Ephesians 6:12-18

Walther Henrichsen, while with the Wycliff Bible Translators, served in a jungle camp in 1961 and 1962.  They often went on survival hikes.  At night, they would build a big fire.  This fire would drive the wild animals deep into the jungle and away from them.  During the night, if the fire went unattended, the flame would grow lower and lower.  He said that the animals would become braver and that you could see pairs of eyes looking at you from the jungle.  This was an incentive to throw more logs on the fire.

In many respects, that can happen in the lives of many Christians today.  As our fire for the Lord grows dim, the eyes of the devil come closer and closer into the camp.  We must not ignore the message of the Gospel, and yet far too many have.  Their love for Christ, and the fellowship of one another may have been replaced by selfish pursuits, affluent lifestyle, greed, etc.  Essentially, their fires have grown dim, and unless they can be re-kindled, they are in jeopardy of going out.

Our God in Christ has freed us from Satan’s power.  You and I are on the winning side!  We can take refuge and consolation in that.  It is in 1 John 4:4 we read these words;

Christ who is in you is greater than he that is in the world.

God has given us a freedom of choice.  We can either sit on the shelf and render ourselves ineffective to Him, or we do what He tells us to do.  Setting simply on the shelf can cause the fire to grow dim.  Think about it for a moment; if we choose to sit on the shelf, Satan will be glad to hold the ladder as we climb aboard.

We live in perilous times to be sure, but we also live in days of unprecedented opportunities.  In those verses of Ephesians chapter 6 St. Paul writes of the battle armor we need to be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.  With the armament that Christ provides us with, our fires will be ablaze, and Satan cannot enter in.  May God ignite within those who read this, a burning desire to share your Christian faith with others.  Yes, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.