Encouragement – Snapshots

Repent of Uncleanness

Living in willful uncleanness as a manner of life evidently grieves God (2Co 12:21), yet we may not even be aware of this type of sin. What is uncleanness? How do we avoid it and repent of it?

Though there are about a dozen New Testament references identifying those living in uncleanness as inherently evil, having no inheritance in God’s kingdom (Ga 5:19-21), these passages provide no definition of uncleanness; we find this only in Torah.

Leviticus describes several types of uncleanness: chapter 11 says touching an animal carcass makes us unclean; chapter 15 says having any oozing from the skin or genital area (2), including nocturnal emissions (16-17), sexual activity (18), menstruation (19), or coming in contact with an unclean person, related fluids, or anything they have touched makes us unclean.

So, the biblical concept of uncleanness doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with becoming dirty, as after a long day in the field when one is covered in dust, grime and sweat; it relates more to the kinds of biological contamination which leads to infection and disease when left to accumulate and decay over time.

The proper response when we become unclean is to wash ourselves and all contaminated clothing and wait until the evening before engaging in any temple-related activity. (5-7, 11, 16-18, 31) Cleansing from oozing that continues over time (a running issue, including menstruation) requires a full week after the oozing stops and a small sacrifice at the temple. (13-15, 19, 28-29)

Numbers 19 describes a different level of uncleanness due to touching (11) or being in an enclosed space with a corpse. (14) This type of uncleanness requires being sprinkled with water containing the ashes of a red heifer sacrificed at the temple. (17-19)

Deuteronomy: 12-14 tells us how to properly dispose of bodily excrement so we don’t become unclean: bury it in a dedicated space well away from our living area, which modern toilets conveniently and effectively accomplish for us.

Since the earthly temple is inactive for now, and since it is not necessarily sinful to become unclean, washing ourselves, contaminated clothing and other objects comprises a godly protocol when we do. This is natural for most in first-world countries and should be routine for believers.

Certain types of uncleanness are intrinsic to human nature, such as the female menstrual cycle and marital sexual activity; they’re good and wholesome, designed by God and part of the natural rhythm of life. (He 13:4)

Uncleanness becomes sinful when we neglect to follow God’s prescription for dealing with it as well as we can and maintain lifestyles free of unnecessary uncleanness. (1Th 4:7) Wanting to live in a state of uncleanness, as an end in itself, is certainly contrary to the spirit of Torah and characterizes the spiritually corrupt. (2Pe 2:10) Such a lifestyle is not Love (Ro 13:10); it’s rooted in selfishness and indiscretion.

Repenting of uncleanness evidently requires a change of mind about the spiritual aspects of physical cleanliness, making it a point to become familiar with God’s instructions and obey them. Perhaps there’s wisdom in the old adage, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”

And as with most all of God’s instructions related to physical things, there are spiritual principles embedded within them. As we live in a world of spiritual darkness and uncleanness, we invariably react in ways which are misaligned with Torah; unholy feelings and attitudes ooze out from our fleshly nature, and we cannot help but become spiritually contaminated. (Ro 7:18)

As we reflect on our lives (Ps 119:9), we can often identify areas or instances where we have become spotted by the flesh. (Ja 1:27) The remedy is to regularly bathe our hearts, minds and spirits with Scripture, asking God to sanctify and cleanse us with the washing of the water by the Word as we meditate on His Way (Ep 5:26), displacing uncleanness with truth as God speaks the Word into us by His Spirit. (Jn 15:3) We should be doing this daily, not letting spiritual uncleanness accumulate, harden and fester within us.

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What Saith the Scripture?

The Bible is an amazing, self-referencing work of art: interwoven within it are 63,779 cross-references which elaborate on and explain what it means, depicted in this beautiful diagram.

The base comprises a vertical line for each chapter in the Bible, with Genesis 1 on the left, where the length of each line reflects the number of verses in that chapter (the long line in the center is Psalm 119) and complete books alternate in shades of grey. Each cross-reference is depicted by an arc with a color corresponding to the distance between the two chapters, creating a rainbow-like effect.

