If you’ve ever worked the night shift or stood on guard duty, you know firsthand that the hardest enemy to fight isn’t the cold or even the darkness—it’s the heavy eyelids that tell you, “Nothing is happening, it’s safe to take a nap.”
It’s a simple analogy for today’s post where I make the statement that, “a lot of men are asleep on the watch right now in their own homes”.
You and I wake up each day, we go to work, we come home and eat dinner, scroll away on our phones in the evenings, maybe watch the game and then go to bed, and the next day, we repeat.
Day after day. Month after month. Year after year.
We aren’t necessarily doing anything “bad,” but we aren’t paying sharp attention and actively guarding our lives either. It is like we have drifted off this state of a spiritual dormant comfort. We are literally wide awake and complacent, but on auto-pilot.
Guys, now don’t confuse complacency with being lazy. To clarify, a lazy guy just doesn’t want to exert any effort. But a complacent guy can actually still be working 60 hours a week! But he is comfortable for very different reasons; like his bank account looks good or he likes his daily routine, so he just stops watching for the landmines sitting right in front of him. He stops checking in on his wife’s heart. He stops having important conversations with his son or daughter.
And then he stops praying.
In Matthew 24, Jesus gave all of us a direct command:
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” — Matthew 24:42
Jesus stressed for us to be vigilant and focused. Why? Because Satan loves it when you and I are relaxed. When a man goes on autopilot or he just stops paying attention, the small issues in his family go unnoticed, small compromises in his character get overlooked, and before you know it, disaster strikes.
Do you remember the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25? This is a great example of how the master gave resources to 3 of his servants. Two of them were active and invested and grew what they were given. But one servant took what he had, and instead buried it in the dirt, and sat back. He didn’t waste the money; he just didn’t do anything with it. When the master returned, he called him lazy and wicked for his inactivity.
Guys, God didn’t give you your marriage, your kids, or your talents so you could bury them in some comfortable routine.
Vance Havner once said, “The alternative to self-discipline is disaster.” Staying passive or not present in your own life will lead straight to a disaster you never saw coming.
Guys, I am asking you to wake up.
Your family needs a leader who is awake at the wheel, paying attention to the dangers in life, and actively pursuing God’s best every single day. I want that to be you.
This is my request of you today:
When you come home from work today, the first thing I ask of you is to put away your distraction tonight. Whether that is your phone or something else, tonight, just sit down with your wife or your kids, look them in the eye, and ask them how they are really doing.
Plain and simply I am asking you to wake up, stay alert, switch off auto-pilot, and guard your home.
One of the most common and successful strategies Satan uses against men is when he whispers in your year and tells you that things are just fine and no more effort is needed. There is a reason he does this and over the next few weeks, I want to take you on a short, 3 part journey about the dangers of thinking that you are “Good Enough” or you are “Satisfied” in life so now you can coast.
Let me give you an example: Have you ever caught yourself sitting on the couch, looking around your house and thinking, “You know what? Things are fine. My job pays the bills, my wife isn’t complaining too much, and the kids are doing okay in school… Maybe I’ve actually made it to my destination?”
On the surface, you may think that sounds like peace. But if we are honest with ourselves, that feeling often isn’t peaceful at all. Rather, it is what we call complacency and what I want to unpack some of this topic with you.
What exactly is complacency? Webster’s defines it is “a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements”
That is about right.
Complacency is a subtle, sneaky feeling of self-satisfaction with where you are. It is a comfortable zone where you convince yourself that you’ve “arrived”. But here is the brutal truth, guys: in life, in your marriage, and in our faith, we cannot ever just sit still and do nothing.
It reminds me of the story of the frog in the pot. Have you heard this one? According to the myth, if you drop a frog into boiling water, it jumps out immediately. But if you put it in cool water and slowly heat it, the frog does not notice the danger and will boil to death. Apparently, over time, the frog doesn’t notice.
In this life, you are either moving forward, or you are sliding backward. When you settle for good enough or just okay, or worse, you stop putting in the effort and stop paying attention to the details, you become oblivious to the slow leaks or the heat changing as it is taking down your life.
Jesus had a very hard conversation with the church in Laodicea when delivered this strong message:
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” — Revelation 3:15-16
Lukewarm is by far the worst name one can be called by God.
