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.
It is hard for us to think about warfare in a positive light when all we see about us are wars that bring about great devastation. However, when reading the Bible, the imagery used is that of war and so we cannot just ignore it. Such a battle does not refer to aggression in the physical realm. We need to understand what it really means in order to become victorious Christians.
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.
Believers have to constantly stand on the fact that Christ paid a great price when He shed His blood for them. They have to use the Word as Jesus did when he was faced with temptation. In doing so, they overcome evil and further the establishment of the kingdom of God.
It is hard for us to think about warfare in a positive light when all we see about us are wars that bring about great devastation. However, when reading the Bible, the imagery used is that of war and so we cannot just ignore it. Such a battle does not refer to aggression in the physical realm. We need to understand what it really means in order to become victorious Christians.
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.
Believers have to constantly stand on the fact that Christ paid a great price when He shed His blood for them. They have to use the Word as Jesus did when he was faced with temptation. In doing so, they overcome evil and further the establishment of the kingdom of God.
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