This week, Michael writes that Christians are in the midst of the spiritual battle, but some Christians don't realize it. God has equipped us with His spiritual armor and has empowered us with the offensive weapons of “the sword of the spirit” which is the Word of God. We see the spiritual battle raging around us. However, many Christians have not "put on” the whole armor of God so that they may be able to stand in the evil day and having done all, to stand."
We're living in a day when
the world calls evil good and good evil. We are in a spiritual battle that we cannot
win in our own power. If we know and understand the power of God, we have faith
that God will deliver us. According to Romans 8:28-29, “And we know that all things work together
for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brethren.” The gospel is both good news and bad news. The bad news is
that there is tribulation in this fallen world. Jesus said, in this world
you shall have tribulation and trials, but be of good cheer, I have overcome
the world. Tribulation is mental pressure, a trying experience, and crushing
affliction accompanied by distress and pain. Joy is not the absence of
pain. Rather Joy is the presence of the Lord.
The bible says, blessed are
they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil
against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven. According to James 1:1-4, “My
brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing
this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have
her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Romans
5:3-5 says, “And not only so, but
we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience; And
patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope makes not ashamed;
because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is
given unto us.”
Galatians 5:16-23 “I say
then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the
flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do
the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are
not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which
are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry,
sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish
ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness,
revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also
told you in time past, that those who practice such things will
not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Galatians chapter 5 lists
the deeds of the flesh contrasted with the fruit of the spirit. The good
news trumps the bad news. For Jesus
Christ, who was without sin, became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf
that we may be made the righteousness of God in him. There is a similar
warning in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 “This
know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be
lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient
to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce-breakers,
false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors,
heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a
form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
God uses experiences to
humble us. Who hasn’t prayed, "why
me Lord? Where is the good in this situation? How are you working
together for good to those who love you?" Our faith is proven in
times of adversity. In life's circumstances that seem unjust and unloving, the
test is to give up the rights to ourselves. The test is to enter into His
presence with total abandonment of self and absolute trust. The test is to try
our hearts to see what really matters in this life. The adversary's first ploy
is to question the love of God and His goodness. Once you're convinced
that God is love and that God is Sovereign over all (that He does all things according to the
purpose of His will), then your joy and rejoicing will be in the Lord and not
in the things of this world. When we delight ourselves in the Lord; when
we make His delight our delight; when we pray to bless the Blessor and not the
blessing; when we make His desires our desires, then He will give us the
desires of our hearts.
Let's continue Michael's message on the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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