One Perfect Thrust

Journey to the Celestial City #34. In our continuing look at John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," today we find the man, Christian, having been weakened by his adversary's assault, Apollyon now moves to finish him off. A wrestling match ensues. Blows are thrown. Christian is felled and loses his sword. Apollyon presses in for the kill. All is despair. But wait. As the King of Glory would have it, the good man reaches out in a last desperate grasp for his sword, snatches it and with one perfect thrust turns back the fiend. Mortally wounded, Apollyon slides away (until another more opportune time?). And the devil would have us to lose our grip on the Word of God lest we use it against him. And if he can get it out of our hand, our head and our heart, he has us to dispose of. What place in your life do the Scriptures hold? Are you reading, memorizing, meditating and applying them? If you are, then Satan doesn't have a chance. "Again, the devil took Him (Jesus) to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, 'All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Go, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only."' Then the devil left Him." (Matthew 4:8-11a) More to come in the next blog post. Check back soon. (To read this entire blog post series, scroll down to "Pilgrim's Progress Series" in the left sidebar.) pp 52