To be neither hot or cold is a first class ticket to sure destruction. Guys, Christ NEVER called us to a complacent, lukewarm or “take it easy” kind of life. He called us to be all-in and live with passionate conviction. Jesus tells us the story of the Rich Fool in Luke 12— about a guy who built bigger barns just so he could sit back, eat, drink, and take life easy. God called him a fool because he prioritized earthly comfort over his spiritual responsibility. Did you catch that?
Guys, without a doubt, complacency will destroy what you’ve spent your life building. It will turn a loving marriage into a quiet partnership of roommates, which you won’t like. It will also distance you from your kids. And, it will make your faith a passive Sunday routine instead of a daily pursuit.
It can happen to you just like the frog I mentioned, slowly changing over time.
Remember, Satan is perfectly willing to play the long game so please don’t settle for “good enough.” God did not create you to be someone who just cruises on autopilot; He built you to lead, to love, and to serve with everything you’ve got.
So here is my challenge to you:
I encourage you to pick one area of your life—whether it is your marriage, or your role as a father or husband or even your walk with God—specifically an area where you may have been coasting.
Then focus on it directly and stop doing the bare minimum. Ask God to help you.
I urge you all to step up, take action, and re-engage today.
So if you are like me and you have ever found yourself passing the hours in an airport terminal, and because you are bored, it is easy to pass the time people-watching. For some strange reason, I find people fascinating in their own environment. Whether it is the wardrobe they decide to put on, or the companions they select as company, there is something truly telling about observing people in their element. And yet at the same time, you can’t help but notice some behaviors from so-called “adults” that are really quite shocking.
Now guys, I don’t claim to have all the answers, but in my time observing, I was frequently stunned by the way some folks decided to interact with one another—particularly those who appeared to be married. To give you an example, I witnessed a truly heart-wrenching exchange between a couple, man and a woman and I am telling you, the behavior I saw this man display was absolutely saddening.
Now you know I’ve spent quite a bit of time on this blog reflecting on marriage and the fundamental way we choose to interact with one another. In fact, I actually wrapped up a two-part series where we explored the idea of killing people with kindness and the power of paying it forward (links are down below). It’s amazing how simple, everyday choices that you and I make change everything for our friends, but especially for our spouses.
Yet as I stood there, witnessing that scene with growing frustration, seeing a husband choose to be so deliberately cruel toward his spouse, it truly broke my heart. In the end, fueled by his own anger, he simply walked away—leaving her stranded and solitary in that terminal. I couldn’t help but wonder, watching from afar, how a couple like this ever began their journey together? When you witness such a tragic decline, you have to ask yourself… were there ever any better times?
Yet when I think about this now, and everything that led up to that moment I witnessed in the terminal it hit me that all those simple, everyday choices between that couple somewhere along the way were broken. He went from kindness to cruelty. And that point alone seems to be forgotten by people who are rushing through their life and travels, just trying to reach the next destination.
And what is just plain sad is that, some people’s hard wired reaction towards other people is just cruelty…
I’m telling you, it’s truly painful to witness these moments. Because when you strip everything else away, our FAMILY is our only true legacy and if we decide to treat our loved ones with the same coldness I saw in the airport that day,
You will end up being alone.
And even though you may not see this in your present situation, it will be a tragedy in the future when it comes to pass. Guys, here is the truth, these situations can be avoided. Moreover, it doesn’t take a genius to choose kindness.
Jesus was asked what was the greatest Commandment of all, and he replied, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13
And then he said…“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:33
Or, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” Ephesians 5:25
Or, “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” Colossians 3:19
Guys, as husbands and fathers, we are called to love, encourage, and build up our families…not destroy.
If you have anger problems, I encourage you to seek help from your pastor…and when the opportunity presents itself, choose kindness.
Until next time Guys,
Iron-man Strength (IMS) Team
Wright, Kent, “Killing them with Kindness,” Ironman Strength, December, 24, 2024,iron-man-strength.com
Wright, Kent, “Practical ways to Kill them with Kindness – Part 2” Ironman Strength, December, 26, 2024,iron-man-strength.com
Well, we have arrived at the final installment of our series on the history of our common adversary, Satan. We set out on this path together a few weeks back, aiming to truly understand the enemy who opposes us. He began as Lucifer, a magnificent fallen angel now known simply as Satan. As the Most High’s finest creation, his very existence was meant to reflect the splendor of his God. His rank in Heaven granted him entry into the Father’s throne—a privilege beyond the reach of most heavenly beings. However, as we have seen throughout this series, he became so captivated by his own brilliance that corruption began to take root in his heart.
