It’s easy to get discouraged right now. It’s easy to look around and see
the hopeless state of our nation. It’s easy to lose hope and feel
powerless. But, where there is hopelessness, God can show up and do
great things.
We look around and see anger, confusion, turmoil, and division. We have argued over
those concerns tear our country apart at the seams. ed about COVID, and those saying
it’s all a conspiracy. We have seen racial division tear our country apart at the seams.
My cop friends are scared and angry. My black friends are scared and angry. Those of
us in the middle are scared and angry.
I’m not going to speak in detail on this subject. I don’t feel qualified. What I am going
to speak on is what God has called me to speak on. It’s easy to feel pulled in one
direction, in an all or nothing battle. Our society has created this all or nothing dialogue
where we have to pick teams. We see it in every stage of our society, from politics and
religion, to vaccinations, where we send our kids to school, and even down to
breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Somewhere along the way, we believed the narrative
that we can not love others that have a differing view from us.
But, today, I want to point something out that we may all be forgetting.
We are not fighting flesh and blood. We are fighting against the powers of this world’s
darkness and against the spiritual forces of evil. (Eph. 6:12)
This is part of the enemy’s attack. He seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. He uses
weapons of confusion, anger, and division. He sews discourse amongst God’s
children. He has our nation where he wants it right now. We don’t trust our leaders.
We don’t know what to listen to. We don’t believe what we read. People are searching
for truth. People are searching for hope. We are not fighting a battle against the color
of our skin. We are not fighting a battle against injustice. We are fighting a battle
against our spirits. If we turn on one another rather than supporting each other, we will
never be able to carry out God’s plan for our lives. We will not bring glory to the
kingdom of God.
Eph. 6: 10 tells us to. “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand
against the schemes of the devil.”
I look at our country and see that we need God more now than ever before. I see
powerlessness, hopelessness, and Godlessness.
The armor of God:
• The belt of Truth (We are all looking for truth. His word is truth) *Go to your bible.
• The breastplate of righteousness, while we are all fighting over who's right, we
need to make sure that we are guarding ourselves with his righteousness
• The gospel of Peace: To know him is to be able to have peace in the midst of
unrest
• The shield of faith: don’t just hear the words, commit them to your heart. Stand firm
in your faith.
• My faithful friends are those that I see full of peace,
• The helmet of salvation: Having salvation in our hearts but also in our minds.
• The sword of the spirit
We have instruction for how to fight this spiritual battle, this attack of the enemy, but
how do we show up for a fallen world in the midst of the worst of humanity.
We are the BEST OF HUMANITY. We LOVE.
*Conversation with Izell*
We are all on the same team. We all have the same heart.
When we show up and love others well, we will see change.
Love sees no color. TRULY
Love is BLIND.
Love sees no transgressions.
Love sees no division.
Love says that an officer in uniform and a criminal on drugs can love one another.
Love says that my friends and I can have different experiences and still love one
another.
Romans 12 gives us clear instruction on how we can deal with these times that feel so
divided and so full of division:
• Let Love be Genuine
• Truly: serve the homeless, serve the marginalized, serve the differently-abled, serve
those less privileged. Have conversations. Listen to their experiences.
• Love one another with brotherly affection
• Like I tell my children, you have the same last name. You’re on the same team.
Love one another
• Be fervent in spirit
• Having great warmth, intensity, a burning desire
• Rejoice in HOPE: Holiness, Opportunity, Power, Expectancy
• Be patient in tribulation
• Be constant in prayer
• Contribute to the needs of the saints
• Bless those who persecute you
• Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep
• Live in harmony with one another
• Repay no evil for evil
• If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peacefully with all
• DO NOT be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.