As we conclude this week’s lesson on faith, I want you to
be aware of the following: the faith fight
should not be so difficult that it’s like fitting squares into circles. Things should click and fall into place like
a puzzle. That doesn’t mean there won’t
be opposition, because there will but not to the point of confusion, anger,
displaying an ungodly character, etc.
I want to encourage you to position and condition
yourselves for the fight. Fight, what
fight? I thought that God was a kind and
loving God and that everything is peaceful once you become a Christian. Yes, God is a kind and loving God, however,
your enemy (adversary, the devil) is not.
There is nothing kind, loving, fair or practical about him. He is a strategist who will use any means
necessary (up to what God allows him to do) to kill us, not just spiritually, I
mean he wants to take us outta here.
This is not a game. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy,
the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand
firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian
brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of
suffering you are. 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NLT).
The fight is not against us per se, it is against God and the devil, however,
because the devil cannot get to God, he messes with us, God’s children. Have you ever heard people or anyone for that
matter say: “the battle is not mine it’s the Lord’s?” They didn’t just make that
up as a cliché; that paraphrased statement comes from several references
throughout the bible when God encouraged His people to take up their weapons
and fight. Their fight, however, was
literal with weapons of war; whereas our battle is spiritual even though very
often there is a physical attack (e.g. our health, car accidents, loss of
property, etc.). The cold part about it is that we have already. What do I mean? I know we have discussed this before, but as
a refresher, I will restate my understanding.
The enemy can only go as far as God allows him. In other words, God knows exactly what we can
handle, he allows the devil to attack us in specific areas only for our
good. The attack will cause us to spend
more time with God whether it’s praying, reading our word, taking it a step
further to study, fasting, etc. but it also builds up our spiritual muscles –
our capacity to handle more.
The fight of opposition is to distract you so that you
can give up, which is the overarching objective of the enemy.
The
Condition is your mind set:
·
Consistency: So, my
dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work
enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is
ever useless. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)
·
Change your thinking: Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this
world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you
think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and
pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2
(NLT)
·
Stay away from sticky places and people. He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and
weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” The crowd laughed at him. But
he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three
disciples into the room where the girl was lying. Mark 5:39-40 (NLT). You may literally have to separate
yourself from negative and/or faithless people.
Jesus was no joke, he put the people out and it wasn’t even his
house. Don’t be afraid to make bold
moves like Him. That doesn’t give you a
license to be nasty, because it’s not personal.
This is about guarding your faith (your dream, your life) and you can
make drastic moves with dignity and grace.
People won’t like it, understand it and/or they may not agree with it,
but this is your life not theirs.
· Model Christ: You must have the same
attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Philippians 2:5 (NLT). How would
Christ handle the situation you’re facing?
The
Position: Your faith stance, in other
words, what you have DECIDED to believe God for. For example:
· The doctor gives
you a diagnosis of __________. You can decide
to accept what he says or believe what God’s word says:
I will not die; instead, I will live to tell
what the Lord has done.
Psalm 118:17 (NLT)
He personally carried our sins in his body
on the cross so that we can be dead to in and live for what is right. By
his wounds you are healed. 1
Peter 2:24 (NLT)
Victory
Nugget: Have you ever heard the saying,
“whose report will you believe?” This is
an example of a report and deciding which one to believe.
· You have been
tormented with fear. Torment (Webster) a state of great bodily or mental suffering; agony;
misery; something that causes great bodily or mental pain; a source of much
trouble, worry, or annoyance. You can DECIDE to continue in that state, give into
self-induced accusations or those premeditated by the enemy, or you can DECIDE
to believe God’s word on the subject.
Be strong and courageous, for you are the
one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their
ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey
all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either
to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.
8 Study this Book of Instruction continually.
Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in
it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do
not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is
with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:6-9 (NLT)
Don’t
get sidetracked by opposition, if things seem to intensify. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are off
course, it is most likely a distraction.
1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)
Your adversary the devil is “like” a roaring lion. Being like something and being something are
two different things. When he roars, it
may startle you, but because you have transformed your thinking, you realize it’s
the devil and all he can do is make noise.
He can try to intimidate you with his size, perhaps knock you down and bruise
you, but he has no teeth or claws to kill you.
It’s not uncommon for fighters to have battle scars.
Don't be scrrrrrrrd :)
In
His Excellent Service
Tank
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