I heard an older gentleman say one time that modern day Christians think ‘spiritual warfare’ is going to church in the rain. That always makes me laugh aloud when I think about it. :- ) While there is much I could unpack in that statement, allow me to just say that for any believer to ignore the fact we really are in a ‘war’ would be to their own peril. 

 And for many who do acknowledge there is a ‘war’ taking place ‘out there’, they seem to direct their efforts in every direction but...that of the true enemy. Paul makes is rather clear to us that our conflict, our war, our struggle...is NOT...is NOT...is NOT...with ‘flesh and blood’. Your enemy is not some left leaning political party or ‘mainstream media’ outlets. It is not the Chinese or the Russians or ISIS or the Taliban. I can assure you that God is not pacing the corridors of heaven wringing His hands wondering how we ever let the LGBQT crowd make the inroads they have made in our culture. 

 Paul explains in fact, that our enemy is spiritual in nature, describing him/them as ‘principalities and powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12). John would later write that this world we live in is under the control or influence of the ‘wicked one’ (1 John 5:19) who ‘deceives the whole world’. ( Rev. 12:9). Peter advises us to be alert and sober-minded given we have an enemy who roams about seeking to devour us, much like a lion would. But it’s not a lion we are told to resist, it is the devil himself. (1 Pet. 5:8-9). And that is why we need to hear the gospel and respond, according to Acts 26:18.

 And you should note that we are not told to ‘ignore’ the devil, rather to ‘resist’ him. James would also admonish us with the same advice adding this promise that if/when we do, he has to flee from us. (James 4:7). But also make note that in those times of resisting his tactics to tempt us to ‘come out from behind God’s protective hedge’, that we will ‘suffer a bit’ as we deny flesh and put that old man to death. God gives us the grace we need in that time of testing and temptation in order to resist, overcome, and conquer that sin and temptation...if we truly desire it.. (Heb.2:18; 4:15-16). This is the ‘battle’ we are to engage in. This is the suffering we have been called to. – 

 “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lust of men, but for the will of God.” (1 Pet. 4:1-2) 

 You mean we can really ‘cease from sin’? Well...that is what it says in my bible...what about yours? Let me assure you, speaking from personal experience...this only works effectively if/when you are truly abiding in Him. And, for the record, being ‘faithful to a local church’ and tithing regularly does not equate to ‘abiding in Christ’. IF we are abiding in Him, we are walking just like Jesus walked (1 John 2:6) and no longer sinning. (1 John 3:6). His words, not mine. 

 Sadly, many sincere people today in the church suffer needlessly and for the wrong reasons. Much of the things we suffer, and then blame the devil for attacking us, is not because we invited someone to church or paid for someone’s groceries. This idea that Satan is out on some recon mission attacking super saints is a product or our deceived imagination. Satan does nothing without God’s permission and we are told that whoever abides in Christ, no longer sins...and that the wicked one cannot touch him. (1 John 5:18). Satan can only attack where there is flesh/sin. Remember the ‘serpent food’ lesson from Gen. 3:14,19? 

 I don’t know who needs to hear this, but sending money to some religious organization and then having your lights turned off because you didn’t pay your bill should not be associated with ‘suffering for Jesus’ or His kingdom. 

 When we are abiding in Christ, we are walking in peace and not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. (Gal. 5:16) But when we do encounter tests and trials, as James says we will, we are to count it all joy because God is leading us to expose areas in our heart that need to be dealt with and put to death so that we might be made perfect and complete. (James. 1:2-4) 

 It is in those time that yes, we will ‘suffer in the flesh’ as we deny it. God does gives us enough grace in those moments to stand against our spiritual enemy (who is much stronger than us) but He will give you just enough grace to be victorious...while your flesh will still suffer some. It is in these battles that we get to prove or demonstrate to God that we love Him more...than we do that temptation to ...grumble or lash out in anger or give in to sexual compulsions or gossip or...whatever it is that is tempting you. 

