We Need Each Other: To Watch Out For
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:4 (NIV)
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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 counterculture verse! In America 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.
Since September 11, 2001, Americans have been much more vigilant for each other as we are on the lookout for more terrorist attacks. But did you know you have an enemy far more destructive than terrorists? You have a personal enemy who wants to defeat you. His name is Satan. He wants to bring problems into your life, to ruin your relationships, and to hurt you as badly as he can.
Why does he want to hurt you? Because he wants to hurt God, but he can’t – 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 – 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 the 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 one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him” (NIV).
Remember: You can try, but you can’t live life well on your own. We all need other people – to walk with us, to work with us, and to watch out for us.
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© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America’s largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers. |
If I am understanding you correctly here, you are saying that I (I being any Christian) am not powereful enough to stand up to Satan, but I can choose some other human person to be my friend who IS more powerful than him?
Is it possible that each and every Christian easily whoops up on Satan due to the indwelling Holy Spirit?
I do understand your point about living in community, but I don’t know where the scriptural support is for your premise that others can defeat Satan for me. It sure didn’t pan out for Job too well.
Here’s a question that came to me this morning before I even read this post- Do you think that Satan knows who is saved and who isn’t?
I think the authors point is importance of a deep relationship with another brother, to the point of accountability. I don’t think it’s a matter of defeating Satan. It’s more about having victory over sin.
Your final question is an interesting one. I’m going to research that a little further.
…but don’t forget, God is victorious and, well, “if God be on our side, who can be against us? !!!”
In Victory, Eric
Because it’s about identity. We have a high price tag on our lives as Christians. Non Christians are right where Satan wants them to be. It may appear that they are coasting but really they are coasting right into hell. Christians are opposed because we are up against the kingdom of this world and releasing others from bondage
It’s about iron sharpening iron,so both are victorious. We did not defeat Satan, Jesus did! As being His, we are empowered by our relation and protected by His shed blood, and with others we are stronger. Live strong in Christ!