Saved from our enemies
Luke 1:68b-69a, 71, 74-75
[Zechariah said,]
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He … has raised up a horn of salvation for us … that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us … that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.”
Ugh! Who wants to think about enemies at Christmas time? But unfortunately, enemies are a fact of life—and they are a major reason Jesus came into the world.
I’m not just talking about human enemies, though God cares about those as well. But we have spiritual enemies, too—namely, the devil and those who serve him. They hate whatever God loves—and that includes us. And they have power—though it isn’t limitless!—power to try to make our lives miserable.
We are not in a good position to fight these enemies. How would we even start? But Jesus can do it for us—and He does. How? Through His birth, life, death, and resurrection.
Jesus came into this world for that very reason, to put an end to the works of “the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12b). This tiny baby, God and Man in a single squirming package—He is our Champion, our Savior. He fought the battle on behalf of us all—and we have the benefit. Now we can “serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.”
We Pray:
Help me to trust in You, dear Lord, and rest in Your peace.
Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* Do you have enemies? If so, how do you cope with them?
* What makes the devil and his angels so hard for us to cope with?
* How do you take refuge in Jesus when you suspect you are under spiritual attack?
Written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Today’s Bible in a Year Reading:
Psalms 79-80; Revelation 7