The Devil, the roaring lion is on the loose you gotta beware of the things he's trying to do. Because his lair is everywhere thats not been sanctified through and through by the Spirit of truth.The principalities of the world desecarte God's holy temple as in all the people of the world filling their mind, heart souls with countless ideologies mythologies and philosophies. Even what that call scientific fact is most of the time whack, illusions and delusions made up by our fallen mind. I walk through the halls and enter a Spiritual relm where it seems like the light is way to dim to be found because all around are people promoting their gods: from parties, charities, politics, hobbies, concerts to down right frauds. Just the other day walking round York, I saw a huge sign telling people that Christ didn't die, that it was all a lie. People started crowding around, angry especially those that didn't believe because even at the mention of His Name it causes people's souls to feel displeased. Yelling came from a man whos god was liberalism telling off the Muslims to stop stepping on other people's religion.
Spiritual warefare is all around you need to stay awake, be sober minded or you'll drown in the dissipations and day to day tribulations of the world's passions. Many are sleeping and its time to awake, the hour of our salvation is closer than when we first believed. Don't be deceived! Awake O sleeper and Christ will live in you and through you to transform you.
Stand watch on the towers of Zion don't rest until the Lord sends His powerful legions in to the dark regions where spiritual forces are holding the people up and locking down their souls. Call on His name until the Warrior arises and pushes back the forces of darkness with the sword of righteousness.
So soldier you need to be equipped lets go through the basics of what makes a Christian click.....
First things first don't involved in civilian affairs. If you are, then you gotta beware. The devils going to take your double minded heart and weight it down with troubles so that you can't even start.To be clearer, it means that everything else comes secondary to your primary objective. In fact you're so caught up in the work of Christ that you don't even notice or care too much about whats going on in the drama and problems of everyday life. When your not weighed down by the world's strifes then you can start to shine your light.
Lets talk about your basic battle gear. The Lord has a hosts of weapons that He wants to give if you can bear. You see armour is heavy to put on so you need the strength to wear it and the strength comes through PRAYER. Its like training for a long distance race, when you first start off you can barely pace, you quicky burn out and become a disgrace. But as you develop your body to persevere, your lungs start working better, your body more efficiently and soon you can run hard and fast without having to struggle and gasp every step you take.
The breast plate of righteousness covers most of your body, most importantly your heart which is where the enemy wants to pierce so dearly. So its important that you're living a life that is HOLY. If your not living a life separate for God, as soon as you take a step on the field your quickly picked off.But if you got your breast plate on, you can walk boldly and shamelessly out on the field. You don't have to be afriad of anything the enemy has to wield. A righteousness life is what convicts and guards your rep from the devils tricks.
Don't leave your house without you're shield of faith. Its the very thing that will keep you safe. With your shield you can push the enemy back as well as repell his evil attacks. You see, the firey darts of doubt and fear can maime you and if you don't have your shield the flames are going to burn you. With just a little faith you can go a long way breaking through the ranks that can't seemed to be swayed.
Remember to put on your belt of truth. Without it, everything else will fall through the roof. It holds your armour together making everything stick without it, your faith will grow horribly SICK! Holding on to truth is what we need to do because a misplaced faith are like holes in the shield, letting arrows pass through causing us to yield. For example, just the otherday a sister in the faith made a horrible mistake. A part of her faith wasn't on proper doctrine, the devil took the chance to try to take her out, placed some serious doubts. It got to the point where she broke down starting crying "God doesn't exist so why I'm I even trying?" But by the grace of God she got back up because of faithful soldiers who were there to back her up. While we're on that point its extremely important that we don't give up meeting, a cord of three strands is not easily beaten. Praying and worshiping together regularly is the very thing that gives us Spiritual vitality. Petitioning for the each other will keep the devil off our shoulders so that we can grow bolder and not be smoldered by falling into sin.
The next thing we need is feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.As we come to understand the full extent of the gospel from the glory of God, judgement, our depravity, the flames of hell to His tender love, grace and mercy, ours hearts are melted and molded in humilty. The pride that we hold burned away through His Words of purity. The change character is what will allow us to use our feet to speak, work and move effectively and with urgency.
We can't forget the helmet of Salvation we receive this through Christ's propitiation. It protects us from the fatal blows to our heads that are meant strike us dead! Salvation is forever, because of the cross nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. We can be struck down but not destroyed persecuted not abandoned. We can get back up and keep fighting again no matter how many times we get beat up.
The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God is what we have to rebuke the other false gods. For it to be effective you have to let it do its work. Remember its double edged, it needs to pierce through you and change you before it can use you to shine into the hearts of the lost. Then when the enemy attacks with his sword of lies then bang bang bang you can meet them stroke for stroke you can fend them off clag clang clang and slice through and expose the illusions and strongholds of their soul.
The last thing that needs to be addressed is how to pray in the SPIRIT... well the truth is that it comes with living in holiness. Remember the body is the temple of God, so the Spirit dwells in our heart, mind and soul. But you see we can easily quench the Spirits flame if we decide to fill the temple with things that descrate His Name. Remember God dwelled with His people in the desert? The people could be seen with the glory of God with them, but they had to stay CLEAN!
In the same way the biblical concept still applies today! The things that you watch, to what you do with your time, to the friends that you have you gotta be careful. cuz honestly 99% of the stuff on TV belongs in the trash. Its easy to tune out the voice of truth amidst the many temptations of youth. As we get rid of the other voices outside then we can start to hear the one voice that lives inside that will counsel and teach us how pray in truth.
are you ready to fight the fight to run the race? Its not easy it will take all your might and you'll lose all your rights but its worth it because its for Jesus Christ~
(Ephesians 6)
