Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Pastor's Pondering, January 21, 2014

Fighting Battles

Conflict, arguments, or physical fights are not usually what many of us go looking for and often times we avoid at all costs. Some of us would rather work on consensus building and problem solving while fiercely avoiding confrontation.  We adhere to the scripture, A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1) to avoid situations like the 71 year old man that recently killed another after an escalation from texting in a movie theater.

Although we are admonished to steer clear of those battles with each other, we are however, encouraged to fight our spiritual battle. If you have given your life to Christ, God has won the battle over your soul but the Devil wants to make sure your days on earth are a living hell. He wants you to feel defeated, rejected, doomed and unworthy. God promised that he would give you peace, joy and meet all of your needs but the Devil wants you to believe his lie. This is a battle for your life!

Fortunately, we don’t have to fight using conventional weapons. Our weapons are truth, righteousness, faith, peace, prayer, and the word of God (Ephesians 6:10-20). These weapons are divinely powerful to fight against the evil that is in the world (2 Corinthians 10:4). This is not the time for compromise or a consensual arrangement with evil. We have to commit ourselves to prayer, studying His word, obedience to His word, and becoming more like our Saviour, Jesus Christ.  This is how we fight the good fight of faith  (2 Timothy 6:12).

In this fresh New Year, let us decide that we are going to fight the good fight by doing what God tells us to do, living like God tells us to live, and learning exactly what God wants us to do in our life. Let this year be the year that we fight on the Lord’s side by being obedient to Him.

Please comment below and share how you have fought spiritual battles by being obedient to God and encourage others in their battles.

2 Chronicles 20:17
New International Version (NIV)
17  You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
New International Version (NIV)
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
 
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 to make it obedient to Christ.
Ephesians 6:10-20
New International Version (NIV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It is true that our Lord fights our battles for us, So we must have courage and know that God will fight our battle for us. Because he said in Deuteronomy 31:6, To be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be afraid of them: because our God is with us and that he won't fail us nor forsake us.
so wear the whole Armor of God and stand still and see the Salvation of the LORD. your sister in Christ Deaconess Shirley Hales-Willis May God Bless You All.