Michael writes: God’s Word reminds us to look around and see the troubles of this world from a spiritual perspective, for from God’s viewpoint of eternity we are already seated with Him in heavenly places. Christians do not perceive the distresses of this world as others who have no hope; For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that spiritual deposit which he’s committed unto me against that day of the Lord… that day of God’s righteous judgement.
The kingdom of “self” is heavily defended territory. The spiritual stronghold of self can only be breached by the Spirt of God, in Christ in us; For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual to the pulling down of spiritual strongholds. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. A disciple is a disciplined follower of Jesus Christ. Therefore, as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
To fight the spiritual battle , Ephesians 6:10-12 says: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” The devil schemes to separate our hearts from God’s heart. He questions God’s commandments. He shows the bait but hides the hook. He said to Eve, If you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you will not surely die…. Instead you’ll be like God knowing good and evil. The lie that our adversary gives us that God doesn’t love you and His Word is not true. Eve succumbed to the devil’s lies when she doubted the Word of God and the Love of God.
Paul Harvey said these prophetic words in his radio program “The Rest of the Story” in 1965: “If I were the Devil..... if I were the Prince of Darkness, I'd want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population. But I wouldn't be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, thee. So I'd set about however necessary to take over the United States. I'd subvert the churches first, I'd begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve, "Do as you please." To the young I would whisper that the Bible is a myth, I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what's bad is good and what's good is.. 'square'. And the old, I would teach to pray after me.... "Our Father, which art in Washington." And then I'd get organized. I'd educate authors in how to make lurid literatures exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I'd threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I'd peddle narcotics to whom I could, I'd sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction, I'd tranquilize the rest with pills.
If I were the Devil I'd soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves. Until each in it's turn, was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings, I'd have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the Devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions, just let those run wild! Until before you knew it, you'd have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door. Within a decade, I'd have prisons overflowing, I'd have judges promoting pornography. Soon I could evict God from the courthouse, Then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls and church money.
Let's continue Michael's message in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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