1328AFC071213 – WAR!!
Read it online here, please.
Ephesians 6:10-12 – Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. Put on the full armor of God to protect yourselves from the devil and his evil schemes. We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places.
Luke 10:18 – And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven.
John 12:31 – The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.
John 14:30-31 – “I will not speak with you much longer, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me, but I am doing just what the Father commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Get up, let us go from here.”
Matthew 24:6-7 – “You will hear about wars. You will also hear people talking about future wars. Don’t be alarmed. Those things must happen. But the end still isn’t here. Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom. People will go hungry. There will be earthquakes in many places.” John 14:27 –Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Is the whole world at war? Here is a map of current ongoing armed conflicts with deaths over 1000/year as of 2012:
Ongoing Conflicts 2012
Dgreco
And here is a map showing the Index of Peace
War is the act of intentionally inflicting harm upon a wide area and large number of people with the intent of gaining victory by causing death or submission to terror. It is often prolonged armed conflict, typically with excessive violence, and aims to subjugate one group (the enemy) to the control of another (initiators). The Apostle Paul informs us, though, that the war we are in is Spiritual Warfare. For this type of warfare he recommends The Whole Armor of God:
- Belt of Truth
- Breastplate of Righteousness
- Gospel of Peace
- Shield of Faith
- Helmet of Salvation
- Sword of the Spirit
- Spiritual Warfare through Prayer.
Beloved, the hard work is already done by Christ in his life, death, and resurrection. “The Kingdom of God is at hand! The victory is assured, but the battle continues. You must fight! When any of us acquiesce, we endanger others – some of whom have no fight in them at all and some of whom fight with tenacious courage, virtue, and valor. I want to remind you what this fight is about, so I am going to repeat something from December 24, 2010. It is The Battle Plan. If you read it before, refamiliarize with it. If you’ve never read it, please consider reading it carefully. There are a LOT of Bible verses here, so I ask for your patience as you carefully read each one. Individually they might seem familiar, but taken as a whole, they will fortify your mind and heart for the battles you face.
Remember that the Whole Armor of God has nothing that covers the back of you. As long as you face the enemy, God’s got your back. Turn your back on God and the enemy will wound you there!
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ➡
There are three points I want to make about this idea of Spiritual Warfare.
- It is real and not enough Earthlings believe that.
- There are consequences – including eternal death – for losing the battles that comprise the War.
- Only one Army will win. War is a community effort. Both sides have armies of soldiers fighting each other. That winning community of Warriors will know eternal Life.
1. It is real and not enough Earthlings believe that.
For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10: 3-4 (Amplified Version).
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6: 12
…every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:3-4
2. There are consequences – including eternal separation from the Life of God – for losing the battles that comprise the War.
If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. Matthew 18:8
“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. Matthew 25:41
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:46
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” Mark 3:29
They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 2 Thessalonians 1:9
And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment. Jude 1:7
Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so. Hebrews 6:1-3
The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death. Proverbs 10:16
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. Revelation 2:11, and Note
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:6
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Revelation 20:14, and
“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. “Revelation 21:8 and Note
Whether you believe that Hell is a burning lake of fire or “merely” the knowledge that your spirit and resurrected body are totally and eternally cut off from God, the fact remains that Only Christ has the power of Redemption and all who are without Christ cannot be and will not be redeemed.
3. Only one Army will win. War is a community effort
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. John 3:16-21
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. Luke 10:19
No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me, “declares the LORD. Isaiah 54:17
On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. Isaiah 25:7-8
Should I ransom them from the grave? Should I redeem them from death? O death, bring on your terrors! O grave, bring on your plagues! For I will not take pity on them. Hosea (13:14)
1 Corinthians 15 Read this entire chapter for some amazing insights. Check out the notes as you come across them.
Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. Revelation 21:1-7 Read the whole passage.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
When this …
… became this, the victory was assured.
But the war rages on, and if we, together, put on The Whole Armor of God, we will share in His Victory for all eternity.
Some recent prayer requests:
ML: Young, beautiful, single, pregnant. Pray for discernment as she moves forward in her pregnancy.
TO: Recent bicycle crash will require some serious rest while injuries heal. Pray for financial protection during that period.
AE and family: Adjusting to new surroundings has left AE looking for meaning. Pray for AE’s spiritual solidarity in faith matters, and that the family will be spared from all distress in their new location.
G&C: Heroic faith in the face of chronic illness means they still trust in God and know that everything will work out for them. Pray for continued remission without any complications from the medications.
Please remember all the folks who have suffered loss of life, liberty, and/or property in the recent natural disasters and political upheavals. Also take a moment to pray for the orphaned and widowed, the impoverished and starving, and all who live in oppression because of the evil of others who side with our enemy, the initiator of this war.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved.