And Lucifer made a choice that would not only impact him but all the angels that followed along with the humans that chose or still choose to follow him. The ultimate result of that selfish, sinful choice is the topic of this last episode; Satan’s Future.
Take a moment and reflect on a specific crossroads in your personal journey where a single choice possibly redirected your entire future. Maybe it was a life-altering commitment like your marriage or the moment you embraced your faith—decisions that continue to bear good fruit. Yet, on the other hand, we must also acknowledge those poor choices, the ones that carry heavy, lingering ripple-effect consequences.
This is why when you learn more about Satan, you see that his mindset of “thinking he could be better than God” was so short-sighted. Against all rational probability, Lucifer, created by God, waged his will against that of the Creator. This also meant that even through all of his efforts; his scheming, lying, and deception, that God would ultimately still get the glory.
Which is exactly opposite of what Satan intended to take place.
Honestly, the really strange part about our enemy was his myopic view of what he thought would happen. Because the reality for him was the very moment he said, “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God…. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” Isa 14:13-14, he was doomed to eternal damnation.
I stil find it mind blowing to consider Satan’s relentless focus to defy God by persisting in his rebellion despite the absolute certainty of his eventual defeat.
So now I ask you to take a step back and look around; I think we can all agree that there is an accelerated intensity level of evil active upon this earth. I do not know what the plans of God are but what I do know is that when God no longer needs Satan for HIS purpose, that is when the end is coming.
Prior to the glorious return of Christ to this earth, the situation for humanity will undoubtedly deteriorate, as Satan and his legion of fallen angels intensify their wicked operations across the globe.
ALL OF THIS evil activity will be the beginning of Satan’s final ruin; This will happen in 3 separate stages:
First, Satan is cast out of Heaven-
Now, there are scholars that believe Satan does NOT still have access to Heaven but I am not one of them. I believe that Satan still has access to Heaven even now and that is evidenced by the final war in Heaven where he battles against the mighty archangel Michael and is defeated. Satan is in heaven already but that defeat meant there was no longer any place for him in Heaven and he was cast out.
Think about this for a second…Satan, who was created by God long before the world was created, and who had only ever known in his existence in both Heaven and earth…and now he was cast out of this place, permanently. God’s judgment is always final.
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated,and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. Rev 12:7-8 ESV
(By the way, if you didn’t notice, the dragon mentioned above is Satan, and “his angels” are the ones that followed him when he decided he had a better plan for his life than God did)
Second, Satan is bound for 1000 years-
At the end of the age, Satan is to be confined into the Abyss for a thousand years.
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be released for a little while. Rev 20:1-3 ESV
Third, Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire–
After his release he will make a final attempt to overthrow God; this act will result in Satan’s final defeat and his being thrown into the Lake of Fire.
And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Rev 20:7-10 ESV
I heard someone say once that God never learns anything new, and if you think about that, you understand that no matter what Satan thought or did…GOD already knew it would happen. The irony for this fallen angel is that he left Heaven thinking he could rule and be like God himself but instead, he continues to exist only FOR the glory of God just as he has always done.
I also love the hypothetical situation someone described that when Satan successfully tempted Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit that there were no emergency meetings in Heaven as to how to respond or combat what the next steps were. Why? Because God is never surprised.
If you’re a Christian, that is a HUGE relief because in the Bible you constantly read about how God has a plan for you and me and again, ironically, for Satan as well. Remember what Paul said in Romans 8:28,
And we know that for those who love Godall things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Here is an absolute truth that you can stand firmly upon:
Guys, regardless of the circumstances you face in your life, understand that nothing occurs by chance…whether good or bad. God knew it before it happened. Sometimes that might be a hard pill to swallow depending on your circumstances but I assure you, as the verse in Romans states; God will weave your personal circumstances ultimately for good.
Finally, guys, I want to thank you for staying with me during this long series. I also think it is important to mention I still skipped a great deal of material about Satan’s story because my intent was only to summarize who he is, what he does, and where he is going. Frankly, I hope you take the baton from here and study more just for you.
