When The System Fails

This Independence Day - July 4, 2020 - I am reminded of a quote that says, “When the system fails, righteous men will rise up.” I was also lead to these related words from a devotional written by Billy Graham (Unto the Hills). May they stir in your heart as they do in mine.


“The Bible teaches that worldliness is a force, a spirit, an atmosphere of the cosmos that is in opposition and in contradiction to all that is godly and Christian. Its goal is selfish pleasure, material success, and the pride of life. It is ambitious, self-centered. God is not necessarily denied; He is just ignored and forgotten.


Three times Christ designated Satan as the prince of this world. He said, ‘The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). In John 16:11, He again said, ‘Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.’ In John 12:31, He said, ‘Now shall the prince of this world be cast out.’


Thus the Bible is clear that the world’s inhabitants are either under the influence of this world with its cunning, deception, and spell; or they are in Christ and under the direction of the Spirit of God. There is no neutral ground. The lines are drawn by the Bible.


Paul wrote to the Ephesians, ‘Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.... Even when we were dead in sins [God] hath quickened us together with Christ”p’ (2:2, 5).


Now the words ‘course of this world’ carry the meaning of current or flow. There is an undertow, a subtle current, which runs against and in contradiction to the will and the way of God. Its eddies are deep and treacherous. They are stirred and troubled by Satan and intended to trap and ensnare those who would walk godly in Christ Jesus.
Satan employs every device at his command to harass, tempt, thwart, and hurt the people of God. His attack is relentless. Paul wrote, ‘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’ (Ephesians 6:12).


However, the Christian is not left defenseless in this conflict. God provides the power to give us victory over Satan. Paul said, ‘We are more than conquerors through him that loved us’ (Romans 8:37). And John wrote, ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world’ (1 John 4:4).”


Oh yes indeed, greater is He! Just pause a moment in His Presence. Ponder His greatness and all that He is. If He is not all that to you, then make Him that today. And, be encouraged and emboldened by also calling to mind what was shared in another recent post dated July 2nd - 


We are holding a light. We are to let it shine. We are blowing a trumpet...we must keep sounding the alarm to those who are in danger. We are kindling a fire...we must keep our fire burning. We are striking with a hammer. The blows may seem only to jar our hands as we strike, but we are to keep on hammering. We have bread for a hungry world...we must keep on giving it, offering it to the souls of men. We have water for famishing people. We must keep standing and crying out, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters” (Isaiah 55:1). We must persevere. We must never give up. Keep using the Word. Jesus said that much of our seed will find good soil and spring up and bear fruit. We must be faithful witnesses.


Yes - the righteous must arise!


Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Frank Watson