"Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil."
Ephesians 6:11 ESV
One of the things I am grateful for...
Ephesians 6:11 ESV
One of the things I am grateful for...
...is how the men in my Christian fellowship group at the prison are oftentimes in one accord with each other. So it was no surprise when the subject of spiritual warfare came up, and how the Christian must not only be a good student of the Scriptures and be faithful and consistent in his walk with God, but he must also be ready to tangle with the devil and the demonic forces that oppose him.
Therefore, anyone who has given his life to Christ will soon discover just how real the warfare can be. As a popular saying goes, "You don't have to look for the devil, because if you're serving the Lord, the devil will find you."
Frankly, I've learned this to be true. A disciple of the Lord must always be ready for temptations to come, as well as opposition from the demonic realm. That's just the way it is. And that is why every follower of Messiah Jesus must always be ready to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12).
But the good news is that the Lord Jesus does our fighting for us. The battle is the Lord's as we stand in faith with him. In fact, He has provided everything we need to overcome the dark forces which seek to weaken us and bring us down.
I may sound like a seasoned soldier who's experienced warfare himself. By the grace of God, I am a soldier. And although I'm not perfect, and at times I fall short, during tough times, the Lord has been faithful to pick me up. His grace is sufficient, and His strength and power are fully displayed in my weakness as a mortal.
We have the world, the flesh, and the devil to contend with. And that's okay. Because Jesus is with us, we are assured the victory over all the devil's deadly devices. As the Scripture declares, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).
Dear Christian brothers and sisters, the Lord has given us a strong and alert mind. Let's use it for God's glory. Amen!
D.B.
Therefore, anyone who has given his life to Christ will soon discover just how real the warfare can be. As a popular saying goes, "You don't have to look for the devil, because if you're serving the Lord, the devil will find you."
Frankly, I've learned this to be true. A disciple of the Lord must always be ready for temptations to come, as well as opposition from the demonic realm. That's just the way it is. And that is why every follower of Messiah Jesus must always be ready to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12).
But the good news is that the Lord Jesus does our fighting for us. The battle is the Lord's as we stand in faith with him. In fact, He has provided everything we need to overcome the dark forces which seek to weaken us and bring us down.
I may sound like a seasoned soldier who's experienced warfare himself. By the grace of God, I am a soldier. And although I'm not perfect, and at times I fall short, during tough times, the Lord has been faithful to pick me up. His grace is sufficient, and His strength and power are fully displayed in my weakness as a mortal.
We have the world, the flesh, and the devil to contend with. And that's okay. Because Jesus is with us, we are assured the victory over all the devil's deadly devices. As the Scripture declares, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).
Dear Christian brothers and sisters, the Lord has given us a strong and alert mind. Let's use it for God's glory. Amen!
D.B.