Chapter
17
"The battle belongs to God"
....prepare yourself to win spiritual battles ....with God's help
This is a very important chapter, and critical for our Eternal well-being. ....Please stay with me. SMILE, ....we have a lot to talk about....
Chess is like life, ....its complicated
My two oldest great-grandsons asked me to teach them how to play chess. Fast learners, they picked up the basics quickly. ....Chess pieces make different moves forward, backward, side-to-side, and at angles to eliminate opponent pieces from the board. To win, coordinate your moves putting the opponent's king in "checkmate", so it cannot move. Game over. ....And yes, its a little more complicated than that.
Game dynamics are constantly changing and complex. Kinda like life. ....The biggest challenge playing chess is learning the strategy of playing offense and defense at the same time.
And, once again, you are ahead of me ....knowing where this analogy is going. Your life's "chess game" has a very aggressive opponent that you must be wary of....
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith....
— 1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT
Do life expecting this evil opponent to be working against you at every move. And frankly, none of us humans are smart enough or strong enough to defeat the devil on our own in spiritual warfare.
If you "play" without God's help, ....its already game over.
So, ask God to help you "see" through His eyes the reality of spiritual battles. ....Because we are blind without God's help. ....It is that simple, and life-or-death critical for our eternal well-being!
So, let's talk about it...
Why the battle belongs to God?
.....the answer is simple and profound....
Thank God! He gives us victory over sin
and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
— 1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT
Life's purpose is belonging to Jesus!
.
God designed us for an eternal relationship with Himself.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is BY HIS GREAT MERCY THAT WE HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you.... And THROUGH YOUR FAITH, GOD IS PROTECTING YOU BY HIS POWER....
— 1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT
How did spiritual warfare start?
Here's some background....
Because Archangel Lucifer was full of pride, ....boastful, ....and jealous of God, he wanted to be worshiped as greater than God. So God threw Lucifer out of Heaven (see Isaiah 14:12-15 NKJV; Luke 10:17-18 NKJV), ....and now on earth, Lucifer is called Satan the Devil. Describing him, Jesus said....
He (Devil) was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies."
— John 8:44 NLT
Satan's passion is to destroy people with spiritual death, ....separating them from creator God, ....now and for Eternity. ....To survive, we must comprehend Satan's strategies, ....and know how he plays "life's chess game".
.
Such is the source of spiritual warfare....
For our well-being, we must understand why Satan asked "Did God really say...?" His intent is to corrupt humans' relationship with Creator God, ....starting with Adam and Eve. ....And he is still asking people that question today. Be on guard against it.
Most people are totally unaware this world is a spiritual war zone. Unknown to them is the supernatural world of Good verses Evil all around them.
And being unaware ....makes a person vulnerable....
What does spiritual warfare look like?
Okay, ....here's an obvious statement about being unaware of the Devil's strategies: ...."If you don't know what to look for, ....you will probably not see it coming, ....as it sneaks up on you, ....before you know it's there." ....Obvious, right?
Let's talk about what "it" is, ....so you can see "it" coming. Be prepared to win "it" spiritual warfare with Jesus' help! ....Here are a few of the "it" strategies of the Devil, ....some quite successful. You may be able to add to this list....
Satan's strategy 1: TEMPT our human "self" to not trust God
....when pride causes people to believe they can do life on their own without God's help. Believing their own "subjective" truth, ....they follow wherever "self-focused" thoughts and desires lead them. Such was the Genesis 3:1 strategy of Satan's question,
"Did God really say...?" Its #1 because it still works so well....
Not trusting that GOD'S COMMANDMENTS ARE LIFE BOUNDRIES FOR OUR BENEFIT is the first step away from Him. .......Once we start questioning God's "objective" TRUTH, ....we make ourselves vulnerable to Satan's lies, believing "our" self-centered "subjective" truth, .......and not realizing we're doing life on your own ....without God's help.
Satan's strategy 2: REMIND us of our faults, weaknesses
....as though we had never been forgiven by God, ....never been helped to overcome failures, ....never been loved by God. ....This is the opposite of strategy #1 (above) ....and very effective too ....in subtle ways, ....unless we keep listening to Jesus' voice of encouragement and hope, ....living secure in His presence.
