 
Is the Lord's Army the Devil's Deceived?

By Cynthia Rushing

at Smashwords, Inc.

Copyright © 2013 by Cynthia Rushing. All rights reserved.

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INTRODUCTION

There is a teaching making its rounds in the traditional churches. It is unclear how this teaching started, or where it started, but it has taken root and seems to be spreading. It violates the Word of God and discards many scriptures that teach us how to fight the enemy and live in victory. According to 2 Timothy we are soldiers of Christ and the idea that we are to "Stop fighting the battle because Jesus has already won" is not a scripturally based teaching.

2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

2 Timothy 2:3 Therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

We are part of an army as a soldier, so we must dwell in a land that is need of protection. Soldiers fight battles and win wars. Soldiers answer to a commander-in-chief. In America, the Commander-in-Chief of the military is the president though there was a time when countries were ruled by kings and queens. Kings and queens were in command of everything that occurred in their kingdoms including their armies. The king would generally ride with his army and oversee the battles that were fought.

Every kingdom throughout history, including our modern world countries, had soldiers for protection. There are a few reasons kings establish armies of soldiers; to protect from invaders and to advance the territory that belongs to the king. The army also keeps the peace of the land and the kings' decrees. The soldiers obey the kings' directives without questioning the king's directives or his authority to send them. Today, we may not have physical kingdoms anymore as they did in medieval times but two kingdoms do exist and we must make a choice about which kingdom we want to live in.

The Kingdom of God is ruled by the King of Kings, and the Kingdom of Darkness is ruled by Satan. Satan is the ruler of this world and we have to live in this world without being a Citizen of the Kingdom of Darkness. We serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We must represent our King in such a way that we are immediately identifiable as Citizens of the Kingdom of God. We must be willing and able to fight the good fight so we can say:

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Chapter 1

Two Kingdoms – Our Choice

Time and time again throughout the Old Testament, men were pitching their tents by the banners of their families and it made them easily identifiable. One knew immediately what clan they belonged to because each clan's banner and colors were unique. There is a banner that we can carry with us today that will identify us.

Song of Solomon 2:4 –

He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love.

John 13:34, 35 –

34 – A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 – By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Not only will loving one another identify us with the King we serve and the kingdom we belong to but this identifier of love also provides us with the protection of the King in a foreign land. We must display as our colors at all times love for one another. Think back to when the world did have physical kingdoms and kings, lords and ladies, dukes and duchesses. When the king would send messengers or ambassadors into a foreign land, they would carry the king's flag and ride under the king's colors. Everyone that saw the flag and the colors knew immediately whose kingdom the messengers or ambassadors belonged to because each kingdom's colors were unique to each kingdom. Without the flag and the colors of the king, the messengers were unrecognizable as belonging to any affiliation and could be considered to be vandals or thieves, spies or enemies.

Unlike the kingdoms of centuries past, the Kingdom of God is not a physical kingdom, which makes it much more difficult to fly the banner of love for the world to see. The Kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom. It is a kingdom that exists in the hearts and spirits of men until the coming of Christ at which time His kingdom will be established on the earth. While we are waiting on Christ's return, His Kingdom is a spiritual kingdom. Paul told the Romans:

Romans 14:16-19: "for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is well pleasing to God, and approved by men. So then, let us pursue the things of peace, and the things for building up one another."

WHO IS THE KING?

The scriptures are full of verses that describe and state very clearly who our King is.

Revelations 1:8 I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

There is nothing outside the Beginning and the End of something. He started everything. He ends everything.

John 1:29 The next day John sees Jesus coming to him and says, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

He is called the Lamb of God because He was chosen as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. No longer would animal sacrifices take place as atonement...instead we were provided a way for redemption.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.

We know the "He" in verse 2 is Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God, and the Word was with God, then Jesus is the Word. Jesus is God.

John 1:9 He was the true Light; He enlightens every man coming into the world.

There is no darkness in Jesus. He is true light. Where He is, darkness cannot exist.

John 1:34 And I saw and bore record that this is the Son of God.

John 1:49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, Rabbi, You are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel!

Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, I AM! And you will see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of the heaven.

John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters in by Me, he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture.

John 10:11 I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

John 15:5 I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

John 4:25 The woman said to Him, I know that Messiah is coming, who is called Christ. When He has come, He will tell us all things.

John 4:26 Jesus said to her, I AM, the One speaking to you.

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be on His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

1Timothy 2:5 For God is one, and there is one Mediator of God and of men, the Man Christ Jesus,

1Timothy 2:6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Rev 19:16 And He has on His garment, and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

He is the same King that laid down His life, was beaten beyond recognition, spit upon, stabbed in the side, a crown of thorns placed on His head mocking His Kingship...and then embrace the cross as the Will of His Father. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the One who holds the universe in His hands chose to lay His life down so that we might be reconciled to the Father and become righteousness in Him.

Just as the Kingdom of God has a ruler, the King of Kings, so does the Kingdom of Darkness. His name was Lucifer before he fell from Heaven because of his pride and rebellion. His name is now Satan and he is the ruler of this world. We have to live in this world without being a Citizen of the Kingdom of Darkness. Just like the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Darkness also has banners or colors that citizens that live in it put on display. The colors for the Kingdom of Darkness are:

1 Corinthians 6:9 - Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

1 Corinthians 6:10 - nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God.

We all could easily have fallen into any one of these categories prior to salvation. When we were saved, these types of behaviors and characteristics should have died with our old man. A new man, a new creation, was born. If we still practice the above behaviors, then we are still living in the Kingdom of Darkness. The best example I can think of in today's society is the commonly accepted excuse for living in sin: you should live with someone before entering into the covenant of marriage to see if you "fit." Having sex with someone outside of the covenant of marriage is fornication. Unfortunately, many that profess to be followers of Christ are living in sin every day by sharing a home with someone they are not married to. Based on the scriptures, they would not see the Kingdom of God in their lives.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS

Galatians 5:17 - For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary to one another; lest whatever you may will, these things you do.

Galatians 5:18 - But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Galatians 5:19 - Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness,

Galatians 5:20 - idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, fightings, jealousies, angers, rivalries, divisions, heresies,

Galatians 5:21 - envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revelings, and things like these; of which I tell you before, as I also said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

We need to be able to recognize the difference between our flesh and the spirit. It can be difficult to do so in a world that makes little recognition of the things of God. Our traditional churches are making it difficult to recognize the things of the spirit verses the things of the flesh. Our traditional churches have allowed many heathenistic attitudes to enter into the Body of Christ.

The most popular of all heathen practices that has been allowed into the Body is an alternative for Halloween. Most churches have fall festivals, harvest carnivals, and bible character costume contests as a way to provide an alternative to Halloween. Local churches in my area get together and have what they call "trunk or treat" on the square and hand out candy to children to provide a "safe" way to collect treats instead of door to door. But where did Halloween originate?

"In ancient Britain and Ireland, the Celtic Festival of Samhain was observed on October 31, at the end of summer. The souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes on this day and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches, goblins, black cats, fairies and demons of all kinds said to be roaming about. It was the time to placate the supernatural powers controlling the processes of nature. In addition, Halloween was thought to be the most favorable time for divinations concerning marriage, luck, health, and death. It was the only day on which the help of the devil was invoked for such purposes" (Ankerberg, Weldon, & Burroughs, 2013).

Halloween was not celebrated in America at its founding because of its religious heritage. In fact, America did not begin to celebrate Halloween until the twentieth century and only a few Catholic settlements began the ceremonies. Why must we dishonor our God by following in the footsteps of pagan religions and honor a holiday that "was the only day on which the help of the devil was invoked"? Should the Body of Christ look so much like the world? Is the Body of Christ keeping herself spotless and without blemish waiting on her Bridegroom by participating in events like Halloween?

We need to understand the roots and history behind events, holidays, etc. we choose to participate in. We must measure everything against the Word of God. We need to understand that if we continue in the paths of sin then we SHALL not inherit the kingdom of God. Shall is one of the most powerful words in the English language. Shall is nearly a guarantee that something will or will not come to pass. The list of fleshly works is long...lustfulness, adultery (sex with someone other than your legal spouse), fornication (sex outside of marriage), murder, drunkenness, etc. Those things are easily identifiable as works of the flesh and not the spirit and "colors and flags" for the kingdom of darkness.

How easy is it for us to recognize those types of behavior? Idolatry doesn't have to be a graven image we bow down to. An idol is anything that we hold in higher regard and worship than we do our God and King. Can you identify sorcery? Do you read your horoscope? Do you pass along chain letters? You know the ones...pass this letter along to prove you love God or something really bad will happen or someone dies...etc. We often place curses over people and we do not realize we do it. "You are just like your father" or "You are just like your mother." What happens if mom or dad or both is a drug addict, a bully, an alcoholic, a child/wife abuser? What does that person think about him or herself? "I hope one day someone hurts you like you have hurt me." "You are no good. You will never amount to anything." Those are all curses in some form. Seems silly to consider some of those things curses, right?

Take another look at verse 17. Whatever you may will, these things you do. We have choices to make. Whatever we will ourselves to do, whatever we want to do, those things we will do. It isn't "just the way you are." You have a choice in the matter and can choose what things you wish to do and what behaviors you will portray to others. Which behaviors will you choose for the world to see you exhibit? What colors and flags of which kingdom will you fly high?
Chapter 2

SERVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

In the Kingdom of God, each citizen has a different function and role to contribute to the kingdom. One of the roles is as servant to the King and servant to others. Centuries ago kings had servants. They had people that dressed them, they had people that cooked for them, they had messengers, they had followers and they had people whose welfare they were responsible for. Nothing occurred in the land without the king first saying it was okay. The Kingdom of God also has servants. The servants of the Kingdom of God are believers that choose to dwell in the Kingdom. Servants have character traits they must possess to be considered a servant of the King of Kings.

2 Timothy 2:24 But the servant of the Lord must not strive, but to be gentle to all, apt to teach, patient,

2 Timothy 2:25 in meekness instructing those who oppose, if perhaps God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth,

A Servant of the Lord should display these character traits: must not quarrel; be gentle to all; able to teach; patient; instruct those in opposition; display humility.

Titus 3:1, 2 also discusses characteristics of a servant of the Lord:

Titus 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to every good work,

Titus 3:2 to speak evil of no one, not being quarrelsome, but forbearing, showing all meekness to all men.

All of these characteristics can also be representative of a Citizen of the Kingdom of God. 2 Peter 1:5-7 contains the characteristics of a Citizen of the Kingdom of God.

Each of the characteristics above is a building block so that each characteristic requires the one before to develop. We are given a measure of faith at salvation, so God has provided us with the foundation we need to grow. We then must add each of the building blocks one at a time. Without faith, we cannot be virtuous. Without virtue, we cannot be knowledgeable. Knowledge gives us the ability to control ourselves in different situations, but self-control also allows us to persevere through any situation. Perseverance through situations, trials and tribulations brings us to a form of godliness, or righteousness. Once we learn righteousness, we can be kind to our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and ultimately, finally, we can add love to our character traits.

