Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy’s will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.

― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

The above quote makes me think. The Screwtape Letters are written from a devils perspective and when looked at with a biblical perspective, can really shed some light on the spiritual warfare going on around us. In order to fight in that war, we need to put on the whole Armour of God, which you can find in chapter six in the book of Ephesians.

Ephesians 6:12
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

But, what I want to talk about today, isn’t armouring up by reading our Bibles and praying, important as that is, but rather obedience to God. When newly saved or newly recommitted to the cause of Christ, our passion is zealous and we want to tell everyone around us that Jesus saves. We desire to share His love and our newly acquired knowledge with world around us. Most of the time we get shot down. Slowly our passion is quashed. We may go from overzealous to uninspired. Yet, we can hold on to the knowledge that even when the desire and the passion have gone out of us for a time, God is still with us and will honor our obedience. If we still intend to do His will even when it is hard, He will see our intent and help us to walk the path He’s set for us.

We know that to be the case because He sets it out for us in His word. Even when we are faced with temptations, He leaves a way to escape.

1 Corinthians 10:13
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

The temptation to leave the ministry, whatever your individual ministry may be, is a no less a temptation than any other. It may even be a greater temptation. God has plenty to say on the matter of slothfulness. Just take a look at the book of Proverbs for some wisdom on the matter. So, knowing that we are called to share Jesus with a lost world, how do we remain obedient even when it’s hard? How do we keep going when we’re tired and discouraged? Where do we always find our strength? Where do we run when life gets hard? Run to the Rock of your salvation.

Call on Jesus, and He will make a way for you to escape the temptation to stop living for Him. He will help you accomplish His will when you lose your own desire to go on. Soon, that fire will be back and you will wonder if you imagined it’s disappearance altogether.

Share your thoughts on obedience in the comments section below.

(All verse references are taken from the Authorized Version of the Bible, commonly referred to as the King James Version.)

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