Tag: Spiritual Warfare

It’s Nailed to the Cross

On By TimIn Colossians 02, Daily Walk, Encouragement, Eternal Security, Freedom, Resurrection, Salvation, Sin, Spiritual Warfare, The CrossLeave a comment

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has resurrected together with Him, having forgiven you all sins. He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and contrary to us, and He took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed authorities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them by the cross.

Colossians 2:13–15 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Literally, it’s you being presently dead. The verb is present tense. As a believer, God made you alive. The tenses of the verbs say something probably not thought of.

Being dead is a continuous thing in this existence. our existence before salvation was pictured as being uncircumcised. That is, what makes the dead is not yet cut away. Uncircumcised flesh is where death reigns and a person dying in it goes to perdition because they are still in their sins. But the good thing is though the death of the flesh is a continuous thing it can be circumcised with the circumcision made with hands.

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which also you were raised with Him through the faith of the power of God, who has raised Him from the dead.

Colossians 2:11–12 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The body of sins is put away by Jesus. It’s put away in death, His death. You are then made alive because He lives. The being made alive is once, you do not need to be continually made alive. He’s forgiven you all your sins.

There’s another kicker… For those who might wanna tell you that your salvation isn’t necessarily secure in what Jesus has already done and it depends on your endurance, it’s not there.

How much sin is forgiven, having forgiven you all sin?

He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances. Meaning it’s done. That means there is nothing against you from your past, your present, or even your future. It’s done.

He took it out of the way. Rest assured it’s gone.

Whatever the law had against you is to the cross. It’s a simple past action. It’s nailed to the cross. There are no future crosses our future sins need to be nailed to. There is no future death of Jesus needed.

Authorities and powers are disarmed. If satan is bothering you, why do you allow or permit it?

This passage clearly states that demons and devils have no power. The only real power they may have is the stuff you give them. That’s why the Bible tells you you are a slave to whom you present yourself. So don’t give them any power. And if you have, revoke it now in Jesus’ name.

Stop subjecting yourselves to the powerlessness of wondering if your salvation took… Or whether you can lose it. Live unabashedly for Him.

Introduction to the Idea of a Stronghold

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Freedom, Judges 06, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

That night the Lord said to him, “Take a bull from your father’s herd and a second bull seven years old. Tear down your father’s Baal altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build an altar to the Lord your God on top of this stronghold in an orderly way. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah pole that you will cut down.”

Judges 6:25–26 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It’s important to know that the God we serve is the Most High God. There are no other gods who can equal Him let alone exceed Him.

When God described the Baal altar and the Asherah pole, he used the word stronghold. That is not because the god(s) worshipped there had any real powers to do anything… The stronghold was in the minds of those who worshipped the god(s) using that place.

God does not need the blood of bulls to triumph over the stronghold. He is going to use it as a manifold typing.

For some background, in the ancient pagan ways, Baal was sometimes worshipped as the king of gods. In this instance, he would hold the title of “El.” To the Canaanites, El was not the God of Israel, yet was considered most high. Asherah is the consort of El. Baal is revered as the universal fertility god and is known as a storm god that brings rain. (Think brings fertility to the fields.) Other things to know… Baal is sometimes symbolized by a bull as he allegedly sired a bull. The Asherah pole is a large carved wooden pole that is worshipped as the goddess. She too would be a goddess of fertility, while also being the goddess of sexual lust. The Asherah pole would lend itself to a phallic representation. Sex would be a part of the worship at this place.

With the ideas represented here, the word stronghold is applicable. And this is the first usage of the word in the Bible.

Also, necessary to understand is that Baal would fight Mot. Mot is the God of death. If Baal were victorious a seven-year cycle of fertility would ensue giving good crops and increased livestock.

Maybe you start to see all the symbology here, and how God was going to show Himself victorious over this usurper who is called the king of gods. The fertility symbols would be dashed, an altar built to the Most High, and a bull of seven years-of-age sacrificed on it over the wood of that god’s emblem of vitality and fertility. Anything that god could do was dashed to nothing.

So Gideon took ten men from among his slaves and did as the Lord had told him, but because he was too afraid of the rest of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it at night.

Judges 6:27 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It was no simple thing Gideon was asked to do. There was real danger here.

When the men of the city got up early in the morning, the altar of Baal was torn down, the Asherah pole beside it was cut down, and the second bull had been offered on the new altar that had been built.

Judges 6:28–30 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

They said to each other, “Who has done this?”

When they had inquired and asked, they responded, “Gideon son of Joash has done this.”

Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son so that he may die, for he tore down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”

You see how the altar and pole were a stronghold not just for Gideon’s father, but the rest of the city as well. Even though these things were labeled as Gideon’s father’s. The stronghold held sway in the hearts of all in the city. It served as a refuge for them… Just as the Hebrew word conveys.

Joash then said to all who stood against him, “Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Whoever fights for him will be killed by morning. If Baal is a god, let him fight for himself, for someone has torn down his altar.” Therefore on that day he called him Jerub-Baal, saying, “Let Baal fight him, for he tore down the altar of Baal.”

Judges 6:31–32 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

God knew exactly how to break that stronghold by using the very things those people revered to destroy what they worshipped.

It is a good thing to know that when we teach about the meanings of certain symbols or even pagan rituals, is that God triumphs over them all. Just like the symbols of these gods were put under the blood of their god so to say, by the work of our God. It is a picture of the strongholds in our lives; how they are put under the blood of our God by our God. They are gone. They really have no power over a believer.

Christian, there is nothing the enemy has you over on, save whatever you give to him. Sometimes we must smash those strongholds in our lives and others, so we and they can clearly see the truth, just a Joash saw.

It is not work that is easy to do, and not without real risk. But the benefits give glory to God as people are woke from their enthrallment to such vanities.

It’s Near

On By TimIn 1 Peter 04, Faithfulness, Hospitality, LoveLeave a comment

The end of all things is near. Therefore be solemn and sober so you can pray.

1 Peter 4:7 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Even when Peter was writing this, his expectation was for Jesus was imminent. we live some almost two-thousand years later. By any stretch of the imagination that mass of time cannot be counted as near or imminent.

Perhaps Peter wasn’t emphasizing the timing of things, but using the anticipation of the return of Jesus as an impetus for us believers to be right-minded. The need to have that mental clarity comes from the faith that Jesus keeps His promises. We also have to gird up each other.

It’s not people, really… But the entities that work in the spiritual realm which we do not readily perceive. These entities are real, and they work tirelessly to influence people and events. It’s a real war. That’s why we all have trials.

Peter has previously spoken in this epistle to expect that suffering and those trials. He has been teaching us to think correctly in those trials by keeping our minds sharply focused on heavenly things. That way we can do the things we need to do. Live soberly, and war spiritually.

What we need to do is pray. Even Paul speaks of this spiritual mindset. Like Peter is telling us how to be prepared for that, Paul uses a different idea in Ephesians 6. The two ideas are basically the same, though Paul used the imagery of a Roman soldier in armor. That armor was to set your mind in a certain way, and be ready.

Pray in the Spirit always with all kinds of prayer and supplication. To that end be alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:18 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Be ready. Set your mind straight! And pray always.

If one isn’t sober, it is easy to get distracted and derailed, often leaving prayer behind.

Above all things, have unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Before we can pray rightly for anyone, we must love them. That is at the root of what Peter is teaching us. It is the most important way to treat each other. If you love your brothers and sisters in the faith, it will lead you to be burdened with their cares. And when they stumble, as each of us is prone to do… We don’t make another feel guilty.

Pray for them… Even as you pray for enemies. The time is too short for us all.

Show hospitality to one another without complaining. As everyone has received a gift, even so serve one another with it, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Peter 4:9–10 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Sometimes hospitality toward another presents itself as a daunting task. Some people just rub us the wrong way. We don’t want to be hospitable.

Check yourself. Hospitality isn’t about us. Well, not in the way that comes to mind. It’s about extending a gift to another. That is, giving them something they don’t deserve to get.

Look! Each of us doesn’t merit what Jesus did for us. It came to us as a gift from Him. It is a gift rooted in the love He has for each us. A gift that comes because time is short. None of us are promised tomorrow.

Extending hospitality even when we don’t feel like it is being a good steward of the grace God gives. But you say you don’t have the gift of hospitality. Peter is saying you do. It comes with your salvation… And even before you were saved. God was hospitable toward you by sending His own Son to die in your place. The Bible says God commends His love toward us. That’s hospitality. It follows then that it ought be a necessary thing to do that for another, if you are a Christian.

If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone serves, let him serve with the strength that God supplies, so that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:11 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

When we do any of these things to and for others, it ought to be done in the same way God did it for us.

In that way, it lifts up Jesus in the eyes of all who look on.

The Demands of the Adversary

On By TimIn Encouragement, Luke 22, Second Chance, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

Then the Lord said, “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to have you to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have repented, strengthen your brothers.”