We can see from the scriptures above that love is the final trait that is put into place. This is not the love that a brother and a sister or husband and wife feel for each other. This is "agape" love. It is God's love for others. It means we have God's heart toward our fellow man and seek to bring peace, love and joy to all we encounter. God's love, Agape love, must be added to us as we grow in the knowledge of Him. It is not added to us because we repent from our sins and ask to be saved. A measure of Faith is added at salvation. We then grow in all other aspects of the fruits of the spirit and as a Citizen of the Kingdom of God. 2 Peter 1: 8-9 says this: "For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren (useless) nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins."

SERVING WITH EXCELLENCE

There are many ways and roles in which we serve. We are employees and employers; we are husbands and wives; we are mothers and fathers; we are brothers and sisters; we are daughters and sons. Each of these positions has methods of serving. We can choose to serve in each position in such a manner that we are examples of what the Body of Christ should be. OR we can serve in each position in such a manner that we lose our flavor as salt to a world that so desperately needs to see Christ in us.

Romans 12:2: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

We must conduct ourselves in a manner that is above reproach. We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God to unbelievers that do not know Him. In some cases, we are their opportunity to see Christ's love in action. What are we going to show them? What will our example be? Paul told the Philippians:

Phillipians 1:27: Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

"Let your conduct be worthy..." We have a responsibility to allow the Lord to work into us the character we are to have (2 Peter 1:5-11). We are to be different than the non-believers or the Christians that do not exhibit the characteristics in 2 Peter Chapter 1. Paul goes on to say in Romans 12:9-21 that we are to behave with love. Of course, there is much more in those scriptures than just that. We are not to do the things the unbelievers do. We are not to lash out in anger. We are not to deliver evil if we are wronged. We are to return good for evil. We are to feed our enemies and to provide a drink if they are thirsty. We are to overcome evil with good. And if all that Paul told the Romans wasn't enough, he told the Colossians how to serve with excellence.

Colossians 3:17: And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

I cannot possibly imagine what would happen if each and every one of us that calls ourselves a Christian said and did everything every day as if we were doing and saying everything directly to Jesus Christ. But that is serving with excellence. That is the attitude we need to develop if we are going to be the light and the salt that we are supposed to be.

Matthew 5:13 - You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

Matthew 5:14 - You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:15 - Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Matthew 5:16 - Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.

We should be striving every day to be better; to seek the heart of the Father for a hurting world. I know that I want to make myself available to be used by God and to be the example that I must be as a citizen of the Kingdom. I pray that the Lord will show us all where we are lacking in character and conduct. I pray that the Lord will open our eyes to those that need help and the love of a Father that cared so much that He sent His Son into this world to be ransom for their souls. Are you serving with excellence? Are you representing the Kingdom of God with excellence?
Chapter 3

PURPOSE OF SOLDIERS

EXPANDING THE KINGDOM

In Luke 10: 1-12 Jesus told seventy two of his followers that it was time to go out into the world and be workers for the harvest. What He did in these 12 verses is tell them how to conduct themselves when they go out into the world. He tells them they are like lambs among wolves, gentleness amongst hatred. Wolves generally will attempt to kill and eat flocks of lambs (sheep). He also tells them not to take anything with them. It would seem that everything they would need to spread the gospel would be provided for them on their journeys. All they had to do was...go. All they had to be was obedient.

What could keep us from being obedient and hearing what Jesus would tell us to do? We are so busy and we can find it difficult to make personal time with the Lord. We have something going on all the time. The TV is on all the time for the noise...we listen to our radios or iPods with every free moment we have. We have cell phones that are computers, computers that sit on our laps or on our desks. We have distractions every minute of every day. We can't just sit and be still. But yet...what do we have to do to hear God speak? Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God! I will be praised among the nations, I will be praised in the earth. We have to be still and listen for God's voice among the clutter and distractions. II Timothy 2:14-23 states very clearly what we must do.

14 - "Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.

15 - Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

16 - But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.

17 - And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,

18 - who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.

19 - Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal; "the Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

20 - But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.

21 - Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

22 - Flee youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

23 - But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife."

If we look a little closer at the verses above, v. 16 says we are to shun idle babblings (empty chatter.) So...what is idle babble? Idle babble is anything that does not edify each other, bring Glory to God, speak the gospel of truth, and bring peace, comfort, etc. to those that are speaking and being spoken to. Empty chatter and idle babblings could also be considered all the distractions I mentioned earlier. They bring no profit to the hearer and are designed to keep the mind busy and out of the presence of the Lord.

Verse 23 also says to avoid foolish and ignorant disputes because they generate strife. What does strife do? Strife steals our peace and prevents us from operating fully as a Citizen of the Kingdom of God. Remember the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If we do not live every day in peace, seeking righteousness and allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us with the Joy of the Lord, then we cannot be living in the Kingdom of God.

KEEPING THE PEACE

Keeping the peace can sometimes be difficult, but it is the responsibility of every soldier of Christ. We cannot carry a banner of love and cause unrest and chaos everywhere we go and expect anyone to believe we are citizens of the Kingdom of God. Jesus said He left us with peace.

John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Jesus' peace isn't just a relaxed demeanor that isn't easily ruffled. Phillipians says:

Phillipians 4:7 - And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

We cannot understand the type of peace that God gives us...that Jesus left us. His peace can keep us still and allow us to focus on Him so that when the world looks at us they see a reflection of the love and peace of God through Jesus Christ. How do we obtain that kind of peace?

Psalm 34:13 - Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking guile.

Psalm 34:14 - Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Seeking peace and pursuing peace and obtaining the kind of peace that Jesus has to offer us will require action on our parts. We cannot be passive and obtain peace. We don't speak evil, we depart from evil, we do good, and we seek peace. In order to be peaceful with others, we must find in ourselves the things we use to make peace. We give mercy to those who need mercy, we give grace to cover mistakes, and we give forgiveness before it is asked for. We give love to those who need it, and we give love to our enemies. We pray the Lord give us His eyes so we can see in others what He sees. It can be so difficult to look past the exterior to see a person's heart. To do so, we must open our hearts and minds to the healing and saving power of the blood of Jesus Christ...and then we share the love of Jesus, and what He has done for us with those that need Him so desperately.

EQUIPPED FOR BATTLE

If we were to no longer fight the fight, then we would not have been provided a set of armor with which to protect ourselves and we would not have been told that our weapons are not carnal, but spiritual.

Putting on the Armor of God: Ephesians 6:11-13

11-Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12-For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principaliites, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13-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.

14-Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness

15-and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

16-Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17- And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,

18- praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

There are powers and principalities that seek our destruction. They seek to steal faith, plant doubt, and damage reputations, start gossip, destroy relationships, and steal what God gives us. How can the enemy steal what God has given us? The only logical answer I can provide is a simple, yet confounding one. We have laid down our swords and shields and willingly surrendered.

We have removed our breastplate of righteousness and are no longer seeking the truth. We do not walk in peace. We do not spread His love. And we do not put on our salvation every day. We have not continued to stand when we have done all we can do. We have laid our weapons down and allowed the enemy into our camp, not recognizing the fact that there is still a battle to be fought!

We must remain equipped for the battle, understanding we cannot see our enemy. Our enemy must obey the name of Jesus Christ, because He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. There is no name above His name. We use the Word of God and speak it over lives, our husbands or wives, our children, our siblings, our parents. There is power in the tongue, James says. There is power in the Word of God. Releasing the Word of God verbally into any situation brings divine power to our situation that the enemy cannot overcome, but instead will be subdued. Does it happen overnight?

No.

We must stay faithful to the Word of God knowing deliverance comes in His time. We must make a choice to BELIEVE THE REPORT OF THE LORD and not what the world would tell us. We either believe what the WHOLE Word of God says, or we can't believe any of it. Fight the good fight. Run the race. Do not quit. When having done all continue to stand.

PROTECTING THE KINGDOM AND ITS CITIZENS

The false teaching telling Christians to stop fighting and share in the victory that Jesus has given us is a dangerous teaching. Yes, we have victory but not in and of ourselves. We only have victory through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe the enemy has managed to deceive Christians into believing there is nothing further for us to do. Christians that should be strong, growing in the power, grace, and love of Jesus Christ are actually becoming slowly defeated. Christians are accepting what is handed to them throughout their lives without questioning the source.

The hot topic in America is gun control. We have all read the arguments both pro and con I am sure. Many of us, like me, believe that we should control the access to the guns, not the guns. But as Christians who are fighting a spiritual battle not a physical battle, the Lord is clear about whom and what our protection is.

A. We have weapons (spiritual, not carnal).

2 Corinthians 10:3 - For though walking about in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

2 Corinthians 10:4 - For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

2 Corinthians 10:5 - 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,

B. We have armor (spiritual, not physical) to protect us against the fiery darts of the enemy.

Ephesians 6:12 - For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spirutual wickedness in high places.

Ephesians 6:13 - Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Ephesians 6:14 - Stand therefore, having your loins gird about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Ephesians 6:15 - And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Ephesians 6:16 - Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Ephesians 6:17 - And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Ephesians 6:18 - praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Would a soldier go into battle without the proper body armor, weapons, or other gear? Absolutely Not! Neither should we go through each day without our armor, weapons, and gear. We should be always prepared with the gospel of truth and be ready to fight off the attacks of the enemy. 2 Timothy 4:2 says:

2 - Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching.

That doesn't sound as though we are to sit idly by and watch what goes on around us or bury our heads in the sand, or drop our weapons and not be ready and prepared for what the Lord would call us to do that day.

C. We have a fortress

Psalm 18:2 2 - Jehovah is my strength, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock; I will trust in Him; He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.

A fortress was used to barricade and protect the people and warriors from the attack of enemy forces. A fortress was heavily defended and difficult to penetrate. Our God is our fortress when we abide in Him.

(See also Psalm 31:3, Psalm 71:3, Psalm 91:2, Psalm 144:2)

D. We have a hiding place in times of danger

Psalm 17:8 - Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,

Psalm 17:9 - From the wicked who oppress me, From my deadly enemies who surround me.

We are safe and hidden from enemies when we are under the shadow of His wings. Since we are seated in heavenly places with Christ (Ephesians 2:6), then we are hidden and protected from all principalities, powers, and against the rulers of the darkness. We cannot be found by our enemies under His wings when we cry out for His protection.

E. We have a dwelling place

Psalm 91:1 - He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Our enemy is the spirit behind the people, according to the scriptures.

(Ephesians 6: 12 - For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.)

We must remember that we cannot allow a person to offend us for it is not really them that is speaking against us. It is the spirit behind the person that seeks our destruction. The person is only the tool the enemy uses. Even when physically threatened, we can usually stop a threat dead in its tracks, so to speak.

Proverbs 15:1 - A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

We must keep our calm in situations that place us in harm's way. Things may need to be handled slightly differently when approached by an assailant with a weapon, but even an assailant with a weapon can be disarmed through the use of the Word of God and understanding the assailant is a sinner and it is the sin (spirit) behind him or her that is driving the violence and anger.

The answer is not to arm ourselves with physical weapons, but instead to look to the One who has defeated our enemies through His life, death, and resurrection. The answer is to look to what He says about us in His Word.
Chapter 4

FIGHTING THE RIGHT BATTLE

Sometimes our human nature can take over when we feel we have been wronged. Someone gossips about us and it gets back to us. We are hurt and angry and the first knee-jerk reaction we have is to strike back. We want those that hurt us to hurt. We want to inflict pain to ease our pain. But that way of natural thought is part of our carnal mind and is not in agreement with the Spirit of God.

