At WAR
If I don’t get it out, I lose it, so here goes:
2Co 10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (4) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (6) And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
Too often I wake up and go into the day without remembering I'm at WAR! America has had few wars on her soil. But the church has been at war in the earth for a long long time.
In the past week I have had at least two very strange dreams, perhaps more that I don't remember. I don’t know what they meant specifically, but this morning I was reminded that what our Pastor preached on this last Sunday is true: we are at war. I am at war. As a believer in the Messiah I have an enemy, an adversary, satan. satan, or ha satan in Hebrew means literally "the adversary." I'm persuaded as many believe that satan attacks us through our minds. We are instructed and urged by Paul to be transformed by renewing our minds. We are to no longer be conformed to the world, the world which satan rules, that world of men, women and fallen angels who follow satan in his disobedience to God. Obedience to God challenges us to stop and avoid (at all costs) obeying the adversary satan. It is more motivating to obey God if we see the two clear choices: God or the satan. Our own righteousness is not an option, for it is satan's delight to see us in our filthy rags.
Zecariah 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
We, if we are taken away, are taken by disobedience into iniquity and into conformity to the world, doing the will of satan!
Eph 2:2-3 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (3) Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 5:6-8 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. (7) Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (8) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Disobedience to God ultimately is unbelief, unfaithfulness and a lack of trust. It is for those things that men are condemned to hell. They may express this in any and all manner of sins, from gossip to fornication, but if they would believe the Gospel they would be forgiven all. When we believe the Gospel, sin begins to be displaced by true righteousness. Obedience to satan is displaced by obedience to the will, of God, to His Word and His Way: to Jesus. By the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God we are “sanctified” set apart for His service. If we are not changing, that is repenting, and allowing Him to guide, teach and instruct us (instruct: to construct us within) we need to reevaluate our faith.
2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
It is a serious matter to be a believer, to be saved, to be born again.
If you are like me, you sometimes have strange and evil thoughts in your mind. Until we believed They can be troubling if we don’t understand that satan is still trying to influence us and draw us back into the sin nature. We don’t want to be taken again!
Rom 8:5-8 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
And God has not left us undefended or ill equipped. We are in the Messiah. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, no matter how broken our jar of clay. Nonetheless we are at war with satan. satan desires and works to make the believer ineffective in the will and service of God. Is this to steal us away from God? There is great debate over this. But the misunderstanding is not over satan’s power, or the consequence of disobedience and sin. The question is this: “Am I born again in Christ? If I am, if you are, who has the power to take you away from God?
Consider these words of Paul and of the Master:
Philppians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
John 10:27-30 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (30) I and my Father are one.
Consider the Jews response to Jesus:
John 10:31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
When you think of Christ, when you read the bible, when you see your brother or sister in the church do you want to stone them? Or do you want to love and serve them? How about your neighbor? How about God? How about your (human) enemies? We are called to the Lord to learn and to do the will of God. I think we might say that to do His will is to DO His love. To love God with all we have, our love neighbor as ourselves and our enemies with compassion and grace.
Are unkind or cruel thoughts forming in your mind, thoughts which wish others (even God) harm? These are stones you may or may not pick up to throw at neighbors, at enemies, or even at God.
If you are entertaining sinful thoughts continually, it is time to examine yourself to see if you are in the Messiah. But remember that we are at war. satan who once held us captive was informing our minds, structuring them to think evil and cruel thoughts and selfish thoughts. Selfish thoughts produce indifference to God and all others. They are as dangerous as evil and cruel thoughts. If we believe satan will be seeking to influence us, to keep us where he had us. If he can gain access to our minds to fill and consume us with His anti-Christ, anti-Christian and anti-human thinking he will succeed in his goal. What is the goal of satan? To make the believer and the church ineffective in doing the will of God. Why does satan want accomplish this? Because satan no more men or women to be saved. satan hates men and wants to torture them for all eternity.
2Co 10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (4) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (6) And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
What do we do as warriors in God’s army? We pull down strong holds, we cast down imaginations ad high things which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. David Stern has translated this verse in his Complete Jewish Bible as follows:
2Co 10:3-6 For although we do live in the world, we do not wage war in a worldly way; (4) because the weapons we use to wage war are not worldly. On the contrary, they have God's power for demolishing strongholds. We demolish arguments (5) and every arrogance that raises itself up against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey the Messiah. (6) And when you have become completely obedient, then we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience.
2Co 10:3 The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. 4 The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. 5 We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. 6 Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
1. Strongholds strongholds that entire massively corrupt culture
2. Imaginations arguments warped philosophies
3. high thing arrogance barriers
4. thought thought loose thought and emotion and impulse
The “Torah observant” Jew who knows the Law and teachings of the Books of Moses should know what sin is even if he follows the legalistic word of the Pharisees. Paul (Saul) knew and was zealous for the Jews religion.
Act 26:5 They have known me for a long time; and if they are willing, they can testify that I have followed the strictest party in our religion — that is, I have lived as a Parush (a Pharisee).
The Pharisees seems to have come to terms with God’s prohibition of pagan idolatry. Their errors were self-righteousness and legalistic additions to the observance of Mosaic Law. But as Paul shows in his letters he knew what sin was and was not according to the Gospel. Sin is the character of satan as well as the deeds he does and inspires men to do. satan arrogantly argues against God with warped philosophies erecting barriers to Godly thinking if we listen to satan’s thoughts without discernment he will establish strongholds of warped loose thinking, emotion, and impulsiveness. All this is present in satan’s world, and it is this that entirely corrupts the world’s culture. It is a pervasive evil rooted in pride and selfishness which saturates every unbelieving person. It is the darkness from which every believer is delivered and from which every believer must separate him/herself.
