lunch money
Once upon a time, the devil took everybody’s lunch money at school. Then one day there was a new kid, and everybody expected the devil to take his lunch money too. But he never did. He tried. That kid looked exactly like the other kids…no bigger, no tougher. But somehow he never got his lunch money taken.
Finally there was a showdown. Everybody knew the devil was coming after the new kid the next day. The new kid told his friends that the devil was coming, but had absolutely nothing in him. No leverage. No real threat, no real advantage. Sure enough, the devil came after him the next day with everything he had. There was a lot of blood. But when it was all said and done, the devil didn’t get his lunch money.
Then not long after that nobody saw the new kid at school anymore. But before leaving he gave all his friends the secret of never having to lose their lunch money again.
Years went by, and people constantly talked about the kid who got away without losing his lunch money. But for the most part, the devil still took everybody’s lunch money. Somehow the people who knew the secret forgot it; and instead started telling everybody that giving the devil your lunch money wasn’t really losing the fight.
Sound right?
No way, man! We have victory through that kid who never gave up his lunch money! Haha.
People talked about it and wrote about so people today still know what he had to say on the subject of lunch money. The devil can’t have my lunch money because it’s God’s!
Definitely. Speaks loud and clear. Checking myself to see whats in me.
furthermore, some kids told others that the devil never took their lunch money - knowing full well that he did everyday.. while other kids tried to sell the lunch money secret they never knew.. all the while, other kids argued whether or not that special kid ever even existed… but, one of the biggest distortions of the event is when most of the kids deceived themselves into thinking that getting your lunch money stolen is liberating, glamorous and even desirable.
Awesome analogy.
Wow Luke that’s a wild remix. And it all applies..
So specifically, in case anybody’s wondering - the lunch money being spoken of is this: a pure conscience. It’s white robes, the righteousness of the saints. It’s God’s living testimony in the earth that somebody actually loves his ways and would rather imitate him than the devil. It’s religiousness short-circuited and exposed: “God you really don’t desire sacrifice and offering, but I’ve come in the fullness of the book - to do your will.” It’s love that fulfills everything that God ever really wanted done anyway.
Jesus came with all of this, he lived in all of this, and he never once let it be taken from him. And we’ve got to decide: Jesus is either our superhero, or he’s our brother. He’s either our philosophical myth-ideal, or he’s living proof that the mortal tempt-able human body is created completely for the Lord.
So then…what’s the secret to never losing your lunch money?
I don’t know what answer you are lookin’ for cuz there’s depth involved. But the new kid said -
“…that the devil was coming, but had absolutely nothing in him. No leverage. No real threat, no real advantage.”
This is an amazing display of faith. The new kid has got some REAL faith. Inward faith. Is that the secret?
Transformation is the secret. God’s spirit in us, transforming us from glory to glory and love is the measure.
Yeah, there is a depth to it. There are so many things Jesus said and did in reference to this - seems like they’re all the answer. For instance, his interactions being tempted by the devil in the desert is a goldmine. Or things he said in the upper room the night before being crucified. Or things he said in Jerusalem when confronted by the Jews over his miracles or his teachings. There’s a pattern, a mindset, a matrix through which he experienced and spoke and responded to the attacks and pressures and temptations of life on this earth.
There is no single word that really captures it. Faith obviously played a huge part - Paul tells us it’s a shield against every single demonic attack. And since whatever is not of faith is sin, we know that Jesus never once moved outside of faith.
The entire book of Hebrews speaks clearly about never losing your lunch money. Chapter 1 puts the spotlight directly on Jesus. Chapter 2 tells us he is the captain of our salvation, and that his sanctification is our sanctification. Let me pause there for a second. Sanctification has almost become a modern buzzword for a stepwise process “giving the devil less and less lunch money every day.”
But how did Jesus experience sanctification while on earth?
Increase of purity. There is certainly a decrease of the flesh and I do not want to take anything away from that, but the mindset that has taken place is an increase of purity.
well, in a way.. the secret to never losing your lunch money is having a lunch card. wait, i’ll explain. you can’t earn righteousness and you certainly can’t buy it - (Eph. 2:7-8). however, the righteousness of God is made completely available to us through Messiah’s spectacular payment - (2 Cor. 5:21). Father sends us off to school with the assurance that He has taken care of everything - the lunch card. He will provide it all and we needn’t worry for any identity, righteousness, forgiveness, desire, or even physical need outside of Him - (Luke 11:13). there is nothing outside of Father but an empty cafeteria of messy tables, grimy floors and overflowing trashcans - (Eph. 2:12-22).
Luke you’ve got the analogy-dub stylee down..! Honestly though, I can’t say making it a card changes anything. The devil goes after lunch cards just the same as lunch money. His motivation isn’t spending your lunch money - it’s seeing you go hungry, it’s domination; it’s taking what Father gave you away from you. Bring either your lunch money or your lunch card over into the parable of the prodigal son, and I think you end up the same place. It’s possible to receive the free gift of God, the riches of heaven, the firstfruits of our inheritance - and then squander everything.
My point isn’t to make everybody feel bullied or helpless, or to make what the devil’s trying to do bigger than God’s purpose for your life. But I do want to point out that I think it’s pretty clear that Jesus went to school with a baseball bat.
Ha! Right on! I’ll make sure my bat is from Papa. I don’t know if I want the one from the store or one I carved up myself
Jesus went to school with a baseball bat, all right! He went with the Father! He only did what he SAW the Father doing. Nothing in Him. No different than others. However, different than the devil. Supreme good inhabiting him and confronting supreme evil. Perfect love casts out fear because fear has to do with punishment. Handing over the lunch money is because of fear of being bullied. It becomes accepted. We appease it for the sake of safety. We become slaves to it. However, Romans 8 says we now have a Spirit of Adoption where we cry “Abba Father!” Hebrews 2 speaks of God backing up Paul with “signs and wonders.” When we become available to Him, He becomes our ally against the enemy’s schemes. Our fight becomes His fight. Our strategy for victory is uttered by His voice. Our skill in battle is his prowess and offense. Just ask Abram. God made him and Lot a promise. In the midst of coming into the promised territory, many kings came against them and captured Lot. Abram pursued them all with the baseball bat of the promise spoken to Him from the very mouth of God. He defeated all-comers and rescued Lot.
This promise of the Father to Jesus, becoming the very Word of God so that man could be redeemed and gain the inheritance of the Father through the Son, is what he went to school with everyday. He operated fully human with the measure of the Father’s word to him and in him, only doing what the Father was doing. He sent out the disciples with what he had himself, ears, eyes and a mouth of proclamation. The Word of God is creative and destroys the works of the enemy. The Word of God is sharper than any two edged sword. In Hebrews 12 - it says, “an earthly father disciplines his child(ren) as he sees fit, so the FATHER of SPIRITS disciplines us for our certain good, that we may share in his holiness.”
Faith in that Word is important. But, faith is not all because faith without works is dead. The declaration of the word in faith, the emptying of the wellspring of life in you by faith in that Word, causes certain victory over the bully. The devil cannot be around the prescence of God who is Love. Love covers a multitude of sin. The mighty destruction of the enemy by The Father of Lights comes by us being obedient in matters of faith. Our treasures are then stored up in heaven secured by the father and the son. Untouchable and unattainable by the devil.
Word.
The way I see it is that Jesus gives us lunch rather than preserving our lunch money. I think that’s where the blood of Jesus comes into play (which is good).