Romans 8:6 - For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Romans 8:7 - Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

Romans 8:8 - So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Part of the growth process is learning how to die to ourselves. What we think, what we feel, what we want...none of it matters anymore after salvation. What matters is what the Word says and how we should conduct ourselves according to the commandments and precepts put forth in the Word. Our emotions often lead us into trouble. It is not our job to enact vengeance for the wrongs that have been committed against us. It is our job to pray for enemies. It is our job to always do good - even to those that hate and despise us. (Matthew 5:44)

In fact, we allow the Lord to work on our behalf when we give Him the problem, the hurt, the pain, the wrath...and ask for forgiveness.

Romans 12:18 - If it is possible, as far as is in you, being in peace with all men.

Romans 12:19 - not avenging yourselves, beloved, but giving place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

Romans 12:20 - Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him. If he thirsts, give him drink. For in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head.

Romans 12:21 - Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We must be very careful to not be overcome by evil. Evil has been defeated and God repays the evil done to us. I believe the Lord's vengeance is much worse and much more emphatic than anything I could do or say on my own to any enemy of mine. We also have to remember we are over-comers in Christ. Our life is in Him. To keep our minds focused on Him brings life and peace. We cannot get distracted with the things of the world. Our spiritual growth will not be complete if we cannot learn that our fight is not against people. Our fight is against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

Our battle must be fought spiritually...in the mind, in the emotions...with our focus staying on Christ. We must give Christ our undivided attention, our lives as living sacrifices, and obeying the Word in Romans as we pray for our enemies and overcome evil with good. We must give every situation, every hurt, every wound, every wrong to our Healer, our Creator, our Comforter. Giving everything to Him and maintaining our focus on Him will allow us to grow and mature as we seek Him first. We will begin to kill our pride and lose ourselves as we cease to become important and make pleasing God important.

GUARDING OUR HEARTS

The state of the human heart shows itself through every walk of life, every word spoken, every deed accomplished for every person, whether saved or unsaved. Jeremiah 17:9 and 10 says:

9 - "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?

10 - I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

Contrary to what society would like to feed us, the human heart is not inherently good. It is "desperately wicked" and deceitful above all things. Through the Fall of Man, sin entered into the hearts of men and separated us from God. Every decision and choice we make prior to redemption is made through a heart of sin. Our hearts are referred to as "stone" prior to redemption. God told Israel in Ezekiel 36:26-28:

26 - "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give a heart of flesh.

27 - "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

28 - "Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people and I will be your God."

In the sinful state of our hearts, we are unable to follow the commandments of Christ. The flesh is "enmity" (or an enemy) against God. Our flesh fights and struggles against the Will of God. Once God removes our hearts of stone upon salvation, He places a new heart and a new Spirit...His Spirit...within us. Once He places the new heart and the new Spirit within us, we will be able to walk in His statutes and will keep AND DO them. Keeping His commandments and doing them is just not possible in our fleshly state with a stony heart.

Proverbs 27:19 - As in water face reflects face, so a man's heart reveals him.

We can't hide our heart condition. Our heart will reflect the type of person we are. Play actors and the religious Pharisees of our day attempt to do so.

Proverbs 26:23 - Fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered with silver dross.

Quaint words with a stony heart are worthless. They may look and sound good, but ultimately have no value. Our hearts will lead us astray and deceive us.

Proverbs 28:26 - He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

We cannot trust our hearts to help us make the right decision. We must look to the One who gives us a new heart and a new Spirit. Only then are we able to make decisions based on the Will of the Father and His commandments.

Proverbs 4:23 - Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

We must guard our new hearts to ensure that nothing invades them that are not of Christ. We must be careful what we listen to, what we hear, what we read, and what movies we watch. What we allow into our hearts and spirits will be revealed in the way we conduct ourselves. Those things will determine what actions we take in our lives, what deeds we perform, how we conduct our businesses, how we work for our employers. But....how do we guard our hearts in such a manner?

We put on our breastplate of righteousness every day. We turn to the Word of God and learn how to live in the world He has placed us in. We pray without ceasing every day to be the light and the salt of the earth. We keep the Sword of the Spirit in our hands so we may deflect the fiery darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6). And we remember that everything we do is a reflection of the One who died for us; the risen King that rules and reigns in the Kingdom of God.

Colossians 3:23-25

Colossians 3:23 - And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,

Colossians 3:24 - knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ

Colossians 3:25 - But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.

TAMING OUR TONGUES

What we allow to come out of our mouths is directly related to our heart conditions. We have to be so watchful of the things we say. I have heard many, many sermons over the years about our tongues, the words we speak, etc. I have a pretty quick tongue most of the time. It almost seems like my mouth will speak before my brain has the opportunity to process the thought the mouth is going to blurt out. It is important that I learn to consult the Holy Spirit before I just blurt out anything that falls into my head, because I can be very mean. I don't really mean to be, but sometimes I get a little spark of anger and lo and behold out of my mouth pops something deadly for the person in the path of my destruction.

James says in chapter 3:8 - But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

So...in our unsaved, unrepentant state we have a wicked heart that is deceitful above all else and a tongue that is evil and full of poison. That just sounds really hopeless, doesn't it? Or at least I used to think that. It makes it seem that we will have no control over what we speak. That is not the truth! There is hope - with the help of the Holy Spirit. We have a new heart and a new Spirit after salvation. God has given us those. We are to guard our hearts. We do that by being careful with what we see, hear, listen to, participate in, etc. Putting on the breastplate of righteousness as mentioned in Ephesians 6 will also help us guard our hearts. We need to guard our hearts so our mouths will be able to speak righteously, and to speak healing, and to speak life.

Luke 6:45 - "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

The above scripture in Luke is often reduced to the last part..."for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." Often, the first part of the scripture is not quoted or put into practice. If we are guarding our hearts and have repented and have received the redemption Jesus Christ paid for our souls, then we can begin to build the good treasure of our hearts so our tongues speak good things.

Whatever we feed our hearts is what will be in abundance. In the case of good treasure, we need to be filling our hearts with the Word of God, praise and worship, and prayer time one-on-one with the Lord. We need to be examining our lives for the influences in them that are not producing good treasure, but instead trying to re-infect our hearts with evil treasure. We could need to look at the people in our lives. Maybe some of the relationships we have built need to be severed. Maybe the type of movies we watch needs to change, or the types of books we read. It is really all about what edifies and builds us up and what tears us down.

Why is examining our lives and taking inventory of the influences we allow in so important? They all help to determine the picture of ourselves we put forward. Our pride plays a big role in what comes out of our mouths and the reflection of our hearts we allow people to see.

James 3:13 - Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his words are done in the meekness of wisdom.

James 3:14 - But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

James 3:15 - This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.

James 3:16 - For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

Pride, envy, selfish ambition [self-seeking] are all characteristics of the old man that must be put to death. As saved, redeemed, repentant followers of Christ, we cannot allow these things to remain and embed them in the new heart God has given us. In fact, it is much more serious than just being selfish and exhibiting the selfish behavior with no thought to our fellow man. Verse 16 says that if we are envious and full of selfish ambition, then confusion dwells in our hearts with every evil thing. Every evil thing encompasses...well...every evil thing! It doesn't sound to me as if any evil thing is excluded. The evil influence remains in our lives if we are not dealing with the things in our lives that are evil treasure. The evil influence remains in our lives if we continue to rely on our wisdom and understanding but retain envy and self-seeking in our hearts. Remember, whatever is in abundance of our hearts is what flows from our mouths.

James 3:9 - With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude [likeness] of God.

James 3:10 - Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

James 3:11 - Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?

Make the abundance in your heart good treasure so what flows from your mouth is blessings to God and to all men. The Holy Spirit can help us identify areas in our lives that need to be purified so we can collect and store good treasure in our hearts. When hurts, attacks, confusion, and any other tool of the enemy come at us, we will have our breastplate of righteousness on and be able to recall the Word of God with which we defeat the enemy. We will begin to speak life and not death.

Proverbs 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Do you love to talk? Gossip? You will eat that fruit. The treasure in your heart - good or evil - will produce life or death in your words. What we put into our storehouse determines what flows from our mouths. Let your choice be life.

NO FEAR IN WEAKNESS

Sometimes I can easily get wrapped up in confusion trying to figure out what is going on around me instead of running to my God and Father. One of my favorite scriptures in the entire bible is Psalm 91:4 - He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

What I like the most about the verse is "shield AND buckler." A buckler is a smaller shield...so there is twice the protection for us to stand behind from anything that might seek to attack us. Psalm 91 is a great passage. It goes on to say:

5 - You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,

6 - or of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

7 - A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.

8 - Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.

9 - because you have the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling your place,

10 - No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

11 - For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

There is safety abiding in the presence of God. There is peace and rest in the shadow of His wings. All we must do is wait with our hope in Him that He will protect us from all things.

Psalm 62:5 - My soul, wait patiently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him

Psalm 62:6 - He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.

Notice the Psalmist had to tell his soul to wait patiently. Sometimes we have to speak to ourselves and bring our minds and our emotions back around to thinking about what the Word says and using scriptures to uplift and strengthen our resolve. We should always be mindful of what we are thinking about.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.

"...whatever things are of good report." We cannot be distracted with the things that do not provide us with good reports. We cannot be distracted by the things that are not praiseworthy. We cannot allow the enemy to continue to push thoughts into our minds and emotions into our hearts that keep us bound up in confusion, depression, and chaos. The distractions of our thoughts pull us away from praising God...from honoring Him with our thoughts, our actions, our attitudes and our witness to those around us. Sometimes we just need to remember that He is our mighty fortress.

Psalm 18:2 2 - Jehovah is my strength, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock; I will trust in Him; He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.

Forgetting that we have a Deliverer, a Rock, a Shield, a High Tower, and a Fortress is exactly what the enemy wants us to do. He wants us to stay defeated, depressed, confused. If we are all of those things, then we are ineffective in our witness and as Citizens of the Kingdom. God is a good God. God is a Mighty God. He is a Mighty Warrior! He is our Protector and our Defender. He can set us free...He can keep us safe. We have to keep our eyes focused on Him and our thoughts captive and in subjection to Jesus Christ.
Chapter 5

THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

Sinning Brothers

What happens to keeping the peace when we know that one of our brothers or sisters in Christ continues in sin or transgresses against us? The Word gives us instruction for how to handle ourselves in those situations.

Matthew 18:15 But if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

Matthew 18:16 But if he will not hear you, take one or two more with you, so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

Matthew 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he neglects to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen and a tax-collector.

The process Matthew talks about in chapter 18 is one today that would be considered humiliation and ridicule and frowned upon by believers that say they wish to follow the precepts of Christ. The process does almost seem harsh and in some ways cruel, but sometimes it is necessary so we can have closure with an issue. The hardest of all I think for any of us to follow through with is "let him be to you as a heathen and a tax-collector." It can be hard to put into practice the act of "letting someone go." Paul makes an even firmer statement to the church at Corinth.

1Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written to you not to associate intimately, if any man called a brother and is either a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one not to eat.

We are not to even associate with those that call themselves believers and brothers (or sisters) in Christ if they continue in sin.

