Abundant Living
Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:11-12)
We are currently living in the future history books; pandemic, insurrection of our Capital, abuse from those in power, wildfires, job losses, food insecurities (shall I go on or stop here???). We see the destruction all around us in real time. It-Is-A-Lot and so easy to loose site of the truth.
Scriptures tell us that we can have abundant life by accepting Christ. The caveat is that this does not mean that we are free from pain, uncertainty, or rejection. Au contraire, we will have problems. Abundant living is experiencing God’s love, forgiveness, and power in the midst of these problems. These problems have the potential to destroy our faith, cause depression or anxiety, and lower our self esteem. However this scripture in Ephesians reminds us of who/what we are fighting and how to fight.
Reflective question: How does believing that Christians are supposed to be free from problems can create a hindrance to spiritual growth? How is spiritual warfare significant to abundant living?
