SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Ephesians 6:12 - NAS - "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of
this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the
heavenly places."

The enemy is attacking!! Everyday we, as Christians, face struggles,
difficult decisions, temptations, trials, and more.

Many of you wonder why you are going through the difficulties you are.
That is understandable. There is not always an explanation. But, some
good Biblical advice could help.

1) Put on the full armor of God. (Ephesians 6) for more on this see
"Armor of God" Bible Study

2) Do your part. The Bible teaches us to:
- READ HIS WORD DAILY
- PRAY WITHOUT CEASING
- FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS (I.E. go to Church)
- SERVE GOD IN ALL THAT YOU DO
- LIVE A "CHRIST-CENTERED" LIFE not a "self-centered" life

Let's get honest now. We cause a lot of the problems in our own lives
ourselves by not following God's plan and ignoring the warnings
He has clearly laid out in His Word.

But if you are living a Godly life, and are still going thru major battles,
you must understand, there is an enemy, satan, who is very real
and very active in trying to disrupt the work of God.

The Bible clearly tells us that our battle isn't against flesh and blood,
but that it is a spiritual battle. This devotion will try to teach you how
to fight these battles.

One thing to keep in mind, no matter how bad or how often the
attacks may be on you, YOU HAVE ALREADY WON if you know Jesus
as your personl Savior! The most important battle is the one for your
soul and knowing Jesus as your personal Saviour gaurantees you
have won that battle. This knowledge, alone, should give you the
confidence to wage the battles of your life knowing that in the end,
YOU WIN! CHRIST WINS!!

If you are doing something that is a threat to satan, he WILL bother
you. Let me ask you this, "Are YOU doing anything that makes
satan angry? Is satan attacking YOUR life tonight?" If so, "Why?"

If you are not doing anything that is a threat to satan, he won't
bother you. If you live for a while and aren't being attacked, you
probably aren't doing anything that satan sees as a threat.
Rejoice in the attacks because it is confirmation you are being
effective!

Don't let discouragement settle in. Pray! Pray! Ask God to help
you through it all. Don't get down when you are attacked. Be
encouraged and fight even harder!!! Never forget that "greater
is He that is in me, than he that is in the world." God is still on
the throne, still in control. Nothing is impossible with God!!!

Now, I know these words are easier said than done, but through
my own experiences I have learned that GOD CAN! I just had to
get out of God's way.

God, in His omniscience, knew that as we worked for Him we
would face fierce attacks from satan. Therefore, He did not leave
us without help. This is where the "ARMOR OF GOD" comes in.
(For more on the Armor of God see "Armor of God" Bible Study)

This is God's protection for His children as we battle each day.
Let me encourage you to use the protection God has provided
for you as you battle the enemy each day.

A lot of God's protection is defensive, but, God has provided us
with one offensive weapon to fight with...HIS WORD!! Learning
to overcome sin in your life is important. To do this, you will
need a good, solid method. The simplest and most effective
method I have ever tried is to carry a small New Testament
Bible at all times.

During those moments of weakness, trial and temptation, take
out the New Testament word and start reading, ANYWHERE and
in just a few minutes know the sinful thoughts will have fled
because they can not stand up under the power of God's
Word. Act Quickly!

The quicker you act, the quicker you can "react." USE this
protection everyday! Use it as often as necessary! Your best
weapon in fighting the enemy - "The WORD OF GOD."

The enemy's backyard is the Internet and I know you are
reading this because you are involved in the internet, so I
feel I MUST remind you of all the "garbage" there is in our
world today because of the internet. Act quickly.

We can venture into this "backyard" without fear because
God's Word tells us we are more than conquerors!!
Romans 8:37 "Nay, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through Him that loved us."

With God for us, who can be against us!
Romans 8:31 "What shall we then say to these things?
If God be for us, who can be against us?"

We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me."

Be encouraged today, as you fight your spiritual battles
in life, you CAN use those methods of protection God has
provided. It is time for God's children to get serious, quit
being so passive, and get busy "in confidence" KNOWING
that God has given us all we need to go out and lift His
name up before this sinful, hateful and dark world.

Being under attack from many directions is to be expected
because when you are in a war, there will be attacks.
Pray for strength for yourselves. Bind together as a
Christian family (brothers and sisters in Christ) and pray
for each other. Be careful not to judge each other in
this process. Be kind, considerate, loving in all things.

In Spiritual War, the key to winning is PRAYER.
Sound easy? Many of you say you have been praying but
you feel it doesn't work. Maybe God has been answering,
but you aren't listening. If you have been praying about a
situation but in your mind you have already figured out how
God needs to answer, then you are selling your answer short.
Maybe God wants to do it another way, maybe He has his
own strategy that isn't exactly like yours. Be willing and
open to God's WILL AND WAY.

Do you want victory, or do you just want victory your way?
Praying involves turning it over to God and letting Him fight
the battle, and it also means letting Him win the battle in
his own way. Why? So He gets the glory!!!

Bathe yourselves in prayer daily!!! DO not be afraid to request
prayer! YES! Even right here.. on the internet! We can bind
together as a family and pray for each other every day!
Satan would love to take us out, but God has showed us that
no trick of the enemy will keep this work from going and
growing!!! Nothing is going to slow us down from fulfilling the
"Great Commission God has given to us. God created this
great technology that has been used so long for evil and
ungodly purposes, to reach this lost, sinful world in these
last days. We need to be touching a world daily with the
hope and love of Jesus Christ! As you come under attack,
keep moving forward, in the confidence that with God on
your side, who can be against you?

If you are in the midst of the battle today, don't retreat,
don't give up, move forward and fight on.

Do not be denied, do not be discouraged, as you pray.
If you let Him, God will put His plan in effect no matter
how crazy it may seem to you!

NOTE: Remember the battle at Jericho? What a crazy way
to bring a wall down! But it worked. And "why did it work?"
Because God did it and did it HIS way!

Let's minister through this incredible medium known as
the Internet and try to touch many lives. Keep each other
in your prayers and let's find victory in the battles we
are fighting.

I pray that each of you live the victorious lives that you
can be living as Christians.

God has showed us who our enemy is. He has provided
the equipment to fight with, and most important, has
guaranteed us the victory! With that knowledge, there is
no battle you are fighting today that should cause you any
fear. Pray and let God lead you to victory.

Never forget that "greater is He that is in you, than he
that is in the world"!!! Because of Him, we have already
won the VICTORY!!!!

Your sister in Christ,
LuvsGod