A topic you may hear discussed in Christian settings, depending on which denomination you spend time around, is spiritual warfare and the fact that there is a real spiritual battle taking place all around us between good and evil.
John 3:8 says, “the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. And once you and I became believers, that’s one of our roles here on earth as well. To destroy the works of the devil. Because the truth of the matter is that he will do anything possible to prevent us from moving forward with God’s plan for our lives and those around us. There are seasons where it may seem like all of hell has broken loose, but we can be confident that if we learn to press on and fight against it, we will be rewarded in the end.
One thing to note is that the more you fight for God, the more you are doing for the kingdom, the greater opposition you will face, but that means there’s even greater potential for fruit and victory once you break through. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:57-58, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” Anytime we step out to follow God or lead others to follow God, we can expect a little spiritual warfare. But the cool thing is that the battle can be won!
So, how can we fight and win the spiritual battle? Here are my top 10 tips:
- Avoid isolation. The first thing that most of us want to do when going through a spiritual battle is to isolate ourselves from others, but that’s never a good idea. Run to others that can help you in the fight.
- Pray. We have a God that loves us and wants to meet our needs. Often, we’re not equipped for the battle because we fail to go to the source of power. Trust God and lean on Him and He will give you strength.
- Claim the promises of God. God has never made a promise that He did not keep. Find His promises in Scripture and claim them when the road ahead is rocky.
- Confess your sin. If there is sin in your life you need to confess to God and turn away from it. Not only will sin keep us from hearing the voice of God, but it will give the enemy something to hang onto in the fight against us.
- Resist temptation. We often fail right here. The attack comes and we give up because we somehow believe there is no hope. If we trust in the power of God, the enemy will run.
- Avoid compromise. For some reason, this is easier said than done. Stay away from things and people that cause you to stumble. You are not strong enough. You are not the exception. Stay away. This includes people who are not necessarily sinful but who cause you to be discouraged.
- Claim the victory. The great thing about being a Christian is that we can have confidence in the victory because it has already been won! Stop looking for the victory and start living in response to it.
- Do the right thing. Knowing what is right is good but doing what is right is better. Do what you know is right whether you feel like it or not. When you feel the least like doing the right thing, that is when you need it most.
- Get some rest. Both spiritual and physical fatigue have the potential to cloud our judgment. We are vulnerable when we are tired. Sometimes the best thing that you can do is get along with God and His Word and get a good night of sleep.
- Praise God for His goodness. God has been so good to us! When we begin to praise Him for His many blessings in our life we cannot help but be encouraged.
So those are my top 10 tips on how to fight and win the spiritual battle going on around us and coming against us when we are spreading the kingdom. I pray that helps!
Peace.
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