No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
(Matthew 6:24-25)
If you aren't in opposition to something then you are for it, right? Right!
The bible says that you can not serve man AND God. I am finding out the hard way that just because you are saved and on your way to Heaven, does NOT mean you can't still be trying to do just that...the flesh fights and kicks on it's way out...It's a battle that goes on within the spiritual realm ...
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (eph 6:12)
And if for one second you think your are impervious to it then you better start praying cause something is surely amiss. I had a friend send me a quote one day that read something like this...
"if you aren't FACING the devil each day then you two are going the same way"
...You see, the devil knows He has just a short time until He is cast into the Lake of Fire for the rest of all time
"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (Revelation 12:12, 20:10-11 )
...He also is very very aware that Christ has already fought AND won the battle over death and hell when He completed the work of Calvary;
"Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." (Acts 4:10-12 ,Revelation 1:18-19)
...And because of his defeat, he is gonna do his best to throw you off your game ... So pad up... For you are in for the heavy weight fight of your life!
He is the Sugar Ray to your George Foreman...I know I know, there is much debate in the sports arena as to who would win and who's the best...for the sake of argument, I am just gonna say this...MAN'S OPINION DOESN'T MATTER...it is all in how much you train for the fight...knowing your opponent! ..
"Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made" (gen 3:1a)
...he floats like butterfly, but boy, given the opportunity he WILL sting like a bee!
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. (Prov. 3:5-8)
'because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, (1 pet. 5:9)
So..."What do I do?" , this is question that goes over and over in my head as I stand in my corner pounding my gloved fists together, gritting my teeth and dancing from side to side as I stare my opponent down.
When the referee rings the bell to the first round, I barely have begun to take the first swing and...UGH! A swift jab comes outta nowhere! ...I fall to my knees reeling from the doubt and fear. Filled with confusion, I am disoriented for a moment seems all I can hear is the jeers of the crowd...and I feel like throwing in the towel, I start to hear a cheer of reassurance coming from MY corner saying...
GET UP!...'What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?' ( Rom. 8:31)...
GET UP!!...'For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.' (2 Tim 1:7)
FIGHT!...'Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.' ( Rom. 8:37-38) ...
I feel my heart begin to pump with life...
'"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him' Psalm 28:7-8)
I begin to focus on my training...
I begin to feel strength find it's way to my legs...
'My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. ' (Ps 57:7)...
I KNOW this player! He fights the same dirty way every single time...
He is a tempter and a deceiver... my BEST bet is to "bob and weave" 'cause the punches are gonna be quick and sneaky! ... just as the bell of the round was ding-dinging I remembered the awesome combination punch of truth (ps. 37:3-7) I had been taught and he's down for the count...
Trust in the Lord..BLAM, left hook to the kisser!...1-2-3
Delight in the Lord...UGH, punch to the gut! 4-5-6
Commit unto the Lord...WHAM!...he is on knees now...7-8-9
Rest in the Lord....KAPLOW!...10 -- knock out!!
The world and the flesh are always in the devil's corner and all around the ring taunting you, trying to distract you from your goal...you see, the world WANTS you to fail...your flesh WANTS you to give way to the punches of sin and doubt. When you trust in any other opinion in spiritual matters other than the Lord's, it's like asking your opponent's coach to train you for the fight...makes NO sense at all! Giving in to fear, indecision, self pity, lusts, vanity, pride and a whole host of other sins will allow your opponent to beat your spiritual man to a bloody pulp in the ring of life. You will find yourself confused and ready to throw in the towel. :-/
But, when we rely on the Lord's game plan and Pad up with the whole armour of God...
STAND therefore, having your loins girt about with TRUTH and having on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS And your feet shod with the preparation of the GOSPEL of peace; Above all, taking the shield of FAITH, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of SALVATION , and the sword of the Spirit, which is THE WORD of God PRAYING always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and WATCHING thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. (Ephesians 6:13-18)
Then and only then can we find total victory time and time again and we WILL BE able to stand against the wiles of the devil...
so, the next time you find yourself in the ring with a swollen lip, sweat pouring down your face, confused and ready to give up...remember your training...
"faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (BOB))...
God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of loveand of a sound mind (WEAVE)
and "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (COME UP SWINGING)!
Amen and amen!!!!!!!
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