Luke 22:31–32 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

In just a quick perusal today, I encountered this. Sometimes when thinking of other things, and they are set aside, a quick glance at Scripture will provide some insight. I think it rather poignant, too. That is, given the posts of late centering on Peter’s first epistle.

Anyway… It was a discussion on Job one night. Someone had made a remark that God gave permission to Satan to test Job. I shook my head in a clear way to acknowledge that it wasn’t true. The person making the assertion insisted it was true. Let’s see if it is.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Adversary also came among them. And the Lord said to the Adversary, “From where have you come?”
Then the Adversary answered the Lord, saying, “From roaming on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”
And the Lord said to the Adversary, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and an upright man, who fears God, and avoids evil?”

Job 1:6–8 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Sometimes our English translations don’t transmit the entirety of thought. In some translations, there are translators’ notes. These are included to help understand what is being conveyed. In this case, it would be easy to think the Adversary was just casually walking around looking at things. Not only that, but it one might think it was God Who would bring up the idea of testing Job to the Adversary.

That’s not what’s there. The Hebrew phrase translated have you considered literally means have you set your heart to my servant Job.

It’s like the Adversary is demanding some sort of right. Go back to what Jesus said to Peter. Satan is demanding to sift you. The Adversary demands his rights.

Furthermore, Jesus didn’t give permission to Satan. Satan was demanding what was rightfully his. Jesus prayed for Peter to not succumb to the test. That’s simply because we really are no match for the enemy. Jesus knew that. He is our Advocate. He intercedes for us.

Look what He said to Peter next, “And when you have repented, strengthen your brothers.”

We are no match for the enemy. He may have rights, but he also has boundaries and cannot exceed those.

Then the Adversary answered the Lord, saying, “Has Job feared God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face.”

Job 1:9–11— Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

You might think it weird how the Adversary demands that God bring calamity to Job. It didn’t happen. But what follows is God saying to the Adversary, you have rights to all that is his.

That comes from the fall. Satan wrested dominion of the creation from the one it was given to, Adam. Therefore, all that Job had was part of the fallen world to which the Adversary has rights. Since the cross, those rights are in the process of being revoked permanently.

Jesus told Peter. “And when you have repented.” He was telling Peter of the victory that Jesus would finish shortly. A remedy for Peter falling prey.

Don’t give in to the idea that God has to give permission to the Adversary for him to bother you. He has rights. When we are in sin, that is where he works. But there is a way out of the rights he has.

And when you have repented….

Is This not the Carpenter?

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Jesus, Mark 06, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

He went away from there and came into His own country. And His disciples followed Him. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get this? What is this wisdom that is given Him, that even miracles are done by His hands? Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him.

Mark 6:1–3 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

When Jesus returned to the place of His rearing and taught in the synagogue, people were astonished. These knew Him better than the other places He visited. They knew His upbringing. He was the carpenter.

Because these had a more intimate knowledge of Jesus growing up and working… What they thought He is became a stumbling block. How could a carpenter have so much wisdom teaching in the synagogue and even do miracles?

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.”

Mark 6:4 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Speaking truth is just that. For anyone who does it to strangers, they may be more apt to listen. They may have no preconceptions. But when it is done with those who you grew up with, objections start to rise. Not because the truth is spoken. These know you or think they do be preconceptions.

For those who have preconceptions, what you say is going to be measured by who they think you are. A stranger speaking the truth is going to appear to have great wisdom. If that stranger is labeled conservative, what truth offered is going to be measured through what the label means to the person hearing.

What you say is going to be measured by who or what your audience thinks you are. The words themselves will be filtered through that myopia. The more specific the preconception applied to you, the more easily it will provoke some offense.

People will judge what you say by preconceived ideas.

In the instance above, to those who knew Him, it was a carpenter speaking with great wisdom and doing miracles. To the stranger, the inherent baggage of a carpenter didn’t exist. Jesus’ humble upbringing was more of a stumbling block to those who were around Him growing up.

Today, those who have a preconceived notion of what a Christian is will filter the truth spoken by that Christian through that idea. In fact, most likely the Christian will seem hypocritical, even among other Christians.

It’s not that the hometown folks didn’t honor Jesus. It was their preconceived idea of Who they thought He is… That became the offense. In other words, He didn’t fit in their box.

Don’t let the box another person wants to put you in to be the prison for you. It is actually a prison for them.

He could not do any miracles there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He was amazed because of their unbelief.

Mark 6:5–6 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Because they had imprisoned themselves, it became difficult for Jesus to do anything really good in their lives.

