, we call it “the blame game.” It’s as old as time. Remember the story of Adam and Eve? Adam confessed to God that he ate the forbidden fruit, only to add that Eve made him do it. Then Eve blamed the whole thing on the serpent (Genesis 3:12-13). And so derives the expression, “the devil made me do it.”

Do you tend to blame others? It’s a widespread problem that starts pretty early; just watch what happens in a schoolyard or in the classroom. The Bible reminds us to always take responsibility for our own actions (see, e.g., Matthew 7:3-5; Proverbs 28:13; Romans 2:1). Submit yourself to God (James 4:7) and above all, don’t blame Him (James 1:13-15).