And these are the explicit references, inviting us to explore the innumerable interconnections embedded within and among the various concepts and how they all interrelate with, build on and flesh one another out. (Ps 139:17-18) God has breathed out this entire text: He inspired it (2Ti 3:16), and surgically leverages these living interconnections as He pleases in the hearts of those who are seeking Him. (Ja 1:21)

Through His Word He comforts and guides us in our individual, particular circumstances (He 4:12), enabling us to engage with His Spirit and understand His Heart, to fully furnish, guide and equip us in living with and for Him. (2Ti 3:16-17)

God inspires His Word like this, with infinite depth, precision and scope, so we can meditate on it endlessly (Ps 1:2), comparing Scripture with Scripture (Mt 4:4), searching out all the treasures of His nature and Way. (Pr 2:4-5)

For example, through part of a verse hidden in an obscure, messianic prophecy written by Isaiah hundreds of years earlier (Is 49:8), the Apostle Paul discovers salvation is available now (2Co 6:2) to all who earnestly seek Him. (1)

Moments later, Paul weaves a thread from Leviticus (Le 26:12) into another from Ezekiel (Ez 3:27) to understand how God indwells and infuses the community of believers as a living temple. (2Co 6:16) In his very next breath (17-18) he blends several more distinct references together to call all believers to come out and separate ourselves from the world (Is 52:11) so God will receive us into His family as sons (2Sa 7:14) and daughters, just as He has promised. (Is 43:6)

Paul leverages these exceeding great and precious promises (2Pe 1:4) to exhort all believers to pursue perfect holiness in the fear of God. (2Co 7:1)

How does Paul do this? As he memorizes the Old Testament (Ps 119:9) and meditates on it continually (Ps 119:97), God shows up, teaching him and revealing precious truths to him (Ep 3:3-4), to equip him in his calling to preach the Gospel to the nations. (6-7) God is showing us His willingness to personally nourish and instruct each of us Himself through His written Word. (Ep 4:21)

The Scripture foresees and preaches (Ga 3:8), speaking as though it were alive (Ro 10:11); we’re to let His words dwell in us richly (Co 3:16), saturating our minds and hearts with them (Je 15:16), focusing and seeking infinite riches (Ps 19:10-11): His very words are Spirit, and they are Life. (Jn 6:63) They will never pass away. (Mt 24:35)

What treasure remains hidden in these vibrant, living texts, just waiting to be discovered? (Pr 2:3-6) They are vast, the unsearchable riches of Christ await us. (Ep 3:8) O God! Open our eyes, that we may behold wondrous things out of Your Law. (Ps 119:18)

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Casting All Your Care

What does it mean to give it to God? It might mean to stop trying to control a particular outcome (become passive), or to stop caring about it (become apathetic), resigning ourselves to the inevitable. But passivity and apathy aren’t virtues.

Identifying areas of personal responsibility, gaining clarity about who and what we are supposed to control, and learning how to control that, is evidently key. (1Co 9:27)

Wisdom teaches us we’re to control ourselves, (Pr 25:28) not others (1Pe 4:15), and to rest in God’s sovereign control of everything (including ourselves). (Ro 11:36)

It is also important to care, to be concerned for the welfare of others (1Co 12:26) even if we can’t control the circumstances. We may be able to influence an outcome by properly directing our own behavior (Ti 3:8), but the result is always in God’s hands. (Ja 4:15) However, we shouldn’t worry or be anxious (Php 4:6); in light of God’s sovereignty, worry is practicing the unfaithfulness of God: it’s a lack of trust in God’s goodness. (Is 26:3)

If we’re experiencing worry, fear or anxiety, we’re either not properly controlling ourselves to influence an outcome for which we’re responsible (Ro 12:11), or we aren’t resting in God to order the outcome for our good and for His glory. (Ro 8:28) In either case, God can help us with wisdom (Pr 13:23) and diligence to plan and work as we should (Pr 22:29), to discretely manage our affairs (Ps 112:5), and teach us how to cast all our remaining cares upon Him. (1Pe 5:7)

