by David Brenneman
In our world today as I was just listening to a video snippet of Pastor Alistair Begg was saying, so indeed it is: Our world still has the same evil that was present in the Garden of Eden in it today. Satan's gun still shoots the same bullet: Did God really say? The attacks are at the pulpit just as much, if not moreso, than in the everyday life of people.
Paul wrote to suit up in the whole armor of God in his letter to the Ephesians. He said it several times in Chapter 6 to stand firm.
The god of this world is doing what he can to get people to believe something else about the Bible in order to further his agenda.
The attacks on beliefs go all the way back through history to before the creation of Adam and Eve. Jesus beheld Satan like lightning and cast him and a third of all angels out of Heaven for their sin of pride.
Pride says we know more than God. Pride says our way is always better. Pride says we know enough to make our own choices, our own decisions in accordance with our own desires.
We cannot afford to let our guard down.
In the book of Nehemiah, it got to the point where his instructions were to build with one hand and keep their weapon in their other hand.
In our day, the instructions are the same. The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God should always be in one hand while we deal with life in the other.
We should be practicing wielding that Sword of the Spirit when we're not engaging the enemy of God.
The aims of so-called new age churches are to twist the thinking of people with regards to the Word of God.
There's twisted perspectives on judging people. You cannot know people by their fruits without making a judgment call. We are not to judge in such a way as to be in the place of God regarding others. Paul judged others without even being in the same city. Turning such twisted, evil, people over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
Twisted perspectives on sexuality.
Twisted perspectives on Biblical qualifications to hold offices in the Church.
Refusing to pursue Church discipline when the Spirit says to do so.
The Bible is extremely clear on these things and Satan's attacks are attempting to get people to think otherwise.
Standing firm in the faith means holding your position. To not give an inch. No retreat. No surrender.
Was the Lord Jesus Christ ever "joking"?
Was the consequences of sin just a written "opinion"?
Was it for nothing that Jesus was horribly abused, mocked, beaten within an inch of his life, nailed to a cross and hung up for all to see for nothing? That there was indeed some other way to get to Heaven?
The Word of God says CLEARLY that there is by NO other name under Heaven by which men and women MUST BE SAVED.
That's standing His ground in the purpose of the Father’s will. With a thought the world's were created, the oceans formed, the sun and moon and stars found their places. With a thought Jesus could have wiped out all mankind, Satan, demons as He suffered on that cross.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. His Word has not and will not lose its power or its meaning. What was written was for our instruction. His will is our sanctification, to grow in Christ. To leave behind the things of this world to embrace the will of God for us in Christ.
When the Bible says certain people will not enter into His marvelous Heaven, He meant it, without reservation, He meant it.
When it says that those who reject the truth of God, that there's no other way under Heaven by which you must be saved...through Jesus Christ alone...it means exactly what it says.
When it says who can and cannot serve in the Church it isn't open to interpretation. It isn't about what we think we must do to be inclusive. Such things are the perpetrating of a lie. Homosexuals cannot serve in the Church of God. If indeed we believe the Bible when it says they will not inherit the kingdom of God, they will not enter into His Heaven, then it stands to figure they cannot serve here either. When the Bible spells out that a marriage is between one man and one woman, then that's it, end of the story.
When we really realize the effective power of the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, that its able to divide the soul from the spirit. That no weapon formed by man or demons can stand against it...then it is indeed working all things together for God's will. That the Spirit has been protecting the integrity of the Word of God for thousands of years. That those who inhabit Hell have never left because the Word of God sentenced them there. That the truth of God's word...that those who are absent from the body are present with the Lord who are saved. That nothing will ever negate a single portion of the Word of God.
Then there indeed must be something to standing firm, standing your ground in relying on it. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan. The Word of God was His defense. Accurately wielding it, He overcame Satan's abuse of it.
Satan knows the words in the Word of God. He knows and chose to still try to lay claim to the Throne of God. He is a defeated foe because of the truth of God's Word. The fulfillment of Scripture to the letter.
What are you doing to prepare for your day of battle? It's not out there in the world. The battlefield is your mind. What are you doing to suit up? What are you doing to stand firm in your convictions concerning your faith?
Possessions come, possessions go. They are things. Nothing from this world enters Heaven but approved souls, sealed in the Spirit. Those in Heaven are not up there worrying about what you did with your Grandmother's china, nor your Father's car. No one up there is concerned about anything other than the same things that Jesus is concerned about. The souls of those who are left behind.
There is a tradition that the flags of countries should not touch the ground or be desecrated in any way. If inanimate objects can be revered, what about what really matters?
Does what matters to God matter to you?
Do you take God at His word?
Do you compromise, giving ground to the enemy of God?
The Church of Jesus Christ is under constant attack from within. Paul wrote of this way back at its beginning. Telling the drowning that it's all good, that there's nothing to worry about, is it's own level of insanity. That it's ok to interpret the Word of God however it wants to be for people is insanity. It's loading up the bus and driving people straight to the heart of Hell.
We are to convey the truth of God's word regardless of how its received. Jesus said plainly that every single person will be without excuse when they stand before Him. They will be without excuse because of Believers who spoke the truth of God's word as the Spirit directs.
Someone told me the other day of the shoes that the Roman soldier's wore. Essentially they had cleats. The whole armor of God's shoes have those cleats.
Daniel stood his ground and the Lord Jesus stood with him.
What will you do?
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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