If we do not we will be found in one or more of the “errors” listed in the churches of Asia Minor by Jesus in Revelation 2 and 3.
- have lost the love you had at first.
- hold the doctrine of Balaam
- hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes
- continue to tolerate that woman Jezebel
- works are incomplete, imperfect in the sight of my God.
- are neither cold nor hot:
- are lukewarm
- are saying, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;”
- are not aware of being wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
These “errors” are sins. They result from an incomplete imperfect faith and obedience to the gospel. If we know what is sin we must not do it. If we have stopped sinning, what are we doing? It will be God’s will in God’s righteousness. If we are imperfect we will suffer:
1. Strongholds strongholds that entire massively corrupt culture
2. Imaginations arguments warped philosophies
3. high thing arrogance barriers
4. thought thought loose thought and emotion and impulse
These things are like viruses that infest computers. They cause the system to function badly or to crash. We will have troubles, we will sin, we will not enjoy peace, the fruit of the Spirit will be thwarted, the Spirit will be quenched, we will grieve God and be bed stewards of the gift of His grace if we do not pull down, cast down, and take captive all that which satan throws at and into our minds. Jesus says: “it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” To enter God’s Kingdom and follow Jesus is not easy. It is not effortless. To get in and to stay in means to go to war. A soldier obeys his superiors at all times. A warrior does so energetically, eagerly, and zealously because is devoted to his/her leaders and their cause. The Christian is a soldier and/or warrior for God the Father, Son and Spirit and for the cause of Salvation. “For we cannot act against the truth, only for it.” 2Co 13:8
So am I warring against the adversary? Or am I wandering aimlessly in the sight of God? We have a great measure of “peace” in our nation, the United States
Act 19:13-16 Some Jewish men started going around trying to force out evil spirits by using the name of the Lord Jesus. They said to the spirits, "Come out in the name of that same Jesus that Paul preaches about!" (14) Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this, (15) when an evil spirit said to them, "I know Jesus! And I have heard about Paul. But who are you?" (16) Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them up. They ran out of the house, naked and bruised.
My fear is that many in the church do not yet know Jesus very well. If they did they would not do the things they do. They especially would not say they are Christian and act in his name while in ignorance of Him. We must know Jesus the Person of God, the Son of His Father God. We must know the Person of the Father, and the Person of the Holy Spirit. We are persons and we are made in the image and likeness of God. Satan stripped the likeness of God from all mankind in the Garden of Eden. Jesus was born into this world on earth in the flesh a fully human person in the exact likeness of His Father. Jesus came to save us, to redeem us and to RESTORE us into the likeness of God. While we will never be God, we will be like Him in every way!
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Usually this verse is seen to be a reality coming to pass when we enter heaven. But can’t we see Jesus today? Yes we can. He is the same yesterday, TODAY, and forever. His character and the truth of His words in the Gospels are unchanging. If we study His words, we will begin to hear him with our spiritual ear and see Him with the eye of our heart. Blessed are they who are believing Him though not having seen Him with their eyes when He was with the disciples, crucified and risen. Blessed how? Blessed to know Him, to know His divine Person, His character, His Heart.
If we know Him, if we see Jesus, we will be like Him, even TODAY!
Ro 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
1Jn 2:5-6 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. (6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 1Jn 2:5-6 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. (6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Paul wrote: “When the Messiah was executed on the stake (cross) as a criminal, I was too; so that my proud ego no longer lives. But the Messiah lives in me, and the life I now live in my body I live by the same trusting faithfulness that the Son of God had, who loved me and gave himself up for me.” Gal 2:20
And it is in union with him that you have been made full — he is the head of every rule and authority. Also it was in union with him that you were circumcised with a circumcision not done by human hands, but accomplished by stripping away the old nature's control over the body. In this circumcision done by the Messiah, you were buried along with him by being immersed; and in union with him, you were also raised up along with him by God's faithfulness that worked when he raised Yeshua from the dead. Col
And: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” KJV “Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!” AMPLIFIED
Note “old things are passed, the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away.”
Though we have not died bodily, something has died. It is our flesh that has died. What is our “flesh?” The New Testament Greek word is “sarx.” Here is the definition from Strong’s Greek Dictionary:
G4561 σάρξ sarx sarx
Probably from the base of G4563; flesh (as stripped of the skin), that is, (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit), or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred, or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or (specifically) a human being (as such): - carnal (-ly, + -ly minded), flesh ([-ly]).
This is what dies when we are born again. The very thing which separates us from God, the nature that Adam received by sinning, in a very real sense the old man, the flesh which cannot live before God, the dead body (the sarx) - it is this very thing that passes away, that dies, and we are born again anew from above and now live in Christ who lives by the power of an endless life!.
We are : “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Col
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Rom 6:4
This death, burial and resurrection in Christ must come through our trusting God and His giving of life to us.
Eph 2:4-10 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;) (6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (7) That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Unless our flesh passes away, all that we do and all that we are in in vain, is frustrated. Unless the old man dies, the new cannot be born from above. But if the old man dies, our souls live! And we will by patient well doing reap the harvest God has ordained for us.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Joh 12:24-25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (25) He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
If we do not die can we live? Can we live in God?
Galatians 2:21a I do not frustrate the grace of God…
1.Romans 8:13
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
2.Colossians 3:5
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;
2 Corinthians 6
1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
