Seven Life-Changing Habits
Introduction
For many years, Bruce Streather, a successful lawyer, was an atheist. He never went to church, even though his family did. Most weekends he played golf. Eventually, as a result of considerable persuasion from his wife and three teenage daughters, he came on Alpha. He was extremely argumentative and hostile. None of the sessions had any impact on him until, towards the end of the course, he heard the talk ‘How Can I Resist Evil?’ Afterwards he came up to me and said, ‘In my work as a lawyer, I have seen so much evil. I have always believed in the power of evil. Tonight, it struck me that if there is a power of evil, it makes sense to believe that there is also a power of good.’
That night Bruce became a Christian. Ever since, he has been a committed member of the church with a very powerful and effective ministry affecting the lives of hundreds of people.
We struggle against the global evils of terrorism, racial injustice, human trafficking, the tragic plight of refugees, deadly viruses (such as COVID-19), starvation, poverty, the destruction of the environment, corrupt governments and countless other domestic, local and international issues. We also face struggles against evil in our own lives – temptation, sin and addiction.
The Bible is realistic about this struggle. In the Old Testament, we read about physical battles against the forces of evil. In the New Testament, the struggle is more often described as a spiritual battle. As St Paul puts it, ‘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’ (Ephesians 6:12).
Today’s passages show us that the battle is won through the victorious power of the Lord.
Psalm 114:1–8
1 When Israel came out of Egypt…
2 Judah became God’s sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.
3 The sea looked and fled,
the Jordan turned back;
4 the mountains leaped like rams,
the hills like lambs.
7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord…
8 who turned the rock into a pool,
the hard rock into springs of water.
Commentary
Victory over bondage and slavery
The psalmist recalls how Israel was set free from its bondage and slavery in Egypt. The victorious power of God led them out of Egypt and across the sea, which ‘looked and fled’ (v.3).
The ‘presence of the Lord’ with his people gave the Israelites the victory (v.7). It was his presence that ‘turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water’ (v.8).
The character of God was revealed to his people in the Exodus, when God liberated his people from oppression through his victorious power and presence, making it clear that slavery is an evil from which God longs to set people free.
This helps us address one of the big questions from today’s New Testament reading in which Paul gives instructions to slaves and masters (see Ephesians 6:5–9). Why did Paul never attempt to abolish slavery altogether?
We need to remember that in those days, Christians were a tiny persecuted minority and they were in no position to end what was a universal institution in the ancient world. In the Roman Empire alone, about 6 million people (a high percentage of the population) were slaves.
As Professor F.F. Bruce writes, ‘It was better to state the principles of the gospel clearly (“in Christ there is neither slave nor free”, Galatians 3:28) and leave them to have their own effect in due course on this iniquitous institution.’
God wants to set people free, both from the literal bondage and oppression experienced by modern day slaves, and from our slavery to sin and addictions (such as a reliance on alcohol, drugs, violence or pornography). And in the future, when Jesus returns in victorious power, God will free everyone from every kind of slavery.
Prayer
Ephesians 6:10–20
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 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. 13 Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Commentary
Victory over the devil’s schemes
Our battle is against ‘the triple alliance’, writes Raniero Cantalamessa. ‘The world, the flesh and the devil; the enemy around us, the enemy within us and the enemy above us.’
Relying on God’s victorious power does not mean that we are passive or inactive. Paul insists that, in order to win the battle, you need to take responsibility for your life and ‘be strong in the Lord’ (v.10).
We need to take action. Paul uses phrases like ‘put on’ (v.13a), ‘stand your ground’ (v.13b) and ‘stand firm’ (v.14). Be active, replacing bad habits with good habits. Paul outlines seven life-changing habits you should adopt:
Focus on the truth of Jesus
‘With a belt of truth buckled around your waist’ (v.14a).
Focus on truth of heart. Transparency and authenticity are the opposite of hypocrisy. We also need to focus on the truth of doctrine as revealed in Scripture. Both are personified in Jesus who said, ‘I am the truth’ (John 14:6).
Keep short accounts
‘With the breastplate of righteousness in place’ (Ephesians 6:14b).
Jesus died so that you might have the righteousness of God. When you fall, get up quickly. Keep in a right relationship with God and with others.
