Some believers focus so much on fighting the devil that they tend to lose sight of Christ and what he accomplished when He died on the cross. Others do not really understand spiritual warfare and so they tend to avoid the issue. The Bible uses the imagery of war a great deal and Paul states clearly that believers must war against the sin in themselves and against the evil one.
Many do not realize just how different this spiritual battle is from the kind of wars to which we are accustomed. It has different enemies, different weapons and instead of an unknown outcome, believers have the assurance of victory. Christ has already won the battle. Instead of carnal aggression, the means used to overcome evil and manifest this victory are the authority of God, discernment and unwavering faith.
Firstly, this is not a war against enemies of flesh and blood. Believers are not fighting against other people like themselves. They are fighting a completely different kind of fight against powers and principalities. They are fighting what is unseen.
The weapons used in physical wars like bombs and guns are completely ineffective in this battle. Truth, integrity, peace, salvation, faith and prayer are the only weapons that succeed. The Word of God when used as an offensive weapon is sharper than a sword and it judges the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. Jesus countered temptations, deception and accusations by using the Word.
This battle is not motivated by hatred but by love. When a mother sees that her children are under threat of any kind, her deep love motivates her to fight for them. It was the deep love of God for mankind that motivated Him to send His son to His death on the cross. A victory was won on the cross and this has to be claimed by believers and become a reality in their lives.
The authority of God is not just given to His people for defensive maneuvers. Christ came to utterly destroy the works of evil. In His army there is no room for passivity. God has given his people the authority and the weapons required to win every battle even when the odds seem overwhelming.
Sometimes when we look at the world around us, we become very discouraged. The odds do not seem to be in our favor and evil seems to abound. In the face of this, we need to constantly rely on God and believe that the fight is His, not ours. When we rely completely on Him, we do not give up despite discouragement. We receive all the strength we need to continue.
It is only by depending completely upon Christ that this battle can be won. It is only by using spiritual weapons that the enemy is defeated. Persistent faith in the promises of God enables us to stand strong and trust God to bring about His purposes in the earth.
Many do not realize just how different this spiritual battle is from the kind of wars to which we are accustomed. It has different enemies, different weapons and instead of an unknown outcome, believers have the assurance of victory. Christ has already won the battle. Instead of carnal aggression, the means used to overcome evil and manifest this victory are the authority of God, discernment and unwavering faith.
Firstly, this is not a war against enemies of flesh and blood. Believers are not fighting against other people like themselves. They are fighting a completely different kind of fight against powers and principalities. They are fighting what is unseen.
The weapons used in physical wars like bombs and guns are completely ineffective in this battle. Truth, integrity, peace, salvation, faith and prayer are the only weapons that succeed. The Word of God when used as an offensive weapon is sharper than a sword and it judges the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. Jesus countered temptations, deception and accusations by using the Word.
This battle is not motivated by hatred but by love. When a mother sees that her children are under threat of any kind, her deep love motivates her to fight for them. It was the deep love of God for mankind that motivated Him to send His son to His death on the cross. A victory was won on the cross and this has to be claimed by believers and become a reality in their lives.
The authority of God is not just given to His people for defensive maneuvers. Christ came to utterly destroy the works of evil. In His army there is no room for passivity. God has given his people the authority and the weapons required to win every battle even when the odds seem overwhelming.
Sometimes when we look at the world around us, we become very discouraged. The odds do not seem to be in our favor and evil seems to abound. In the face of this, we need to constantly rely on God and believe that the fight is His, not ours. When we rely completely on Him, we do not give up despite discouragement. We receive all the strength we need to continue.
It is only by depending completely upon Christ that this battle can be won. It is only by using spiritual weapons that the enemy is defeated. Persistent faith in the promises of God enables us to stand strong and trust God to bring about His purposes in the earth.
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