Today, you are in a war. Today, the battle intensifies. To some reading this you know what I'm talking about. You can feel it; you can sense it and sometimes the burden seems so heavy to bear. Yet for others, the war seems distant. Nonexistent. The day is bright and full of hope. Seize the day! Seize the day you must and you will. But, deep inside your heart of hearts you know to never become too comfortable. Too arrogant; too cocky. You know that the adversary is still out there. Looking to see who he can devour. You can never take off the armor that you have been equipped with, for in the one moment you do, the attack comes when you are vulnerable. When you are not expecting.
There are many who would downplay the battles that are fought in the spiritual realm. After all, you usually can't see them with natural vision. What you can't see must not be there. Right? Well, that's what the enemy wants you to believe. The truth is, though, satan wants to take you out. He will try anyway he can and he doesn't have a rule book that he follows. Some of his victims are easier than others. Some are convinced that there is no God; that there is no Jesus that died for the people. Their eyes can become so blinded and their hearts so hardened that the devil never had it so easy. He will often just leave that person alone.
Others may be a bit more difficult. They live good lives, go to church, believe in God and even acknowledge that Jesus is God's son. But that's where it ends. Once church is over, it's back to "normal" for the week. They might pick up the Bible for a few minutes here or there and may even pray once in a while before a meal or going to bed. But, when it really comes to sharing the Gospel or advancing the Kingdom, well, somebody else will do that. Or that's what the pastor is paid to do. No real threat to the enemy, either.
Ah, but then you have the Kingdom Warriors. Those who desire to think and act like Jesus. Always putting others first, looking for someone to pray for, or looking for ways to leak out the Kingdom in dark places. The Kingdom minded, the disciple of Jesus. Hungering and thirsting after God's Word and the power of the Holy Spirit, not for selfish gain, but for Kingdom's gain. This is the one who understands the authority to punch holes into the darkness, but this is also the one who scares the enemy most. This is the one who brings fear into the enemy camp and sometimes fear causes the enemy to react violently.
It is my prayer that we all become Kingdom Warriors. If you were described most in the earlier paragraphs, I am not wanting to make you feel bad today. Instead, I mean to encourage you to step up to the next level with God. There is nothing that compares to the excitement of living out a great adventure, of overcoming evil with good, of taking up the sword daily. It is incredible to live knowing that the King we serve gives us the strength and authority to push back the kingdom of darkness. We really are equipped with a sword. The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, which is powerful, living and sharper than any other. One that can divide even soul and spirit; joints and marrow and even the intentions of the heart. (See Hebrews 4:12)
KINGDOM WARRIOR, be encouraged. When you find yourself in the middle of the battle stand firm. Keep a sharp eye. When satan releases any spirit or demon from the pit of hell, it cannot overpower the KING you serve nor the sword you carry. Sometimes the battle does want to make one weary, but hold the line, stand fast, resist. Defend the ways of God! Defend the Kingdom and defend His church. You have the crown of life. You hold the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven and remember, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven. (Matthew 16:19.)
In my life I often see the results when people lose all hope. Over the last couple of years I have seen way too many lives snuffed out by drug overdoses and even suicide. When people become desperate from hopelessness there is no telling how far they can be pushed. There are a lot of hopeless people in the world right now searching for answers, searching for hope, searching for truth. The follower of Jesus needs to be ready. For people that are lost and losing hope, we may just be their end of the line. A last hope, a last chance to speak life into a life that has grown dim. We need to be kingdom men and kingdom women.
This might be a good time to find a copy of the movie "Gettysburg" and watch how Col. Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine held the line on Little Round Top. A hold that arguably could be the one that changed the course of the entire war. I love Chamberlain's charge to his men:
The 83rd Pennsylvania, 44th New York, and the 16th Michigan will be moving in to our right. But if you look left; you will see that there is no one there. Because we're the end of the line. The Union army stops here. We are the flank. Do you understand, gentlemen? We cannot retreat. We cannot withdraw. We are going to have to be stubborn today. So, put the boys in position, tell them to stay down. Pile the rocks up high for the best protection you can. I want the reserve pulled back about 20 yards. It is sloping ground, good ground. If you have any breakthroughs, men wounded, a hole in the line, you plug it with the reserve...............The reb army is going to swing around. It'll come up through that notch right over there. It'll move under the cover of trees, trying to get around the flank. And gentlemen............we are the flank. Gentlemen, God go with you."