James 4:17 Therefore to him who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.

We don't truly understand the consequences of continuing to live as though we are covered with grace with no thought to our responsibilities in being righteous and holy as He is righteous and holy. We have a responsibility once truth is revealed to us to put that truth into effect in our lives.

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound?

Romans 6:2 Let it not be! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Once we have repented of our sins, accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts as Lord and King, it is our responsibility to keep our garments clean and uncorrupted. Associating with a brother or sister that continues to walk in sin and rebel against the One True God has unhealthy attitudes and an unhealthy heart. The attitudes portrayed out of sin are not those we would want to allow to infect our hearts and thoughts.

My parents always told me growing up that I had to be so careful with what type of people I chose to associate with and call friends. If they were not good kids, then I ran the risk of being pulled into what they were doing. It used to make me so mad because I didn't think my parents had any faith or trust in me. Now that I am older and a parent myself, I know that is not the case. It is just easier to get pulled into the mud than it is to pull someone out.

JUDGING THE SINNING BROTHERS

When I am talking to people about these sets of scriptures, the first response I usually receive is that we are not supposed to judge one another. That is the furthest thing from the truth and another article of deception the devil has perpetrated on the people of God. The favorite scripture used to support the position of "no judging" is Matthew 7:1 –

Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that you may not be judged.

People rarely continue on through the next verses:

Matthew 7:2 For with whatever judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with whatever measure you measure out, it shall be measured to you again.

Matthew 7:3 And why do you look on the splinter that is in your brother's eye, but do not consider the beam that is in your own eye?

Matthew 7:4 Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull the splinter out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own eye?

Matthew 7:5 Hypocrite! First cast the beam out of your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to cast the splinter out of your brother's eye.

I believe Jesus was pretty plain in Matthew. We need to make absolutely certain we are above reproach, have asked for forgiveness, repented of whatever behavior brought us to that point, and move forward with a commitment to Jesus Christ. When our hearts are not right with God and we have not made the one hundred eighty degree turn around we should have, our vision can become skewed. We may not be in the best position to judge another brother's actions because we are guilty of the same offenses. We then make ourselves hypocrites by not dealing with our own behavior before we go to our brothers about their behavior.

OUR REFLECTIONS

When we are getting ready for work in the mornings, or for church, or whatever the occasion is, we usually look in a mirror. We women in particular spend a lot of time in front of a mirror. We curl or straighten our hair, we put on makeup, and we examine our faces for any new lines or wrinkles. Most of us even have a full length mirror in our bedrooms so we can see what we look like in the clothes we have chosen to wear for that day. We turn side to side to make sure we look good from any angle. The mirror shows us a reflection of what we look like. We are either pleased or we aren't. Or we give up because we don't believe our appearance could get any better. We also have other mirrors that produce reflections of us to other people. We may not even be conscious of the fact that they are reflections. No, they do not reflect our physical state, but instead our spiritual state.

Our spiritual state can and will be reflected in our daily lives through how we live, the things we say, the things we view and choose to listen to.

Proverbs 4:23- Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. (NKJV)

The New International Version translates the same scripture this way:

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Everything in our hearts affects every other aspect of our lives.

If we are filled with bitterness, anger, resentment, and unhealed wounds, then those things are reflected in our speech and our verbal interaction with others.

If we are filled with those emotions above, then our dysfunction is mirrored in the lack of or inability to have healthy relationships with people around us.

If we are unhappy and discontent and lack peace, then our lives reveal the unrest and chaos to others. Our homes may be messy and cluttered; our houses may have cobwebs in the corner of the rooms. A disorderly spiritual life will be reflected in the way we keep our physical homes.

If we have low self-worth, or have been beaten down, abused, then we are less apt to take care of our physical appearance.

If we have low self-worth, then our value of ourselves will be reflected in the choices and decisions we make in our lives. The choices and decisions can be anything from choosing to become a drug addict or alcoholic to the men or women or we choose to date. The people we have in our "inner circles" are indicative to the state we have chosen to live in.

We must be so very careful to believe the Word of God and what it says about us, who we are, and what or value is. Our value is that above the sparrow. Our worth is so that God sent His only begotten Son to die for us. Our identity is such that we are a Royal Priesthood, a chosen generation. We must live so the reflection of our lives is the Kingdom of God to a lost, hurting, and dying world. Our reflection should always be the Love of the Father through Jesus Christ His Son. Our reflection should always be the banner of love that identifies us as a citizen in the Kingdom of God.

We will mirror what is in our hearts and before we begin to judge a brother or sister, we must make sure our reflections are clear and not cloudy. We must make sure our reflections show the love of the Father. The more time we spend on something, the more that "thing" dominates our lives and becomes a part of us. What should our reflections look like?

John 14:9 - Jesus said to him, Have I been with you such a long time and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. And how do you say, Show us the Father?

Jesus reflected the image of His Father. He spoke the Father's words and He did the Father's works. He did not do anything on His own.

John 14:10 - Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The Words that I speak to you I do not speak of Myself, but the Father who dwells in me, He does the works.

Jesus did not do anything or say anything without it first having come from the Father. Jesus operated in peace and in love. He is a reflection of the Father.

My family and I love the outdoors and we go camping a lot. We use the time in nature to just be together as a family and enjoy God's creation. One of the things I enjoy doing while we are camping is taking pictures of the scenery. We usually go to Ouachita Mountains in Beaver's Bend State Park in Oklahoma. One weekend we stayed in a camping spot we haven't camped in before by the river. It rained quite a bit on us over the weekend, but one time after the rain had stopped and the water had stilled, I took a picture of a tree. The water was so still that the reflected image was almost an exact mirror reflection of the tree. How do we stay this still and reflect the image we want to reflect? By knowing who we are.
Chapter 5

OUR IDENTITIES

We must learn what the Word of God says about our identity. Knowing who we are in Christ is the cement that keeps our foundation of beliefs strong. Without proper identity, our foundation runs the risk of shifting or becoming fluid with the changes that occur in our lives. Confidence in our identity keeps our beliefs and faith in our Foundation strong, solid, and firmly in place throughout the storms we experience in our lives.

Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, coming into being out of a woman, having come under Law,

Galatians 4:5 that He might redeem those under Law, so that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Galatians 4:6 and because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Galatians 4:7 So that you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.

We are adopted sons and daughters of the Living God through His Son, Jesus! We became adopted sons when we believed Jesus redeemed us of our sins when He was crucified on the cross, died, and then rose again. Because we are adopted into His family, we become heirs to all that is His. What is an heir? An heir is someone that inherits something from someone else. We who have accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts as Lord and Savior, repented of our sinful nature, and are walking according to His Word are heirs with Christ! If we are adopted sons and heirs, then what else does our identity consist of?

1Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, so that you might speak of the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

1Peter 2:10 you who then were not a people, but now the people of God, those not pitied then, but now pitied.

We are royalty! We are adopted sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We are chosen by the Father Himself! We are holy! We have been called out of the darkness into the light. But wait...not just any light. HIS light! What can compare to the light of the Lord Jesus? Absolutely nothing!

1John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and you have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

We are also over comers and victorious because the One who claimed victory over death, hell and the grave lives inside us and is greater than any enemy that can come against us in this world. We are victors. We are not defeated. Knowing we are victorious and chosen sons and daughters and joint heirs with the King of Kings gives us the bond agent we need to keep our foundation strong.

PROTECTING OUR IDENTITIES

Our enemy will send many obstacles, thoughts, doubts, hurdles, storms, and all his arsenal of fiery darts to attempt to destroy the identity we have by our adoption into the Kingdom of Heaven. Women can be particularly vulnerable by our very nature. It is easy as a woman to get wrapped up in the many titles we carry each day and try to find our identity in the titles. Most of us fulfill some and maybe all of the following titles: wives, mothers, daughters, employees, employers, tutors, chefs, chauffeurs, gardeners, hairdressers, boo-boo kissers, chief financial accountants, and the list could go on I am sure. We can so easily begin to identify ourselves as one or more of those titles thereby becoming distracted and setting aside our true identity. In all actuality, those titles are just roles we fill within our lives. Our identities are who we are in Christ.

No matter what life throws at us, what fiery darts the enemy can send to sting, we know our Abba Father will guard and protect us. He will guide us because He cares for us so much more than we can possibly imagine.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the purposes which I am purposing for you, says Jehovah; purposes of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:12 Then you shall call on Me, and you shall go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

Jeremiah 29:13 And you shall seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

The scriptures should be written on our hearts because we are seeking Him on a daily basis. We should be able to use the Word of God as a weapon, just as the Bible calls it a sword. Knowing that God is not only our Savior and Redeemer, but our Father gives us freedom in the knowledge of who we are in Him.
Chapter 6

OUR SHEPHERDS

Jesus said He is the Good Shepherd and He referred to us, His followers, as sheep.

John 10:11 - I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

John 10:12 - But he who is a hireling and not the shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away. And the wolf catches them and scatters the sheep.

John 10:13 - The hireling flees, because he is a hireling and does not care for the sheep.

John 10:14 - I am the Good Shepherd, and I know those that are Mine, and I am known by those who are Mine.

A good shepherd takes care of his sheep because he knows their value and they are important to him. He puts the sheep in the best fields for grazing. He ensures there is water to drink. He watches over them to protect them from predators.

Sheep have natural predators: wild dogs, bears, coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, and all of things...eagles, just to name a few. Some of these predators have coats of fur that allow them to be in similar color to the sheep's wool; hence the term "wolf in sheep's clothing." A shepherd's job is to stand watch over the flock and identify threats and prevent predators from infiltrating the flock. He knows his sheep. He knows how many are in his flock so he can know when there is an imposter among his sheep. His sheep know his voice so they respond when he calls out and when he leads.

We have a Good Shepherd; a Chief Shepherd. (1 Peter 5:4) The Word says His sheep know His voice. He knows those that are His and He knows who belongs in His flock. (Matthew 7:15-23) But where we differ from animals, Jesus told us what our enemy's plans are (John 10:10):to steal, to kill, and to destroy.

He told us who our enemy was (Ephesians 6:12): principalities; powers; rulers of darkness; spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.

He provided armor and weapons (Ephesians 6:13-18) for our personal protection. He also said He knew He was sending out as sheep among wolves.

Matthew 10:16: - "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."

We know the enemy's purpose. We know who the enemy is. Knowing the enemy's purpose and plan ahead of the battle gives us an upper hand and a victorious advantage. Being as wise as serpents only means we know the moves the serpent will make but we will choose to stay righteous before the King we serve.
Chapter 7

Do Not Be Deceived

Recently, I heard another pastor say something similar to "our battle is over" and my concerns remain the same. There is something about this teaching that does not sit well within my spirit. I fear that it is approaching heretical teaching. If not heretical, then Satan has definitely once again managed to deceive those in the Body of Christ that would listen to "other gospels" damaging to the Body of Christ.

1 Timothy 4:3 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

1 Timothy 4:4 - and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

Hebrews 13:9 - Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

What I heard came from a popular pastor of one of the largest churches in the state of Texas when he made a Facebook post that infuriated me for the people of God. I do not consider this man a preacher or a teacher. I believe him to be a wolf in sheep's clothing seeking to keep the children of God under the sound of his voice babies and ignorant of the Word of God. He said:

"Your opposition may be stronger and better equipped, but when God opens up His floodgates,

they'll be no match for you."

