The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: False

  • The Unseen War

    “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.”

    Ephesians 6:12

    There is a battle raging in this world. Although we see the evidence of it at times, it is mostly an unseen battle.

    All Christians know the name of our enemy – Satan. Read how Jesus described him. “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44). He is a murder and a liar (at the very least!). We also understand Christians are to stand against “the wiles of the devil” (see Ephesians 6:11). Wiles means “the following, or pursuing of orderly, and technical procedure in the handling of a subject. Connected with evil-doing, a device, artifice, artificial method, or wile.”  Satan is very strategic. We know he appears as an angel of light, he is a tempter, an accuser, and we are not to be ignorant of his devices. We need to recognize that there is spiritual good, and there is spiritual wickedness. “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” (Ephesians 6:12). Take note that Satan is spiritual. Just because something is spiritual does not mean it is good. The following are examples that are popular today: horoscopes, necromancy, séances, ouija board, clairvoyance, mysticism, visions, and sometimes even dreams. And this is just a short list! There is spiritual wickedness. Christians are to test every spirit. We are not to believe every spirit, for some are evil and not of God. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

     Before we are introduced in the way to be victorious in this battle, read some initial instruction: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Ephesians 6:10). Warning! One without Christ is powerless to match Satan or his devices. Remember, his goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. However, when one has trusted in Christ, that enables one to be victorious. Christians must remember that Satan has been defeated. Jesus defeated him when He conquered death. Satan is no match for our God. Christians must recognize that we cannot do it on our own – for we are to be “strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

    Why do we need to be constantly reminded of this?

    Most Christians live in defeat. This happens because most Christians are not prepared for this battle. Christians must take on the whole armor of God. If you leave out any part of this armor, you leave an area of your life vulnerable.

    Each Christian needs the following: “14. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:14-18).

    • Truth: Christians must live in truth in all areas. Remember that Jesus is truth. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Satan often attacks with lies.
    • Breastplate of righteousness: this protects the vital organs, including the heart. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Christians are to protect what goes into their hearts. Satan often attacks with the temptations of sin that may enter into the heart.
    • Gospel of peace: Unless you have the peace of Christ’s Gospel in your heart, you cannot stand sure and fight for the truth of God’s Word. With doubts in one’s mind, one cannot combat crises of life that come. One must stand in God’s Word.
    • Shield of Faith: to quench the fiery darts of the wicked. These darts most often are doubt. One must know the surety of one’s faith in Jesus. Know your Bible. (See John 5:39 and Acts 17:11.)
    • Helmet of salvation: If the head is wounded, nothing else works. A Christian is to have his mind set upon God and the things of God – not the world. When one is divided in thought, having a double mind, the Bible teaches that one is unstable in all of his ways. “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8). (See also Isaiah 26:3.)
    • Sword of the Spirit (Word of God): “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). This is our only offensive weapon against Satan. Again, know your Bible. 
    • Prayer: Before joining the battle, Christians must be in prayer. This supplies us with all we need. Remember, we do not understand the unseen, but God’s Spirit knows all and meets our needs accordingly. We just need to remember to make our prayers heard by Him.
    • To Watch: Remember what Jesus instructed: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36).

    We are able to stand from the place of victory that was won by Jesus at Calvary. He is greater than Satan, the ruler of this world (for now!). Therefore, Christians have to “stand” and be strong in the Lord and the power of His might – for Jesus already won the war. This is what guarantees our victory.

    Remember what Jesus said, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad” (Matthew 12:30). Remember, you are not alone.

    Have you chosen your side?

    http://biblicalpath.com/index.php/how-to-be-saved/

  • Put Away the Old

    “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”

    Philippians 4:9

    Remember in the New Testament when Paul was preaching Jesus to those in Ephesus. For two years they won many to Jesus, and many miracles were done (many people were healed and evil spirits were cast out). However, along with that came some who were not Christians yet tried to do the works Paul had done (cast out evil spirits). When they tried, they were worse off than before because the evil spirits they had tried to cast out, instead came upon them (Acts 19:13–16). The new Christians in Ephesus recognized those who were not truly Christians and the results of falsely declaring so. One who trusts in Christ (becomes a Christian) has a nature change – becoming a new creature. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

    Read what happened next: “17. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18. And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 19. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed” (Acts 19:17–20). Because the people recognized the difference between true salvation and a false practice, notice something very important. These people did not add Jesus to their other things (practices); they took their old things (curious arts means “black arts; or magic”) and burned them before all — it did not matter the financial loss. They destroyed them so that those things would not be a part of their lives anymore.

    Understanding that there is a choice to be made by each individual (believe the Gospel message or reject it), it is important for that person who believes to have a nature change. Why?  “21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter 2:21–22). When one chooses to disregard God’s Word, refusing the gift of Salvation by faith in Jesus, thereby ignoring the warnings of the consequences for sin (eternal death, see Romans 6:23), it reveals the nature of the heart. Just as the dog had the same nature of a dog and the pig the same nature of a pig, it reveals there was no nature change. It is the choice of any who hear the truth of the Gospel message to decide for themselves. “9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). Believe in Jesus for salvation, thereby having a change of heart. Or, do not believe, remaining in that old nature. However, read the following warning: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12).

    Christians are taught in God’s Word to put the old things of our former life to death (see Colossians 3:5). Instead, we are to think upon good and right things (see Philippians 4:8). These things are taught in the Bible. “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:9). Understand that while thinking on these things is very good, there is another step that must be taken. Christians must do these things. We find an important warning to all Christians who know what we are to do: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

    Many events in the Old Testament are instances for us to recognize when one makes a right choice, and when one makes a bad choice. King Jehu did many great works (including the removing of Baal worship, see 2 Kings 9-10) in Israel, the Northern Kingdom. However, we also saw his great failure. “But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin” (2 Kings 10:31). His heart did not change which was revealed in his not walking in the “law of the LORD God of Israel”. For that, Jehu was not considered a good king. Just think what kind of a king Jehu would have been if he had sought God’s commands and changed his heart, and then led the nation to do the same.

    Have you chosen to remain in that old nature, departing not from your sin?

    Or

    Have you had a change of heart, believing and confessing Jesus, and then doing what the Bible teaches?

    http://biblicalpath.com/index.php/how-to-be-saved/