The Battle for Your Soul (Part 2)

The Battle for Your Soul (Part 2)

by Ron Wilkerson - Servant of Jesus Christ

Good morning once again my friends. I don't know if you had a chance to read about my heart last night, but if you did then you know that my battle was tough yesterday. It always is a tough battle everyday but some days it just seems to be more than I can handle. Even still, out here in cyberspace, I trust my Lord and His Holy Spirit that one of you will be touched in my toil to speak with you.

We continue today with the battle. Keep in mind the three principle enemies you fight each day which are as follows:

1. The flesh

2. The world

3. The devil and his angels

I want to speak this morning about this battle you face. The necessity of battle is that you are proven a good soldier of Christ, a good and faithful servant. You are to be tried by your works done for the Lord upon the great day which you shall enter into God's presence, and each man will receive according to those works. Will yours be wood, hay and stubble that burn up so that you enter heaven by the skin of your teeth, or will you works by faith alone turn out to be precious gold treasure you have stored up IN HEAVEN? My will is that you all store up treasure in heaven and forsake the treasures of this fallen world. 

The matter today is the importance of this battle because the consequences for laziness are very dire. Laziness is a thing which all of us Christians are so familiar. It prevents us from fighting and striving, it keeps us right where the enemy wants us. Standing on the side line. The importance of this battle should not be undermined. To be a Christian is to struggle and fight a warfare with an unseen enemy. The flesh you know, the world you know, the enemy of your soul you have been taught. But have you warred with that enemy of your soul? I tell you the truth, if you ever open your mouth to speak Jesus name to others you will declare war against the prince of the power of the air while living in his kingdom on earth.

In warring with Satan, very hard lessons are learned. If for the first time you encounter one of his angels in the spirit, it is doubtless to me you will not know of it. For the Holy Spirit within you will affirm in your heart if this be so. You speak of Jesus to others and you have in effect become "enemy number one" to Satan. He will not suffer you lightly to speak God's gospel. If you truly desire to speak the gospel and share it with others then please be prepared, it is no light matter. And before you ask yourself whether or not this is your desire to speak the gospel, it would be best to remember that you are commanded to do so. You are not your own after all, Christ purchased you with blood. 

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 

Remember your great commandment.

Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

 

I want you to know that I don't believe many churches today are teaching you these principles. I don't mean to denigrate the church. Their purpose is served in the assembling of saints to Worship our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. However, most stop short of teaching the full counsel of Christ. You will find that peace is taught and so it should be. The Bible is not only about peace, the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven had to be purchased with blood; how many of you would agree with me that this was not a PEACEFUL event? Have you forgotten the suffering endured by our own Lord? Stop and try to empathize with His suffering? Could you yourself endure such a hardship? I dare not to even answer that question in my mind, for I know that I am but a weak man.

The church today, by and large, are failing to equip God's soldiers. They fail to mention the realities of this battle we must endure. Again, I put no blame on the body of the church, I place the blame on their leaders. I happen to be a member of a church that does preach to you what you are up against and does teach you to take the Gospel with you every where you go. I would welcome you all to visit. It is the Summit Church in North Little Rock, AR.

I digress my point. I will let scripture speak for itself concerning the battle you face today. Don't be misled and believe you are not engaged in battle if truly your endeavor is to live for Christ. He Himself has much to say concerning spiritual warfare and keeping a good conscience. 

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

 2 Timothy 2:3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 6:11-13 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes (Keep in mind the devil is devising traps for you to fall in and suffer loss) of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

 

Luke 13:24 "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. *Right here tell you to caution yourselves. Jesus is telling you a truth and I don't want to see any of my brethren fall short of the glory of God. There is only one way to obtain this glory of God, and that is to "accept" or ask Jesus to be the master of your life. To give Him absolute control and reverence what He has done for you on that cross. To follow after Him and bear your own cross. Take heed.

Luke 22:36 And He said to them, "But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.

 
1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

Remember my friends that your instruments of battle are faith in Jesus Word, prayer, and speaking that Word to all people or any enemy that would come against you. Also, remember that God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of hope, love, and a sound mind.

I pray for each of you today to walk with Christ. I ask for blessings on your coming in and your going out. May the God of all mercy keep and protect you.

Shalom