Jesus Is My Convoy

A Puritan minister born in 1627, George Swinnock is quoted as having said, “Satan watches for those vessels that sail without convoy.” Every Christian should take heed of this warning. There are places in this world where one would never think to travel alone for fear of being attacked by criminals or worse. The Christian ought to think of every place that he or she travels as a place where Satan might attack.

Always travel with a convoy so that Satan might not catch you off guard and successfully attack. There are several important means of traveling by convoy.

First, become part of a Christian congregation. Don’t just attend Sunday services or join in name only. Really become part of the church congregation. Befriend other Christians so that you might encourage and uphold one another. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12.

Second, seek out Christians to befriend outside your local congregation. These may be at work, at school, or in an online community. I have several Christian friends at work and have also befriended a number of fellow Christian bloggers. These connections help me to be encouraged when I need it so that I can ward off any attacks by the evil one.

Third, never forget that Jesus is with you. His Holy Spirit lives in the heart of every believer. As long as we travel with Him, and don’t leave Him in our Sunday pew or on the reading table at home with our Bibles, then we have our convoy. Although Jesus could not be in all places when He was physically upon the earth during His ministry, the Holy Spirit can be with all believers at all times as part of our protective convoy. Jesus told His disciples (including you and me):

But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. John 16:7-15.

Those who travel alone are easy targets for Satan. Although he has been defeated as far as the Christian is concerned, for the nonbeliever Satan is still “the prince of this world.” Those who believe they can make the best of this life in their own power and on their own merit, without the benefit of a Holy convoy, are subject to his attacks. Those attacks may be subtle, and often they are, but they lead to death and destruction nonetheless.

A number of  years ago I made the decision to never travel alone. I came to understand that I could not safely reach the destination I desired on my own. As far as I am concerned, “the prince of this world now stands condemned” and has been defeated. Satan may still try to attack, but his attacks are not successful. I have made the decision to travel in convoy with the Spirit of the Living God. How about you? Is Jesus your convoy?