Sunday, December 15, 2013

Spiritual Warfare, Part 1

Spiritual Warfare.     When we look at the word warfare, it means the waging of war against an enemy; armed conflict.   Take a minute to think about it.   A war has been “waged”.   The war is against “an enemy” and it is an “armed conflict”.  

The word war is defined as a state of open, armed, often prolonged conflict carried on.   You are not out seeking war, however, the enemy is drawing you into it.    A war is based on an attack.   When you are under attack you set upon in a forceful violent hostile or aggressive way with or without a weapon to begin fighting with.  

Don’t be deceived.   In order to be in a war, there has to be an enemy that you are in war against.   The enemy is not always seen externally.   Sometimes the enemy is internal.    One definition of enemy is “a hostile power or force”.    When something is hostile, it is unfavorable to your health or well-being.    So understand, anything that is coming against your health or your well being, is an enemy.   That means if you have unhealthy thoughts, relationships, etc., they are all enemies to you and at war against who God has called you to be.   

The next thing we have to realize is that we are in an “armed conflict”.    To be armed means that there is a “weapon” involved.   The enemy always has a weapon, whether you have one you are “utilizing” or not.   Weapons are not necessarily guns.   They are instruments that are used for an attack.    Attacks are meant to harm you and they come through violent force and hostility.    Keep in mind that God has already told us that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. So we have to stop trying to fight the enemy in a worldly way.  

The word carnal means not spiritual, temporal, or wordly.   So the weapons we have are spiritual weapons, they are not temporary weapons, therefore they are not here today and gone tomorrow.   We have constant access to these weapons and they are not of this world.   So you can’t just go out and purchase the weapons that God has given you to combat the enemy.    

 

2 Corinthians 10:4-6


King James Version (KJV)

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

 

We have to understand that the Bible tells us in Matthew 11:12 that the Kingdom of God is under attack.   It tells us that it suffers violence.   However it also tells us that the “violent” take it by force.      

Matthew 11:12


King James Version (KJV)

12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

 

Matthew 11:12

Amplified Bible (AMP)

12 And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion].

 

This is where I will stop for now.   I don’t want to overload you and I want you to have time to take all that God is saying in.    I believe that God will continue to give us fresh manna from His word.   This is what He has told me to tell you today.   As you know I don’t pre-write anything … I just write as He gives it to me.   So right now let’s pray.   

Father thank you for your word.   Thank you for opening up your word to us and giving us a greater understanding.   Father we love you.  We ask that the seeds of your word be planted in our hearts.   Let it bring forth much fruit.   Let the knowledge of your word bring to us a greater understanding of how we are to fight in your Kingdom.   Help us Lord.   Help us to be Kingdom warriors.   In Jesus name.  Amen.   

~ R. Lynn Moore, Daily Moments With God


    15 December 2013

 

 

 
 
 
 

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