Day of Infamy

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.--Ephesians 6:12

64 years ago our country endured the largest peace-time attack at the hands of Japanese forces. It was a Sunday morning, and no one was prepared. The loss of life was utterly devastating, and for that reason December 7th, 1941 is known as "The Day that Will Live in Infamy." More than half a century has passed, but we are still mindful of the sacrifice that was made by our service men and women who were stationed at Pearl Harbor at that time.

Whether we are fighting on foreign soil or attempting to enforce homeland security, we need to remain in a constant state of preparedness. This applies even more so to our spiritual lives. There is a battle going on that is greater than we can even imagine, and the stakes are high--as high as they come.

The power struggle between God's kingdom and that of the Adversary is ongoing. The longer we wait to make a commitment to side with righteousness, the longer we remain vulnerable to spiritual defeat. As with any battle, this is not for the faint of heart. The enemy will use any means possible to get us to draw back in fear. We need to remain strong. We need to cling to the promises of God and believe that no matter how many exhausting battles we need to fight here on earth, the enemy cannot possibly win.

Christ has already fought the ultimate battle for us. He has conquered death. Being welcomed into God's kingdom at the end of our struggle with flesh and blood is our reward for choosing to follow Jesus at all costs. The sacrifice made by Jesus on our behalf is of greater magnitude than anything we have seen or experienced in the wars fought throughout the world.