Are We Involved in a WAR?

Monday morning is usually a time in which I look back and reflect on the spiritual activities of the weekend. I do want to offer praise to God for our Sunday service at New River. We have a 15 minute time for personal reflection prior to the beginning of our Sunday morning service at New River. This time slot has been used for various spiritual exercises such as prayer, teaching, fellowship, etc. 

But yesterday the Spirit chose to lead us into a time of prayer seeking for the Holiness of God to become an even more important part of our lives. The Worship Team was actually "rehearsing" a song to be used in a future service. But the Spirit chose to make yesterday (Sunday) as the day the song should be sung. I immediately sensed the Spirit speaking to my heart and I asked the Worship Team to remain in place and continue singing the song. I them proceeded to ask the congregation to stand and join the Worship Team in seeking after the Holiness of God to be revealed to our lives and in our lives. We sang and prayed together as we realized and declared publicly that we need the "Holiness of God" to be lived out in our daily activities. We do not need to run from Holiness, we need to embrace true Biblical Holiness.

The Spirit continued to do His work in my heart during prayer time this morning. We are in a great "war" if you will allow me to use that word in this spiritual scenario. We face an enemy that is even more cunning and crafty than any natural enemy that our nation has ever faced. This enemy is out for the destruction of our soul. This enemy is out to hinder, overthrow and even defeat the spreading of the Good News of the Gospel. This enemy is out to overwhelm, discourage and even in some cases divide local churches so that they can not be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ. 

You may be asking this question today because I have asked it myself on numerous occasions. "How does the enemy succeed in these efforts?" I feel that the Spirit gave me some insight into one of the tools of satan. He desires for each of us to remain "carnal Christians." Satan can win many battles if he can convince me or you to live in the flesh rather than live in the Spirit. The flesh will produce havoc yet the Spirit will bring healing. The flesh will produce division yet the Spirit will produce unity of purpose, desire, pursuit of God and the salvation of others. The flesh produces attitudes that people only live for themselves yet the Spirit will produce people who will desire to serve others. The flesh will produce people who are arrogant, high-minded and self-centered yet the Spirit will produce people who are humble servants, kind and considerate of others. It is also these Christians who desire the "Kingdom of God to come" and touch the lives of every person that they encounter.

Let me share the words of the Apostle Paul:

Galatians 5:16-17, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” (NKJV)