Fighting Fire

Ephesians 6:10  

“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength”

It’s a rookie mistake to be on the wrong channel on the radio and not being able to receive the Chief’s commands. We have to know God’s Word and be committed to listening to the wisdom that He gives us.

When you have a direct communication to the Chief, trust His Words.

In Matthew 4, we read of the time that Jesus is tempted directly by Satan himself. Watch how Jesus responds to every temptation:

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

Matthew 4

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

    and they will lift you up in their hands,

    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Every temptation that the Devil throws at Jesus is countered by Jesus quoting Scripture. Jesus knows God’s commands and they are the thing that keeps Him focused.

We must counter lies and temptation with God’s Word.

On the fire scene, the Chief is usually positioned in a location that gives Him a better overall view.

He’s done a walkaround so He knows where the danger lies.  His perspective is so much better than the firefighter on the ground.

Stop trusting in your own limited perspective. You don’t have the bigger picture. If you only knew what God saves you from on a daily basis, you’d never doubt Him again.

Commit to learning God’s Word and become comfortable following it. SOG’s are no good if they’re not known or followed. The Chief’s experience, perspective, and knowledge are worthless if His commands aren’t known.

Psalm 119:11  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Debrief:

1. Having a game plan before any situation is very wise. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your readiness to face temptation, doubts, struggles, or anxiety because of your confidence in knowing the Bible?
2. How has being obedient to God’s Word saved you from making a terrible decision in the past?
3. Is there a situation you’re facing now that you realize that maybe you should seek what God has to say about it in Scripture?

Report to the Chief:

Spend a few minutes in prayer committing in prayer to the Lord that you’re going to seek first His instructions regarding life’s situations. Ask Him for help memorizing Scripture or reminding you to search out what He has to say about your situation.

Feedback

Please use the comments below to give me some feedback. What could have made this post more powerful in your life? Anything not make sense or flow well? Any comments to make it more faithful to Scripture? Is the metaphor clear and appropriate, or is it cheesy?