As a result of the horrible and vicious terrorist attack our country suffered on September 11, 2001, the President of the United States made the following statement: “WE ARE AT WAR.” And with continuing threats from ever-evolving radical groups, international adversaries and domestic foes, that danger always looms on the horizon. However, we Christian soldiers must understand that the war we are engaged in is of a different and even more insidious nature. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6: 12) And though it may sound scary, we do not fear the intimidation tactics of those inferior spiritual powers, but we go boldly to the fight because our Commander-In -Chief, Jesus Christ said, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28: 18) And because the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is the God of glory, has given us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, we are supremely confident that “…the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” (Ephesians 1: 19-21)
But even though our ultimate victory in this war is assured, we must not fool ourselves into thinking that it will be a walk in the park. "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you." (1 Peter 4: 12) The battle is real, y’all. But I tell you, as Moses told Joshua before he was to cross the Jordan River to begin the conquest of Canaan, "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." (Deuteronomy 31: 6 & 8) What a magnificent promise and wonderful words of encouragement for servants and warriors of the most high God!
We know that the real battle is being fought in the spiritual realm but the enemy wants to divert our attention onto worldly things. Therefore, Satan the father of lies, is engaged in an all-out, ferocious deception and bullying campaign designed to separate us from God. But, beloved ones, he doesn’t have the ability to separate us from God. He can only maliciously and hatefully desire to do it. As Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” (Luke 22: 31) But glory hallelujah, God will not permit it. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8: 35, 38-39) Therefore he can only try to trick or deceive you into separating yourself from God by sin.
The epistle of James tells us to "count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations." (James 1: 2) And though on the surface this statement appears to contradict itself, upon closer examination it makes perfect sense and has a powerful purpose. A companion scripture tells us why: “…but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh (produces) patience.” (Romans 5: 3) And as we continue with verse 3 in the 1st chapter of James it confirms why we should be so joyful in our trials: “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
So why is patience so important? Consider the following:
“In your patience you possess your souls” (Luke 21: 19)
“Patience (produces) experience, and experience (produces) hope “ (Romans 5: 4)
Why is hope so important? Because faith, being the substance of things hoped for, is the essential element of hope. Hope by itself is just wishful thinking, but hope powered by faith has the potential to be an earth-shaking force! And we all know why faith is so important:
“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all of the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6: 16)
“Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11: 6)
So now we understand why we should be so joyful about those situations that try our patience. If we go through the situation right, the patience we develop as a result is the first step in a process intended to increase our faith. And what do we find at the end of our faith in a God we cannot even visibly observe? This is what: “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1: 8-9) So let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, wanting nothing! (James 1: 4)
Great stuff, huh? Well, there's more. All we've done is just to prepare ourselves for the battle. Now we go to the front line equipped with a new understanding of the importance of patience. James 1: 12 says, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.” That is, when we go through it patiently, humbly, with love in our hearts. Then, the patient enduring of that trial will cause us to receive the crown of life that God has promised to all those that love Him. The reason for this is, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1: 7)
Without a doubt God not only loves us but considers us extremely valuable. And just as heat is used in the refining process to separate impurities from precious metal, He can use our trials, tribulations, temptations, difficulties and struggles to purify us and draw us closer to Him. “…I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction” (Isaiah 48: 10) But make no mistake, our temptations do not come from God. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” (James 1:13) Truly our Creator wants only good things for us. It’s Satan who wants you miserable and dead in your sins. He would love to rip you apart, crush you like a tin can and drag you to the lake of fire and brimstone to spend eternity with him and his angels in continuous, agonizing torment. That is, if he could. God has decided that it’s up to us to determine which path we choose. “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” (Deuteronomy 30: 19)
Of course we would all like to think that we are doing a pretty good job of serving the Lord daily, busily cleaning ourselves that we might be that church Jesus is looking for without spot or wrinkle. It is difficult to think that there might be something within each of us that might be contrary to the Spirit of God. But how can this be? Here’s how: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” (James 1: 14) Did you get that? Drawn away of our own lust, not the lust of someone else.
Whether we've repented and been converted, been baptized in Jesus’ name, sanctified wholly or filled with the power of Holy Ghost, we still occupy this sinful flesh and it remains susceptible to fleshly influences if not kept crucified. Let me say that again. Whether we've repented, been converted, been baptized in Jesus’ name, sanctified wholly or filled with the power of Holy Ghost, we still occupy this sinful flesh and it remains susceptible to fleshly influences if not kept crucified.
We all arrived on this planet in sin and our whole purpose in life before coming to serve God was to fulfill the lusts of the flesh and of the mind. We couldn't help it. We were, by nature, the children of wrath. “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (Ephesians 2: 1-3)
That is why this flesh (mind & body) must be put to death daily. This must be done because the flesh and the Spirit are continually in conflict with each other. “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other…” (Galatians 5: 17) Make no mistake, there is no limit to the depravity of the flesh. As far as the flesh is concerned, anything goes and nothing is too extreme or out of bounds. In fact, it is so bad that the Apostle Paul states in his epistle to the Romans, “…in my flesh dwells no good thing." (Romans 7: 18) If Satan can't steer you off of a cliff, he'll settle for you to veer off course just a little. It takes God to keep us safely in our lane.
So be aware that the enemy will try to tempt you with something that the indiscriminate nature of your carnality desires or is attracted to which will fulfill the lust of the body or the mind. He won’t waste too much time trying to attack you in areas where you are the strongest. But look at it this way. When he does attack he's only giving you the opportunity to strengthen the areas that need work. As was told to the church in Sardis, "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God." (Revelation 3: 2)
And believe it or not no one, and I mean no one, is exempt from temptation. Even Jesus Himself was tempted. In fact, He endured more temptation than all of us put together. And He did it without sin! “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4: 15) So how do we, us poor, pitiful humans manage to resist the inevitable, elaborate tricks of the tempter that are headed our way or may even be probing us as we speak? Although our enemy may be strong to a certain degree, God is stronger. Not only stronger, but infinitely stronger and He has made it possible that we can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us. And Satan certainly cannot stand up to the power that has been given to us in the name of Jesus. Therefore, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4: 7)
Next week, God willing, the conclusion to “The Real Battleground”