A couple of weekends ago, TFC's pastoral staff and wives went into New York City to see Max McLean perform Screwtape Letters. If you're not familiar with Screwtape Letters, it's a short novel written by C.S. Lewis that's sort of a sneak peak into the activities of demons via letters exchanged between one demon and his "mentor" demon.
I'd say it was good timing.
We'd been in Ephesians 6 for a couple of weeks, and here was an opportunity to take a kind of real-life dramatic look at what Paul is talking about.
The biggest thing I came away with was Paul's appropriate use of the word "schemes" in verse 11. What is clear in Screwtape Letters is that Satan is the father of lies, and his demons seek to twist and distort every thought beholden to man.
Feeling disappointed with your husband as of late? If only he would be more like those men in the soap operas or in your favorite romantic comedy, then you'd be happy.
Things been going well in your spiritual walk lately? Well, shouldn't they? Look at all the reading you've been doing, and all the times you've been to care group, and how well you pay attention on Sunday mornings.
Struggling with anger because your children haven't been on their best behavior? Of course you should be angry! You're the parent and they show you no respect, and, well, they're just gonna get it. That'll show them.
He'll use anything, even the good stuff.
So what do we do about it? Well the first weapon mentioned in Ephesians 6:14 is the belt of truth, and there's no better defense for lies than the truth. 1 Peter 1:13 says, "Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Focusing on the truth prepares your mind to fight against the lies of the devil, whether they come from the world outside or from your inward thoughts. And, if you remember from Gayline's post on sober-mindedness,
Sober-mindedness is processing all of life through the truth of God's word. It is being able to process a response, or an answer, or an attitude, a crisis or a counseling situation with a mind ready for action. It is a mind that is poised to speak and act wisely.
Luke 12:35 and Hebrews 5:14 remind us that we must persevere in our focus on God's truth. We must "stay dressed for action" and train our powers of discernment "by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."
When we check our outward clothing in the mirror every morning, may we remember to check for our spiritual clothing, especially the belt of truth.
1 comments:
That's good Brooke. Christ who is the Truth and the Word of God (the written truth) is absolutely essential for our daily battles against the devils schemes.
We saw in our caregroup last week that there seems to be another meaning to the truth that Paul refers to here. In the context of this book there are repeated admonitions to speaking the truth, (in contrast to speaking falsehood). Satan, the father of lies, loves to trip us up in our speaking. When we "practice to deceive" we often find ourselves in a "tangled web" and we become ineffective.
Women can find themselves tripped up spiritually and actually aiding the enemy with a little lie here and another lie there. This happens in the context of marriage, the home and the church. It could have to do with spending money, things done or said, or an exaggeration or misrepresentation of the facts for serving our own ends. We can do a lot of damage relationally and spiritually with those "little lies".
In all these ways the belt of truth must be fastened tightly to us.
thanks again.
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