To The Highlands

Here in Colorado it’s hunting season, and the critters are fleeing to the safety of the highlands. They’ve hidden there before. High up in the rocky crags and tangled forests, they are as far out of reach as they can get, making themselves the smallest target possible. In the highlands their chances of survival are greatly increased. When a storm pushes them lower, they’re far more at risk.

Do you ever feel targeted?

I think one of the enemy’s most tried and true tactics against the magnificent sons and daughters of God is to push—really push. When he is successful in moving us, the targets on our backs become huge and it’s open season for the guns of hell. You and I cannot help but feel it. Here’s what I mean.

To the targeted Colossians, Paul wrote: “22But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel…” (Colossians 1:22,23)

Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, you and I have been given His perfect righteousness and holiness (1 Cor 1:30), and it has become our own. It’s a staggering gift, worthy of touting far and wide-- "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." (1 Cor 1:31) Well, yeah!

Nothing can take His gift away from you, nothing can change the beauty of what it means for you—you’re in Christ, holy and faultless as you read this. That’s just a little bit good, isn’t it?

However, the goal of the devil is to move you away from knowing your gifted condition. He attempts to seduce you away from thinking about your security and confidence in Christ by firing accusations at you: “Look at you! Look what you’ve done—you’re no good at all.” “You haven’t read or prayed nearly enough—God’s not going to answer your prayers.” “You’ve done so many bad things that your life is destined to amount to nothing.”

Ever hear stuff like that? Of course! The Accuser himself has access to your thoughts through the flesh. King Jimmy has it right—“…the carnal mind is enmity against God.” (Rom 8:7 KJV) So what’s the devil trying to do? MOVE YOU! He’s trying to get you to move away “from the hope held out in the gospel…” Why? Because then you won’t be free from his accusations!

They’ll tear you apart!

Once you’ve been changed by God your condition with Him (holy and without blemish) can never be changed, but your susceptibility to Satan’s accusations can be changed. That’s the “if you continue in your faith” part of verse 23. Remaining “free from accusation” depends upon your movement.

When Satan can get you moved away from what God has already made of you through Christ, his accusations will find their target—you. Your hope, your joy and your demeanor will all sag because you’ve been hit, and Satan will keep on hitting. But when you run to the highlands, when you fix your thoughts and heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, (and in Him, you are, too!), then his horrid accusations will not find you—you’ll be living by faith. Since God birthed you all over again, that’s how you live!

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:1-4)

You know, all of heaven sees you. They see the real, actual son-of-God you. To those in heaven you look perfect—and they’re right. Take heaven’s view, and head to the highlands.