I have not heard a lie this big spoken in public to a group of believers in a long time. Our opposition, our enemies cannot possibly be more equipped than we are. Our King stripped our enemies of their weapons.

Colossians 2:15 Having stripped rulers and authorities, He made a show of them publicly, triumphing over them in it.

We are Citizens of the Kingdom of God. We are heirs and joint heirs with Christ, the Son of the Living God; the King who rules our Kingdom. How can anything be stronger than He is? We have the armor of God to protect us. We have a fortress in the Creator of the Universe. There are 5 bible declarations that make the statement the false teacher made so untrue.

1. We are more than conquerors!

Romans 8:37 - Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us

Romans 8:38 - For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

Romans 8:39 - nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. We are seated with Christ in heavenly places!

Ephesians 2:4 - But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

Ephesians 2:5 - even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Ephesians 2:6 - and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 2:7 - that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

3. No weapon formed us against us shall prosper!

Isaiah 54:17 - No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgement You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me," says the Lord.

4. The Word of God is a sharp sword!

Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

5. Every knee shall bow! Phillipians 2:9-11

Philippians 2:9 - Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

Philippians 2:10 - that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

Phillippians 2:11 - and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

There is nothing and no one that does not bow to the name of Jesus. When the name of Jesus is evoked, demons flee, the dead are raised, the blind see, the lame walk, souls are saved.

We must be careful what information we take in and make sure it lines up with the Word of God and can stand the test. In fact, 1 John 4:1 addresses this very issue:

1 John 4:1 - Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but try the spirits to see if they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Test what is said with the Word of God. Listen to the Holy Spirit. He is the bearer of ALL truth. If you hear something and have a check in your spirit about it, but not sure why....go to the infallible Word of God! Research it in the word and make certain it is supported in the Word of God. I would even say don't take everything you read in this book without making certain that what I have said lines up with the Word of God. I pray it does always...but I am still human and not exempt from making errors.

Even knowing who the enemy is and the enemy's purpose, so many Christians choose to remain without armor while accepting the teaching "the battle has been won." This is a true statement, Jesus defeated Death, Hell and the Grave and as inheritors, we too, have the victory as well....if we will reach out and take the gift He has given. Someone can give you something as a birthday gift, but you must take the gift from their outstretched hand before it belongs to you. You do not own a gift until you take it from someone. The same is true here. Christians can live defeated lives because they do not how to fight the enemy that is bearing down on them. The Word says the enemy looks for people to devour.

1Peter 5:8 Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour;

1Peter 5:9 whom firmly resist in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions in the world are being completed in your brotherhood.

There are Christians living defeated lives because they have laid their weapons down and allowed wolves in sheep's clothing to enter into the midst of the congregations without using discernment or testing the spirits against the Word of God. These defeated Christians are easy prey for the enemy as he seeks their destruction.

Please do not live defeated. Know your enemy. Know his plan. Know how to fight him. The only way that is possible is by reading the Word of God and knowing how to use it. Jesus encountered the enemy during His time in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-11) During each time Jesus was tempted by the enemy, He quoted scripture to address the situation at hand. In other words, He wielded the Sword of the Spirit. Then the devil left Him. If Jesus, the Son of God, had to face the devil and fought him with the Word, then why wouldn't we fight the enemy the same way?
Chapter 8

Authority in the Kingdom

False teachers inside our congregations have prevented the functioning of and the purpose of the five-fold ministry from fully operating. We need to be able to recognize false prophets, false teachers, and wolves that have snuck their way into the Kingdom. How do we do that? A street preacher stated the clearest, simplest response to the question of identifying false prophets and teachers.

"One of the most distinguishing marks of a FALSE Prophet/Teacher/Preacher is that they preach to their listeners as if (((ALL ARE SOUNDLY SAVED)))! NO REBUKE, NO CORRECTION, NO CALL FOR REPENTANCE, just a NEW HOUSE, a NEW CAR, MORE BLE$$INGS, and even MORE REASONS NOT TO SUBMIT, why should they?" ~~ Eduardo Ramos

God places people in positions of authority. Those He places in positions He has qualified and justified. No one can prematurely remove them from office before their time is finished. A person in a position that was not been qualified or justified by God is in the position without legitimate claim to the position.

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God.

All authority is placed in position by God. He holds all authority; therefore, He is the only one that can delegate authority. In the Kingdom of God, the authority lies with the King. Jesus said,

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority is given to Me in Heaven and in earth.

The King was delegated the authority to rule over everything. In Luke, Jesus sent the seventy disciples out into the world to preach the gospel. As the King, He delegated some of His authority to the seventy so they were able to fulfill their mission.

Luke 10:19 Behold, I give to you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the authority of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you.

The authority the King delegated to the seventy was higher than the authority of the enemy. That means that the devil's word on a subject is never the last word. Nowhere did Jesus give us the authority over people. He didn't give us the authority to delegate to other people that authority either and yet we have an ordainment process for pastors and teachers by other pastors and teachers. We have Bible schools that teach doctrines and how to "preach" from the pulpit. We seem to have discarded the fact that God Himself gave "offices" to the Body of Christ and He never said the people in the "offices" had to attend seminary.

Ephesians describes the ministry offices and their purposes very clearly and also states Who places men in those ministry offices.

Ephesians 4:11 - And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

Ephesians 4:12 - for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Ephesians 4:13 - till we all come to the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Ephesians 4:14 - that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

Ephesians 4:15 - but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ -

The five offices are commonly referred to as the five-fold ministry. The five fold ministry has a purpose and the purpose of the five offices is to: equip the saints for the work of the ministry; edify the body of Christ; bring into the unity faith and knowledge; and to mature us.

The very first purpose of the five fold ministry is to equip the saints...to help make them ready to perform the work God is calling us to perform. The final purpose of the five fold ministry is to mature us as followers of Christ. We should not continue to want the "feel good gospel" as we did when we were first born again. Our foundation in Him should be that He loves us. He wants the best for us. Eventually, we must move forward and begin learning how to crucify our flesh daily. (1 Corinthians 15:31). We need to be able to help our brothers and sisters in Christ identify teachings that will lead them astray and distract them from what God has for them. We must learn how to put down thoughts and imaginations and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. We must learn how to be the light in a dark and dying world.

Let me say that I am not trying to imply we do not need to evangelize a sinful world. I am saying that we cannot do that if we are not first prepared to do so. I do not believe that once we are saved, we are finished growing. We still have a responsibility to seek His face and His kingdom so that we may stay on the narrow path and not be swayed to and fro like little children...as the Word says in Ephesians.

I do not see much edification in the body of Christ at this moment in time. Many of the pastors that are teaching from the pulpit and many of the televangelists on television have helped to create a lot of cynicism about Christianity. They are pushing their books, tapes, asking for money, etc. during every broadcast or sermon. How are unbelievers supposed to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and grow to be mature Christians ready to fight the good fight of faith and use the weapons God has given in spiritual warfare with that example put before them? How are baby Christians, once born again, supposed to grow into mature Christians without being taught the ways, the expectations, and the commandments of Christ? How do Christians develop and grow the fruits of the Spirit without learning what they are and how to cultivate them? How do Christians know to seek the Gifts of the Spirit if they are not taught about the gifts?

I recently was doing some research on the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit that Jesus said was the only unpardonable sin and I ran across an article that literally stunned me. First of all, the word blasphemy means, "a contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity." The second definition for blasphemy is, "the act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God" (Farlex, 2013) Needless to say, it is easy to see why blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would be the one sin we could not get forgiveness for. Lucifer was cast out of Heaven for trying to be equal with God and rebelling against His authority.

The author of the article stated that he did not believe blasphemy against the Holy Spirit could be committed today. His reasoning is nowhere else in the Word of God does anyone mention blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Paul doesn't mention it in any of his letters to the New Testament churches and Jesus only mentions it once. The author goes on to state the age of the miracles has ceased and is over; therefore, no one could contribute the miracles that God would perform to the enemy. As a direct result of the age of the miracles being over, no one could commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Butt, 2003). The Word of God would seem to directly contradict this author.

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, Go into all the world, proclaim the gospel to all the creation.

Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Mark 16:17 And miraculous signs will follow to those believing these things: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak new tongues;

Mark 16:18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will be well.

The scriptures in Mark do not have an expiration date. Jesus did not place any conditions on the miraculous signs that would follow those that believe. It would seem to me to be a logical conclusion to say the age of miracles has not ceased but instead we have ceased to believe that miracles can still be performed. Somewhere along the way throughout generations, the Body of Christ has stopped believing that miraculous signs can still follow them in the name of Jesus. Why has the Body of Christ chosen to believe wolves in sheep's clothing when they say the words of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Body, are worthless? Do we not believe the promises of our King? Do we not believe He still cares as much for sinners today as He did the day He chose to die?

The Body of Christ must take accountability and responsibility for its Kingdom Citizens. The Body of Christ needs to begin to believe again the words of the King. We need discernment to flow freely through the Body so we may recognize the false teachers and the liars that are trying to distract and defeat our members. We can do that with the five offices mentioned earlier equipping the saints and making them ready for the work of the ministry. Our older men and women in Christ need to teach our younger men and women in Christ how to grow and mature in the things of the Lord. We cannot leave our baby Christians on their own after salvation just to get plucked back into the kingdom of darkness.

THE UNQUALIFIED PREACHING CONDEMNATION

What happens when men place for themselves pastors and teachers and other offices of the five fold ministry? The Body of Christ becomes infected with teachings that do more harm than good and can damage baby Christians or prevent the lost and unsaved from committing their lives to the Messiah. I have a story not too different from many teenage girls today. I chose to be a rebellious teenager after the death of my grandmother and I got pregnant at 18 with my oldest daughter.

My story is different from so many teenage girls that get pregnant out of wedlock due to the parents I have. God used that pregnancy to bring me back to Him in a stronger faith and position than I had been previously. He poured out His love and mercy on me in ways that no one else could have begun to understand. I had fully repented of my sinful ways and sought after God's will for me and for my daughter with all my heart. I was living with my parents at the time and we were all attending a church together. I will never forget one message the pastor of that church preached from the pulpit.

The pastor was preaching about premarital sex and the consequences thereof. I do not believe his sermon that day was coincidence. I was 4-5 months pregnant, so I was definitely showing and there was no way to hide it. People judged me, looked down on me, and continued to try and save me without first asking me what state my heart was in. I found this to be true no matter where I went in the Christian community.

During the message, he used an analogy of a candy bar in a wrapper. When we are standing in line at the grocery checkout, the candy they place there looks so enticing on the shelf. If we pulled that candy bar off the shelf, unwrapped it and took a bite, then put it back on the shelf, no one would ever want that candy bar. It would be less appealing to anyone who saw that candy bar. It was spoiled and no good to anyone else. The implication was of course, if you chose to have premarital sex prior to marriage then you were damaged goods and no other man would want you because you were "spoiled." I cannot describe to you the condemnation Satan attempted to heap onto my head because of that "pastor."