Satan's strategy 3: MISDIRECT WORSHIP to other gODS
....such as Moleck, Ishtar and Baal ....to influence today's culture, ....continuing Satan's long-term plan to destroy the moral fabric of family and society. ....Be wary of this misdirect strategy, because what Satan did in Old Testament times ....continues his cunning deceit today ....by different names.
Images like this one from the Commonwealth Games is a reminder of the subtle influence of this "worship other gods" strategy. Do it enough and it becomes common place.
We need to "see" with spiritual eyes what is actually happening here. Do an online and Bible search to understand the identities and activities of Moleck, Ishtar and Baal, ...and other names by which THESE PAGAN gODS ARE WELL KNOWN TODAY.
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil (Satan). He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. STAND FIRM AGAINST HIM, and BE STRONG IN
YOUR FAITH (IN JESUS CHRIST)....
— 1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT
Satan's strategy 4: DISTRACT us with toooo busy lives
....by making us think we don't have time to focus on God's core values in our lives. When consumed with daily relationships, school, work, etc. ....or pursuing life's pleasures, ....our worldviews may have little time to consider our "now" relationship with Jesus or even "Eternity" with Him. This strategy is so subtle, its easy to self-justify, ...."I'll get to it later".
Be aware....
TEMPT, REMIND, MISDIRECT WORSHIP and DISTRACT
are the devil's spiritual warfare tactics,
....but God has already won! Let's talk about it....
Again, why the battle belongs to God!
Okay, ....let's talk THE strategy for winning spiritual battles ....WITH GOD'S HELP. ....This comes from a few years of personal experience, ....and could be one of our most important conversation we have!
This is a really big deal! Your life may depend on it.
BY HIS DIVINE POWER, GOD has already given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him (Jesus, the Word of God)....
— 2 Peter 1:3 NLT
The question to ask yourself....
Am I wearing God's armor?
....so God can help me fight those battles ....and win!
IT IS OUR CHOICE TO....
Put on every piece of God’s armor (ACTIVELY ENGAGE) so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
Stand your ground (NOT RUN IN FEAR), putting on the belt of truth (LIVE WITH INTEGRITY) and the body armor of God’s righteousness (LIVE FOR GOD'S APPROVAL). For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News (LIVE IN THE PEACE JESUS GIVES) so that you will be fully prepared.
In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith (PROTECT YOUR HEART) to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet (PROTECT YOUR MIND), and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF GOD ....AND PROTECT YOUR GOD-FOCUSED WORLDVIEW).
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion
....(which means ALWAYS STAY CONNECTED WITH GOD'S PRESENCE).
— Ephesians 6:13-18 NLT
actively engage? ....understand 2 Peter 1:3-4, 5-7, 8-9
not run in fear? ....meditate on Romans 8:38; 2 Timothy 1:7
live with integrity? ....think about Psalm 119:1; Proverbs 10:9
live for God's approval? ....ponder Phil 2:13; 1 John 2:17
live in the peace Jesus gives? ....consider Phil 4:6-7; 2 Peter 1:2
protect your heart? ....believe Prov 4:23; John 14:1; Col 3:16
protect your mind? ....contemplate John 14:27; Rom 8:6; Phil 4:7
protect your God-focused worldview? ....see Ps 119:9-16; Phil 4:8-9
stay connected with God's presence? ....read Ps 119:10-12; Ps 27:8
Therefore, 2 Peter 1:12....
God's TRUTHS are yours to receive,
....as you answer this question....
Am I actively engaged in God's Word to build and nurture my Biblical worldview?
The next 3 chapters are written to help build our "3Rs + Prayer" Bible study approach in Chapter 21. Read them personally, ponder them deeply.
Come hungry and thirsty for more of God ....and expect His changes in your life....
May we all travel life's journey ....LIKE THIS....
Those who obey God’s commandments (TRUTHS) remain (LIVE) IN FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM, and he with them. And WE KNOW HE LIVES IN US because THE SPIRIT HE GAVE US LIVES IN US.
— 1 John 3:24 NLT
Wow! ....Let's keep going....
*Credit: David and Goliath image from pinimg / chess pieces photos anonymous / road signs from dreamstime / God inside of you image by Timothy Sharp / reach for apple image anonymous
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