FriendshipSample

Tuesday: Threats to Biblical Friendship

SOAP: Ephesians 6:12

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

Devotion:

We can guard ourselves against false friends, but we also need to remember who our real enemy is. There are people in our lives who will try to create dissension and division, but they are not the enemy—they are broken and sinful people just like us. The real battle is against the spiritual forces of evil in the world. God protects us and fights for us, but the ongoing spiritual battle continues to influence our lives. One of the ways it manifests itself is in our relationships. 

The nation of Israel often had physical enemies to fight, but our struggle is not against people. Our battle is against the very real power of Satan. When we fight for peace and justice in our communities, we can easily make people out to be our ultimate enemy. This allows us to justify anything we need to do to defeat them, including sin. Instead, we should seek reconciliation and redemption for those who have wronged us, even while they face consequences for their actions. 

Prayer:

God, help me remember who the real enemy is. Protect me, God, from the forces of evil still operating in the world. Give me opportunities to show love to the friends who have hurt me, and to show them Your redemptive love. Amen.