There is a deeper theological issue here, too. It has to do with synergy. There will be lots of folks who balk at that term. What is clearly being taught is that the people themselves weren’t receptive to Jesus. It became an impediment to them. He couldn’t help them.

If He could have changed their hearts by His own will and turned a faith-switch on, don’t you think He would have done that to have compassion on them?

Yet He didn’t. Perhaps it is because we have to come to Jesus in child-like faith, setting aside our own preconceptions of what we think is really real, believing what He says. Only then can He do miracles.

Taking Every Thought Captive

On By TimIn 2 Corinthians 10, Daily Walk, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

2 Corinthians 10:3 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We live in a time of great technology, reason, and medical advances. Our modern lives are overflowing with information and ideas. Yet many of us are caught up with the overload of life that we become isolated, physically and mentally. It can happen to anyone, and given what we see in the media, it is rampant.
In this age of advancement and reason, even we Christians may mildly scoff at what Scripture says. That verse above gives a glimpse of a truth of which we need a constant reminder. We walk in the flesh, but what wars against us is not flesh. Its principalities and powers are in heavenly places.
Many resorts to the technology and the modern tools available to alleviate fear, pain, and suffering. I am not advocating against this at all, but to be aware of the real problem that may linger untreated.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is complete.

2 Corinthians 10:4–6 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We war spiritually.
Sometimes the results of our own behavior bring this fear, pain, and suffering to us. It can then manifest in the flesh as a disease of one sort or another. Sometimes this disease may have other spiritual causes.
We can use the tools of the world that are available to us. But if some of the cause of our fear, pain, and suffering is spiritual in nature, these tools may not be enough.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.

When we become isolated, we are in a prone position. We see that demonstrated in the wild, those isolated from the herd become easy prey.
One of our first needs is a like-minded close community. We Christians are sheep. We need a herd for protection and fellowship.
We can easily stray off our own accord. That is why we need this herd of like-minded brothers and sisters around us. We must be careful to not stray or become isolated. This is where we encourage and pray for others and are encouraged and prayed for by them.
There’s strength in numbers.

But mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.

Look, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

Luke 10:19–20 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I love that we have that authority given to us by Jesus. This is the true power that we have in Him. Nothing can take away our salvation. That is where the real power is, there is no more shame or fear.
Our names are written in heaven. That is the one thing those serpents and scorpions (principalities and powers) don’t have. Every time we declare the name of Jesus Christ, those powers are reminded of their own eternal perdition. That is why the demons Jesus encountered in the Gadarene begged not to be put in the pit (Luke 8:31.)

Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God

Jesus made the shame of the principalities and powers public!

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has resurrected together with Him, having forgiven you all sins. He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and contrary to us, and He took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed authorities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them by the cross.

Colossians 2:13–15 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

When we live our lives in this way, we boldly proclaim the power of Jesus. Since He alone has removed the guilt and shame of our sin, it no longer has any power over us. Those powers and authorities are really disarmed.
Of course, any of us can always place your own selves back in subjection to them by sin. Remember what Paul said? You are slaves to who you present yourselves to obey (Romans 6:16.)
Don’t place yourselves under their authority. There is no need to do that.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of His dear Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13–14 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

If you have. Renounce it now, out loud. Confess it to Jesus, and it is removed (1 John 1:9.) The power in the fear of retribution, guilt, and shame is removed immediately upon confessing sin to Jesus (In addition, it even helps to confess it to trusted others, as the shame is removed.)

Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

The battle against isolation is not so much physical. It is a struggle in our minds. Our minds are our spiritual center. It is where we reason things. It is also where the enemy begins the attack. And there, we are bombarded with messages all the time. Some are good. Some are bad.
As Christians, we know the enemy uses a distance weapon, fiery darts (Ephesians 6:16.) Those fiery darts are these messages that come to us from the enemy. If we’re not careful to discern the difference in the messages… That is to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ… We may end up embracing the bad ones that give the enemy an entrance.
Jesus teaches us to judge righteously. We need to do that in our own minds, toward the messages we embrace, too. How do we do that?
Since Jesus is the focus of all of this, and everything that we have that is good is from Him… Let’s test those messages in His name. Consider these messages:

  • Nobody likes me.
  • I’m ugly.
  • I’m a good person.
  • Nobody would miss me if I were gone.
  • I’m not loved at all.
  • I’m loved.