Honestly, if this series lites a small flame of interest in you then I will call this a success. Either way I would highly recommend you read the book I have been calling out through this series because it was inspiring to learn from Erwin Lutzer and it was a great help and encouragement to me in this study. I don’t normally recommend books, but this one gave me a HUGE new perspective about this topic that I found particularly strengthening so check it out.
So a quick recap from part 4 is we learned what Satan is doing right now. And trust me, he is NOT sitting on his hands. He is an active General conducting a war against you and me…Please don’t forget that. Additionally we learned what you and I should be doing to protect ourselves while we are going through this journey.
Most importantly though, we cannot be complacent about this unseen war Satan is conducting and we certainly can’t pretend it isn’t happening. So let’s jump right back into this study again.
Let me start with this statement-
Jesus Christ came to earth to destroy the works of Satan.
Did you catch that? Not mediate, compromise, or even legislate what Satan is doing, He came to destroy. As I previously mentioned, Satan prowls around this earth with the sole intent of devouring you and me. Jesus’ plan is exactly opposite; Instead of your destruction, He wants you to have eternal life with Him and what stands in both our ways are the plans of the enemy.
Jesus Christ is the adversary of Satan.
Read this;
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8 ESV
Christ also came to this earth to establish the Kingdom of God and most importantly, deliver us, you and me, from the dominion of Satan. In case you missed this from previous blog episodes, while we are on earth, we are enslaved to Satan unless we accept the offer of Christ to be redeemed…but I am getting ahead of myself. Read these few verses:
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Matthew 12:28 ESV – Christ Speaking
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed Luke 4:18 ESV – Christ speaking
And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” Luke 13:16 ESV – Christ Speaking
…to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ Acts 26:18 ESV
In case you didn’t know, when Christ came to Earth, that was a direct invasion into the enemy’s territory that absolutely shook the kingdom of darkness. Before He officially began His ministry here, Jesus actually allowed Satan to challenge Him with various temptations. The enemy tried to bribe Him with everything you see on this planet, provided Jesus would simply fall down and worship him. (Matthew 4:1-11).
Take a look at these few verses:
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'” Matthew 4:8-10 ESV
(We have talked about this before so I encourage you to go back to the blog citation at the end and read, “The Temptation of Jesus” for further details on the power that Satan has here on Earth.)
When you read these verses, you will notice that Jesus systematically refused Satan’s temptations by using only scripture as responses to each question. Why would Christ do this? Because according to the Bible, the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword and that was sufficient to defeat the prince of this world.
Let me remind you of Martin Luther’s words from many years ago when he said,
The devil is God’s devil. We have forgotten that only when we know who God is can we know who the devil is. Blessed are those who are convinced that the prince of this world has become a slave to the Prince of Peace.
QUICK SIDE NOTE: I really want to stress how vital it is for you to grasp the weight of this quote. Even though Satan operates as the prince of this world, he remains completely subject to the authority of Christ! Don’t miss this: it means you and I can access that very same power to achieve victory over the enemy when we need it. Please make sure you read this and realize that this divine resource is available to you. You are never fighting this battle alone.
Let’s pick up this story again. When Christ hung on that cross and breathed His last breath, the entire kingdom of darkness erupted in celebration. They were convinced they had secured the final victory because Jesus was dead.
But don’t miss this: God had a different plan.
If you are familiar with the scriptures, you know exactly why we celebrate Easter—it’s because He rose from the grave, defeating death once and for all and dooming Satan.
Read this quote from Erwin Lutzer from his book, God’s Devil, who says;
Though he could never have predicted it, at the cross Lucifer would be defeated spiritually, for there Christ was guaranteeing that at least part of fallen humanity would be purchased out from the kingdom of darkness to share in the Kingdom of Light.
As you might expect, the legions of Satan shifted instantly from jubilant celebration to absolute terror. It was a complete reversal of fortune. Through the resurrection, Christ effectively sealed the doom of our enemy and guaranteed that God would secure the final triumph over him.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil Hebrews 2:14 ESV
So guys, we have reached a very important mile marker in this 6-part series about Satan. We are at the point where the next episode we will talk about Satan’s future. I think it is critical to share with you what happens to him and I want you to know what the Bible tells us about the end of our collective enemy.
