Trained and Ready
But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:10-17.
Four would be muggers received a shock when they attacked an older man one night in Bielefeld, Germany. This man was a retired 70-year-old British man who lived in Germany. The attackers did not know that the man they were attacking had been trained in martial arts while he was in the military years before. Three of the young men confronted the man, while a fourth snuck up behind him. The 70-year-old man remembered his training and took hold of the first attacker and flipped him over his shoulder. One of the other men then tried to kick him and the retiree grabbed the foot causing the man to fall down. All four of the attackers then fled from the man who had unexpectedly stood up to them. A police representative said, “Looks like he had everything under control.” The man who was attacked did have some light abrasions but was thankful that he had remembered his training.
You may never be attacked by a mugger but you will experience spiritual attacks in one form or another during your lifetime. It may come in the form of persecution, or afflictions as the apostle Paul experienced. The spiritual attack could also come through those who would try to deceive you spiritually. How will you respond when you are attacked? Will your early training in the Word of God and spiritual disciplines be remembered? Will you stand up and fight or will you become just another victim of your spiritual attackers?
I hope that when the spiritual attack comes upon you something very important will occur. What is that something? I hope that you will remember your spiritual training and your attackers will be defeated. But what if you never received any training? Then you are just a sitting duck for those who would try to harm you spiritually. Without training, you are just someone waiting to become a victim.
If you are reading this devotional it is not too late, you can still receive spiritual training. If you have a Bible begin reading it (If you don’t have one, I will try to send you one), studying it, and memorizing it. Begin to pray, talk to God in the Name of Jesus every day. Attend a Bible believing church regularly because we are told in Hebrews 10:24-25 to, “…consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Soon, you will be trained and ready for whatever may happen to you just as the apostle Paul was trained and ready. You will then just need to remember your training.
(Have you been trained in the spiritual disciplines?)