Now, years later I cannot help but wonder what would have happened if I had been someone that did not have the upbringing and foundation I had? What if I had been a young girl who had never been in a church before and chose to visit this one on that morning and heard that message from the pulpit? What if she did not have the tools in her toolbox to fight the condemnation of the enemy? Young girls in the situation I was in without the support system I had are already scared to death of what the future holds for them and their babies. The young girl already doubts herself and her ability to care for a child on her own. She is already seeking someone that can give her answers, help, and love. She is already beating herself up for making the decisions she has made. But now...thanks to the sermon she has heard at this church on that day...Her only impression would be that she was being judged instead of accepted. She would feel convicted of a crime which pregnancy was the punishment for. Such a message would cause her to feel as though she had no hope, no redemption, and would find no one that could love her or her baby. She would feel worthless, dirty, and unlovable. When in all actuality, her Judge is also her Redeemer.

Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

The message that should have flowed from the pulpit that morning is a simple one. No matter what you have done, God will forgive you. Believe on His Name, believe He died for you, and ask forgiveness for the sins committed in your life with a repentant heart...turn from your old life and gain a new life in the Son of God.

VERSE 2 goes on to say:

2 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Accepting Jesus Christ and choosing to live for Him, sets us free from the law of sin and death. That should have been the message from the pulpit that day. It is not our job to judge the sinner and bring condemnation to those that don't know the Lord. It is our job to bring the message of the gospel. Yes, there is sin in this world. Yes it is prevalent everywhere we go. Yes, premarital sex is a sin. Yes, there is judgment for participating in it. Our job is not to convict...that is the Holy Spirit's job. Our job is to love those that enter into our lives...no matter their condition...and show them the Way, the Truth, the Life. Once they have accepted Jesus Christ into their lives as their Lord and King...it is our job to train and teach them in the ways of living as Citizens in the Kingdom of God. It is our job to make sure they understand their responsibility does not end at salvation.

Every pastor or teacher that takes the pulpit has a responsibility to protect those within the sound of his voice. He or she should not be inflicting damage on the congregation. If you are a pastor or a teacher, are you paying attention to what your words are saying? Are you seeking the wisdom and council of the Holy Spirit before, during, and after every sermon you preach or teach? If you are not, then are you not a responsible shepherd and could be illegitimate in your office.

One of the shepherd's jobs is to protect his flock. He cannot be one to inflict harm or hurt upon the helpless in his care. I received a set of scriptures during my pregnancy from a woman that has known me most, if not all, of my life. I have held onto those scriptures since that day as a lifeline. I wish every pastor or teacher would tell young girls that get pregnant out of wedlock this:

Isaiah 4:4 - Do not fear; for you shall not be ashamed, nor shall you blush; for you shall not be put to shame; for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.

Isaiah 4:5 - For your Maker is your husband; Jehovah of Hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall He be called.

Isaiah 4:6 - For Jehovah has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when you were rejected, says your God.

Isaiah 4:7 - For a little moment I have left you; but with great mercies I will gather you.

Isaiah 4:8 - In a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you, says Jehovah your Redeemer.

There is no condemnation in those scriptures. There is love, redemption, grace and mercy in those scriptures. If God does not condemn, then who we are to preach condemnation from our pulpits?

THE UNQUALIFIED PREACHING MOCKERY

Sometimes I am surprised at human nature. We all are human and sinful by nature prior to salvation; however, I am most surprised by those that say they are saved and born again that still act as though they are in fact sinners. Those that "belong" to some traditional denominational churches can surprise me the most.

My husband and I had been attending a local church for a number of months a few years ago. I won't call out the denomination. The pastor and his wife visited us one Friday night and we had a nice discussion with them, I thought. We shared our belief in the fact that God still performs miracle healing. We shared our belief that speaking in tongues was for the believers of today as much as the early church. We shared our belief that without that baptism in the Holy Spirit, we were not ready to be sent out to share the Gospel of the Kingdom. The pastor and his wife were pretty quiet and didn't say very much. After they left, I told my husband it was nice of them to stop by. I really appreciated a personal visit from the pastor and his wife.

Sunday morning when we went to church, we had a good worship time. The pastor was not preaching because he was out of town, so the associate pastor delivered the day's sermon. My husband and I sat in stunned silence as we listened to the associate pastor talk about "those" people that believe in speaking in tongues and miracle healing. We sat and listened to him ridicule and openly mock what our Bible tells us to be Truth. He made comments such as people that believed speaking in tongues was okay and for today must be lacking intelligence. He made comments such as God doesn't perform miracles anymore and if anyone saw such miracles then they needed to warn others because it was a false god performing the signs and wonders. He had the entire congregation of probably 100 - 200 people laughing at the very things we had shared with the senior pastor and his wife just two days before.

Is there any wonder the Body of Christ is divided?

Any pastor that is shepherding a flock of believers needs to be aware that he will be held accountable for what he teaches. The whole Bible is God's inspired Word. Not just the parts we like or the parts we understand – but the WHOLE Bible. 1 Corinthians clearly states the impartation of the Gifts of the Spirit to believers by the Holy Spirit. In fact, verse 11 below states it is ONE and the SAME SPIRIT that works all these things.

1Corinthians 12:8 - For through the Spirit is given to one a word of wisdom; and to another a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit;

1Corinthians 12:9 - and to another faith by the same Spirit; and to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

1Corinthians 12:10 - and to another workings of powers, to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; and to another kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues.

1Corinthians 12:11 - But the one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing separately to each one as He desires.

Furthermore, Hebrews says that God bore witness with signs and wonders and with different kinds of miracles.

Hebrews 2:1 - Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

Hebrews 2:2 - For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and if every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward,

Hebrews 2:3 - how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by those who heard Him;

Hebrews 2:4 - God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with different kinds of miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

God bore witness by doing these things according to His own will. How can we neglect the things the apostles reported and taught in the New Testament...in the Word of God? How can we not pay earnest heed to those things? Should we not be teaching these things in order to help equip the saints? Should we not be teaching these things to aid in the building of living stones together?

QUALIFICATIONS OF PASTORS

The pastor, shepherd, teacher, preacher is a person of authority and a spiritual leader in the congregation so therefore his word is taken at face value. When mockery and condemnation are taught from the pulpit, the people will then believe it to be okay in the name of righteousness. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Body of Christ and the leadership placed in positions of authority within the Body should be emulating His example.

We know Jesus is our Good Shepherd; the Chief Shepherd, but He is also referred to as an overseer.

1Peter 2:25 For you were as sheep going astray, but now you are turned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Jesus paid the ransom for our souls. That means He paid the price required to buy back our souls from the captor that imprisoned us with sin. Now Jesus watches over our purchased souls and uses the Holy Spirit to help bring conviction and to warn us of "trouble" we could stumble into. There are qualifications of a shepherd, or an overseer, that God looks for when He lifts up a man to be an overseer of His people. The qualifications can be found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and it is an extensive list of qualifications for the position of overseer and speaks directly to how a man lives his life and the character he has built and protected within himself. The qualifications of an overseer are much like the character traits of a servant in the Kingdom. In fact, 1 Peter 5:2 – 4 says:

1 Peter 5:2 – Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly,

1 Peter 5:3 – nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

1 Peter 5:4 – and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

Peter says very clearly the flock belongs to God and the shepherds should be "serving as overseers." Peter did not say the shepherds should force the flock to bend to his or her will and act as a dictator over a congregation.
Chapter 9

GROWING IN THE KINGDOM

False teachers hinder our growth as sons and daughters of the King. They easily deceive us and keep us spiritually ignorant of the Word with teachings that keep their congregations babies. Much like man has hindered the natural growth of trees on the landscape. To provide homes with electricity, power lines have been erected through the terrain of our country. Land has had to be cleared to make way for man's "progress." In later years, we have environmentalists emerge saying we should take more care to preserve our landscapes as much as possible. I think it was interesting that man's response to the environmentalists in an attempt to preserve the trees resulted in only cutting the branches off the tree that interfered with the power lines. I suppose that is how humanity believes it is saving the environment. But then I looked closer one day at one of those trees and realized something I hadn't noticed before. The trees have been trimmed and cut back many times so they will not interfere with or cause the power lines to fall. As a result, the trees are no longer growing properly. I saw one tree that has become very heavy on the left side and even leans or bows slightly to the left. The tree's growth will now be stunted and altered for the rest of the days the tree is alive. It will not be allowed to grow as nature intended for it to grow.

It occurred to me after some thought and reflection and seeking God that these power lines are not unlike many of the false pastors, teachers, and televangelists that have invaded the Body of Christ. The tree is not unlike the Body of Christ. False teachings, heretical teachings, the distractions from the enemy within the Body and our churches have caused many people to be incomplete in their foundational beliefs, faith, and principles. False prophets, teachers, pastors and their teachings are like the power lines that force their way through the landscape. The five fold ministry is designed to help prepare the people of God for the work of the ministry. With so much false teachings and many distractions in the Body of Christ, how can new believers be expected to grow as God intended?

Hebrews 5:13 For everyone partaking of milk is unskillful in the Word of Righteousness, for he is an infant.

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, even those who because of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Unskillful in the word of Righteousness is certainly an interesting phrase. Unskillful means inexperienced or ignorant. We must know how to use the Word of God and apply it to our lives so that it can search our hearts, purify our thoughts and minds. The Word of God will show us how to be the light in a dark world, the salt that preserves souls, and ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. We cannot show the lost and dying world the love and healing power of Jesus Christ if we have not first allowed Him to work the fruits of the Spirit into us.

Hebrews 13:20 - Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Hebrews 13:21 - make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

God intends to make us complete in every good work so we can do His will. He will work into us what is pleasing in His sight through His Son. How we can be complete if man's doctrine continues to interfere with the growth and development of Kingdom Citizens? Furthermore:

2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

2 Timothy 3:17 - that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

There must be balance in teaching to produce saints that are "thoroughly equipped for every good work." Love teaching must be balanced with the character of God that is a just and righteous and jealous God. Discipleship teaching must be balanced with the teaching that Jesus is the Head of man and God is the Head of all. Faith teaching or "Name it and Claim it" must be balanced with "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God..." We must be "thoroughly equipped" to minister to others, to share the gospel of Christ. We must be "thoroughly equipped" to minister to other saints that are broken, disillusioned, and hurting.

We are called to share the gospel to all parts of the earth. We are called to pray without ceasing. We are called to:

Ephesians 6:18 - praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

There is a scripture that we Christians really love to throw around as if it should solve the unbelievers' and in some cases, believers' problems.

John 8:32 - "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."

Sounds good, right? Many people tend to forget to mention what comes before the "and."

John 8:31 - Then Jesus said to the Jews that believed on Him, If you continue in My Word, you are my disciples indeed.

So now we end up with a conditional statement. IF we continue in His word THEN we are His disciples. We must keep His Word, and His commandments. If we keep His Word and don't continue in our sinful nature then the truth shall be revealed to us...and we will be set free from the bondage our sin has kept us in.

HOWEVER...

Knowing the jailer has the keys to the cell we are in doesn't change the fact that we remain in the cell. Now, replace the keys for the "truth" in the analogy. Knowing someone has the truth, speaks the truth...IS THE TRUTH...doesn't mean our cell door has been unlocked or that we are freed! Now is the time, we must look for the sheep in wolves clothing that are twisting the truth of Jesus Christ and keeping the people of God in bondage.

