The Only Way of Escape

Paul made it very clear in his letter to the Ephesians that there is a war being fought between believers and the powers of darkness. This is a war that will go on until Jesus comes again, and it is vital that believers are aware of the spiritual armour that God has provided for us in our Christian pilgrimage.

The writer of Ecclesiastes makes an important point when he says that no-one is discharged in time of war, which means that we are never exempt from the reality of Satan attempting to take us off course through temptation and sin. Just as believers are not exempt from being involved in this war, we have to face the reality that in this warfare, if we choose to practice wickedness we are putting ourselves under Satan’s control. Satan will never willingly release us from the bondage that our sinful choices cause.

Many are the times when people have poured out their hearts about how they have become trapped by the enemy and wickedness has held them in its grip without there being any apparent way of escape. There is only one way of escape from the grip of the enemy and that is through the work Jesus did for us on the cross. His shed blood made it possible for us to be forgiven and if we ask Him, His Holy Spirit will give us the strength to say ‘No’ when fresh temptation comes.

Wickedness will not let us go willingly, but when our sin is forgiven, then Satan has to let us go. We then have to do our part and choose to say ‘No’ to the practice of wickedness, so that we can truly escape from the grip of the enemy. The writer of the Hebrews (2:3) graphically expressed this wonderful truth when he asked, “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” For, in truth, there is no other way!

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for the amazing salvation that was provided for me at the cross. Please forgive me for the times when I have given wickedness control over my life through my own ungodly choices. I choose, today, to rest in the forgiveness that was made possible for me through the cross, to say ‘No’ to the enemy’s temptations and to come out from under his control. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.