Get actively involved
‘With your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace’ (v.15).
Here Paul may have had a verse from our Old Testament reading for today in mind: ‘Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace!’ (Nahum 1:15). The devil hates the gospel – because it is God’s power to change lives.
Paul asked the Ephesian Christians to pray for him: ‘that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel’ (Ephesians 6:19).
Trust God in difficult times
‘In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one’ (v.16).
The arrows are such things as: false guilt, shame, doubt, disobedience, malice and fear.
Win the battle of the mind
‘Take the helmet of salvation’ (v.17a).
The battle is won or lost in our minds, so it is essential that we ‘take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Soak yourself in the word of God
‘The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God’ (Ephesians 6:17b).
Use the Bible when you are under attack, just as Jesus did when he was tempted in the desert (Matthew 4:1–11).
Keep praying
‘Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests’ (Ephesians 6:18)
Prayer is a powerful weapon. Mary Queen of Scots said, ‘I fear John Knox’s prayers more than an army of ten thousand men.’
Prayer
Nahum 1:7–15
7 The LORD is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him...
15 Look, there on the mountains,
the feet of one who brings good news,
who proclaims peace!
Celebrate your festivals, Judah,
and fulfil your vows.
No more will the wicked invade you;
they will be completely destroyed.
Commentary
Victory over the forces of evil
We all go through tough times. Jesus told us not to be surprised by trouble (John 16:33). But you are promised that you will be more than a conqueror through Christ who loves you (Romans 8:37).
Take comfort from the promises that God made to his people then, which are still applicable to us now: ‘God is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognises and welcomes anyone looking for help, no matter how desperate the trouble’ (Nahum 1:7, MSG).
Empires come and go. The British Empire once dominated the world. No longer. Likewise, the Roman Empire and every other Empire has come and gone.
At the time Nahum was writing, the Assyrian Empire dominated the world and seemed invincible. Yet shortly after the book of Nahum was written, in 612 BC, Ninevah, the proud capital of the Assyrian Empire, fell to the Babylonians and Medes.
Nahum assures the people of God, surrounded by powerful forces, that God is in command and no power on earth can stand against him (2:1–13). The message is: ‘Don’t admire or be intimidated by this enemy. They are going to be judged by the very same standards applied to us’ (Eugene Peterson).
The evil of Nineveh is described in chapter 3: ‘Doom to murder city – full of lies, bursting with loot, addicted to violence… luring nations to their ruin with your evil spells’ (3:1,4, MSG).
If the end of this earthly kingdom was ‘good news’ (1:15) bringing such relief and jubilation, how much more should the victory of Jesus over the spiritual forces of evil bring us relief and jubilation? You are still surrounded by enemies in the form of the world, the flesh and the devil, but with God on your side, you will ultimately see his victorious power.
Prayer
Pippa adds
Psalm 114:7–8
‘God... turned... the hard rock into springs of water.’
God can change any difficult situation into a place of fruitfulness.
Verse of the Day
Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him.
Thought for the Day
Seven life-changing habits:
- Focus on the truth of Jesus
- Keep short accounts
- Get actively involved
- Trust God in difficult times
- Win the battle of the mind
- Soak yourself in the word of God
- Keep praying
Action for the Day
Pray in the power of the Spirit for:
- Freedom over slavery
- Strength to take action against the devil’s schemes
- Victory over injustice
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References
No contemporary or systematic census of slave numbers is known; in the Empire, under-reporting of male slave numbers would have reduced the tax liabilities attached to their ownership. See Kyle Harper, Slavery in the Late Roman World, AD 275–425. Cambridge University Press, 2011, pp. 58–60, and footnote 150.
F.F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Galatians, (The New International Greek Testament Commentary) (William B Eerdmans Publishing Co., reprint edition, 2014) p.190.
Raniero Cantalamessa, Come Creator Spirit (Liturgical Press, 2002), p.187.
Eugene Peterson, The Message: 'Introduction to Nahum' (Navpress, 2004), p.1271.
The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel (commentary formerly known as Bible in One Year) ©Alpha International 2009. All Rights Reserved.
Compilation of daily Bible readings © Hodder & Stoughton Limited 1988. Published by Hodder & Stoughton Limited as the Bible in One Year.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.