2 Timothy 4:1 - Therefore I solemnly witness before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is going to judge the living and the dead according to His appearance and His kingdom,

2 Timothy 4:2 - preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long- suffering and doctrine.

2 Timothy 4:3 - For a time will be when they will not endure sound doctrine, but they will heap up teachers to themselves according to their own lusts, tickling the ear.

2 Timothy 4:4 - And they will turn away their ears from the truth and will be turned to myths.

We must be so very careful what we are paying attention to. There are teachers that have been lifted up in the Body of Christ that sound good. They teach things that make us feel good. They are good 'motivational speakers.' They want to teach us "Kingdom Economics." They reduce God to clichés. "Let go and let God." "Be blessed and highly favored." "I have what my Bible says I have." "Just speak it and God will give it." And there are so very many more. They tickle our ears... They present us with myths as though they were the truth. They are presenting "other doctrines"....strange doctrines that are designed to distract and defeat. What a very clever tactic of the enemy to disarm the People of God.

In my mind, I keep picturing the Body of Christ as a hippy commune with love and peace music flowing through the PA system. Everyone is seated around a dying campfire arms linked and intertwined; eyes closed swaying to the music while being lulled to sleep. What better way to sneak into an enemy camp....

The Body of Christ seems to have ceased to endure sound doctrine. We are called to be ready to preach the Word in season and out of season. Whether it is popular or not...whether it is a convenient time or not. There is a song we used to sing when I was growing up. It was one of my favorites...it still is:

"Awake O Israel, put off thy slumber and the truth shall set you free!

For out of Zion comes your Deliverer in the Year of Jubilee!"

We must awake and come out from under the lullaby of false teachings that appeal to our senses and to our lusts and covetousness, but do not provide anything to sustain us. We need to remember we are a royal priesthood; a chosen generation; a holy nation; a people for possession...to speak His praises. (1 Peter 2:9) The time is now to come out and be separate.

Once we are saved and born again, we should be working to mature and grow and learn the ways of Christ. We look to teachers and preachers as examples of behavior because that is what we have been taught. We must be careful what comes out of our mouths and not everything can be disguised as preaching or teaching or whatever dressing you choose to put on it. My favorite is "that is just the way I am." That is actually a true statement - prior to salvation. Once we are saved, we have died to the old man and should not resurrect old behavior.

Colossians 3:3 - For you died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God.

We have died to our old selves. We have been raised new creations and hidden in Christ, but we can be found by our enemies if we step outside the will of God.

Colossians l 3:5 - Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (which is idolatry),

Colossians 3:6 - on account of which things' sake the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience,

Colossians 3:7 - among whom you also once walked, when you lived in these.

Colossians 3:8 - But now also put off all these things: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, shameful speech out of your mouth.

Colossians 3:9 - Do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his deeds

Colossians 3:10 - and having put on the new, having been renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

Colossians 3:11 - where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythian, slave or freeman, but Christ is all things in all.

The above scriptures hold some very key action words: put to death; put off; do not lie; put on.

We must make conscious decisions to stop doing old behavior, to stop thinking old thoughts, to stop speaking old things. We are new once we are adopted heirs and Sons. As new creations, we should begin to think new thoughts, behave in new ways, and seek to live a new life setting ourselves a part from the things of our old lives.

Colossians 3:12 - Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender feelings of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering,

Colossians 3:13 - forbearing one another and forgiving yourselves, if anyone has a complaint against any. As Christ forgave you, so also you do.

Colossians 3:14 - And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.

The scriptures above have only two actions we should perform: forgive and put on.

It can be difficult to put on some of the characteristics in Colossians every day, such as 'tender feelings of mercy.' There will be days we don't feel like displaying tender feelings of mercy to anyone...particularly when we are on the receiving end of an injustice. Our emotions have very little to do with the decisions we make. We can override any emotion we feel by choosing to feel or do something else.

As the elect of God...as the Royal Priesthood, the Holy Nation, and the People for Possession...we should put on the exact opposite nature of the way we used to be. Putting on is a deliberate act of clothing one's self. Another example we have of being told to put on something is in Ephesians Chapter 6 when Paul tells the church at Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God. Notice he did not say whatever you wanted to for that day. Paul said the WHOLE armor...every piece.

Remember the movie The Karate Kid when Mr. Miyagi was teaching Daniel how to "wax on - wax off?" Daniel had no idea the household tasks he was performing each time he visited the karate master's home were in fact teaching him moves he needed to defend himself in a fight. Putting on the armor of God and the other characteristics is no different than the principles in the movie. We might not be able to see how what we are learning is benefiting us at that time. The more we consciously put on tender feelings of mercy, or practice forgiveness, or practice holding our tongue when we want to defend ourselves, or practice kindness, the easier those things become and eventually they will become a part of who we are...a part of our new nature. We will then begin to set ourselves apart from the world with the love, kindness, humility, mercy, and forgiveness we show others.

The characteristics in Colossians are also the same as some of the fruits of the Spirit in Galations:

Gal 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 - meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Fruit does not grow overnight. If a pear tree is planted one day it will not produce pears the next. The tree must be watered, pruned, and cared for until the tree begins to grow its fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is no different. This fruit must be watered and cared for over time so that it will grow into fullness and mature fruit at the time of harvest. Nothing happens overnight and there are no accidents. A fruit orchard left on its own with no tending will be choked out by weeds and the trees will no longer produce fruit. The fruits of the Spirit are no different. We must be keeping ourselves free of sin, free of all of the things that will prevent the fruits from growing.
Chapter 10

CHILDREN OF GOD

What are the phases we need to grow into? How do we grow from level to level? Is each level obtainable? These are all questions I have asked myself over time. I have come to this conclusion, based on the Word of God: There are three levels of spiritual maturity and each level has its own characteristics.

Levels of Maturity: children, young men, and fathers.

The levels of maturity also come with their own set of character traits: the Fruits of the Spirit, the Characteristics of the New Man, and the Characteristics of a Citizen of the Kingdom of God.

The first level is children. We are called "adopted" sons of God. God His sent His Son to die so we might become sons of the One True God. We are drawn to Him through the fact that He loves us. John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

This verse of John is probably one of the most well known and quoted scripture in the entire Word of God. God not only sent His Son to die, but so that we would believe in Him and His saving grace and mercy. Jesus Christ set free those that were living under the law, or the Old Covenant, to make us adopted sons and daughters.

Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, coming into being out of a woman, having come under Law,

Galatians 4:5 that He might redeem those under Law, so that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Galatians 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Galatians 4:7 So that you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.

As a son of God, we are also heirs of God so that we may inherit what is His. We go through an "adoption" process by which we receive a new heart, a new spirit, and become a new creation born into a new family. But just like earthly adoptions, we do not just "become" children of God we are given the authority to become His sons and daughters.

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, He gave to them authority to become the children of God, to those who believe on His name,

John 1:13 who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but were born of God.

Our authority is the name of Jesus Christ. Believing on His name causes us to be born of God. Men do not save our souls. Men do not give us new spirits or make us new creations. Men do not have the ability or the authority to forgive our sins and provide the redemption from death our souls require. Only the name of Jesus gives us the authority to become sons of God and joint heirs with Christ. The adoption process we go through at salvation prevents us from being illegitimate sons and daughters. Without the adoption process, we have no claim to the things of the Kingdom of God. We have no claim to the inheritance of the Father. We have no claim to the name of Jesus Christ. False prophets and teachers do not have an inheritance in the Kingdom of God. To those that do not go through the adoption process and those that do not keep the commandments of the King, He says:

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works?

Matthew 7:23 And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!

We want to make certain we are not counted as those that were working lawlessness. We do so by working within the commandments (law) of the Kingdom of God.

When we have children, as parents we provide them with everything they need. We provide milk, warm clothes, a bed, lots of love and we hold them a lot. We might even rock them and sing them to sleep. Our children are dependent on us providing for them to sustain their life. Our Heavenly Father is not unlike we are when we are new Christians. Once we come to the saving knowledge of John 3:16, God then begins to feed us the Word slowly so we can begin to grow.

1 Corinthians 3:2 I have fed you with milk and not with solid food, for you were not yet able to bear it; nor are you able even now.

1 Corinthians 3:3 For you are yet carnal. For in that there is among you envyings and strife and divisions, are you not carnal, and do you not walk according to men?

As baby Christians, there are still things in our lives that we have not rid ourselves of. We have not yet fully put off the old man nor have we put on the new man.

Ephesians 4:22 For you ought to put off the old man (according to your way of living before) who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

Ephesians 4:23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Ephesians 4:24 And you should put on the new man, who according to God wascreated in righteousness and true holiness.

We have not grown into the fullness of our identities as adopted heirs to the throne and Sons of God. In fact, Paul told the Hebrews they were unskillful by partaking of milk.

Hebrews 5:13 For everyone partaking of milk is unskillful in the Word of Righteousness, for he is an infant.

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, even those who because of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Children need reassurance and love and acceptance and attention. Grace teaching and faith teaching do a great job at encouraging, reassuring, and providing the new believer with a lot of attention. Just as babies, those teachings consist of "I need" "I want" "You promised." God's love and unconditional acceptance and endless grace and mercy are available to all, and are traits of His character every new Christian needs to hear regularly to set a solid foundation beneath their feet. But Paul told the Hebrews that partaking of milk is unskillful in the Word of Righteousness. If there is continued need or continue teaching of basic foundational principles then baby Christians remain infants and children and are unable to grow into young men.

Children and infants still require a stroller when they leave the comfort of their home and familiar surroundings. Children and infants still require mommy and daddy to carry them, change their diapers, potty train them, protection, etc. They are unable to care for themselves at any stage of early development. As infants, we are given the Fruits of the Spirit which are ours to cultivate and grow on the milk we partake of until it is time for us to graduate to more solid foods.

Galatians 5:22-23 defines the Fruits of the Spirit: faith, joy, kindness or gentleness, long-suffering, love, meekness, peace, and self-control.

None of the fruits are inherent to our sinful nature. They are given as seeds to us upon salvation and it is up to us and our responsibility for these fruits to grow. It is our responsibility to read the Word, ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and learn how to grow the fruits above. Fruit trees do not bear their fruit the day after planting. The area around the tree must be weeded, fertilized, watered, and cared for regularly to be certain nothing chokes or stunts the growth of the tree. It is no different with the fruits of the Spirit. The part of us we feed and cultivate will be the part of us that grows.

There are many aspects of baby Christians that can mimic our human children. One of the things that stand out with children is selfishness. Everything centers on them and they don't like to share. Most children do not put the needs of their peers ahead of them and they do not start each day asking what they can do to make mom's day a little easier and a little less stressful.

There are teachings in the body of Christ that help to foster this selfish behavior in baby Christians instead of helping them learn to put away selfish ideals. The most popular teachings include believers standing firm on the promises of God and getting ready to receive their blessings from above. These teachings keep the believers' focus on what God will do for them not what they can do to help further the Kingdom's boundaries and initiatives. Always looking to get and not looking to give does not promote maturity nor does it promote a "die to self" attitude.

Please don't get me wrong. We most absolutely should stand on the promises of God our King. It is His promises that help us to build our identity and learn how to grab hold of the victory we have in Jesus and to understand we are truly over-comers in Him. But as with anything else, we cannot swing to any extreme and must find balance in the path we walk. Balance and the guidance of the Holy Spirit is what will keep us protected from being prey to deceptions and false teachings. We must put ourselves in positions in which we can learn and grow. As children, it is necessary for us to be disciplined or chastised for our behaviors.

Hebrews 12:5 - And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him;

Hebrews 12:6 - for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives."

Hebrews 12:7 - If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten?

God, our Heavenly Father, will chasten and discipline us as children so we may grow in the things of Him. Chastening and discipline help to bring out knowing the spiritual "rights" and "wrongs" of our walk with Jesus Christ. As we grow, we function and behave differently.
Chapter 11

YOUNG MEN

My teenagers act much differently than they did as toddlers and young children. Now, they are invincible don't you know! They are all confident young men and women trying to make their way through the world. They believe they can take on anything and overcome it. From school, to relationships, to bad situations, to disappointments....they know they can handle them. They have hit their teenage years and now they want to be self sufficient with mom and dad less involved in their decisions, with the exception of advice from time to time and guidance when necessary to prevent them from making a life altering bad decision. My husband and I do let them make mistakes. We have to for them to learn how to seek that guidance when necessary and when to trust in their own faith and knowledge. The "young men" addressed in the scriptures are not unlike our physical children:

1 John 2:12 - I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.

1 John 2:13 - I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.

1 John 2:14 - I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

The scriptures above note three characteristics of young men: overcome the evil, word of God abides, and strong.

The next logical phase in Christian maturity is to begin to stand on one's own "two feet" so to speak. Hopefully, as infants, we have watched God provide for our needs, shower us with love, attention and affection, and seen our faith grow as a result. We should have learned enough of the Word to understand that we are in a daily battle to crucify our flesh and learn how to live within the parameters of the mandates of the New Covenant. We have learned our battle is not over. We should be able to see our strength grow as we learn more and more of the nature of the Father and grow closer in our relationship with Christ. Having seen and done all of these things will begin to establish the characteristics of the New Man. The characteristics of the new man in Colossians 3:12-17: forgiveness, humility, kindness, long-suffering, love, peaceful, tender mercies and thankful.

The characteristics of the New Man are similar yet slightly different from the Fruits of the Spirit given to us at salvation. Each of the character traits are getting us ready to move into the next phase of maturity in our spiritual walks. Notice I said getting ready to move...we are not fully mature as Young Men in the Spirit. We still require guidance and we still require discipline from time to time to help keep us focused and on the right path. The difference is the above character traits should begin to be noticed by others around us. Watering our spirits with the Word of God and allowing the fruits of the Spirit grow in us as small baby Christians begins the process of building the character traits of the New Man.

Ephesians 4:22 For you ought to put off the old man (according to your way of living before) who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

Ephesians 4:23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Ephesians 4:24 And you should put on the new man, who according to God was created in righteousness and true holiness.

We must be willing to PUT ON the New Man. We must be willing to put away childish things and grow into maturity.

1 Corinthians 13:11 - When I was an infant, I spoke as an infant, I thought as an infant, I reasoned as an infant. But when I became a man, I did away with the things of an infant.

Our goal should not be to stay in an infant state of mind. An infant's state of mind wants someone else to fight its battles for it. We cannot fully receive everything God has for us. We cannot fully function in our role in the Body of Christ as an infant. We cannot fight off the things of the enemy as an infant. We must continually strive to learn and gain knowledge and wisdom so we can grow into the fullness and purpose of what God's Will for our lives on this earth is.

We must grow from infants to young men to take our places among the ranks of the Lord's Army. We have to be able to put on the armor of God mentioned in Ephesians Chapter 6. We have to have the understanding that we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Children don't understand where their fight should be. They get mad at mom and dad for saying no and for not getting their way. They don't understand that sometimes "no" is the answer required to keep them out of harm's way. Parents still fight their children's battles as well.

Young men (and women), on the other hand, are sent to the front lines to fight wars. America's military troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, and so many other places around the world give proof to that statement. So many young men and women give their lives in the ultimate sacrifice. They are well trained, well equipped, and are experienced in the use of their weapons. They do not enter a fight without a strategic plan. Spiritual young men and women are no different. They receive training (teaching) and learn how to battle the enemy and how to use the weapons and armor provided to them.

The Young Men we are to grow into spiritually should be no different than our military service men and women. As young men and women, we are on the front lines of battles. We are armed, dressed for battle with the enemy and we have a strategic plan. In fact, we also have our enemy's battle plan. (John 10:10) With the advantage of the battle plan, we can overcome the evil one. We are strong. Youth has its advantages sometimes. But our maturation process does not end here. Youth need leadership. Youth need mentors, teachers, and most especially...Fathers.
Chapter 12

FATHERS

There used to be a much clearer process of growing from a young man or woman into an adult. Today, we have teenage girls and boys becoming mothers and fathers at an alarming rate. There are nearly 750,000 teen pregnancies every year. That is approximately 30% of female teen population getting pregnant every year. 80% of teen fathers don't marry the moms and the sons of teen moms are more likely to become incarcerated than their peers (The 10 Most Shocking Facts on Teen Pregnancy, 2013).

Often, our traditional churches reflect the same model of "babies having babies" by converting some through the "Roman Road" of salvation and then sending these baby Christians out to do the same thing with little to no time to learn or grow. Church leaders tell them that is what we are created for. Our purpose is to witness and spread the gospel to every creature. Yes...true...but that is not our SOLE purpose for existence and definitely not why God created man to begin with. The end result of the cycle is a group of believers with stunted spiritual growth that have not had the time, opportunity, nor teaching to mature in Christ.

However, the Apostle John mentions the height of maturity in fathers in 1 John 2:13, 14.

1 John 2:13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.

1 John 2:14 I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

John tells fathers he is writing to them because they have known the Father; Him who is from the beginning. Fathers have gained knowledge and wisdom. Fathers have grown in their walk and relationship with God. They teach those younger than them. They serve as examples to those younger than them. Fathers bring correction and discipline when a child is in error. Fathers are also told not to provoke their children. Fathers are to nurture their children and bring them up in the admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

The key about fathers is they are older men that have life experiences they can draw from to help them teach the younger generations. As brothers and sisters in Christ, our older men and women should be teaching our younger men and women according to the ways of the Lord.

Titus 2:1 - But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:

Titus 2:2 - that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;

Titus 2:3 - the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things -

Titus 2:4 - that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,

Titus 2:5 - to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

Titus 2:6 - Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded,

Titus 2:7 - in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,

Titus 2:8 - sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.

Titus contains pretty specific instructions for how the Body of Christ should act towards one another. What we see now in the Body of Christ is a lack of the older generation moving into leadership and teaching the younger generations. Of course, this is not true and indicative of every body of believers, but of many. The character traits mentioned in Titus are the differentiators the Body is looking for to become a city on a hill. If we could, as a Body, learn to exhibit the character traits in the above scriptures, then the world might be able to tell us apart from itself. We need differentiators to set us apart from the world.

The character traits in Titus are differentiators. The same character traits are indicative of growth in Christ. We are never done maturing in our walk in Christ during our lifetimes. What we can do is put in practice as best we can (The characteristics for a citizen of the Kingdom are found in 2 Peter 1:5-7).

Today's younger generations have grown up in a society full of nearly instant gratification and convenience. The internet speeds to upload and download data are becoming faster and faster. There are convenience stores on every corner that cater to someone on-the-go. Our children are taught if they want it, they can have it. Politically, we have a culture of young people that are being led to believe they are "entitled" to everything they want with very little work to obtain it. None of the things in our society are producing mature Christians, nor developing Citizens of the Kingdom of God. Our "I want it now" mentality does not help produce patience, integrity, obedience, reverence or even incorruptibility.

I know I have said this multiple times, but I will say it once more: It is our responsibility to seek the things of the Father and to grow and mature. It is our responsibility to make sure we are bearing fruit when Jesus is looking to us. 2 Timothy says we are to be ready in season and out of season. Jesus caused the fig tree to wither and die because it did not contain fruit when He was hungry. I don't want to be like the fig tree. I pray I am ready when Jesus calls me to fulfill the purpose He has given me. I pray we all can be ready and step up to teach and train our younger generations.
Chapter 13

Don't be a Prisoner of War

A prisoner of war is defined as a "person who is captured and held by an enemy during war, especially a member of the armed forces" (Prisoner of War, 2013). Every war throughout history has had prisoners of war. Prisoners of war are created when the enemy defeats and captures the opposing troops and holds them against their will in really poor conditions. Prisoners of war are generally tortured, questioned for information, starved, and often killed. After World War II, articles were added to the Geneva Convention that outlined the treatment of prisoners of war.

According to the articles that were added, soldiers that were captured and held by enemy forces were entitled to medical treatment and care. Under the conventions, soldiers were to give only their name, rank, and serial number to their captors. They were protected from inhumane treatment by the conventions. Even with the Geneva Convention in place, war crimes were still committed and military tribunals were still convened because the conventions were broken by a country that had captured enemy forces (Geneva Conventions, 2013). Since our battle is not a physical battle, and we wage spiritual warfare against our enemies, our enemies are not bound by a Geneva Convention that provides penalties for mistreatment of those they capture.

Whether intentional or unintentional, our traditional churches are producing prisoners of war for the enemy camp. Unlike armies of this world, the forces of darkness are not bound by the Geneva Convention. There is no fair play in spiritual warfare. The enemy only has three purposes: to steal, to kill, to destroy. There is no in-between and there is no compromise in the enemy's game plan. What do we do when we are under attack? We follow the example of Jesus when He was in the wilderness and tempted by the devil. Jesus encountered the enemy during His time in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-11) During each time Jesus was tempted by the enemy, He quoted scripture to address the situation at hand. In other words, He wielded the Sword of the Spirit. Then the devil left Him. If Jesus, the Son of God, had to face the devil and fought him with the Word, then why wouldn't we fight the enemy the same way?

There are Christians living defeated lives because they have laid their weapons down and allowed wolves in sheep's clothing to enter into the midst of the congregations without using discernment or testing the spirits against the Word of God.

Living in defeat has made our brothers and sisters in Christ prisoners of war. These defeated Christians are easy prey for the enemy. They have been disarmed and deceived into believing they no longer have to fight through false and heretical teachings from our pulpits. They have dropped their guard and forgotten what Matthew 11:12 says:

Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence, and the violent take it by force.

If we are to live and dwell in the Kingdom of God, then we must make violent warfare in the heavenlies. Paul said to the Galatians:

Galatians 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Crucifixion was a violent and extremely slow and painful way to die and yet Paul said those that are Christ's have crucified the flesh. In this case, Paul means our "flesh" as all earthly desires and areas of temptations that could breed darkness and sin. Allowing anger, unforgiveness, resentment, and bitterness to open a doorway for the enemy, causes us to become prisoners of the enemy. The only way out is to remember that we are soldiers of Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God. We serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; the mighty warrior who disarmed the principalities and powers. Do not be deceived in believing our fight is over. The enemy still exists. The enemy still roams the earth looking for someone to devour and he will use your flesh and earthly desires to tempt you. The enemy's plan is still in motion. Know your enemy. Know his plan. Know how to fight him.

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