Go to War While You Can

The goal of our lives is to glorify God. The goal of our lives, every stage of our lives, is to glorify God. This is the goal while we live on earth. This will be the goal once we get to heaven. Whether here, or there, whether now, or later, the goal, the mission, the aim of our lives is to glorify God. In this way, our purpose as people is wonderfully consistent. 

The manner and means of carrying out our purpose, however, is not. After all, where we are now is much different than where we will be heaven. And the way we are now is much different than the way we will be in heaven. And because of this, there will be differences between the way we glorify God now and the way we will glorify God in heaven. 

For example: On earth, right now, you have the opportunity to glorify God by fighting sin. You, right here, right now, have the opportunity to glorify God by going to war against Satan and sin. Because, right here, right now, you are in fact in a war… Satan’s schemes confront you here. Spiritual forces of evil wrestle against you here. Flaming arrows come at you here (Ephesians 6:10-20). 

As they do, you get to glorify God by warring against them. But do you realize that when you get to heaven, you will no longer have that opportunity? 

Please don’t misunderstand, all told, heaven will offer you more opportunities to glorify God, not less. God takes his people home because it results in more glory given him, not less. Even so, your opportunity to glorify God through the specific means of fighting sin — it’s an opportunity limited to this life only. 

Satan cannot attack you in heaven. Temptation cannot touch you in heaven. Sin cannot come near you in heaven. Your opportunity to, by faith, fight Satan, and fight sin, and fight temptation, and so glorify God in the war against darkness, is an opportunity you’re only going to get here.

So, here’s the question: Are you making use of that opportunity? Your participation in the war on sin has an end date, as does your opportunity to glorify God by fighting it.

This morning my exhortation is this: brothers and sisters, make use of this opportunity, take every chance you get to fight against sin and so glorify the God you worship. 

And this, of course, reminds of our need to confess our sins. 

Father…we want to take advantage of every opportunity we’re given to glorify you. We want to fight in every battle against sin in a way that glorifies you and in order to glorify you. We confess the times we’ve failed to do just that. And, we confess the many other ways we’ve sinned against you this week. We bring those things to you now in this moment of silent confession…

…Father, we believe you are rich in mercy. We believe you never forsake your people. We believe that the good work you began in us is the good work you bring to completion in us. And we trust that we can bring our sins to you because of what Jesus has done for us, and our being united to him, Amen.