Who Are We Fighting Against

Domingo, 13 Janeiro 2013 16:37 | atualizado em Terça, 29 Janeiro 2013 01:31 | Escrito por Dr. Casey Smith, Founder |

Who Are We Fighting Against - CONTRA QUEM ESTAMOS A LUTAR

With whom is the Christian soldier meant to fight? Not with other Christians. No, indeed! The principal fight of the Christian is with the world, the flesh and the devil. These are his never– dying foes. These are the three chief enemies against whom he must wage war. Unless he gets the victory over these three, all other victories are useless and vain. If we had a perfect nature, the warfare would not be so essential. But with a corrupt heart, a devil working overtime, and an ensnaring world, we must either "fight" or be lost.

WE MUST FIGHT THE FLESH

Even after conversion we carry within us a nature prone to evil and a heart that is weak and unstable. The o'l heart will never be free from imperfection in this world, and it is a miserable delusion to expect it. To keep our hearts from going astray, the Lord Jesus bids us, "Watch and pray." The spirit may be ready, but the flesh is weak. There is need of a daily struggle and a daily wrestling in prayer. "I keep under my body," cries St. Paul, "and bring it into subjection." "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity." "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" "Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." "Mortify . . . your members which are upon the earth" (Mark 14:38; 1 Cor. 9:27; Rom. 7:23, 24; Gal. 5:24; Col. 3:5).

WE MUST FIGHT THE WORLD

The subtle influence of that mighty enemy must be daily resisted, and without a daily battle can never be overcome. The love of the world's good things, the fear of the world's laughter or blame, the secret desire to keep in with the world, the secret wish to do as others in the world do, and not to run into extremes—all these are spiritual foes which beset the Christian continually on his way to heaven and must be conquered. "The friendship of the world is enmity with God. Whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." "The world is crucified to me, and I unto the world." "Whatever is born of God overcomes the world." "Be not conformed to this world" (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15; Gal. 6:14; 1 John 5:4; Rom. 12:2).

WE MUST FIGHT THE DEVIL

That old enemy of mankind is not dead. Ever since the Fall of Adam and Eve he has been "going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it," and striving to compass one great end—the ruin of man's soul. Never slumbering and never sleeping, he is always going about as a lion seeking whom he may devour. An unseen enemy, he is always near us, about our path and about our bed, and spying out all our ways. A murderer and a liar from the beginning, he labors night and day to cast us down to hell. Sometimes by leading into superstition, sometimes by suggesting infidelity, sometimes by one kind of tactics and sometimes by another, he is always carrying on a campaign against our souls. "Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." This mighty adversary must be daily resisted if we wish to be saved. But "this kind goes not out" but by watching and praying and fighting and putting on the whole armor of God. The strong man armed will never be kept out of our hearts without a daily battle (Job 1:7; 1 Pet. 5:8; John 8:44; Luke 22:31; Eph. 6:11).

WHAT WE MUST REMEMBER

There will be times when it is necessary step back and take the time to reflect, renew our strength and to gain perspective for our lives. We may even begin to feel a sense of relief and become complacent. If we are tempted to remain complacent, we should remind ourselves of the lives we will never touch, the spiritual heights we will never reach, and the force of faith that will no longer impact the invisible world to keep the enemy at bay. There are legitimate struggles in life, and we can become discouraged, but even if we feel discouraged, and we must place our trust in the Lord, He will not fail us.

Some battles may be lost because lesser obstacles were overlooked at the start, and there are times, out of enthusiasm, we move ahead of our present capacity. It is not wise to tackle unfamiliar territory unless we are led by the Lord, to do otherwise is to witness the casualties of spiritual warfare.Christians experience real problems, and doing our best to overcome them through the power of God, will involve struggles and wrestling's that Paul defined as "warfare."

Is your battle personal? Are you fighting fear, doubt, depression, physical problems, condemnation, obsessions, worry, despair or hopelessness? Is there an attitude, a habit, or a part of your flesh that is destroying you and you know it, but you can't seem to get a handle on it? Has your good intentions to win family and friends to the Lord now turned into a personal attack against you? Are you threatened by the hostility and hate of others or do you fear isolation and how others can hurt you? Are you disturbed by your own hardened heart? Then seek God for His deliverance because He has provided a way for each one of us in Christ. Set your love upon Him and He will deliver you. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

(Psalm 34:19, Psalm 34:4, Psalm 37:5)

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Who Are We Fighting Against