 Peter would encourage us with these words...”Resist him (devil) steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.’ (1 Pet. 5:9). He goes on assuring us that “after we have suffered a while...the God of all grace will come and perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.” (10). This...is how we overcome and ‘grow in the Lord’. Did Jesus not suffer as He resisted the devils temptations in the wilderness?(Heb. 5:8;4:15) And after Jesus proved His devotion to obeying God and that God has His whole heart, look what God was able to entrust to Him when He was finished being tested: “Then Jesus returned in the POWER of the Spirit...” (Luke 4:14) 

 I’m going to give you three guesses why the majority of the church has not been entrusted with the same power...and the first two guesses don’t count. ;-) 

 We simply have failed to show up to the war and take up the armor of God and walk in obedience to Him. And we are not the first generation to ever do that. 

 “The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. They did not keep the covenant of God; they refused to walk in His law.” (Ps. 78:9-10) 

 There is a reason why God gives us ‘armor’.(Eph. 6:13-14) Whether we choose to use it or not is on us. Can I share with you here, what I have come to learn myself that has made all the difference in the world and been life changing for me? If there was one ‘key’ that finally ‘clicked’ for me, it is this: Our waring against the powers and forces of darkness have nothing to do with being ‘pro-active’. What I mean is- God is not sending us out like we are some spiritual SEAL Team 6 to expose what the governments are doing or uncovering political and economic conspiracies you might hear about. Trying to discover who the ‘anti-christ’ is, and how a ‘one world government’ is going to take shape, is a distraction, or decoy. Leave that stuff alone. 

 Now I am not saying we remain ‘passive’ either. That would be the other knee-jerk response where we just ignore everything as you pursue your own self-interests and desires. The true ‘waring in the spirit’ involves ‘standing and resisting’ the enemy when he comes to tempt us to act out in the flesh nature. “And having done all to stand...stand therefore”. (Eph. 6:13-14). God is more concerned with getting you into shape by purifying your heart (sanctification) so that He can give you the same power He gave Jesus so you too can go out and set other captives free. We overcome the enemy by the way of the cross which means we die to self...so that we may live for Him. 

 We are being conformed to His nature, as He was to be the ‘firstborn of many brethren’. (Rom. 8:28-29). To refuse the way of the cross so that we might be conformed in to His image, being made a ‘new creation’, is to bow down to Satan and remain in his image. We cannot serve two masters. 

 When Paul wrote...Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, have you ever stopped to consider what that actually looks like and how we can ‘be strong in Him’? (Eph. 6:10). We do it the same way the Israelites were told how to be strong in the Lord – Do what He says. (Deut. 11:8) Please go read that right now and write that vs. next to Eph. 6:10. 

 Here are two specific examples that I have experienced great victory in when I learned how to ‘do’ what the word says. And I have to emphasize that when I use to attempt this on my own, I might have moments when I thought I could succeed, but it never lasted. Today...as I have learned to abide in Him...these two areas of victory have ‘stuck’ and I could not be more blessed, happy, and ‘free’. 

 They have to do with ‘being anxious for nothing’ and...’bringing in to captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ’. (Phil. 4:6 & 2 Cor. 10:5). I bet you have heard and even quoted those verses before. Ever notice how much easier it is to quote them or write them on post it-notes to remind you...but ‘doing’ it was another story? Yeah...that’s the difference between doing it on your own and abiding in Him. When we abide in Him, we truly are ‘more than conquerors.’ 

 I will expound upon how God has truly given me victory in those two specific areas...tomorrow. I hope you will join me. :- ). Until then, check out these two verses; that is, if you want to truly walk in more peace and freedom and happiness: 

 “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these DO, and the God of peace will be with you.” - Paul (Phil. 4:9) 

 “I have given you an example, that you should DO as I have done to you...if you know these things, blessed are you IF you Do them.” – Jesus (John 13:15,17)