Join the Insurgents!

Deep down, I think we all would like to be insurgents.  Perhaps that’s why 97% of us want to see the much-anticipated sequel to the smash hit Divergent??? (Source: rottentomatoes.com)

And why wouldn’t we want to join in this Chicago-gone-really-bad-post-apocalyptic adventure that pits Tris and Four against the Evil Erudites and their titanic-sized power grab?

Going to a movie like this gives us two or more hours of escapism and the chance to imagine what it feels like to fight in a cause that really matters. We love to watch the newly barbered Tris overcome challenges and seek out the truth.  We revel in the defeat of Jeanine and her followers and grieve when good men and women go down.

But then the movie is over, and as we clean up our trash and head toward the exit, we sometimes struggle with a low-grade feeling of dissatisfaction with the mundane redundancy of life in the real world, right? And we are super-bummed that we have to wait another year or two for the conclusion! (Thanks a lot, Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings/Twilight/and Hunger Games!)

However, I have good news for you. Life for those who have trusted Christ was not designed to be commonplace, humdrum, or defined by a monotonous routine. You are placed in a specific time and place with a custom-made set of gifts and talents that can’t be tested, measured, and categorized as conveniently as they are in the divergent world.

And because of that, your life is destined to be extraordinary. Or, you can choose to ignore this destiny and fritter away your time, talents and treasures on largely insignificant and ultimately meaningless pursuits, but deep down, you hunger for more.

But please…do not just take my word for it.  My words are the musings of a mere man, but the words I am about to share with you come from the God of the universe, the Creator of all things and the One who knows you better than you know yourself. This passage is your calling and your connection to THE Cause of all causes—the cause of Christ. And if you take these words seriously and apply them consistently, your life will take on an element of significance that you have never before experienced.

Listen carefully:

Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God.Put on the full armor of God to protect yourselves from the devil and his evil schemes. We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places.

And this is why you need to be head-to-toe in the full armor of God: so you can resist during these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground. Yes, stand—truth banded around your waist, righteousness as your chest plate, and feet protected in preparation to proclaim the good news of peace. Don’t forget to raise the shield of faith above all else, so you will be able to extinguish flaming spears hurled at you from the wicked one. Take also the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:10-17, The Voice)

You may think that your battles are with your parents or teachers or people at school who are mean, but God has revealed to us that the real battles and dangers we face are not against flesh and blood. The evil forces of Satan stay strategically hidden from view, but the effects of their assaults have messed up the world way beyond what any movie could portray. There is racism, genocide, trafficking, and a host of other oppressive strongholds that we must fight against.

And our weapons are not physical, either. In this epic and eternal fight, we must be fully covered by the armor of God, or we will be mowed down by the army of darkness.

So if you find yourself wanting more out of life, then take on the challenge Jesus is calling His followers to—helping His kingdom come and His will be done. Join the insurgency against the schemes of the Evil One to keep people in bondage to sin and despair. Wake up each day with a prayerful commitment to be used by Jesus to push back the territory that Satan strives to take from you and your friends.  Don’t think of yourself as a bystander; rather focus on being a soldier in a cause that really counts.

Put on your armor and join THE Cause!

Flashpoint: Ignite Into Action

Every Christian is called to be an insurgent against the devil and his plan to steal, kill, and destroy the very souls of the human race. The question is: are we an active insurgent or a doomed bystander?

Accelerant: Fuel for THE Cause

Pray: Father, please give us the power and focus to fight in this battle against Satan and his army of darkness.  Remind us to suit up in the full armor of you’ve given us, so we can stand against him.

Read: 2 Corinthians 10:4. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

Get:  Fearless…Unleashing God’s Fierce Love In Your World. To learn more about the armor of God in Ephesians 6, check out this powerful new student devotional from Greg Stier based on the book of Ephesians.