Food for Friday
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Romans 16:20
On May 13, 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill addressed Parliament with one of his most famous speeches. As he discussed the war, in which the Allies were experiencing severe setbacks, Churchill declared, ‘We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory. Victory at all costs – Victory in spite of all terror – Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.’ Despite Churchill’s brave words and firm resolve, his declaration of eventual victory must have appeared ready to dash two weeks later when German forces surrounded British, French, Belgian, and other Allied forces at Dunkirk, and surrender appeared likely. After the miraculous evacuation of a third of a million Allied forces from Dunkirk, Britain still faced months of terror from German bombers as the Luftwaffe tried unsuccessfully to soften the British resources and resolve enough to attempt an invasion. Although Churchill’s promise of victory was delivered, there were times when even he must have doubted. But there is no such doubt when it comes to the delivery of God’s people from our greatest enemy.
As Adam and Eve exited the garden of Eden, ringing in their ears was the promise that the Seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head. Down through the centuries since, there must have been times when many thought the devil was going to win the ultimate victory. Even a discouraged Elijah was convinced that he was the lone survivor in the struggle in his day (1 Kings 19:14). Discouragement dogged the lives of the faithful Israelites, as they waited for the promised Messiah and died without seeing His arrival. No wonder the shepherds rushed to Bethlehem to see the Saviour of whom the angel spoke. No wonder that Simeon and Anna were so overjoyed to see the Holy Infant in the temple. They could see that God’s promise of victory over the devil was at hand. Some of the hopes of the followers of the Lord Jesus were dashed when He was arrested, condemned, and crucified. As the disciple on the road to Emmaus sadly pointed out, ‘But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel’ (Luke 24:21). Once the disciples and other followers of the Lord Jesus became convinced of His resurrection, they regained their hope in God’s great purpose of victory. Is that hope holding firm today?
The spread of the Gospel throughout the world is proof of the hope of the evangelizers and of the Lord’s people. We have the Word of God to teach us concerning the rapture and of the eventual defeat of Satan and all his minions. But we recognize that the devil is waging a very successful battle today in discouraging Christians, in causing Christians to slip into the loose morals and rotten ideals of the world. Satan is going to lose the war, but he is winning too many battles.
Satan’s defeat will happen shortly. The more we understand and appreciate that, the more victorious will be our testimony for Christ. – Jim MacIntosh