If we’re becoming frustrated in a given situation, we’re either trying to control something we shouldn’t, or we haven’t developed the necessary wisdom, maturity and discipline to control ourselves as we should. In either case, God can help us realign our expectations with reality and teach us how to walk in great peace and wisdom, not in frustration. (Ps 37:37)

If we’re being responsible and wise, seeking God’s kingdom and praying about everything, His peace will keep our hearts and minds through Christ. (Php 4:6-7)

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Love His Appearing

Am I loving the appearing of Jesus Christ? Does my spirit rejoice in God my Savior at the thought He will return to enforce Torah (Ze 14:16-17), as He rules the nations with a rod of iron? (Re 2:26-27)

Or is there unholy hesitation, ungodly fear simmering beneath the informed intellect? My renewed mind (Ro 7:25) knows better than to slink away, to run and hide from God, much less resist Him. (2Ti 3:8) But the Old Man ever lurks in shadows, peering out of darkness, offended by the light. (Ge 3:8)

Is there anything at all in me that recoils at the thought of Messiah’s return? (Re 1:7) That’s wrongfully afraid of Him and wishes to hide? (Re 6:15-17)

Many, mindful of earthly things, neglecting and despising Torah (Ro 8:6), seem unafraid of Jesus (Re 19:15-16), as if He’s only tolerance and love, unconcerned with their carnality. (Php 3:18-19) I know better (Ro 1:18-19); yet what troubles me? (1Jn 3:20) What is my complaint? (Ro 3:4)

Does an instinctive aversion yet abide within by my permission? Does my willingness to let it live amount to consent? Can I indeed rid myself of it entirely? or am I stuck?

A crown of righteousness awaits all who love His appearing with their entire being. (2Ti 4:8) Freedom awaits those who seek (Mt 7:7-11): this is mine for the taking. (Mt 11:12)

Cross-examine this body of lies, whatever remains inside; square off with it; interrogate it; root out all its doubletalk and irrationality. Boldly expose all deception without hesitation or fear: He has not given you a spirit fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2Ti 1:7) Hold each lie up to the lamp, one by one before the light of the Word. (Ps 119:105)

The carnal mind is enmity against God (Ro 8:7); he refuses believe in the goodness of God. There’s nothing sane about him: all lies, top to bottom, corrupt throughout. (Ep 4:22) Put him off; cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2Co 7:1); leave no trace. (1Jn 3:3)

This is war, spiritual battle: take no prisoners. Co-labor with God to pull down your strongholds (2Co 10:4), entrenched patterns of corrupt emotions and desires, and see them vaporize before the light. (2Th 2:8) Take them down intentionally, strategically, and hold your ground once you take it back. (Ep 4:27)

Believe Yeshua gave Himself to redeem you from all iniquity and purify you unto Himself a peculiar soul, zealous of good works. (Ti 2:13-14) He can do this. (1Jn 4:4)

Believe and thank Him that He is delivering you from the body of this death. (Ro 7:24-25) Know that your old man is already crucified with Him, nailed to the cross that the body of sin might be destroyed; you don’t need to serve sin any longer, for we who are dead are freed from sin. (Ro 6:6-7) Reckon you yourself to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ your Lord. (Ro 6:11)

Remember, and stir up the gift of God which is in you. (2Ti 1:6) He is able to keep you from falling and into present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. (Jud 24)

Walk in the light, as He is in the light, and fellowship with Him. (1Jn 1:7) Let us have grace to serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. (He 12:28-29) We may have boldness in the day of Judgment (1Jn 4:17), knowing God is just and faithful. He Who walks with you is the One Who comes for you to receive you unto Himself to be with Him. (Jn 14:1-3)

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That Perfect Will

As God’s children, we desire to know the will of God for our lives; we want our lives to count for God; we long to be living in His perfect will. How do we find this? how do we know what His unique will is for us as individuals and in spiritual community?

