Just Another Battle

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.  These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. (1 Timothy 4:1-2 NLT)

This election has brought a heartache I didn’t think possible, I honestly did not expect the outcome and have felt a deep sadness for our country because of it. I’ve been praying and talking to God, trying to receive some sort of revelation about the whole thing, and the best thing He could give me has turned out to be His peace. I’m no longer worried or anxious about the future of our country, I’m not tied up in knots over the government and what’s going to happen; instead I’ve found a peaceful calmness, that could only be given by God.

I was reading some statistics¹ on the voters in this election and there are some shocking numbers related to people of faith and how they voted. Basically the consensus was that over 6 million self-described evangelical Christians voted for a President that supports abortion (of any kind) on demand and same-sex marriage (all which are specifically against the Bible’s teachings). This is the sort of thing that truly breaks my heart, the thought that there are so many believers out there, that have missed God. We're not talking about the lost– their eyes are veiled to the truth; this is suppose to be our Brothers and Sisters in Christ! I have written before on believers being forced to make a decision, to choose between God or this world we live in,² but honestly I had no idea that there were so many self-described Christians, who chose the world over God.

I started writing this blog last October because I believed my purpose was to build up and encourage other Christians. I never imagined that God would reveal so much to me or that I would reach people in countries I never heard of, let alone countries where they are predominantly of Muslim faith. So I have been reminded that God can use anyone to share His Word, and I have been blessed to be His vessel here. I don’t claim to be a knowledgeable Christian; I really wish I had more Bible teaching, but I've learned that when we get into the Bible, God will reveal scripture to us. I've heard it said before, that ‘God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called’. When I stepped out in faith to start my Facebook page and this Blog, God gave me what I needed to reach out and teach His Word. I've been blessed with a wonderful church, that has enabled me to exponentially grow spiritually from when I first returned to the Lord in 2004 and there's still a lot more learning to do.

I think the revelation that God is trying to share with me, is that, there is much work to be done. One scripture has stayed with me for over a year now:

He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.  So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” (Matthew 9:37-38 NLT)

We each have work to do, each and everyone of us are His workers – whether we feel called or qualified, that’s who we are. There is a war that is waging, a war for the souls of the lost - and every day that we wake up, we are expected to do battle. This election just means that the stakes are higher now, time is running out and we need to step up and take our roles. No soldier goes into battle without being prepared and Believers are warriors of God – maybe that's what went wrong with the 6 million, maybe they weren't prepared.  That’s why Paul told us to pick up the WHOLE armor of God.

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (Ephesians 6:13-18 MSG)

So there’s no time for mourning, we've got work to do, this battle might have been lost – but the war wages on and we haven't finished until Jesus returns for us!

¹ JoelC. Rosenberg’s Blog: More than 6 million self-described “evangelicals” votedfor Obama. Why & what else do the exit polls tell us about how Christiansvoted? Nov. 8, 2012

² Stir Me Up Lord!: Choose God or the World Sept 5, 2012

Conquering Evil

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. (Romans 12:21 NLT)

I love action movies, I enjoy watching the good guy kicking the bad guy’s butt and winning. So maybe that’s part of the reason I joined the Army after college, I wanted to do something really great (this was after Desert Storm and before 9/11).  To this day, I struggle with regret and envy that I never got any combat time in (after my husband and I got out of the Army, he has spent the last 5 years working in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan).  

I've  recently felt encouraged that my desires to conquer evil (aka the ultimate bad guy) can still be done here, without going into the foreign war zones.  After all, we are each taking part in a continuing spiritual war, so maybe I won’t be able to go into combat in full battle rattle (that means dressed in all your military armor) but I can put on the full Armor of God.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.  Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:10-13 NLT)

The spiritual battles that we go through as Christians might not be as physically dangerous as a military firefight, but they are extremely important and strategic in claiming victory in our lives. We have to decide in advance, will we let the next battle we are in, strengthen us or weaken us. The choice is ours, a person doesn’t go into battle without his armor or weapons, so why would we try to fight a spiritual battle without ours?  

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.   For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Ephesians 6:14-18 NLT)

When we remain prepared and vigilant, we will always be victorious in our battles! So keep your guard up and keep your focus on the Lord.

And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” (1 Samuel 17:47 NLT)