During the years when I worked behind a badge, on a few occasions, I had people try to kill me. By God’s grace and good training, I was able to survive those situations. Since the days when I worked as a cop, the streets have become even more violent and unrestrained. Life and death struggles are unfamiliar to the uninitiated. Combat veterans, cops, or those who had to fight for their lives in the events of everyday life will understand what I am about to share.
When our life is threatened with death or serious bodily injury, all our senses, along with a flood of adrenal fluid, come to our aid to help us meet the challenge as we defend against a threat. In those moments, we are more alive and attuned to our surroundings than at any other time. Our survival requires such awareness. On the streets, if I was not aware and prepared for what could assault me, I would not be here today writing these words.
Every believer is under a threat – a continual spiritual threat. Hell is prowling about seeking who he can devour if our shield of faith is not raised, and the sword of truth remains sheathed. Spiritual warfare is sadly not a popular topic in some segments of the Church these days. It’s even mocked as a misguided interpretation of faith. Spiritual warfare seems too violent to those tamed by a culture seeking peace at all costs. That false peace will eventually us to the compromise of our morality and integrity. That compromise becomes a clear and present danger putting a marriage, a calling, or a friendship in a place of jeopardy.
No matter who tries to convince us this world is simply a version of spiritual life that is all rainbows and unicorns, the truth is, we are walking through hostile spiritual territory. Once a believer realizes hell is trying to destroy their marriage, divide friends, break up the unity of a family, or violate their trust in God, their spiritual senses will awaken. A spiritual version of adrenal fluid will rush in to energize their senses to help them to engage in the conflict, not ignore it hoping it will go away.
The landscape of the Christian faith is littered with the bodies of those who failed to realize they were in a battle – a battle that will not cease until the day we enter eternity. Fighting the good fight requires that we realize we are in a spiritual life-and-death battle for our faith. That realization will motivate us to prepare and live in a state of spiritual readiness so that when the enemy raises his fist to strike our life of faith we will be able to respond in the victory of Jesus, a victory no demon of hell can resist or withstand.
Right on! one of the biggest battles we face is knowing who the real enemy is! Judgments in or hearts towards brothers and sisters bring an attack down on or own heads.
As I began reading your blog today, I found myself triggered. A dark memory and scene surfaced in my mind. Immediately I prayed asking the Lord to remove a dark and painful memory I had.
My siblings and I are a bi-product of a father who never protected us from our abusive mother. We went to church, dad was an usher, and led Bible studies, but he was afraid of his wife and we were afraid of our mother. After my 2nd abusive marriage and the birth of my first child, my father came to my house and sat down next to me. With his quivering chin he confessed to me, his then 23 yr old daughter, that he should never have married my mom. He said he missed the calling the Lord had upon his life. Ministry runs in my family. He then walk away feeling condemned, defeated and guilt laden. That was the day my father placed his burden upon me. I endured multiple abusive marriages from 18 yrs old until I was 50. I’ve now lived 16 yrs as a single woman. I needed to see my father take a stand for his family and look past my mothers face and recognize who his real enemy was, therefore allowing the enemy to kill, steal and destroy our family. He played it safe, by compromising. He sacrificed his family to “keep peace at all cost.”
I loved my dad deeply and my mom too. I forgave both of my parents so I was able to sit at their bedsides loving them till their deaths parted us.
But…the abuse I went through had driven me to attempt suicide…but the Lord Jesus Christ broke the chains off of me as I sat in that hospital bed. I’m now 25 yrs later having been involved in women’s ministry through prison outreach, my YT ministry channel and Facebook page. He told me “You will be the mother to the motherless.” To GOD be the glory for the great things He has done and will continue to do!
There is a high cost to compromise.
“Spiritual warfare seems too violent to those tamed by a culture seeking peace at all costs. That false peace will eventually us to the compromise of our morality and integrity. That compromise becomes a clear and present danger putting a marriage, a calling, or a friendship in a place of jeopardy.“
Garris Elkins….thank you sir for this good word!!!
My greatest frustration in interacting with people who call themselves “Christians” but who are passionately (& either overly or subtly) mean to me 😢😢 is their focus on a very few spiritual “facts”! They “know” they are “right” about these few “facts”….therefore I am “wrong” 😳😳😳 They basically use the Bible as a weapon against me 😢😢😢one person even told me she wants to study the Bible alone and decide for herself what it means 😳😳😳 (after I ask her to get together to study His word)….NO ONE gets to do that except God Almighty!! That’s why we are given 125 “one another” verses to do life together!!!
Do I love my time alone with Jesus?!?! YES!!! But I always check what I think I hear against others who walk with Him!!!
So….do you have any good words to share with these people who focus on their “right facts” versus focusing on a RELATIONSHIP with the living Person of JESUS?!?!
To be clear….not everyone in my life is this way!!! But those who primarily focus on being right about spiritual facts, I’ve simply had to walk away from quietly….it’s painful, bc I love them!! But I can’t allow people to destroy me 😢😢😢
Your thoughts?!?!
All humanity is in spiritual battle for the soul of mankind! This is the ultimate prize that Lucifer seeks! To steal souls and deny eternal Salvation to as many of Gods children as possible! The Father of Lies is relying on Technology and Deceptions to trick as many humans as possible into losing eternal salvation for their souls.
We are living out the Book of Revelations today people!
I pray Jesus be with all of us.
Amen
We must armor up and hold the line.