Hidden in Christ

June 14, 2018

“You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6;11).

“Your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8.

Last night’s evangelist had a knack for tying Scriptures together to bring out truth in such a way that it takes root and grows. He talked about a favorite topic of mine—our identity in Christ. So often, we let other people, our own inaccurate self-perceptions, or the devil himself, tell us who we are. “You are too fat, too skinny, too stupid, too lazy, the wrong race, the wrong sex, too ugly”...the list goes on and on. We are who God says we are, redeemed by the blood of Christ, bought with a price, owned by the One who loves us best. We are forgiven and being made holy in Christ. 

Paul tells us that we are hidden with Christ in God. Hidden. Mark that word. He tells us in Ephesians to put on the armor of God...all of it. And he never tells us to take it off. We hide behind armor. Remember that. Lastly, Peter tells us that the devil is looking for us. Why is he looking? Because we are hidden with Christ in God. As long as we remain in him, hidden behind his armor, the devil cannot find us. He looks and looks, but we are hidden from him. The only way he can find us is if we take off the armor and step out of our hiding place in God.

These Scriptures strung together made a lot of sense to me; I’ve been thanking God all day long because of the truth contained here. The devil can only find me if I choose to put down the armor and step out of my hiding place in Christ. I think I’ll just stay where I am, where he can’t find me.