As any soldier knows, proper footwear is vital to traction, stamina, and strength for fighting. In spiritual warfare, the Gospel of Peace is the source of our solid standing.
Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"
~ John 18:37-38 (NKJV)
How do we discern the truth? Satan is known to masquerade as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) and to distort truth for his own purposes (Matthew 4:5-6). We must not only be able to distinguish between the voice of our King and the voice of the enemy, but also be able to recognize whether truth is rightly applied or misappropriated.
Such knowledge begins with familiarity. There is a time to wield God's Word as a sword (the post planned for Thursday). Until then, we build a firm standing on the Gospel as the foundation for our lives.
"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock."
~ Matthew 7:24-25 (NKJV)
A spiritual attack may storm in on various battlegrounds. Vicious words may rain down upon us, troubles may flood us, the ways of the world may blow against us, anti-Christian contempt may beat upon us. When we have adequately prepared, we are ready to withstand the storm in peace.
"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace."
~ George Washington
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Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
well....i didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night because my mind was too busy with yesterdays scripture verses. especially with that link to Genisis. it's pretty hard to imagine that one can lose sleep over Adam and Eve. but then in this post i discover them again in association with that verse in 2 Cor. (3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity[a] that is in Christ.) i remember saying elsewhere to you once that although most believers only think of satan as being a liar, i think/believe he sometimes tells us the truth or a partial truth anyways which really makes it easy for my feet to get caught in those traps on occassion. but i think that the main reason i get caught up in those traps is because the enemy uses my greatest weakness against me. pride
ReplyDeleteBud, I can't say that I've ever before felt good to hear that someone didn't get much sleep. But if you are meditating on His Word in the night watches (Psalm 119:148), then I am indeed happy.
DeleteIf our greatest weakness is pride, I think it is too often manifest in fear and lust (lust meaning desire for anything that gives immediate, temporal gratification, not necessarily sexual desire). If the enemy isn't successful in appealing directly to our pride, I think he often gets us through that fear and lust.
Preach on sister.
ReplyDeleteDear Denise, may I share the verse that spoke to my heart this morning?
DeleteHear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
(Psalms 64:1)
He not only preserves our lives from death, but from fear itself.
I love you!