These are just some examples. The messages we receive come in all different varieties. Some of us are sometimes bothered by these. There may be even some who have embraced these and they think this is who they are.
It’s not true!
That shield of faith can quench those fiery darts before they even get to you.
There are some who’ve heard these messages for a long time. They may have even embraced them to the point they think that is who they are.
If that is you… Renounce all of them in Jesus’ name… out loud. Then we can begin to take these messages captive.
As those messages come to you about you, add the words ‘in Jesus’ name’ to the end of them. Those that don’t make sense or are not true are from the enemy and can be readily ignored.
I’m ugly in Jesus’ name. That doesn’t make sense. For messages like that… Throw ’em out! You have that authority.
I’m a good person in Jesus’ name. That is true only in His name. I can embrace that message, and think rightly of myself.
When we think rightly of ourselves, we can learn to easily avoid the traps of the enemy. We can also then help others in our herd as we’ve gained wisdom.
All of this has a promised end for us believers.

And being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is complete.

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more the things that pertain to this life?

1 Corinthians 6:2–3 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Get that! There will come a time when we Christians get to judge the very principalities and powers that bother us now.
When the attacks come. You can know how to identify them… And avoid them. Understand the end destined for the sources of those messages. They’ve been shamed by Jesus at the cross, where the handwriting of ordinances against us has been nailed to the cross.
It’s all in knowing your identity in Jesus.

Don’t Run and Hide

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Jeremiah 23, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

Am I a God who is near, says the Lord, and not a God far off? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I do not see him? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord.

Jeremiah 23:23–24 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We all have a tendency to hide in shame from God. Adam and Eve did it. But Who came to find them?

When we consider that it was God Who sought them out in their self-made condition, He called to them, not because He didn’t know where they were or what had happened.

When they finally came out from hiding in their shame, God asked why. It wasn’t because He didn’t know. It was God from the beginning restoring what was lost. He came to them reconciled, wanting them to be reconciled to Him. He educed a confession of sin from both of them.

It’s the predicament of humanity. We lose our focus on God and get sidetracked… Often entering into flagrant rebellion against Him. It’s not unprecedented. In such situations, the shame of sin keeps us from God. We want to cover ourselves and hide.

God is always near. His nearness is not something to make us uncomfortable. On the contrary, it is that we need to know as the psalmist did. If God counted our iniquities against us, who could stand? (Psalms 130:3-4.)

He doesn’t want us hiding. He wants us to enjoy His presence, much the same way Adam and Eve did. He sent His Own Unique Son to ensure that. If sin gets in the way of that relationship between us and God, it’s because we (and the enemy) keep an account. 1 John 1:9 teaches us that we can run to God, not in shame but boldness. We can confess the iniquity and be restored.

You really cannot run and hide. Remember that. You wouldn’t be alive if He was counting your iniquities against you.

Far Greater than Anything the Enemy Has

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Ephesians 06Leave a comment

For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Our enemies are not people who abuse, use and destroy us. Our enemies are spiritual. Jesus gave us the authority to trample these.

Our daily devotions in El Salvador were from Ephesians, and there was a little nugget that clearly shined in this portion.

As part of our lifelong walk, we are to take up the whole armor of God. It’s not a daily task to put on the armor… Put it on and never take it off. Comport your life in such a way that you walk in the protection of it daily.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:17 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We take that sword of the spirit… It is an offensive weapon. But clearly understanding the idea of “sword” here, this is a shorter sword. It isn’t a long spear, but a sword that is used in close-quarters combat. In other words, short-distance warfare. This is better perceived as intimate relational engagement.

In the Scriptures between these two offered… Taking up the armor, and taking the sword; we also glean information about the enemy’s weapons of warfare. These are fiery darts. One cannot help but to see the implication that these are fired from a distance. They are “distance weapons.” We can quench these with a shield of faith. (Again, we do see that our defense is in “close-quarters.”)

So how is it that the only overtly offensive weapon we seem to have is for intimate use while the enemy assails us with a distance weapon?

How do we have a chance in such battles?

There is the seventh piece of armor that many overlook. It is also a distance weapon that is far greater than anything the enemy has…

Pray in the Spirit always with all kinds of prayer and supplication. To that end be alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:18 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Prayer is not only for us, to help stave off those fiery darts, but it is for us to enter into the battle for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Each of us has our blindsides… But together, praying with all prayer and supplication for all saints… We present a formidable edifice. That is the church,. The one thing that the gates of Hell cannot prevail over.

Rejoice! Praise God! Willfully enter the foray of the battle if not for yourself, but for another! Together, by the power and authority of Jesus, we trample of serpents and scorpions.