When I was a child my father gave me a set of dominos. Not knowing the rules of the game or how to play I would make up my own version and imagined it was not far from the truth. I quickly grew tired of arranging them by the dots and began to try to build something with them. I noticed that if you stood them in a row, and tipped the first one, they would knock each other over one by one. I would set up row after row, tip the first domino and watch the rest helplessly fall in turn. We did not have the internet or “youtube” in the “good ‘ol days” and I had never seen it played before. I was fascinated. Black dots on shiny ivory, one through six, seemingly endless combinations and patterns to create. They fell and I re-set them, only to watch them fall again and again.

As I grew, choices and consequence fell before my eyes like unstoppable dominos. I knew actions had consequences but despite this, throughout my early years I would make several very bad choices that I would have to live with for the rest of my life, choices that haunted and tormented me. I wanted to be “good” and to make good choices but no matter how hard I tried, I could not live a perfect life, void of bad choices; One day, in desperation, I cried out to God and asked him to save me from myself; “Why God, if I am good, did I do that? Please help me to be good!” My heart was ready to listen to what God had for me. I turned to my Bible and prayer for answers.

“For I know that good itself does not dwell … in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” Romans 7:17-19

We are all sinners; “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23  Not only this, but there is an enemy, the enemy of God, who desires our destruction. When Eve believed the serpent’s lie in the Garden of Eden and ate of the forbidden fruit, we were forever marked by sin and separated from our loving God. God had given us every good thing we needed and more but the serpent convinced Eve that it was not enough. God cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden for their disobedience. Because of this man was separated from God by his sin. Are we doomed then to forever make bad choices and live with the consequence, always asking God for forgiveness?

Not if we believe the Gospel. Hope came to earth in the body of Christ. He paid the price for our sins and offered us salvation. He died, was buried, rose again and is now seated at the right hand of God. (1 Corinthians 15). Through His sacrifice we are redeemed and reconciled to our loving God if we surrender our lives to Him. Though we are saved by faith, until Christ returns, sin is part of our daily lives. It is our nature. I do not want to yell at my children, crave more money, or tear down those I should love with self-righteous judgment and criticism, or worse. So how can we contain our sinful natures? Everything we need to know is in the Bible; God’s word is complete.

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground….” Ephesians 6:11-13, NIV 

 As believers in Christ, we are to take up the full armor of God  (The Belt of Truth, The Breastplate of Righteousness, The  Shoes of Peace and Preparation, The Shield of Faith, The  Helmet of Salvation, The Sword of the Spirit, Prayer). I have  known that since the early days of becoming a Christian. For  those growing up in the church it is one of the first lessons  taught in Sunday school. As believers in Christ, we are  soldiers in God’s army and yet we can become frustrated, angry, and full of doubt. I have learned through trial and tribulation that those are exactly the moments when the enemy is waging his war in our hearts and minds, to keep us down and defeated. It is critical to know your enemy before you go into battle. We must PREPARE ourselves to fight!

Lord give me strength and conviction to fight for you.  Let my actions and my words honor you. Let me be salt and light.  When I am weary, renew my mind and soul, remind me who you are.  I commit my life to you, in Jesus’ name, Amen.