Spiritual Combat

"God loves pure obedience to His Divine Will"

The second half of the first step of ascending God's divine ladder is spiritual warfare.  If you are going to renounce the world and the things of the world, the enemy will surely attack you.  When it comes to spiritual warfare, you can bring the attack to the enemy or the enemy will bring the attack to you but there is no getting around spiritual conflict and battles.

The fight will often be close up and like hand to hand combat.  It is not fighting from a distance.  When we get on the frontlines for God, you will find yourself directly in the line of fire by the enemy.  The only way we can persevere and overcome is by drawing on God's strength through the Holy Spirit.  This can only happen through a life of continuous self-examination.  When we renounce all things, we will find our rest and only rest is in God.

There are three foundations to living as a warrior for God.  The first foundation which everything else resides on is humility.  Without humility we will fall.  The second foundation is honesty.  God is the one who must examine us in the process of our own self-examinations.  Lastly, a sure foundation to aid us in our spiritual battles is a life of prayer and fasting.  These two together will often put the enemy to flight.

As we examine ourselves and ready ourselves for battle, ask yourself these questions.  Is there anything robbing you of your peace and joy?  What did it?  Why?  Learn and guard yourself from letting it happen again.  Be content and don't speak evil of anyone.  Fight the good fight with love and joy.  Let God unshackle and unbind the weights that hold us down.  We will keep ourselves from much exertion and exhaustion if we allow God to be our divine warrior and fight our battles for us.