Guys, I realize this isn’t exactly a light subject to dive into, but we simply can’t examine the full account of our enemy without looking at his final defeat through a scriptural lens. My aim is to lay out these details in a way that is clear and easy to grasp so the big picture really resonates for you.
Part 6 is next and it is the last one…planned.
Until next time guys-
Iron-man Strength (IMS) Team
Lutzer, Erwin, W. God’s Devil. Chicago: Moody Press, 1996
Wright, Kent, “The Temptation of Jesus,” Ironman Strength, January, 2, 2024, iron-man-strength.com
Ok, let’s pick up this story from Part 1 where we were discussing who Satan is and where he came from. It never ceases to amaze to me when I think about what an incredible creation Lucifer was before he fall, and yet, how much his personal prideful choice caused him to lose…but we will get to that later.
If you didn’t know this already, Satan, who is also called the Serpent, was the one who caused the fall of the human race. Yes… the same guy…Now we will learn more about this in the coming episodes but it is very important to recognize that although Satan is the adversary of God, he does not appear to Adam and Eve in this manner. Rather, as Lutzer puts it, “He comes under a disguise and without revealing who he really is. He changes himself into something he is not to deceive others. He did not come to frighten, but to soothe, encourage, to instruct.”
Look at the brief story of the encounter between Adam, Eve and the Serpent below from the book of Genesis:
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”
2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,
3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'”
4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. [Gen 3:1-6 ESV]
Lutzer tells us that, “Literally, the first time Satan opens his mouth is to put a question where God had put a period. Satan knew that if he could get Eve to focus on the one thing she did not have, it would rob her of the joy she should derive from all of the things she did have.”
Do you understand how Satan operates? He convinced Eve to question God and from that day on, lying, deception, and sin entered this world and the human race has never been the same. Can you imagine if Adam and Eve had resisted the temptation of the serpent? And what this world MIGHT have been like? That is a whole topic unto its own and one that will not be addressed by me.
What is Satan doing right now?
We know that we are the children of God and that the whole world is in control of the evil one. 1 John 5:19
Guys, we will NEVER adequately understand the New Testament unless we recognize its underlying conviction that Satan is the “god of this world” right now. Think about that for a second. Satan is the evil one and it is his power that controls this present evil age. When Adam and Eve sinned, that is when it started.
Now, I hope this isn’t the first time you are hearing this but if it is, and you are skeptical, please read these verses I have stacked up below because the Bible is very clear about what is going on.
2 Co 4:4 – In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Gal 1:3-4 – Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
Eph 6:12 – For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Heb 2:14 – Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil…
1Pe 5:8 – Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Even though I say Satan is in charge, that does not mean that God isn’t in direct control of this ungodly world.
The ungodly world I am speaking of are sinful people, evil, cruelty, and injustice…all the things we see around us every day. More importantly, it is critical that I stress the fact that in no way does God desire or cause all of the sufferings in this world, nor is everything that happens His perfect will. I can tell you that God uses everything; even evil, to accomplish His purposes.
The Bible does tell us that at this present time, the world is NOT under God’s dominion, but is currently in rebellion against God’s rule and is enslaved to Satan. God, for the time being, has limited His own supreme power over this world…but I assure you, this is only temporary. That is what we see happening right now.
I know this is not the best news you have received today and I get that, but know this, because of this worldly condition I spoke about above…that is why Christ came to die for you and me.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV
…and why His plan was to reconcile the world to God
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2Co 5:17-19 ESV
So the two main points from Part 2 that I want you to understand today are:
Satan is the god of this earth right now.
Satan is the one responsible for bringing sin to the human race when Adam and Eve gave into temptation.
There is more detail coming on what Satan is also doing presently so stay tuned because Part 3 will be next –
Until next time guys-
Iron-man Strength (IMS) Team
Lutzer, Erwin, W. God’s Devil. Chicago: Moody Press, 1996
A friend of mine recently posed a question to me that I found very interesting. He asked me “how do you know if you are truly saved? How do you know if you are REALLY a Christian? This guy was genuinely struggling with whether or not he had actually been saved, or was this completely in his head.
For those of you not familiar when I refer to “saved”. This is what happens when we accept Christ into our hearts and He comes to inhabit or live in us. Being saved means we gain eternal life with Him.