Is knowing God’s will a matter of being still and listening for His voice? the “leading of the Spirit” to guide us and show us what to do? Are we to look inside ourselves for good feelings triggered by potential activity? or thoughts appearing in our heads or hearts telling us to do or not do this or that? This sounds spiritual enough on the surface, but Scripture disagrees: God’s way is quite different.

To find God’s will for our lives, God says we need to be transformed by the renewing of our mind: we are to prove what is His good, and acceptable and perfect will by changing how we think about Him, ourselves and the world. (Ro 12:2) We need to stop listening to what others are saying about how to find and follow God, about how to live life; we need to stop following their lead, stop thinking like the world and aligning with its philosophy. (Co 2:8)

We all start out thinking the wrong way about God, about ourselves and others, even life itself, so our way of thinking needs to be cleaned up, fixed, corrected. The carnal mind, the natural way of thinking, is largely opposed to God and His ways, at enmity with Him (Ro 8:7), broken. What seems right at first glance (Pr 14:12) is ultimately the way of Death. (Ro 8:6) To be free, we align our thinking with God’s, with Truth itself. (2Ti 2:25-26) God calls it repentance. (Lk 13:3-5)

This should be expected, really: God should be more interested in who we are becoming than what we happen to be doing along the way. We can’t very well do God’s work if we aren’t becoming more and more like Him. It’s all about the heart: the core of who we are, seated in our mind, how we think, which drives how we feel and what we do. (Pr 4:23)

To renew our mind, to have a sound mind, we must discover where it’s misaligned with God’s Way and ask God to help us correct it. This is how we cleanse our way, by paying attention to where we’re deviating from God’s Word. (Ps 119:9) It’s why we’re hiding God’s Word in our heart, memorizing and meditating on Scripture, constantly recalibrating ourselves with His Word.

As we get our mind right, our thoughts, beliefs and inclinations, as well as our emotions will follow and align with God’s; then our behavior will tend more toward godliness (1Ti 4:7), honoring God and bringing Him glory rather than grieving Him. (Ep 4:30)

As God transforms us more into His image, we begin to realize God’s will for us is to become holy (1Pe 1:13-16), partakers of His holiness (He 12:10), that we may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. (Co 4:12)

A desire to do great things for God may in fact be a desire to be recognized and rewarded by God, ultimately rooted in a spirit of self-exaltation rather than a desire to serve God and please Him. It turns out God measures greatness, not by our exploits and achievements before Him, but by our obedience to Him – to Torah. (Mt 5:19)

As we’re seeking to be transformed more and more into His image (2Co 3:18), into the likeness of Christ, seeking to obey and honor Him in all we do, God will be working in us to will and to do according to His good pleasure (Php 2:13), and we will find ourselves in the will of God, right where we belong.

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I Was Thirsty

God is omniscient; He knows everything about everything; His understanding is infinite. (Ps 147:5) He knows about all of reality, what has been, what is and what will be (Is 46:10), and He also fully understands every possible variation of reality, even things that will never actually happen. (Mt 11:21) Yet does this mean God actually experiences everything? Can God know something perfectly without personally experiencing it?

Since God cannot be tempted with evil (Ja 1:13), it must be that we experience reality differently than God experiences it; God knows with perfectly infinite understanding and awareness exactly how we feel and experience these sinful tendencies without Himself experiencing them. In other words, God knows what it’s like to sin without ever having sinned. (He 4:15)

So, yes, God doesn’t need to personally experience anything in order to fully comprehend all of its detail. Yet this doesn’t mean God is aloof from human experience, that He doesn’t engage intimately with His creation. Evidently, this is especially true of innocent suffering; He so identifies with His elect that He suffers in and with us. (Mt 25:35-36) While He allows pain and suffering in His children, it is not without personal sacrifice: God is willing to enter into our suffering Himself, and actually does so, being one with us. (Co 1:24)

