"Standing Strong"

  • Derek Staples
  • | Jan 13, 2009

Dear Church Family,

In early November I began laying out the "Fresh Start" message series I am currently teaching. God directed my heart to Luke 4 and the temptations of Christ. As I began digging, studying, and praying through the text and all that God wanted me to say to you I began to feel enormous oppression by Satan. I am certain you have as well. The last thing our adversary wants is for God's people to really get serious about "being the church" and how our "real enemy" assaults our lives and targets us for destruction. That has always been his "MO" since the Garden. He masquerades himself, even as an "angel of light" in an all out effort to defeat Christians.

He lulls us to sleep so that we simply go through the motions of church. He wants us to live semi-committed Christian lives because he knows lukewarm believers will never experience the fresh breeze of God's mighty Spirit. He makes sin look attractive and he twists our thoughts so that we think we will never be happy in this life until we "take his bait." He twists the truth so that we fail to grasp the severity of James 1: 14-15: "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."

Paul warned the Ephesian elders in Acts 20: 27-32 "For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified."

For several weeks I have been preparing to unveil the reality of our enemy and his strategy. This past Sunday you and I threw away the blinders and dedicated ourselves to never be "ignorant of his designs." (II Cor. 2:11) Adrian Rogers reminds us the importance of being wise to his schemes: ""The Christian life is a life of war. It's not a playground for children, but a battleground for soldiers. The battle is relentless and ruthless. It finds us wherever we go. There is no escape. We cannot hide. There is no peace treaty to sign, no white flag to raise, no demilitarized zone. Every believer is enlisted and placed on the front lines."

I am writing this morning to ask you to fervently pray for me in these days. I so love being your shepherd. It is awesome! We have seen God move in some incredible ways lately. We have increased our worship attendance by at least 30% in the last few months. We have seen precious souls saved and added to the Kingdom. We have seen the power of God deliver lives "from the domain of darkness." Our enemy is fighting back! He will not quit! We must have our armor on and our prayer life intact!

Would you stop whatever you were doing and as soon as you finish reading this "Lob One Up for Me, Our Staff, and Our Church Family!" Like me I am sure you have felt his attacks from so many fronts lately. I am convinced he is working overtime to squelch the power of God in our midst. We must remember: "Greater is HE that is in us than he that is in the world." (I John 4:4)

Together, let us stand strong when Satan attacks! Pray hard! Stand strong! Think Biblically! Speak truthfully! Love continually! Serve faithfully!


Standing Strong,


Dr. Derek