But, back to the question at hand; Is it possible to be saved only in your head, and not in your heart?
The easy answer is no, you cant be saved just in your head and how do I know this? Because a truly saved person is changed from the inside out. They are renewed inside, they are different because of that renewal.
J. A. Motyer said it this way, “No one can walk with God without giving himself to a determined pursuit of good.”
If you just think you are saved and yet you are still on the same path as before, then I would question the validity of your experience. I am not trying to be harsh, but at the same time, God does not inhabit a heart that doesn’t want Him to be there.
A better way to say this is you can’t profess Christianity and still have a solid foothold in this world. The two do not, can not, and will not EVER coexist. God wants all of you or none of you and He will not share…especially with the enemy.
When your heart has been changed by Him, you will have a desire to pursue good things…and there will be a battle inside of you when you come into conflict with your old way of thinking. That conflict is God inside you reminding you that you are not the same person anymore.
I can also tell you this on solid authority; when you give your life to God, and He comes to live in your heart; because of that personal choice you made, the enemy will triple and quadruple the attacks on you to ensure your experience does not last. When you have lived your life away from God, and then in humility, give your life over to Him…that is when things can get interesting.
Again, this is not a scare tactic, I simply want to present you with the truth. It is critical you are aware that the enemy will not give you up easily. Be prepared for the battle that is coming. But recognize the more you lean into God, there will be challenges in your life. But please…read this scripture today guys:
…Greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4
We were not promised an easy life by signing on with Christ. What He did promise was on life’s journey, that He will never lead us or forget about us. David said it this way in Psalm 23, “…Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I am not afraid, because you are right there with me.”
Guys, our God inhabits those of us who truly seek Him and that is the foundation of your salvation. Those of us who pursue the narrow path and are intentional about doing good in this life; I applaud you for your fortitude and I believe in my heart there are a bunch of you out there, just everyday, doing your version of life and serving Him.
Until next time Guys,
Iron-man Strength (IMS) Team
Motyer, J. A., The Message of Amos, Intervarsity Press, 1974
Have you ever been inspired by something before? Maybe it was a great speech your heard or a seminar you attended. It could have even been a song that really hit you in your core. Whatever it happened to be, it got you thinking that something in your life might change for the better. Because let’s face it, all of us need hope am I right?
A few years back, I found myself unexpectedly inspired by a song that I wanted to reshare with you because I think the words in this song will resonate as we navigate this life. You see if you are anything like me, you may find yourself constantly going back and forth; trying to be a good person and then when it matters, falling flat on my face.
Inevitably, we try and claw our way back into God’s good graces, and yet we feel like we are on the edge of a cliff and we can’t get back. Or we have gone too far and we’re going to fall over. And that is why I want you to hear the words from this song.
Because…No matter what path you have been on or may still be on…
Because…No matter what has happened in your past that you are ashamed of…
Because…No matter if you have ever experienced failure, or disappointment, or unhappiness, or you just can’t overcome something that is keeping you down…
Just in case you may have forgotten this important detail along the way.
God has an amazing grace just for you, and, because of what Christ did…
THE CROSS HAS MADE YOU FLAWLESS…
This is an important to consider; when God looks at us, what He sees isn’t pretty because we live in a world reeking of sin and frankly, I can’t imagine what that looks like from His perspective.
But, because of what Christ did on that cross, God looks at you and me through the filter of Jesus and instead of seeing sin, He sees someone who is pure and blameless before Him.
AND, I don’t care what you have done…that is between you and God but I do know that because of His grace towards all of us…and His righteousness wrapped around us…
You, YES YOU, and Me are Flawless…
Guys, this is a simple message but I also know it is easy to lose your way and forget even the simple things God has given to us. I believe there is no such thing as hopelessness for someone who recognizes what has been done for him by Jesus Christ on the cross…why?
Because being right with God and being flawless before Him; there is truly no greater place that anyone can be…and that my friend is the greatest hope any of us will ever experience.
I happened to be reading recently in one of my favorite John MacArthur books and came across a very interesting point he made that I thought you would find interesting. And it starts with the very hard question, “Did Jesus come to save everyone?”
