Thought forToday -May 1, 2023
The Spiritual Conflict
By: Robert A Searles
When, by the grace of God, we are liberated, and set free from our natural state of blindness and of being oblivious to the things of God, and we by God's grace are given faith and spiritual sight to behold the glory of God and the truth of his word and his creations, we are reborn in the spirit, and suddenly we become aware of spiritual things, and we for the first time, come to see ourselves, as in a mirror, and we see the filthy rags of sin in which we are clothed. We see what we really are by ourselves in our own sinfulness, and we see the glory of God and the righteousness of Christ, and that which he has to offer us, and we cry out to him in despair – Oh God! be merciful to me a sinner, and save me for Christ's sake, and he hears our sincere prayer and immediately saves us. He pulls us up out of the miry pit and sets our feet upon the solid rock, then we have become the children of God, joint heirs with Christ, and inheritors of eternal life.
Since the fall of mankind in the garden of Eden, there has been a spiritual warfare raging on earth between God and Satan, and between the children of God and the children of the devil. The children of God, being clothed anew by the righteousness of Christ, are now enlisted in the spiritual army of God and wear the uniform of the valiant soldiers of the King of kings and Lord or lords, all for the glory and honor of their redeemer.
We are charged by God that we might war a good warfare. “Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” 2 Timothy 2: 3,4.
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, where unto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6: 12.
“But I see another law in my members, in warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” Romans 7:23
The battle rages between good and evil, truth and error. The enemy is ruthless, and cruel, and powerful, and we are warned by our commander in chief to always be on the alert for the diabolical schemes of our adversary. He sets traps for us to fall into and be taken prisoner, and to be bound in spiritual chains from which, by our own efforts is difficult or impossible to escape – bad habits, attitudes, fear, resentments hatred, anxiety, rebellion, doubts, unbelief -all these and many more lethal weapons he throws at us to destroy our testimony and our effectiveness in proclaiming the truth of God, and claiming territory and winning souls to Christ
Our foes are invisible, therefore we are warned to- “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
"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. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, talking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6: 10-17.
“Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” 1 Peter 5: 8,9.
As soldiers of Christ, we have been well equipped and provided for the strife that lies before us. With Christ, as our commander in chief, our never failing conqueror, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” 2 Corinthians 10: 4.
When we try to fight the battles of life with our own strength and resources, we fail miserably because in ourselves we are weak and easily succumb to temptations.
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God,” Ephesians 6; 17.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 .
“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” Romans 13: 12.
“By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand, and on the left.” 2 Corinthians 6: 7.
“Let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.” 1 Thessalonians 5:8.
Our enemies are those within our own soul. The battle rages within us. It is here that we must meet the spiritual conflict. Take the weapons that God has provided- read and study the word of God, search for and believe all the promises of God, pray diligently for ourselves and others. Let us have the mind of Christ, and let his teaching dwell in our hearts, and let us walk and abide with him every day and hour of our lives. If we will do this we will have the victory.
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