“Mine!” I was said to scream out when I was just two and a half years old. The occasion was my grandmother’s visit to our home. Gifting my two brothers with cowboy hats, play guns and holsters, she thought she was being generous. However, her gift to me was a lovely little doll. I had no interest in the doll; I wanted the guns my brothers had!Running after my youngest brother, I grasped his gun and holster tightly and would not let go, screaming, “I want this!”We all recognize sin, selfishness, and self-absorption in ourselves—and quite easily in small children who have not learned to hide it yet!When we observe God -- His creativity and majesty in creation, His faithfulness every day, His ability to hold our world together, His goodness and beauty surrounding day after day -- we understand His desire to bless us, to be near us, and to be a Father to us.However, as a result of the fall, when Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God and willingly disobey His commandment not to eat fruit from the tree of good and evil, the world has been in rebellion to God. Relationships are difficult and often broken; natural disasters invade our lives. Illness, corrupt governments and leaders, and difficulty of every kind show evidence of this separation from God. There is a ruler of this world, and he wants us to give allegiance to him and his ways, and to abandon the ways of God.
Satan is called the god of this world. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, we read, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God." (NLT).Consequently, we find chaos in relationships, foolishness of every kind, and lack of understanding of God’s creation, as His purposes and ways are obscured. We now live in a world system that has been separated from God for thousands of years.The consequences of fallenness touch every arena of our lives. We are in a battlefield from the moment we are born. Satan wants to win our allegiance, and God wants us to be redeemed to be able to live in relationship with Him as His children.If we do not understand the nature of the battle, we will find ourselves surprised by the difficulties we encounter and be thrown off our feet by our circumstances. If we accept and understand this reality, we will be more prepared to face our days with faith, strength, endurance, and wisdom.Peter tells us, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).If we do not understand this as a kingdom issue—of choosing which kingdom we will serve and to which master we will bow our knee -- then we miss a great part of the significance of our becoming Christians (Joshua 24:15; Matthew 6:24). God’s plan is that we leave the kingdom of darkness and come into a new adoption as children of God, bowing to Him, living for Him, learning of His ways, so that we might grow in righteousness and find His favor (Ephesians 1).
Salvation is not just about getting into heaven when we die. It is about our heart allegiance, our commitment to seek to walk in the ways of God, to love Him and to know Him.The reality of this is that we are born self-centered and self-absorbed, and so is everyone we will ever meet. Satan, knowing His time is short on this earth, rages and storms about seeking whom He may destroy. If we understand the significance of this, we will fight our life battles better.PROVERBS 4:18 (NLT) The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.MATTHEW 13:45-46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”• The pearl of great price is Christ Himself. What have you had to give up, just like the merchant who sold all he had, in order to give your own life to God? • What are you still holding on to, that you might need to consider giving up?PSALM 119:73 (NLT) You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands. • God is our Creator. Who could possibly know us better? • Have you considered that He is able to help you follow His commands when you feel unable to do so?Consider sharing these truths with your Mom Heart groups to encourage them in their faith walks!