Community Is God’s Answer to Defeat
By Rick Warren
“In humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
Each one of us needs other people to watch out for us—to defend us, protect us, and help us stay on track. In the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul tells us that we should look out for each other’s interests, not just our own. What a countercultural verse! In many cultures today, it’s all about me—my needs, my interests, my wants, and my ambitions. But Paul teaches us to look out for others too.
Many of us are aware of the physical dangers that sometimes threaten us and the people around us, but did you know that you have a spiritual enemy too—one that’s far more destructive than any human? His name is Satan, and he wants to defeat you. He wants to bring problems into your life, ruin your relationships, and hurt you as badly as he can.
Why does he want to hurt you? Because he wants to hurt God, but he can’t, and so he goes after God’s children. On your own, you will never win against Satan. But when you have other people to watch out for you and help you, you can be victorious.
Here’s good advice from Ecclesiastes 4:12: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves” (NIV).
Does anyone have your back? Is anyone defending you and watching out for your spiritual welfare? You need a community of people who are saying to you: “We’ll be with you when you’re going through tough times. We’re not going to let you get discouraged or depressed.”
Community is God’s answer to defeat. Ecclesiastes 4:10 says, “If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (NIV).
Remember: You can try, but you can’t live life well on your own. We all need other people to walk with us, work with us, and watch out for us.
You don’t have to watch your back because you have God’s family all around you. When you depend on them, you’ll stand firm in faith and truth.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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