Use the Right Sensors

This is the eight in a series of articles on Truth as a part of the Armor of God.

Various kinds of equipment are installed in an airplane and used to determine its status. Airspeed, altitude, direction, and engine performance are just a few pieces of information provided by sensors. These sensors are used by the automatic landing system to stabilize and guide the airplane as it flies toward the aircraft carrier. If the sensors are ignored, the airplane would fly along without any knowledge of where it was, or how it was performing. It could fly upside down and the pilot would not even know it.

Various sensors are available to us in our relationship with Jesus Christ that we need to use to give us stability in our walk with Him. Paul talked about several sensors in Colossians 3:15-17 when he said: “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”

First, we must “let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts”. The Amplified Bible explains the word “rule” with the phrase “to act as umpire continually”. This means we are to use the peace of Jesus Christ to evaluate our actions. If we act in a manner which does not leave us harmonious in our relationships with Jesus Christ and others, or if we are not at peace about it, then this sensor ought to alert us to the problem.

Second, we need to “let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.” The word “fill” here can also be translated “have its home in”. The word of Jesus Christ needs to have its home in our hearts and minds in order for us to grow in our faith. If we want His word to have its home in us, then we need to spend time in it, and use it as a significant sensor to guide our lives. No one should attempt to fly an F-14 Tomcat until they have received proper training and instruction. The Bible is our inspired instruction manual for living, and we should be using it as the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16, “to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”

Third, “and whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus.” Our actions need to honor the name of the Jesus Christ. When we make Him lord of our life, then we must proclaim His name and visibly demonstrate our servitude to Him! If what we are doing does not give glory to Him, then this sensor should alert us that our actions are not lined up with His course for our life. We must honor His name because as it says in Philippians 2:9-11, “God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Finally, we need to be thankful! It is interesting that in Colossians 3:15-17 Paul exhorted us to be thankful three separate times; once with each of the three sensors we have just discussed. Thankfulness then must be very important to having a stable walk with our Lord! Thankfulness is as important to our walk with Jesus Christ as the engines are to that 60,000-pound F-14 Tomcat I flew. It would fall out of the sky like a rock if the engines ever stopped. Likewise, our relationship with Jesus Christ would certainly falter if we developed engine trouble because of an unthankful attitude.

Are you a thankful person? Does the peace of Jesus Christ rule in your heart? Does His word richly dwell within your heart and mind? Do you proclaim His name in all that you say and do? If you can’t honestly answer yes to all these questions, then your life is probably lacking real purpose and stability. You need to lock onto Jesus Christ as lord of your life, apply the right kind of feedback, and use His sensors in developing a stronger relationship with Him; shaken not stirred.

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All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.