That is my favorite scene in that movie and that quote is taken directly from the it. I love to parallel that event with who you and I are in the Kingdom of God. You see, satan wants to destroy the things of God that we experience in this world. He wants to destroy lives. He wants to destroy the church. So many things have been turned upside down in the world when it comes to the values of God. Just as the 20th Maine changed history, so God has chosen you and me to change the course of direction in the nation in which we live. We are to "hold the line" and defend the things of God. The Bible might not use the exact words, "hold the line," but it is pretty close. "Hold fast what is good," is the way it is worded in 1 Thessalonians 5:21. It is up to us to defend and strengthen the bride of Christ.....the church. Nobody else will. I am ready for the challenge. I look forward to it. Will you be joining me?
And be encouraged for goodness sake. Yes, we "do wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age.......,"but we also get to live and play in the Kingdom. We get to rejoice in the victories won, we get to laugh, be filled with joy, and love on each other. Simply make sure you dress daily with the full armor of God and you'll find that most of your time is spent just living each day, enjoying each day, being blessed each day and maybe most importantly, a chance to be a blessing to someone else each day. It's just that when the harder tests and battles come that you'll be ready to withstand the fight. With God, and Jesus in your heart, it really isn't all that difficult. At least when you are equipped daily. The best part? We get to do the stuff. We get to follow the instructions of Jesus! "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers (diseased), raise the dead, (yes, there are many accounts of this happening in the world), and cast out demons." (Believe me when you have the Holy Spirit even they are nothing to fear). Those are my words in parenthesis of course, the others belong to Jesus, but just to be on the safe side, read Matthew 10:7-8! Remember, after all freely we have received, freely we need to give to others what we now have.
Rest well, my friend. You are in my prayers.
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4, NIV)
"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13, NKJV)
"Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophesies. Test all things; HOLD FAST WHAT IS GOOD. Abstain from every evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22, NKJV)
There are many who would downplay the battles that are fought in the spiritual realm. After all, you usually can't see them with natural vision. What you can't see must not be there. Right? Well, that's what the enemy wants you to believe. The truth is, though, satan wants to take you out. He will try anyway he can and he doesn't have a rule book that he follows. Some of his victims are easier than others. Some are convinced that there is no God; that there is no Jesus that died for the people. Their eyes can become so blinded and their hearts so hardened that the devil never had it so easy. He will often just leave that person alone.
Others may be a bit more difficult. They live good lives, go to church, believe in God and even acknowledge that Jesus is God's son. But that's where it ends. Once church is over, it's back to "normal" for the week. They might pick up the Bible for a few minutes here or there and may even pray once in a while before a meal or going to bed. But, when it really comes to sharing the Gospel or advancing the Kingdom, well, somebody else will do that. Or that's what the pastor is paid to do. No real threat to the enemy, either.
Ah, but then you have the Kingdom Warriors. Those who desire to think and act like Jesus. Always putting others first, looking for someone to pray for, or looking for ways to leak out the Kingdom in dark places. The Kingdom minded, the disciple of Jesus. Hungering and thirsting after God's Word and the power of the Holy Spirit, not for selfish gain, but for Kingdom's gain. This is the one who understands the authority to punch holes into the darkness, but this is also the one who scares the enemy most. This is the one who brings fear into the enemy camp and sometimes fear causes the enemy to react violently.
It is my prayer that we all become Kingdom Warriors. If you were described most in the earlier paragraphs, I am not wanting to make you feel bad today. Instead, I mean to encourage you to step up to the next level with God. There is nothing that compares to the excitement of living out a great adventure, of overcoming evil with good, of taking up the sword daily. It is incredible to live knowing that the King we serve gives us the strength and authority to push back the kingdom of darkness. We really are equipped with a sword. The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, which is powerful, living and sharper than any other. One that can divide even soul and spirit; joints and marrow and even the intentions of the heart. (See Hebrews 4:12)
KINGDOM WARRIOR, be encouraged. When you find yourself in the middle of the battle stand firm. Keep a sharp eye. When satan releases any spirit or demon from the pit of hell, it cannot overpower the KING you serve nor the sword you carry. Sometimes the battle does want to make one weary, but hold the line, stand fast, resist. Defend the ways of God! Defend the Kingdom and defend His church. You have the crown of life. You hold the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven and remember, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven. (Matthew 16:19.)
In my life I often see the results when people lose all hope. Over the last couple of years I have seen way too many lives snuffed out by drug overdoses and even suicide. When people become desperate from hopelessness there is no telling how far they can be pushed. There are a lot of hopeless people in the world right now searching for answers, searching for hope, searching for truth. The follower of Jesus needs to be ready. For people that are lost and losing hope, we may just be their end of the line. A last hope, a last chance to speak life into a life that has grown dim. We need to be kingdom men and kingdom women.
