Before You Stand…

Afternoon!

Raises his cup of tea

To war a good warfare.  We find the inspiration for our beginning today in 1 Timothy.  I don’t often think of Paul as a man of war, but a warrior he was.

Warrior: (noun)

- A person engaged or experienced in warfare.

Warfare: (noun)

- Military operations between enemies: hostilities, war.

- Struggle between competing entities: Conflict

When you take the words at their definitions, it seems to become pretty clear.  An everyday spiritual warrior.  Through Paul’s letters we get to hear who Paul was inside and through Acts we get to study what Paul did outwardly.  The Military of Christ, of course, operates in a very different fashion than the military of the flesh.  Here’s the question though.  Are we part of Jesus’ Military?

Romans 12: 3-8

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.  For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Pride comes before the fall.  We have not because we ask awry.  We ask to spend upon our own desires.  He who is faithful in a little will be faithful with much, as Jesus says.  So how faithful have we been with our prayers today?  Because whether we like it or not, today is going to be a struggle.  Let’s take it another step and look at things the way Paul teaches, today is going to be a war.  A spiritual war.  I don’t know about you, but the more I kick around the idea of everyday being more like a war the more my perspective begins to change on what I am doing, what I have planned to do, how I do it and why.

2 Corinthians 10: 1-6

“Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ- who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.  But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments 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 fulfilled.”

Every war has an enemy.

Who are our enemies?

There might be a Right answer and then there is the truthful answer.  The Right answer would be something along the lines of Satan, or sin, the evil way.  Are these who we battle in our everyday lives?  Or is our truthful answer more along the lines of we battle ourselves?

Everyday we are to bring with us the Armor of God.  We are to put on this Armor of God before we stand.  Before we stand in the morning, are we preparing ourselves for the wiles of the devil?  Before we take our head off the pillow, have we given thanks for our salvation?  Before we swing our feet off the bed, have we prepared ourselves with the Gospel of Jesus?

Ephesians 6: 10-20

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole Armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God; praying always with all prayer, and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints- and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Every day may not be a battle, but the days we are not in battle are days we can be preparing for the next battle that is bound to come.

Every day is a building block.

We will pick back up with Daniel 4 shortly with the story from a leader who has been humbled.

I think that will do for the day.

Happy waiting!

:)