Let’s Get Ready to Rumble (Round 3)
Round 3:
Connecting Community
We have arrived at the last round in our Victory Over Sin Series, and this one will serve the final blow to our opponent.
Community
It is essential to our faith walk in so many different ways, but I believe sometimes we don’t even realize how important it can be.
Before we get started, I want to remind you to go back and read the first two posts in this series, so you can get up-to-date with all the tactics we have been discussing which will assist you in gaining victory over the enemy of your soul. Click on the pictures below, and you will be taken directly to the previous writings.
Round 1:
Spiritual Discipline
Round 2:
Radical Obedience
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
When our kids were younger, right before bedtime, we had clean-up time. It was all hands on the Daugherty deck, because the more people who helped put away toys, the faster the job would go.
We wanted to teach our kiddos not only the importance of cleaning up after themselves, but also how valuable it can be to assist others and work as a team. The English writer John Heywood, also understood this wise principle, as he famously penned the proverb, “Many hands make light work.”
In the scripture we read above, King Solomon eloquently expresses the need for community in the book of Ecclesiastes. We were made for connection. There is simply no other way around it. In the very beginning of man’s formation, the Lord God stated, “It is not good that man should be alone.” (Genesis 2:18)
The Father, in His great wisdom, knows perfectly what we need, even before we know we need it. This is why from the very start of the history of civilization, God created a couple. A helpmate for one another. Why? Because this life can and will be hard. Humans thrive, when we live in connection.
We can especially see community played out beautifully in nature. Herds move, live and play together. They know, there is safety in numbers. I’m confident every one of you, at some point in your life, has watched a National Geographic episode of Wild Kingdom, or something similar, where they dramatically portray how vulnerable the baby gazelle becomes when removed from the main group. As you lean forward in anticipation of what’s to come, you urge the little gazelle to get back with its family, because you know the cheetah is coming and will show no mercy.
We could learn a thing or two in our faith walk by watching those documentaries. There is strength in numbers to help us fight the spiritual battle of our day. The enemy knows this, so he works extra hard to get you isolated from your herd.
Plant little seeds of offense.
Sow a crop of gossip.
Till up the soil of back biting and disunity.
If he can get you pulled away and traveling alone in your faith journey, he too will show no mercy in his attack. Never forget the true motives- steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10)
Friends With Benefits
I know what you are thinking- “I don’t think she knows what that phrase means, otherwise she would not have used it.” Oh, I do- trust me, and I used it on purpose to grab your attention.
Before the world took that short sentence and turned into something vile, God had a plan for His children. There are many rewards that can be reaped from living in community with other believers, all of which help to kick the devil’s teeth in on a daily basis. Let’s explore some of the benefits of having a great, close-knit faith family.
Prayer Warriors
In the book of James, chapter 5, we are told to pray for one another so we can be healed. There is power in the communal petition of heaven. We need a safe place to confess our faults, sins and struggles, and in turn, expect our brothers and sisters to lift us up to the Lord. James 5:16 states, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” I have encountered many times in my life when I needed to call on my prayer warriors to cover me. You feel the demons on you hard, reach out to your people. Going through some struggles, send out that S.O.S. text and have your crew hit their knees. Every person needs a Miss Clara from the movie War Room in their life to go to battle for you and help bridge the gap to your victory!
Burden Bearers
Feeling like you cannot go on? Weary and worn out from the heaviness of this life? This is where your faith family can step-up and help shoulder the burden. A weighty load is made so much lighter when you have others to assist in the lift. We see this example in the book of Exodus, chapter 17. The Amalekite army was advancing and battle was imminent. Moses sought the face of the Lord God, Who told him to stand on the mountain ridge and lift his hands. As long as his arms were lifted, Joshua and the Israelite army had the victory. But hours into the conflict, Moses grew weary and his arms began to drop. The Jewish nation was in trouble. Aaron and Hur sprung into action, bringing Moses a stone to sit on. Then, they stood on either side of their weary leader and raised his arms for him, until the sun went down and the Amalekites were completely defeated. Paul reminds us to do the same for each other in Galatians 6:2 when he tells us to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Sometimes, just knowing you are not alone in a fight is all the strength you need. The Body of Jesus Christ needs to be your group of “ride or die”. Men and women who care for each other and who you know will have your back in time of despair.
Accountability Partners
You may not want this benefit, but you need it. We are all prone to blindness when it comes to our own shortcomings and downfalls. Trusted, godly brothers and sisters can help you stay on track and keep your eyes fixed on Christ. This world is jam packed with distractions and deception. The snake is a cunning liar. You need people in your life who can spot the serpent in the grass, grab an ax and chop its head off before it can bite you. Encouragement, pointing you back to scripture and truth, reminding you of who you are in Jesus- all of these are valuable weapons in our fight against the darkness. This is why King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 27:17 that “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”. We make each other stronger. And the writer of Hebrews tells us to “consider how to stir up on another in love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” I want someone in my life telling me when I’m out of step in my faith walk and to help me get back on the right path. Don’t shy away from loving correction. Our Spirit may be willing, but this flesh sure is weak. (Matthew 26:41) We need all the help we can get!
In closing- I want to summarize all of the areas we have discussed over these past three weeks in our ongoing effort to defeat the enemy of our souls.
Make sure you are spending time and developing spiritual disciplines in your life. Prayer, Bible study and fasting are vital in feeding your faith roots so they grow into a strong network, which can weather the storms the devil and this world will try to send your way.
Then develop a habit of quick and radical obedience to God’s word. No, it’s not always easy, but when we follow the Lord’s precepts and stay within His boundaries, that is a mighty fortress not easily penetrated by enemy lines. After all, “if God is for us, who can be against us”? (Romans 8:31)
Finally, connect with a local church and group of strong believers, and immerse yourself in a community that can help you walk all of this out. Our journey to our Heavenly home can be long and difficult. We are vulnerable when we try to traverse the pathways solo. Strength and safety will always be found in numbers.
Want to have peace and simplicity in your life? Begin to put these principles into practice, and just see the difference they can make. I bet before too long, you’ll be dancing around your kitchen singing the praises of the Lord God, Who is mighty in battle just like Miss Clara.