We had already walked nearly a mile when I surveyed the row of stairs that now confronted me. It was at least two hundred steps to the top of the tower. I was visiting the Great Wall of China and it more than lived up to its name and reputation. In spite of this grandeur of human engineering, it was not always successful in defending the Chinese kingdom. Some invading armies simply bypassed it by going around it. Other invaders filled in trenches along the wall to successfully scale it. However, the most egregious failure was when an invading army bribed a Chinese general and he simply let the invaders enter through a gate.

No matter what type of physical defense we may construct, we are never truly safe. Even if no one can physically challenge the structure, we can still be betrayed from within our own defenses. What about our spiritual lives? We may put up many robust psychological defenses but can we ever be betrayed by our own self? Our psyche is very strong. It can drive our bodies to do amazing physical feats of strength and endurance. It can endure enormous emotional pain and suffering. It may also mislead us into thinking we are stronger than we truly are, convincing us that we can conquer any obstacle by our will and volition. What does the Bible tell us?

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. 

Romans 7:21-25 (NLT)

The Apostle Paul, one of the greatest missionaries of the nascent Christian Church, lamented his own forlorn state. He realized that no matter how strong he thought he was, by his own power, he could not conquer the sin that enslaved him. He was betrayed by his own sinful self. He knew the only answer was complete surrender to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

This is the principle of life. We do not rely upon worldly defenses or our own power when Satan attacks. The answer is only in Jesus Christ!

Amen!

Love and trust in the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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