Psalms 1 & 2
During the short time that Jesus Christ walked this Earth as a minister He taught us everything that we will ever need to know. When it comes to spiritual warfare, He taught us that the weapons and armor that is available to us is found in the Word of God. Ephesians discusses them in detail but throughout the New Testament we find examples of how they are to be successfully used starting with Jesus using them while Satan was tempting Him. It is there, in Matthew that we find His example, His leading, of defeating the enemy. Knowing the Word is good. But only when we SPEAK the Word does it have any power against evil.
The Psalms, more than any other book of the Bible, is used in the New Testament as weaponry. Some say that those are only examples from 2000 years ago and hold no real value in life today. I couldn't disagree more. If you've checked out the "Five Lies" section on this page then you know that one of Satans tricks is to convince you that we have no real relationship with God. Instead our enemy tries to tell us that He doesn't care about us sinners. That IF we were good enough to measure up to His standards He might have a spark of appreciation for us; but we will never measure up so don't even count on that.
But what does the Bible say? Paul tells us to stand confidently, fitted with the breastplate of righteousness. Righteousness is one of those fancy Christian words that gets used a lot even though many don't understand it. It doesn't have anything to do with behavior or attitude or an "I'm better or more holy that you" chip on your shoulder. To be righteous simply means to be in right standing before God. It is not doing good or being a good person or even attending church. God declares us righteous because we are His children. He declares us righteous because Jesus removed our sins so that God sees us as holy and unblemished.
During the very beginning of the church as Paul was on his missionary journeys it was common for him to preach in the synagogs. Often what he found were people that new God but were weighed down by the impossibility of the Law. They, and now us, fall short of the glory of God. In Acts 13 Paul is visiting and was asked if he had any encouragement for them or a way to relieve the burden. What he tells them is that the Messiah has come. That the old system of sin/sacrifice/repent is gone and is replaced by a much better more powerful covenant. One in which we become the righteous, sinless children of God who may now have a relationship. Paul quotes Psalms 2:7 to establish the relationship between Jesus and Father God saying
"You are my Son;
today I have become your father."
And it is exactly that relationship that Christ allows us to have. It is because we are brothers in Christ and children of God that we can use scripture to defend ourselves in a brutal world. When we can hold on to our identity, not only who we are but also whose we are, with verses like this that empower us to celebrate in triumph. It is the Word of God in us that enables us to be unsheathed.
The Psalms, more than any other book of the Bible, is used in the New Testament as weaponry. Some say that those are only examples from 2000 years ago and hold no real value in life today. I couldn't disagree more. If you've checked out the "Five Lies" section on this page then you know that one of Satans tricks is to convince you that we have no real relationship with God. Instead our enemy tries to tell us that He doesn't care about us sinners. That IF we were good enough to measure up to His standards He might have a spark of appreciation for us; but we will never measure up so don't even count on that.
But what does the Bible say? Paul tells us to stand confidently, fitted with the breastplate of righteousness. Righteousness is one of those fancy Christian words that gets used a lot even though many don't understand it. It doesn't have anything to do with behavior or attitude or an "I'm better or more holy that you" chip on your shoulder. To be righteous simply means to be in right standing before God. It is not doing good or being a good person or even attending church. God declares us righteous because we are His children. He declares us righteous because Jesus removed our sins so that God sees us as holy and unblemished.
During the very beginning of the church as Paul was on his missionary journeys it was common for him to preach in the synagogs. Often what he found were people that new God but were weighed down by the impossibility of the Law. They, and now us, fall short of the glory of God. In Acts 13 Paul is visiting and was asked if he had any encouragement for them or a way to relieve the burden. What he tells them is that the Messiah has come. That the old system of sin/sacrifice/repent is gone and is replaced by a much better more powerful covenant. One in which we become the righteous, sinless children of God who may now have a relationship. Paul quotes Psalms 2:7 to establish the relationship between Jesus and Father God saying
"You are my Son;
today I have become your father."
And it is exactly that relationship that Christ allows us to have. It is because we are brothers in Christ and children of God that we can use scripture to defend ourselves in a brutal world. When we can hold on to our identity, not only who we are but also whose we are, with verses like this that empower us to celebrate in triumph. It is the Word of God in us that enables us to be unsheathed.