"Blessed be God, who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight..."
~King David
Our warfare is not against people - it is against untruth. We must defeat, overcome, overpower, outspeak, deal with every haughty and lofty untruth that exalts itself against the knowlege of God.
Is this mindset I am encountering in myself or someone else - is it in line with the ways of God?
Is this mindset I am encountering in myself or someone else - is it in line with the words of God - His words, rightfully divided, with the all-important New Covenant perspective?
If the answer in either case is "No"...well...
It's on. Let's get it started, devil. (He is the source - the father - of all lies, see.)
Here is what the Holy Spirit said to me, last night, as I was on the very front line of the front lines:
There is no spoil without a battle...and through Me, there is no battle without spoil. Get ready to come out of this with more than you had when you went in.
The whole "battle" thing is real. It is not some ethereal, mystic putting on of imaginary armor. It isn't merely addressing demon spirits through prayer - demonic spirits are defeated foes who have to resort to deceit to succeed. Demons plant the lies, and either you, me, or someone else believes them. When you encounter a stubborn refusal of Truth - you have to battle that thing. You gotta OVERCOME.
Denial isn't overcoming. Retreat isn't overcoming. Putting your little spin on reality isn't overcoming - God only deals in reality. Getting real is not even first base - it just means you've finally left home plate, and are started in the right direction.
And can I say something that sounds so foolish, but is actually profound?
Defeat isn't overcoming.
Neither is passivity overcoming. Ignoring the problem isn't overcoming. Going shopping isn't overcoming. Starting a hobby isn't overcoming. Compensating for your depression isn't overcoming. Checking out isn't overcoming. Losing your temper isn't overcoming. Quitting isn't overcoming. Leaving your church isn't overcoming. Emoting isn't overcoming. Being cool, calm, and collected isn't overcoming - if you don't have passion, you aren't even IN a fight.
Engaging the battle and winning - that is overcoming. Dadgum hanging in there is overcoming.
What are the ways of God? Believe them so deeply that you apply the Gospel to your Present Situation, and you act accordingly.
What are the words of God? (He has spoken to us in these last days in Christ - Heb. 1) Believe them so deeply that you apply the Gospel to your Present situation. Act accordingly, with pure stubbornness...well, others will call you stubborn. The Bible calls it "faith". Being "unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord."
What is the work of God? Believing on the Son whom He sent.
You stand. Even when the nontruth is coming out of the mouth of your dearest friend - be immoveable. You stand, and you don't take one step back. Fight for their soul, and in the process, your own. (Remember Paul's words? "You'll save both yourself and those that hear you...")
