Spiritual Warfare: A believers call to arms.
by chris benjamin

To our Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit be all the glory, honor, praise, worship, and power forever.

Our lives are forever being impacted by the effects of war here on earth. From the beginning of time clashes between individuals, tribes, and nations has left a lasting imprint on the history of the world. Whether the cause stemmed from religious differences, lust for power, or to rescue the persecuted, we as a world have known war. War has given rise and fall to many empires over the millennia. While it is the minority of us that actually engage in the physical aspect of battle against an enemy, everyone of us is in a spiritual battle for our eternal lives.
Everyone of us as God's children have been commissioned to fight in the arena of spiritual warfare. "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." 1 Timothy 6:12 (NIV). God has called each and everyone of us to engage the enemy everyday to fight the good fight of the faith. Take charge of the direction our lives are going. Confidently direct them to succeed for God and His will!
The enemy is deceptive and will do anything to take you off the path of righteousness that leads to our salvation. Most of the time the enemy does not use a frontal assault against us. The spiritual battlefield in our lives usually isn't laid out in a perfect linear formation with us on one side, and our enemy on the other. It is not that simple. The enemy we face is smart and adaptive. The enemy we face is a master of temptation and seduction. He uses subtle suggestions to influence our decisions in the wrong way. The temptation may come as a desire or need left unfulfilled by a spouse, parent, or friend. "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground," Ephesians 6:13 (NIV). We must be ever vigilant to recognize when we are being tempted and respond with the full armor of God on our side.
Now that we know we have been called to engage the enemy of God everyday, we must understand that we are not alone in the fight. God loves us unconditionally and He has given us His powerful weapons to take on and defeat anything that stands between Him and the love He has for us as His children. "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:14-17 (NIV). We have been blessed by God with these righteous weapons to fight the enemy with. As godly individuals we can accomplish much, but it is when we are united in true oneness with God and His children that we are unconquerable. How do we know who the enemy is or what to look for? Train up in the truth of the Lord God Almighty that is in the bible to discern the good from evil. With God's wisdom we can understand His will for us. With His strength, courage, and confidence we will be able to achieve His will in all situations. Surround every part of our lives with God's word to center us Him and teach His children. We must as soldiers of God be in tune with the word of God. That is how we will know what is His will is for us. It will also sharpen our sense of perception to the traps of temptation from the enemy. When we are one with God, He will grant us His wisdom through the Holy Spirit. With His all knowing wisdom, we can see the temptation attacking us, and defeat it before it has a chance to manifest into sin. To become the best soldiers for God we can be, we must train diligently everyday in our quest to defeat the enemy. Just like in any army, the best trained, equipped, and intelligent soldiers will be victorious. God has given us all that we need to win every battle. It is our responsibility now to train ourselves how to use them effectively in our lives. Every army has a form of basic training to instruct each soldier how to be intelligent and disciplined in the ways of war. In addition, the basic training helps the soldier to become fit physically, mentally, and most important spiritually. Our spiritual basic training is no different. We must train our bodies, minds, and spirits to become resilient in any situation the enemy may attack us with. The only way to increase our resiliency is by continuous training. A spiritual basic training that is centered in God's word and structured for continuity between each of us as God's children.
It is our duty, our calling, our destiny as children of God to fight the good fight of the faith everyday. Take this calling to arms for God's will and glory as our new mission in life. God is calling His children, how we respond to His calling will determine where we will spend eternity. Though Him, with Him, in Him, and for Him we will unite with true oneness of body, mind, and spirit and be victorious in every battle of our spiritual war for God's glory!

Chris is the author of the inspirational book "Spiritual Basic Training" Learn more at www.spiritualbasictraining.com to complete missions for a Spirit-filled life.
God Bless

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com







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