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"SHEEP IN THE MIDST OF WOLVES" "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16)What a strange picture Jesus painted for us in that verse! Sheep charging in among wolves. Isn’t it usually the other way around?Yes, but Jesus reveals the supernatural power of His Kingdom by putting His children (His sheep) on the offensive. If you usually think only of Christians as being the persecuted, the martyrs, the helpless, well, think again. Christians, when they are persecuted, are suffering because they are storming in among the wolves to fulfill their Shepherd’s calling. The gates of Hell itself, Jesus told His disciples, will not be able to withstand the onslaught of His faithful Church (Matthew 16:18).We are promised victory, not defeat, in this unlikely struggle of sheep against the wolves. Yet, Jesus also warns that we are not to be careless or reckless in our behavior. Our effective witnessing will only bring forth fruit that remains when we are behaving with the wisdom and cunning of serpents, while maintaining the warmth and gentleness of doves.Notice also here, that we are not given a choice as to whether or not to engage the enemy. Jesus says, “I send you.” Neither are we given a choice of methods. Our weapons are wisdom and gentleness, not ignorance or force.Our mission, by the world's standards, is a unique one. We are to charge into this wicked world as His sheep on the offensive against wolves, and our weapons will not be tooth or claw, but wisdom coupled with kindness. Friends, our Saviour doesn't want fans, He wants followers. Those who follow the Shepherd are engaged every day in a fight against Satan's wolves. And yes, we are promised an OVERWHELMING victory, Paul summed up the whole shebang of a Christian's faith and fight like this: "Nay, in all these things, for we are MORE than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8:37)