Spiritual Warfare

God's primary motive for all His actions is love, which serves as the definitive evidence of His care for humanity. True salvation is manifested through a transformed heart that loves others, particularly fellow believers, rather than remaining in hatred or pride. We must examine our own motives, and lay aside self-righteousness, and treat all people with kindness and honor. Jesus' commandment to love one another as He loved us calls for a practical demonstration of faith through compassion and forgiveness. Genuine love for others is the clearest touchstone of authentic conversion and discipleship.

Sound doctrine is not a small matter after we are saved, because what we are taught and what we believe will shape our lives, guide our families, and carry consequences into eternity. We must not anchor our faith in traditions, personalities, movements, systems of theology, or the opinions of men, but in the faithful Word of God and in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Doctrine is meant to ground and guide the born-again child of God toward spiritual maturity, so that we are no longer tossed about by every wind of doctrine or deceived by the cunning craftiness of men. Therefore, we must hold fast to the Word of God, submit ourselves honestly to its truth, and seek sound doctrine that produces charity out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned.

One of the most obvious facts of life is that every person has a will, and the great issue of life is whether our will is yielded to God or ruled by our own heart (lust, pride, and desires). Jesus said, "not my will, but thine be done," and we must likewise surrender our heart, mind, and will to the Lord, trusting His Truth above our feelings, excuses, and self-deception. We learn that the struggle within us is often between a heart that wants its own way and a mind that knows the truth, and if we follow our heart instead of yielding to God, it will result in guilt, fear, bondage, and destruction. Unbelief is a matter of the heart – not the mind. A sound mind has no trouble believing, it is the heart that is the problem: "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10)

Jesus is the true vine, and we cannot live, grow, or bear fruit apart from abiding in Him. As branches connected to Christ, we must stay close to Him, continue in His Word, and depend on His life working in us, because without Him we can do nothing. We also learn that the Father, as the husbandman, not only removes dead branches, but purges the fruitful ones by cleansing away what is impure, unnecessary, excessive, or harmful so that more fruit can grow. This purging may involve subtraction, pruning, and cleansing of that which would prevent the fruit (think of pests and disease), but it is the loving work of God to make our lives more fruitful in love, joy, peace, righteousness, truth, and a changed testimony that brings honor to Christ.

There are only two kingdoms and two princes: the prince of this world, who offers fear, deception, sin, and death, and Jesus Christ, the Prince of Life and Peace, who offers salvation, truth, and eternal life. We see that Jesus faced the greatest conflict with Satan and overcame him completely through obedience to the Father, showing us that if we love Christ, we must keep His commandments and live separated from the course of this world. We are warned that the battle is for our hearts, minds, and souls, and that we must choose which kingdom we will belong to, because no one can follow the world and truly belong to Christ. Our only hope is to know the truth, come to Jesus, and let His Word free us from the blindness and bondage of the devil.

We are reminded that Jesus promised not to leave us comfortless, but to come to us and be present with us through every trial. Even though He died, rose again, and returned to the Father, He is still a living Savior who comforts, strengthens, and sustains His people. We must not settle for empty religion or mere knowledge about Him, but seek the reality of walking with Him and knowing His presence in our lives. If we truly belong to Him, He will not leave us alone in sorrow, fear, or trouble, but will be our comfort, our hope, and our help until He comes again.

Jesus warned us that in the last days iniquity would abound and the love of many would wax cold. Do you feel it? Overall, people used to love more fervently and faithfully than they do now. The warmth is gone and there is lukewarmness, at the best. We must recognize that iniquity is basically lawlessness, which is the result of pride, rebellion, and unbridled selfishness, and that when INQUITY is prevailing it will destroy the trust, respect, and humility that real love requires. If we truly belong to God, we cannot let the iniquity of this age keep us from loving God and loving others. We must love God and others with sincere, fervent, unfeigned love. Our love for our family, our church, and the people around us should not depend on how they treat us, but should reflect the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. After all, that is what the first and greatest commandment is about, and Jesus said everything else concerning moral law depends upon our obedience to God's command to love God and others.

We must not just read the Bible, but truly study it, because sound doctrine comes from the Word of God and must agree with the whole counsel of Scripture. We must not depend on opinions, online teaching, or vain religious talk, but give ourselves to reading, doctrine, and careful study, comparing Scripture with Scripture and letting the Bible define its own words. God designed our minds to learn by association, and the King James Bible preserves the words, phrases, and patterns that help us search and understand truth rightly. If we want to grow beyond spiritual infancy, be stable in faith, and avoid error, we must make studying the Word of God a serious, lifelong part of our walk with the Lord. This message gives some instructions about how to study the Bible.

If we truly love Jesus, it will show in the way we keep His words, seek to please Him, and live for His honor. We know that Christ has gone to prepare a place for us, that He is coming again, and that our love for Him should make us faithful, obedient, prayerful, and rejoicing people. We must know Him as He truly is—not as the world imagines Him—and examine whether our lives prove real love for Him or only a shallow profession.

This message is meant to remind us of the absolute importance and divine preservation of the Word of God. Every word of Scripture matters because God speaks truth and life through His Word, and all the Creation came into existence when God spoke. Language itself is a gift from God, and we must approach the Bible with reverence, intentional study, and faith. The King James Bible is God's preserved Word in English, and we are warned against altering or neglecting Scripture. We are also instructed to study the Bible personally rather than rely on the opinions of others. The Word of God — not the opinions of men — is the foundation for salvation, spiritual life, truth, and discernment in a confused and apostate world.