May 19, 2023
The world is a place of constant warfare for those who follow Christ. God loves people. This love drives Him to “seek and save those who are lost.” He longs to bring people into the glorious Kingdom that He created for us. And His true followers are His boots on the ground.
Our Enemy is 100% evil and incessantly seeking to block the advancement of God’s kingdom. He “blinds the minds of the unbelieving” and tempts them with every false idea imaginable to keep them from God. Their beliefs can become like strong fortresses raised up against the knowledge of God. He has the use of culture at his disposal. False ideas can become the prevailing mindset of society, affecting children as well as adults. He fills the world with overwhelming philosophies and ideas. And our battlefield is also complicated by the inherent weakness of mankind’s flesh that leads to sins of every kind. Our task occurs in a dark, dark place.
Our great calling as believers in Christ is to consistently share the liberating news of Christ with those around us to help them into the Kingdom of God. But in this task, there are weapons available to us that evil does not possess. We have a vastly superior tactical advantage. Sadly, most Christians are unaware of this and deceived (by the Enemy, of course) into believing that victory in this worldly mission is impossible.
OUR WEAPONS IN THIS BATTLE
As Paul defended his work as an apostle before some criticizing Corinthians, he speaks of the power of the tools we have available. He uses military terms.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
The weapons for the believer in this battle are not evil or sinfully coercive. Love, prayer, grace, Biblical truth, and the almighty power of the good news of Jesus Christ fill our arsenal. But these tools, infused with the drawing, saving power of God’s Spirit, are more powerful than imaginable.
Take one simple tool for example: PRAYER. Every believer can walk into the Throne Room of God and get their orders directly from the Commander who Sits-Above-All. He is sovereign in His authority and omnipotent in His might. Through prayer, God can lead us to make the exact right moves at the exact right moments for spiritual advantage in the battle.
As we talk with someone, we can pray and ask God to give us the words we need, and Christ has promised this will occur (Luke 12:11-12).
And through prayer, we can literally bring God into the equation. The strongest, most powerful One stands right with us on the battlefield. We can ask the Holy Spirit to work in the recesses of others’ minds, convicting them of their need for Christ. We simply share the truth, but through prayer, the Spirit does His saving work.
God never intended for us to do this work alone. But, if we do not use the tools available, we are on level ground with the Enemy, and he has the advantage. We are powerless against him in the mere energy of our flesh.
THE BATTLEFIELD RESULTS
When we humbly and confidently seek to help others come into Christ's Kingdom, using the “divinely powerful” resources available, we can be assured we are in the most victorious position. When faithfully used, the gospel can have supernatural effects on those we love. His work through us can …
As you are talking to someone today, enlist the aid of heaven’s resources. Cry out for Divine utterance. Pray for the Spirit to take your words and supernaturally destroy the Enemy’s strongholds in their minds. Ask the Spirit to open their mind and heart and lead them into a relationship with the One who died for them and waits to receive them into His glorious kingdom. This is not manipulative in any way, but merciful.
Don’t ever doubt the power of a loving, prayerful, gospel-driven, grace-filled witness to those without Christ. When they come to Christ, they will forever thank you as they bow before the One who gave them the blessed gift of eternal life!
Father, help me trust in Your ability and resources to save others. Give me the courage to lovingly share the simple truth of the gospel. Remind me that I don’t have to pressure others, but trust in Your power to save. I pray today that You will tear down the strongholds raised in people’s minds against You. Defeat the works of the Enemy, Lord, and show Yourself mighty to save!
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