Take
Your Stand and Fight!
“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.” Ephesians 6:12
“Be
sober, be vigilant; because
your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking
whom he may devour: whom
resist
[“stand against, i.e. oppose”. Strong’s
Concordance, #436] stedfast in the faith…” 1 Peter 5:8,
9
“…Resist
[#436] the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
T
his article has been written for the young men and women of God’s
household as an earnest attempt to remind them of the kind of powers
that are fighting against them. It is a plea to wake up from
slumbering. The devil’s only goal is to destroy our soul.
Spiritual wickedness and spiritual darkness are at war with us. Has
this been forgotten? Life should not be given merely to enjoyment
and pleasure. I ask, “Should this be
our manner of living when forces stronger than humanity are fighting
against us?” In the most vicious and influential battle of
all, man is not fighting against man but against fallen beings of
darkness that are stronger than he—both physically and
intellectually. Truly, life is not about making money,
entertainment, enjoyment, leisure, etc.—though the powers of
darkness would like us to think that it is. Satan does not want
earth’s inhabitants to realize what is really taking
place—that such a battle exists—for then they would
cease to live for pleasure, entertainment, etc. and instead make a
stand for their soul. The children of God must be reminded of life’s
true purpose. It is to live for God, to make himself available for
His use, and to fight against the forces of darkness that are
fighting against him and God.
“Ye
are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are
not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore
let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
1 Thessalonians 5:5, 6. Dear friend, it is high time to wake up! We
must cease to live as if this battle between the forces of good and
evil, between God and Satan, does not exist. We must not live
carelessly; Satan’s only purpose is to deceive and destroy
(See John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Luke 8:11, 12 & 1 Peter 5:8),
and he is highly active in the world today. The television, movies,
music, fashion and glamour magazines and even video games are not
delivering messages from God. This we must know! Instead, they
distract
the mind from God; drawing our mind and attention away from
spiritual and heavenly things and placing them upon the unimportant
things of earth. This, no doubt, is Satan’s goal. Though the
television and magazines constantly portray and acclaim monetary and
material gain, obtaining outward beauty, and even achieving academic
and business success, this is not to be the goals and practices of
God’s people. Their lives, their goals and their
appearance—even their forms of entertainment—should not
match those of the majority. This is because the Master has shown to
them the truth and the way that leads to eternal life; and that
which is being advertised through television, movies, magazines,
etc. is far from both. Christ said, “…broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.”
Matthew 7:13. To be different, set apart, from what is considered
“normal” and “popular” is the only safe way
for us to walk. It must be remembered that Satan is the “god
of this world”. (2 Corinthians 4:4) This title has been given
him not because he created the world or has authority over it, for
God is the Creator and rules over all—including this fallen
angel. But Satan is called this because of his influence
upon the world. Is it the ways of God that are embraced and
practiced by the majority? Is it the ways of God that are promoted
and advertised in our world? Is it the ways of God that are
considered “normal” and “popular”? To love
God and to walk in His ways—ways of righteousness—is a
foreign and strange endeavor to society. Yes, “the world”
has chosen Satan as its “god”, and it is for this reason
that we must not allow ourselves to be influenced by “the
world”. How important it is that we do not follow the
majority! God has given instruction to “resist the devil”.
(James 4:7) This means to “stand against” and “oppose”
(Strong’s Concordance, #436). We are also instructed not to
“give place” to the devil. (Ephesians 4:27) This is done
by avoiding and abstaining from anything of Satan. To accept
anything not of God or of His ways—which would therefore be of
Satan— would be to give the adversary a “place”.
This must never be given him, dear friend. He is your enemy! Should
he ever be given opportunity to carry out his wishes toward you, or
have any influence upon your mind? Does a soldier in battle give a
place to the enemy or an opportunity for him to advance?
Dear
friend, you must make a choice. Your life will either be used by
Christ—Who loved and gave Himself for you (Galatians 2:20),
Who was oppressed and afflicted for you (Isaiah 53:7)—or
Satan. Now one might say, “Well, I am living for myself”.
But those who are living and working for self are actually aiding
the purposes of Satan. Why? Because they are not helping to gather
with Christ! If one is not gathering, he is scattering. (Luke 11:23)
So again, there are only two choices available: stand for Christ or
stand for Satan. And though this decision needing to be made is
somewhat harsh and severe, and we would much rather pretend that
this battle is non-existent and live for ourselves and pleasure, we
must not forget that this is
reality! The battle between
Christ and Satan is
real—whether we like it or not. One side is fighting for the
salvation of man—having already paid its great price—while
the other is fighting against it. What side, what purpose, do you
want to aid? What side are we going to join and finally start
fighting for? The victory over evil and Satan should be all that
concerns and interests us. We should use our lives, our minds, our
strength, for the Lord Jesus Christ. There is blessing in living for
Him. The Master said, “He that findeth his life shall lose it:
and he that loseth his life for my sake shall
find it.” Matthew
10:39. The soul will be satisfied when it is lived for Jesus, the
Son of God who died for him. That which was sought for will be
found. The individual will find life. (See also John 12:25) If we
live for self we will be living according to the lust of the
flesh—the lust of our nature. We will do what feels good to
our nature. These lusts, however, are deceitful. (See Ephesians
4:22; Titus 3:3 & Ephesians 2:3) This is so because, though they
appear to bring us pleasure, in reality, they bring death. “For
if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die…” Romans 8:13.
Our nature lusts after sin. (See Romans 6:6, 17, 20, 21; Ephesians
2:3 & Galatians 5:24) And so, these lusts lead to death. (See
Galatians 5:19-21 & 2 Peter 2:9, 10)
Dear
friend, the lives of every individual is being recorded in heaven.
What will your record reveal? Was your life used for Christ? Will it
be shown that you worked and sacrificed for Him? The end of this
life is fast approaching, and these records will soon be reviewed.
Now is the time to take your stand alongside Christ in His army and
fight for Him. You cannot go back and forth from Christ’s camp
to Satan’s. The Bible says, “Ye cannot drink the cup of
the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the
Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.” 1 Corinthians
10:21. Regardless of how attractive “the cup” of Satan,
and “the table” of Satan, may be, remember that Satan’s
way only leads to eternal death—eternal separation from God.
To reject this “cup”—which others may appear to be
enjoying—and to reject eating at the “table” so
many are partaking of, IS TO BE BLESSED! You can only belong to one
side. Which side will you choose? To accomplish your own dreams and
goals is not important. To accomplish Christ’s work is! Saving
the lost is all that matters.
“And,
behold, I come quickly: and my reward
is with me, to give every man
according as his work shall be.”
Revelation 22:12
“And
that he [Christ] died for all, that they which live should
not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for
them, and
rose again.” 2
Corinthians 5:15
“…Woe
to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For
the devil is come down unto you,
having great wrath,
because he knoweth that
he hath but a short time.”
Revelation 12:12
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Revelation Messengers
P O Box 3204
Santa Barbara, CA 93130
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