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| THE BATTLE IS THE LORDS: YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE COMMANDER IN CHEIF You have to know him on a personal level You need to know how he thinks You have to know what he expects He has to give the rules He sets the boundaries YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO DIE FOR THE CAUSE I Corinthians 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. Some said "If it's not worth dying for, It's not worth living for". Once we become soldiers in this army, there is no turning back. II Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: BE STILL Psalms 46:9-11 9. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. 10. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 11. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. SELAH. Not knowing the battle plan is probably the greatest fall back to letting the Lord fight the battle Having a calm head, not spouting off etc. will greatly enable the Lord to fight our battle "It is better to appear dumb than to open our mouths and remove all doubts. It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt". Mark Twain One of the hardest things for me is to be still WE ARE IN A SPIRITUAL BATTLE Ephesians 6:11-13 11. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12. 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. 13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The conflict is described as "struggle" (NIV), "contending" (RSV), "wrestle" (KJV). The term refers to hand-to-hand grappling. With whom do we wrestle? First, our enemy is not a human enemy, though the enemy uses other humans in his attacks When we contend against people we are only destroying relationships When we attack others for the sin they commit, we are attacking the wrong enemy. That is why Jesus teaches us to love our enemies, because those who we perceive as enemies are actually people who are just as loved by God as we are. It is the evil spirit that is engaged in the conflict that is our true enemy. We contend against a world system where the principles under which we live are in conflict. "Authorities" - authority is often held by ungodly people who serve in high positions of power and influence. Still, however, it is the authority that is the enemy, not the one holding it. Third, literally "rulers over the (dark) cosmos" Fourth, "Spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly realms" I think this word applies to religious leaders who abuse the power God has given them. This sounds like a pretty heavy-duty enemy, one for which we as common people have no power to fight. Left to our own strength how would we be affected by the conflict? We would be soundly defeated by an enemy who knows us better than ourselves, one who can expose our own imperfections and use them to convict us of our own depravity. What kind of power does satan have when confronted with the power of God? satan has NO POWER WHEN CONFRONTED BY GOD. Therefore, when confronting evil, it is not from our own strength that we find the resources to fight, but rather from the weapons of defense and offense that God has already provided and empowered in the life of every Christian. THE COMBAT IS NOT AGAINST HUMAN ENEMIES, NOR AGAINST OUR OWN CORRUPT NATURE ONLY; WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH AN ENEMY WHO HAS A THOUSAND WAYS OF BEGUILING UNSTABLE SOULS. The devils assault us in the things that belong to our souls, and labor to deface the Heavenly image in our hearts. We must resolve by God's grace, not to yield to satan. Resist him, and he will flee. If we give way, he will get ground. If we distrust either our cause, or our Leader, or our armor, we give him advantage. SATAN MAY BE THE PRINCE AND POWER OF THE AIR, BUT GOD CONTROLS IT ALL AND THE BATTLE IS THE LORDS DON'T FORGET IT. In Christ's love, Brother John |
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