While nothing exists apart from God (Co 1:17), and while all being and activity is of God and by God (1Co 8:6), it is incorrect to say God is any created thing, or that any created thing is God, or even part of God’s divine essence or being. (Panentheism) It is also evidently incorrect to say God is in (in the sense of inhabiting or indwelling) anything physical other than His earthly temple (Ha 2:20) and the bodies of the saints. (1Co 6:19)

While God is ultimately sovereign, controlling all things (Da :35), He is entirely distinct from the entire physical universe and independent of it. He forbids identifying Himself with any particular aspect of His material creation (Ex 20:4) other than His bride: the church. (Ep 5:30)

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The Acknowledging

Sharing our spiritual insights with other believers is central to our calling in the church of God; it’s the primary way we edify one another. This is the communication of our faith (Phm 6), how we impart our experience in God to others who are pursuing Him. (2Ti 2:2)

As we explore our own hearts and souls for faith gems to impart to others, we’re searching out and acknowledging every good thing which is within us in Christ, identifying and cultivating the Christ-life within. (Phm 6) But notice how God puts it: “that the communication of thy (s.) faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you (pl.) in Christ Jesus.” We each share our individual faith walk in Christ with others effectively by becoming aware of and appreciating the Person of Christ, not only within ourselves, but also within those with whom we’re sharing.

In other words, as we testify of the faithfulness and character of God as we experience Him in our lives, we’re identifying the works of Christ within us as He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. (Php 2:13) At the same time, the Christ within us is reaching out to the Christ within others, calling forth the divine nature within each one to edify, exhort, encourage, refresh, strengthen and nourish the souls of the saints. (Phm 7)

This perspective gives us both a sobering realization that in our testimony we are expressing the eternal Christ Himself to others (1Pe 4:11), and also a confident expectation and hope that our brothers and sisters will be quickened and blessed in our sharing.

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Even As He Is Pure

There’s an instinct within believers to purify ourselves, even as Christ Himself is pure (1Jn 3:3), to rid ourselves of all lies and misconceptions (Ps 119:29), to heal our wounds and insecurities, to root out all our evil tendencies (Ps 139:23-24), and live worthy of our calling and salvation. (Ep 4:1) This is our sanctification, and though we have the instinct to pursue it, we may not understand the process, how God sanctifies us; this can delay our progress and frustrate us.

The key principle at work in our sanctification is this: all sin springs from believing a lie, and we’re set free (sanctified) by knowing the truth. (Jn 8:32)

It sounds simple enough, but our lies are generally interconnected, layered into us over many years and strategically woven together within our souls through wounds and a myriad of social modeling, training and coercion. These lies build upon and reinforce one another, blinding us to the truth we so desperately need. It is so complex and multi-faceted that getting free really does take an act of God. (2Ti 2:24-26)

Thankfully, God is indeed in the business of sanctifying us (Jn 17:17); He doesn’t leave us alone in this process, yet He doesn’t do it all by Himself either – He expects us to understand how He sanctifies us, submit ourselves to His process and cooperate with Him in working out our own salvation/sanctification. (Php 2:12)

Since we get free by believing the truth (2Th 2:13), the next step in any sanctification journey is always to uncover another lie and renew our minds to believe the truth in the context of that lie. But how do we most efficiently go about this?

We must first find the next lie, identify and isolate it. This isn’t as easy as it might seem. Like diagnosing any ailment or disease, the process can be highly individual and nuanced: many similar symptoms have very different root causes and cures, and every individual is unique.

