If we think of our military and the battles they face, the demons seem rather obvious. "Such is the case when it comes to the Christian life, we will either gain or lose ground. We will either win or lose. But we have to be involved in the spiritual battle. Spiritual pacifists will be knocked down, because the Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground", says author Greg Laurie.
It is up to us to fight the good fight of faith. So we need to suit up and learn the principles from God’s Word that teach us how to be more than conquerors in Jesus Christ. First, we need to put on the full armor of God as we engage in the spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:11 tells us, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”
The phrase “put on” carries the idea of doing something once and for all. It speaks of permanence. The full armor of God is not something we put on and then take off again. We are to keep it on all the time.
Second, we need to be aware of the fact that Satan is not the equal of God. The devil would like us to think that whatever God can do, he can do, as though they were two sides of the same force. Although Satan is a powerful spirit being, he is far from God’s equal. You see, God is omnipotent. God is omniscient. God is omnipresent. God can do anything that He wants to do, anywhere and anytime. Satan is none of those things. He has limitations as to what he can do.
Third, we need to realize that the devil will primarily attack us in the realm of the imagination. The apostle Paul mentioned this in 2 Corinthians 11:3: “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ”.
The devil knows that if he can get us to think about something, we are only a step away from actually doing it. He knows that our minds are “command central.” It is here that we reason. It is here that we remember. It is here that we dream. Our minds are the hard drive, the place where everything originates. Satan knows that it is only a short step from a thought to an act.
Last, we need to understand that the devil works with two very close allies: the world and the flesh. “The world” is the world system that is hostile toward God. It is living for personal gratification, our own will above all else. Then there is the flesh. When the Bible speaks of the flesh, it speaks more of the depraved, fallen human nature in which we are gratifying sensual appetites".
So when someone asks you next time, "how goes the battle? Simply reply "God is in control". And then trust that he is.
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| A great Perspective!!! |
I saw another intriguing piece from Upper Room today. Words of wisdom from years past. It's about dealing with the problems that we face in our world.....and the perspective we show.
"My great grandpa’s wrinkles deepen when he chuckles. His blue eyes reflect a schoolboy’s mischievous sense of humor. Nearly 100 years of living, through personal tragedies and historic disasters, has shaped my great-grandpa’s perspective.
He listens to my frustrations with an occasional nod. Great-grandpa’s response reflects gentleness that often comes with age. “Well . . .” signals his turn to talk. He pauses to complete his thought before putting it to words. My worries for the day will be fleeting thoughts, he assures me. He’s not minimizing my concerns; he just has a different perspective. His wisdom and peace of mind come from having always found God faithful.
Our Creator’s perspective goes back much farther than Great-grandpa’s. It didn’t start in 1913; God’s perspective has always existed; it’s eternal. God doesn’t minimize our struggles but sees them in light of eternity. God doesn’t minimize our pain but sees it in light of eternal glory. When we cannot understand why God isn’t working as we ask, scripture encourages us to trust".
Amen .
YGG,
John
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