(The following is the December 23 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Revelation 17 and pay close attention to verses 13-14.)
Do you get discouraged after a failure? A child attempting a new sport may want to quit after initial unsuccessful attempts. Someone learning a new skill may make numerous mistakes before gaining competence. Passing challenging professional exams may require several attempts. Whether people succeed with new challenges may depend on whether they stay with them long enough to master them.
Spiritually, we face battles regarding behavior and remaining faithful to Christ from the moment we become his children. We win some fights against sin and evil while others temporarily defeat us. The process of sanctification throughout our lives gradually strengthens us to experience more success in spiritual conflict as we mature compared to our less mature years.
Whether we win or lose any specific spiritual battle, we must not lose sight of whose war we ultimately participate in and its guaranteed outcome. We are footsoldiers in a conflict between Satan and God. “These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful” (v. 14).
We understandably experience disappointment, remorse, and a sense of inadequacy when we fail to conquer evil and sin. But we shouldn’t think of our spiritual battles as ours alone. The larger war is the Lord’s, and he will defeat his foes. He includes us with him in the fight, and verse 14 says that we “are called, chosen, and faithful.”
We need not despair when we fail to combat sin and evil perfectly. Instead, let us place even greater trust and dependence on the King of kings and Lord of lords, who will be victorious.
Next Step:
Identify several spiritual battlefronts where God’s people must be diligent in today’s world. Pray for wisdom and strength to do your part. Thank God that he will ultimately be victorious over evil.
