Spiritual Combatants

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1. There are times when we will not accept God’s will because it is not inline with what we want to do or believe is right at the time. In reading the story of Jonah, he was called of God to go to Ninevah to cry against it. Jonah therefore arose and fled from the presence of God in the opposite direction of Ninevah (Jonah 1:1-3). After he spoke against the city, it is discovered that He didn’t want to see the people of Ninevah repent of their evil (Jonah 4:1-3). He knew God would forgive them if they repented of their evil.

There are many things God will call us to do. Many times they will come without notice and may even challenge the way we believe or feel toward the intended audience...and we will not want to do what He asked us.

The hardest part for many people is to accept His will for them.

In 2004 we wrote Living Out of Lust, a beautiful book that engaged the very issue of sexual addictions, its devastating effects, and how we can live without the stains of sexual sins. Over the years, we’ve learned that there is a larger encompassing scope beyond the principles of Living Out of Lust.

The key message for us that struggle with sexual sin (or any sin for that matter) is the closer we draw to the Lord, the further we draw from sin and the world.

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We are all citizens of a country. Whether we are natural-born citizens or become citizens by other means, we each maintain citizenship with a nation. Each country is identified by the attributes of the country, its landscape and people. However, within this post, we’re addressing those that are citizens of a different type of country - the country of Roam.

Roam is a ‘place’ where its citizens are identified by the improper use of their eyes, ears, mouth, hands, and feet. They use their eyes to roam up and down people for sexual pleasure (Matthew 5:27-28); ears to listen to all types of gossip and evil (Proverbs 16:28, 18:8); hands to touch unclean things (and people) unworthily (2 Corinthians 6:17-18); and feet to travel to places they ought not go (Proverbs 1:10-19).

Roam is not a place you want to be! There are no benefits of being a citizen of that place! Roaming will produce nothing but sin, destruction, and condemnation for you and others.

Citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven are known by their love for one another (John 13:34-35).

You must decide who you will be known as...a citizen of a kingdom that exploits people or a Kingdom that exalts God and loves people.

Denounce your citizenship from roam (repent) and accept the citizenship of the Kingdom of Heaven.

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Luke 11:33-35 (KJV) - No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

1. Your eyes are never satisfied.

Proverbs 27:20 (KJV) - Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Your eyes will never get to a point where they don’t want to see things. You hear a noise; you want to see what it is. You may find yourself constantly glancing around wherever you travel and watching everything in your surroundings. You like to see stuff.

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Proverbs 18:22 (KJV) - Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

1. You have found a good thing. When a man finds a wife, he finds a good thing. There may come a time when a man forgets that his wife is his ‘good thing.’ He forgets the days when he knew God told him she was for him. He forgets the brightness of her smile and her laugh. He forgets the good times while remembering bad. He forgets how good his wife is.

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Matthew 10:34-37 (KJV) - Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

When we read these sayings of Jesus, some immediate images come to mind about the family being against one another. You may think about the family fighting, yelling, and screaming at one another. You think about them fighting the Christian’s position and making their lives miserable because of it. Christ becomes the ultimate reason for division and strife among father, mother, daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and mother-in-law.

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Matthew 5:1-12 (KJV) - And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

After Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, He began to preach and say, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17). Jesus taught in the synagogues of Galilee and His fame grew throughout Syria. He healed the sick, diseased, and those possessed with devils. People from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond Jordan followed Him.

As Jesus saw the multitudes, He went up into a mountain and taught His disciples as they came to Him. As He began, He gave nine 'attributes' of those that are blessed. In many circles, these nine attributes are commonly referred as the Beatitudes. The word Beatitude is Latin for blessings.

The Beatitudes represent the character traits/behaviors that one attains on earth to enter eternal life (the kingdom of heaven). Each statement represents personal attributes rather than something to be accomplished corporately.

These nine attributes are one. It is not for a person to be poor in spirit, yet have an impure heart or lack mercy. Those that enter into the kingdom of heaven will possess all nine attributes.

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1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (KJV) - Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

As the Lord calls us unto Himself, we are given specific gifts of the Spirit of His choosing. We often have no say in the gift we receive, nor any indication on when it will be given unto us (1 Corinthians 12:11, 18). As we receive the gift(s) of the Spirit, there are several things we should understand:

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Psalm 16:11 (KJV) - Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

In reading Psalm 16, David writes a michtam (or poem). This poem is written from Jesus unto His Father. God is speaking of His Son in Psalm 16:8. Psalm 16:11 explains how in the Lord’s presence is the fullness of joy. As Jesus sits upon the right hand of the Father making intercession for us (Romans 8:34), He is eternally in the Lord’s presence. For those whose names are in the Lamb’s book of life, they too will experience an eternity with the Lord (Revelation 21:3). In that time, God will wipe away their tears, and there will be no death, sorrow, crying, or any pain (Revelation 21:4). That time will be joyous in deed.

But what about us on the earth? Is there a way we can experience the same joy?

An eternal time in His presence will come (Revelation 20:4), but we can experience His joy on earth as well. Let’s review several ways this is possible:

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Numbers 21:4-5 (KJV) - And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

As the children of Israel journeyed, they became discouraged. Then the people spoke against God and Moses concerning their journey out of Egypt and their lack of bread and water. They said they loathed the light bread (manna) being given unto to them. From there, the Lord sent fiery snakes among the people and many of them died. In His mercy after Moses' intercession, the Lord instructed Moses to make a fiery serpent on a pole so that those that were bit could look at it and live (Numbers 21:7-9).

In viewing their circumstances, here are six things we can learn: