The Matterhorn from Zermatt – Switzerland 🇨🇭 | Photo by Sennai Senna (@sennarelax on IG)
I’m not a rock climber, but I know several guys who are really into it. Recently I watched a video that my friend, Casey, posted. He just climbed the Matterhorn! Have you ever seen the Matterhorn? Located on the border of Italy and Switzerland, this incredible pyramid-shaped mountain soars to a height of 14,692′ and is one of the more famous mountains in the world. Normally it takes 5-6 hours to reach the top but he said that he and his guide reached it in a little over 3. That got me thinking about a recent message by Bob Deering.
- A toehold is defined, quite literally, as “a foothold just small enough to support the toe.” By extension, it means, “any small advantage which allows one to make significant progress; a relatively insignificant position from which future progress might be made.”
- A foothold is defined as “a place where a person’s foot can be lodged to support them securely. A secure position from which further progress may be made.”
- A stronghold is a “fortified place, of security, a place dominated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic.”
Bob was talking about the dangers of allowing passivity in our life. Passivity happens when we give away ground and open doors to compromising opportunities. What does it mean to give away ground? It’s like erosion on the creek bank. It rains and the water rises and takes a small piece of the bank with it because it is soft and grassy, with no rocks or trees to anchor it. A couple years and a few floods go by and you realize that 15′ of your land along the creek is just gone. We do this in our lives — often by a lot of little compromises and giving up good convictions that we once held strongly.
Solomon talks about catching little foxes (Songs 2:15). Essentially he is saying, don’t allow the enemy to get a toehold in your life. The toehold is something that seems like an insignificant position, but it is the first step toward more substantial progress. Once the enemy established that initial toehold, he moves upward to a foothold. The foothold is where you can really rest your full weight in a secure position. So what started out as a seemingly inconsequential compromise can lead to a stronghold — a fortified place. Bob said, “Giving the enemy an opportunity is essentially marking off a portion of our hearts, minds, emotions, or body and allowing the enemy to traffic in that area. He will not hesitate to take advantage of it. The degree of the [continued] invasion will be determined by the degree of the stronghold.”
It’s easy to look at the “big sins” and say, “I am doing pretty well because I am not doing [ insert big sin here ].” Then I can sing the “break the chains” song and think I am good to go. Except for the fact that I am still bound by high-test fishing line that no one can really see, but there is enough wrapped around my arms and legs to keep me from walking in freedom. Behind closed doors we often open up something that the enemy is able to traffic in. “Small sins” yield territory. Little by little it erodes my will, and becomes a stronghold. If I tolerate the foxes, I allow the enemy territory in my life.
Often we have given the enemy toeholds and footholds and he’s made himself comfortable in a stronghold. We might look at it looming above us like The Matterhorn — something we believe we won’t ever conquer. In Matthew 21:21-22, Jesus said, “If you embrace this kingdom life and don’t doubt God, you’ll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you’ll tell, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it will jump. Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God.”
Take hold my friends. The battle has already been won and the enemy is defeated. But that doesn’t mean he won’t try and take you out on his way down. Wear your armour (Ephesians 6) and don’t waste your time playing around with the world (toeholds). Ephesians 5:13-16 says, “Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ. Wake up from your sleep, climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light! So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!”
So, in short (TL/DR): eradicate passivity by pursuing righteous living (James 1:27), by not wasting time on the world’s empty deception (Ephesians 5:13-16), and by rooting out the lies of the enemy (Romans 12:1-2) so that strongholds will be destroyed and mountains chucked into the ocean!
Wow! What an amazing point. It is strange how deception can make some sin look so attractive and insignificant. But the reality is that sin is always sin and disobedience toward God.
I’ve been thinking about church discipline and accountability from other believers quite a bit lately. Where has it gone? Is love not surrounding your brothers and sisters and sharpening them? When the bible talks about iron sharpening iron I think people forget that it is extremely rough. But it is essential!
I have some stuff that’s been on my mind and I’m going to share it
If we truly loved our brothers and sisters, we would hold them to the word of God in humility and genuine love. As any soilder, you are expected to come through for your brother in the heat of battle. And as a believer, we are not called to comfort and easy relationship! We are called to suffer, to go, and to shine brightly for the glory of Jesus.
The enemy has a foothold in our lives when we give up on other believers because it’s hard. How can marriages, friendships, and families reflect the glory of God and remain unspotted from a filthy world without the church? Or even more, without the holy spirit? How can we forget the living God’s presence within us? I am so guilty and ashamed that I have forgotten Him at times.
So what is the church? A body of believers who work together toward loving God, bringing glory to His Name, and spreading the Word. Notice I did not say, a building with padded chairs. I did not say, a place to feed our ego and talk about the weather. Have we really become so narcissistic, passive, and decieved that we have forgotten who He is?
He is worthy of every breath we could ever breathe. So incredibly in love with us, and merciful. He has offered us eternal life. We have NOTHING that can stand against us! And what will we do with this hope? Hide it? Walk in and out of the church building and not help our brothers in need? When is the last time that we actually sat down and shared the gospel with an unbeliever? Is this really living in us?
I’m trying to understand why we are sitting by and letting the enemy make us so ineffective. What good is salt if it has lost it’s taste? What good is a light if we hide it under a bowl?
So what do we do brothers and sisters? Return to our first love.
In revelation two Jesus is talking to the church of Ephesus about how they go through the right motions and they seem to be right in people’s eyes, but they lost their passion for Him. He says,” I wish that you would abandon that and return to the love you had before.”
We immediately think, “I was so wrong about so many things and I didn’t really accomplish much.” That may be true, but God desires your heart FAR beyond any works. They are like filthy rags to Him.
I’ve been so caught up in gaining knowledge amd I’ve become puffed up and arrogant. Too concerned about my own appearance and offending others that I have forgotten that there are BILLIONS of people who are separated and will be separated from an eternal loving God. And I have hope within me that could save someone. I can share this with others.
He’s so deserving of it! Can I really justify this because you know, “I’m young and I need to get my life together first”. No! That’s totally what the enemy wants is to keep me where I’m at. I’m not submitting, I’m not on my knees before Him everyday, and I’m not loving my brother as much as I can. I NEED Him every hour. And there are thousands of believers around us that need prayer and support. I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else to stand up for the truth.
Jesus Christ alone is my aim. For all the world, God gave His only son that we would be with Him forever. We cannot wait any longer to share this hope, to the love the Lord our God with all our heart soul and mind. That means your money, job, family, marriage, and personal time should reflect the fact that you are madly in love with God. And you should look ridiculous to people.
Like Josh said, we need to wear our armor. We can’t fill our mind with garbage and expect to look like Christ. This is a war, and He has won. But until the day we die, we must crucify the flesh and stand by our brothers and love them as we love ourselves.
To God be all praise, glory, and honor.