Now my first reaction to his question was obviously yes, of course he came to save everyone. Gods plan had to be that Christ would save everyone. How could the answer to that question NOT be yes? But then I read a little further and learned a very important detail I had not thought about before. But lets start with a very direct quote from MacArthur before we begin:
Is God unfair in not choosing to save everyone? Fair would be to send everyone to hell. You don’t want fair, you want mercy.
Again, very direct but straight and to the point. The truth of the matter is this, God did NOT come to save everyone, ONLY the ones who want to be saved. Let me unpack that for you.
You see, there are and always will be, those in this world who will make the choice; their own personal choice, to do what they want to do. You may even know someone who thinks this way. Someone not interested in Christ’s call to them. This choice they make puts them on a path to what Christ called the wide gate:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. Matthew 7:13
In His own words, we see Christ’s warning to those who take the wide road that it leads to emminent destruction. And, as He says, the MANY people that choose that direction Christ did NOT come to save. Here is another verse from John with Christ speaking in a prayer to His Father:
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. John 17:9
Some people will read this verse and think God is harsh or even unfair but one thing I have learned about God is that everyone was created with FREEWILL. Which means we get to choose what we want to do with our own lives. And one of those life options we get to choose to accept or turn down is God’s free gift of salvation. That is 100% up to you.
So as the alternative, or the ones of us who make the choice to enter the narrow gate, we are called Christ’s elect. As Peter tells us below:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, Gods special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9
So guys, let me challenge you on this first day of 2026. I know firsthand that it is hard to pursue holiness and live in this world. It requires major effort for you to separate yourself for Him every single day. But it is NOT impossible. But it does require a conscious effort each day to seek Him…but that is the real key.
Seeking God…with all of your heart.
Let me end this post with words from Jeremiah the prophet.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
My nephew wrestled in high school and I remember him telling me how unique wrestling is from a team sport because it’s not like football or basketball… It is just sheer strength against sheer strength, cunning against cunning and may the best man win.
Wrestling is a sport where you are literally grappling with your opponent and using every ounce of strength you have to try and overcome someone who’s trying to do the same to you. Experience matters, like it does in life, but at the same time pure strength can be hard to overcome.
Why in the world am I talking about wrestling today? There is a verse in Ephesians that communicates to you and to me about a battle that we Christians find ourselves in. And this battle is unique because we can’t see our opponent. But I felt it very necessary to communicate something that you may or may not have thought of before.
I think it is pretty obvious and and frankly safer to fight a battle from a long way away. In the US military, snipers can fire at targets over a mile away and be successful. In most successful battles going back to the Civil War, soldiers would set up cannons and fire at the opponent so they could soften the front lines in order that their infantry could advance. After all of that preparation, it was the infantry who gained the physical ground and ultimately again, battled their opponent, man-to-man.
So today guys, I wanted to introduce you to the warfare that our enemy is executing on us… You and me. Depending upon which translation you read, Ephesians 6:12 tells us that “we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but rather against the rulers, the authorities, and against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”
What does that really mean? That means the enemy is not a mile away, he’s not next-door… He is right next to you, whispering in your ear. Telling you things that are not true in order so he can bump you off your path and get you going in a different direction…
We are literally wrestling with the enemy as Paul says. We are not dancing. We are wrestling. It’s important that you recognize how close your enemy actually is or, how close he is to your family. It’s easy to go about our day and never really think about that battle going on. But I assure you, it is, and there is active strategy being put forth and executed to destroy you and everything you love. You, must think about it and be ready for each day.
Now that we know what we are up against, how do we fight?
This will probably surprise you but when your adversary is the devil, you don’t stand and fight, you resist. I say this again, if you try and fight, you will lose. Even Jesus, after spending 40 days in the wilderness, Satan came and met with Him with the sole reason to tempt Him (Matthew 4:1-11). You will notice that Jesus did not fight but rather He resisted and that is exactly what we are called to do, resist. Take a look at these 2 verses:
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:9
Guys, if you only recognized the power you have right now that already exists within you as a believer, it would really change your mind about wrestling not against flesh and blood. Yes, you are a target, but not defenseless. The power within you comes from God’s Holy Spirit which is pure strength from Him to use when you are in a wrestling match. If you feel an evil presence of unseen forces, then call on His name. He will not abandon you. Most importantly remember the words of the Apostle John below which is always a gut check reminder for me-
Greater is He that is in you, than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4