This might be a good time to find a copy of the movie "Gettysburg" and watch how Col. Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine held the line on Little Round Top. A hold that arguably could be the one that changed the course of the entire war. I love Chamberlain's charge to his men:
The 83rd Pennsylvania, 44th New York, and the 16th Michigan will be moving in to our right. But if you look left; you will see that there is no one there. Because we're the end of the line. The Union army stops here. We are the flank. Do you understand, gentlemen? We cannot retreat. We cannot withdraw. We are going to have to be stubborn today. So, put the boys in position, tell them to stay down. Pile the rocks up high for the best protection you can. I want the reserve pulled back about 20 yards. It is sloping ground, good ground. If you have any breakthroughs, men wounded, a hole in the line, you plug it with the reserve...............The reb army is going to swing around. It'll come up through that notch right over there. It'll move under the cover of trees, trying to get around the flank. And gentlemen............we are the flank. Gentlemen, God go with you."
That is my favorite scene in that movie and that quote is taken directly from the it. I love to parallel that event with who you and I are in the Kingdom of God. You see, satan wants to destroy the things of God that we experience in this world. He wants to destroy lives. He wants to destroy the church. So many things have been turned upside down in the world when it comes to the values of God. Just as the 20th Maine changed history, so God has chosen you and me to change the course of direction in the nation in which we live. We are to "hold the line" and defend the things of God. The Bible might not use the exact words, "hold the line," but it is pretty close. "Hold fast what is good," is the way it is worded in 1 Thessalonians 5:21. It is up to us to defend and strengthen the bride of Christ.....the church. Nobody else will. I am ready for the challenge. I look forward to it. Will you be joining me?
And be encouraged for goodness sake. Yes, we "do wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age.......,"but we also get to live and play in the Kingdom. We get to rejoice in the victories won, we get to laugh, be filled with joy, and love on each other. Simply make sure you dress daily with the full armor of God and you'll find that most of your time is spent just living each day, enjoying each day, being blessed each day and maybe most importantly, a chance to be a blessing to someone else each day. It's just that when the harder tests and battles come that you'll be ready to withstand the fight. With God, and Jesus in your heart, it really isn't all that difficult. At least when you are equipped daily. The best part? We get to do the stuff. We get to follow the instructions of Jesus! "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers (diseased), raise the dead, (yes, there are many accounts of this happening in the world), and cast out demons." (Believe me when you have the Holy Spirit even they are nothing to fear). Those are my words in parenthesis of course, the others belong to Jesus, but just to be on the safe side, read Matthew 10:7-8! Remember, after all freely we have received, freely we need to give to others what we now have.
Rest well, my friend. You are in my prayers.
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4, NIV)
"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13, NKJV)
"Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophesies. Test all things; HOLD FAST WHAT IS GOOD. Abstain from every evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22, NKJV)
"Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you *stand, Men of the West!"
ReplyDeletegood word I felt you may enjoy and benefit from these on you-tube as these things sadly are not commonly taught or testified to.
ReplyDeleteDereck Prince Teaching on false religion and what the new testament actually says concerning the warfare for our day. It's sobering -part 1 part 2 and part 3 witchcraft in the church part 1 thru 4. These scriptures are crucial. Spiritual warfare sparkling gems by rick renner free on google explains just how severe paul described ephesians 6 according to the original language and the comaparisons to gladiator fights of roman times.. It's EYE OPENING and last but not least a testimony by Apostle why God sent Him to America during a national revival-LESTER SUMRALL - Warning to America (Partial) From 1987 , i'll tell you he drove many pastors to repentance and to cast demons out of people in their church they had commited to mental institutions. Series alien entity and college course cds demonlogy set 1 and 2. Minibooks the witchdocter the invivible boy and bitten by demons which was documented by doctors and aired on national radio in manila. Also Rebecca brown he came to set the captives free a former satanic highpriestess charged with teaching Satanists in the U.S. spiritual warfare and strategies for infiltration of churches church congergations and leadership who was converted and testified to almost being eliminated...As a woman at brother schambachs school once told me in Africa these things are not hidden they have been in and a part of our culture out in the open and not hidden spiritual warfare is real. In America many consider actual events the stuff of fary tales and movies it is not and even when one becomes a Christian to not learn prayer and warfare may get you hurt or killed.