1328AFC071213 – WAR!!
Read it online here, please.
Ephesians 6:10-12 – Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. Put on the full armor of God to protect yourselves from the devil and his evil schemes. We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places.
Luke 10:18 – And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven.
John 12:31 – The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.
John 14:30-31 – “I will not speak with you much longer, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me, but I am doing just what the Father commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Get up, let us go from here.”
Matthew 24:6-7 – “You will hear about wars. You will also hear people talking about future wars. Don’t be alarmed. Those things must happen. But the end still isn’t here. Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom. People will go hungry. There will be earthquakes in many places.” John 14:27 –Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Is the whole world at war? Here is a map of current ongoing armed conflicts with deaths over 1000/year as of 2012:
Ongoing Conflicts 2012
Dgreco
And here is a map showing the Index of Peace
War is the act of intentionally inflicting harm upon a wide area and large number of people with the intent of gaining victory by causing death or submission to terror. It is often prolonged armed conflict, typically with excessive violence, and aims to subjugate one group (the enemy) to the control of another (initiators). The Apostle Paul informs us, though, that the war we are in is Spiritual Warfare. For this type of warfare he recommends The Whole Armor of God:
- Belt of Truth
- Breastplate of Righteousness
- Gospel of Peace
- Shield of Faith
- Helmet of Salvation
- Sword of the Spirit
- Spiritual Warfare through Prayer.
Beloved, the hard work is already done by Christ in his life, death, and resurrection. “The Kingdom of God is at hand! The victory is assured, but the battle continues. You must fight! When any of us acquiesce, we endanger others – some of whom have no fight in them at all and some of whom fight with tenacious courage, virtue, and valor. I want to remind you what this fight is about, so I am going to repeat something from December 24, 2010. It is The Battle Plan. If you read it before, refamiliarize with it. If you’ve never read it, please consider reading it carefully. There are a LOT of Bible verses here, so I ask for your patience as you carefully read each one. Individually they might seem familiar, but taken as a whole, they will fortify your mind and heart for the battles you face.
Remember that the Whole Armor of God has nothing that covers the back of you. As long as you face the enemy, God’s got your back. Turn your back on God and the enemy will wound you there!
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ➡
There are three points I want to make about this idea of Spiritual Warfare.
- It is real and not enough Earthlings believe that.
- There are consequences – including eternal death – for losing the battles that comprise the War.
- Only one Army will win. War is a community effort. Both sides have armies of soldiers fighting each other. That winning community of Warriors will know eternal Life.
1. It is real and not enough Earthlings believe that.
For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10: 3-4 (Amplified Version).
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6: 12
…every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:3-4
2. There are consequences – including eternal separation from the Life of God – for losing the battles that comprise the War.
If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. Matthew 18:8
“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. Matthew 25:41
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:46
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” Mark 3:29
They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 2 Thessalonians 1:9
And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment. Jude 1:7
Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so. Hebrews 6:1-3
The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death. Proverbs 10:16
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. Revelation 2:11, and Note
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:6
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Revelation 20:14, and
“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. “Revelation 21:8 and Note
Whether you believe that Hell is a burning lake of fire or “merely” the knowledge that your spirit and resurrected body are totally and eternally cut off from God, the fact remains that Only Christ has the power of Redemption and all who are without Christ cannot be and will not be redeemed.
3. Only one Army will win. War is a community effort
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. John 3:16-21
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. Luke 10:19
No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me, “declares the LORD. Isaiah 54:17
On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. Isaiah 25:7-8
Should I ransom them from the grave? Should I redeem them from death? O death, bring on your terrors! O grave, bring on your plagues! For I will not take pity on them. Hosea (13:14)
1 Corinthians 15 Read this entire chapter for some amazing insights. Check out the notes as you come across them.
Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. Revelation 21:1-7 Read the whole passage.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
When this …
… became this, the victory was assured.
But the war rages on, and if we, together, put on The Whole Armor of God, we will share in His Victory for all eternity.
Some recent prayer requests:
ML: Young, beautiful, single, pregnant. Pray for discernment as she moves forward in her pregnancy.
TO: Recent bicycle crash will require some serious rest while injuries heal. Pray for financial protection during that period.
AE and family: Adjusting to new surroundings has left AE looking for meaning. Pray for AE’s spiritual solidarity in faith matters, and that the family will be spared from all distress in their new location.
G&C: Heroic faith in the face of chronic illness means they still trust in God and know that everything will work out for them. Pray for continued remission without any complications from the medications.
Please remember all the folks who have suffered loss of life, liberty, and/or property in the recent natural disasters and political upheavals. Also take a moment to pray for the orphaned and widowed, the impoverished and starving, and all who live in oppression because of the evil of others who side with our enemy, the initiator of this war.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved.
