9/11 every day

October 4, 2006

By Gary Rogers

Most of us can remember where we were, what we were doing and who was with us as we received the life-shaking news of the 9/11 attacks. That Tuesday was my day off from office hours. It was a beautiful, clear, cool September morning. We received a call to turn on the TV and there was the unbelievable reality of America under attack.

For many of us that day will be forever etched in our memories.

The events of that tragic day were a clear communication to us that we are not untouchable. It has been a source of pride for us Americans to be called the most powerful nation on the planet. Our president is referred to as the most powerful man on earth. Our military is called the most sophisticated fighting machine, more powerful than any opposing force. Our technology, intelligence, networking, financial structure and resources are each able to compete with any world power.

But on 9/11 we were humbled. A handful of terrorists, driven by an insane, misguided conception of god, were able to kill thousands of Americans in just a few minutes. We were humiliated. Our pride and arrogance made us vulnerable to the enemy’s attack. We either believed no one could possibly carry out such a horrendous act, or we believed we could prevent that terrible act from taking place.

The same principles apply to our spiritual lives. We have an enemy who has targeted us for destruction. He wants to destroy our faith, allegiance, devotion, and dedication to Jesus. He wants to find our weakness and exploit it. Be it a temper ready to explode, a struggling marriage ripe for an affair, weak faith susceptible to lies of unbelief, or an integrity flaw about to break through restraint — our enemy is willing to use whatever tactic possible to bring us down.

We must kill spiritual arrogance. We are not untouchable. Our enemy is willing to drive us to the most horrendous acts possible. But we do have help.

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4, NKJV).

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:12,13).

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4,5).

Let’s be prepared for the enemy’s attack, and make it a day he remembers as one of his greatest defeats.

Gary Rogers is senior pastor of First Assembly of God in Coweta, Okla.