Spiritual Warfare

We cannot believe anything that we read or see anymore. Reality and fantasy are becoming indistinguishable. There is a quote that is attributed to a woman from Germany who lived in the 20th century that goes like this: "If everybody always lies to you, the consequence is not that you believe the lies, but rather that nobody believes anything any longer." This is the snare that we find ourselves in now. Very few people believe anything anymore. This is why there is so much apathy, lack of commitment, and skepticism and cynicism among those who profess to be believers in Christ and his Word. Generally, modern professing Christians do no believe anything enough to die for. Their so-called faith will not even get them to church or deliver them from their sinful lifestyle. That is not the kind of faith that saves.

One of our biggest stumbling blocks is to look at our future according to the present circumstances. Many lose hope because things look so bad at the present time. But things always change. "…it came to pass" is mentioned 457 times in the Word of God. Everything "comes to pass." There is always a morning after a night, the sun always shines again after the storm and the rain, and there is always resurrection after death. "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, ..." - 2 Corinthians 2:14

Consider a few things that will help us to remedy the pride that grows in us so easily. Endeavor to see yourself as you are, your lowliness and utter helplessness, and to see God as He is in his glory and holiness and power. This is part of what church services are to be about: and why hymns that show forth the honor and majesty and glory of God are so important. At the same time be persuaded of the beauty and comeliness of humility. Seek it out and observe it in others, and note how much better it is to be humble than to be proud. It is the grace that is the very opposite of pride, which is abomination to God and men. Put it on like you put on your clothes. Then consider the examples of proud people in the Bible who were humbled and abased. And finally, simply remember that you have nothing to be proud of because we have nothing that we have not received - everything we have, and every ability we possess was given to us.

A man's pride shall bring him low – this is a promise of God, a statement of fact, and a sure prophecy for everyone who walk in pride. This can be accomplished at the cross of Christ for the few that will come and set their eyes upon Jesus and see themselves as they are in his sight. Otherwise, the most potent remedy for this sin of all sins is to be brought low, very low. It is the hope of everyone who has to endure the proud fool, and gives them great satisfaction and a feeling of justice served when it happens. "When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom." - Proverbs 11:2

We all hate pride in others, but fail to see it in ourselves. It is the original sin, and it is the cause of all strife and contention. It ruins everything. But we refuse to kill it in ourselves, and even count it as some kind of virtue. It even ruins the effect of the Word of God and the message of the Gospel. The Bible clearly teaches us to judge and discern between good and evil, and especially when it comes to people, because of the danger that evil people pose. But when our pride is involved it turns our testimony into a stumbling block and does more harm to the kingdom of God than good. No one has any right to be proud of the fact that they are saved, or of the church or creed they identify with. Pride is sin, no matter what form it manifests itself in.

Sin and evil are not the same thing. Sin is the transgression or trespass against God and other men. Evil is the environment created by sin. Evil is the effects of sin. The sin of man turns everyone against one another and causes strife, confusion, hatred, malice, along with all the grief, sorrow, loss, calamity, and pain that the world is full of. Since Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it is this environment in which the people of this world live and exist and carry on their lives. They spend most of their mental energy and strength fighting and striving against one another, and defending themselves from one another. To depart from evil means to come out from among them and cease to engage in the same hatred and paranoia and malice in which they live. To abandon our vices and bad habits and start going to church is not salvation or sanctification. To depart from evil is understanding. Jesus said to "resist not evil" and this is exactly what He meant, and showed us with his life.

The title is meant to get your attention. However, it is very true that only trusting Christ will not bring about the new birth. The devil has managed to water down the Gospel until most only believe half of it. It is repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that brings about salvation. Repentance alone will not save anyone, but neither will simply "trusting" Christ for a better life, and a home in heaven when you die. Multitudes, in fact, most of the human race is going to be lost for eternity because they did not turn from their sin to trust in Christ. There is no such thing as saving faith in Christ while you continue in sin; continue being the same person you have always been; continue in hatred and strife and bitterness.

Has anyone else noticed that the music is gone? Music used to make people happy and cheer tired, burdened, and discouraged hearts. The sound of music is gone, and what is now called music is nothing more than noise that speaks to the emotions of hatred, anger, rebellion, blasphemy, and profanity, as well as sexual immorality. Without a song in the heart, life is pretty much meaningless, and very bleak and sorrowful. The Lord is our song, and it is amazing what the power of a simple song, coming from a pure source, can do to make the devil flee, and peace and contentment fill the soul.

I have great assurance that I have that I am a child of God is when I look into my heart and find that it is so different from the world around me. I am so sick and tired of the envy and strife, the pushing and shoving, the blaming, the hating, the evil speaking, and evil imaginations that everyone has against everyone else. That is the world I am looking forward to leaving someday soon. What does it mean to have the peace of God if it doesn't mean that we are disengaged from the world's constant envy and strife and hating one another? How can a person even think for a moment that they are right with God when they are engaged in envy and strife of the world? If you cannot look into your heart, and be completely honest with yourself, and see the great difference between what you were and what you are now, you should be concerned about where you are headed for eternity. All the haters and evil thinkers and pushers and the shovers are going to be barred from heaven, and hell is their eternal abode, where they hate and fight and blame one another for eternity.

The root of most of the problems people have is their lack of forgiveness toward others. The root of unhappiness, as well as mental illness and addictions, is usually found in the bitterness of the soul because of some offense or trauma caused by some other person. Forgiveness is the ONLY way to escape the torture of the mind and heart, and the eventual destruction of the soul. Jesus died to make it possible for us to forgive others, not only to make it possible for God to forgive us. Forgiving others is as much a part of the Gospel as God forgiving us, but it is left out much of the time. "Freely ye have received, freely give."