Further, like solving a Rubik’s Cube, there is often a required sequence in which we must approach a wholistic cure; when certain basic things aren’t working properly it doesn’t help to merely address the symptoms: when we do we just go round in circles, ending up back where we started. We must find the correct root causes, those within in our vast web and network of lies which are relatively unprotected and exposed, less grounded in the underlying substructure of our minds, and address them in a viable sequence. This takes the leading of the Spirit (Ps 23:3), searching all our inward parts (Pr 20:27), knowing how to set us free. (1Co 1:30)

To do this efficiently, in constant communion with the Spirit, we prayerfully take heed (or pay attention) to what’s going on inside of us in light of God’s perfect standard of holiness. (Ps 119:9) We’re to be constantly aware of how our thoughts, feelings, emotions and actions are aligned with God’s Law: Torah, His definition of righteousness. (72)

In parallel, we’re also to be constantly thinking about and meditating on God’s Law (97), so we’re continually exposing ourselves to and contemplating His righteousness in all its glory and wonder (18), constantly evaluating how we ourselves align with it. (59)

Whenever we sense a recurring disconnect between our behavior and God’s Way, we ask God to expose the underlying root-cause lie (105), help us understand and believe the truth (27), and then enable us to walk in it. (35)

To overcome, we should meditate upon and pray through scriptures which specifically address this lie (2Ti 3:16-17), asking God for grace to help us believe the truth with our whole heart, way down in our subconscious mind. We may need to enlist the prayers of spiritual community (Ja 5:16), and invite them to point out more relevant Scripture to cut to the chase and expose our issues. (He 4:12)

We know we are free when our behavior changes and stabilizes in holiness, as we consistently follow the way of truth in this particular area under a variety of trials and circumstances.

Our sanctification is a never-ending journey (Php 3:13-14) guided and attended by the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:13) in the context of spiritual community. We cannot do this all on our own, and we are not alone. (He 13:5)

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My Father’s Business

When Yeshua is 12 years old, He leaves home to begin His life’s work. (Lk 12:42-43) He doesn’t feel the need to even notify Joseph and His mother, having no sense He needs their blessing or that they should be looking after Him any longer. He even challenges their concern and admonishes them: they should know better. (49)

This raises some intriguing questions. Is Yeshua amiss in departing His childhood home so early? Is this premature and unwise? (52) Is He acting impulsively without proper counsel and preparation? (Pr 12:15) If so, is it foolish? even sin? If not, and if this is God’s will, then why does He so willingly return and submit Himself to His earthly parents (51), and forfeit 18 years of ministry? (Lk 3:23a)

We may infer from Yeshua’s life pattern that He’s obeying His Father; it’s what He sees His Father doing (Jn 5:19): starting His earthly ministry at age 12 pleases His Father. (Jn 8:29)

The key is evidently Joseph and His mother; if they’re OK with Yeshua leaving His childhood home and being about His Father’s business, which they should be, this is evidently the ideal path — and it’s anyone’s guess what this looks like.

However, if they aren’t on board and their parental instincts take over, then there are insurmountable difficulties in the ideal path: technically, per cultural norms of His day, Yeshua’s still a minor, not yet considered an adult (Nu 32:11), so persisting in His ministry against His parents’ wishes appears to violate Torah. (De 21:18-21) So, this incredible potential must be scrapped altogether.

Even so, in the context of this fallen world, God’s foreordained perfect plan for Yeshua is still alive and well (Ep 2:10), and this is what plays out over time. (Ro 8:28) He remains subject to His mother, patiently waiting to begin His ministry until, after nearly two long decades, desperate to save a friend in need, she lets go. (Jn 2:3-5) God’s perfect will is still accomplished perfectly, but in the context of human brokenness the ideal isn’t always God’s actual plan, and that’s a beautiful mystery for the ages.

What do we learn from this? Perhaps we may grasp a little bit more the nuance between God working everything according to His own will (Ep 1:11) and the way Free Will shapes the narrative as He does. God could easily have restrained His parents’ carnal mind, working His will in them (Php 2:13) so they rejoiced in Yeshua’s independence. (Pr 16:1) But God lets them make their choice and they blow it; His mother evidently stubbornly resists Yeshua in this for quite a long while. (Mt 12:47-50) Yet God isn’t frustrated when we choose a sub-optimal path; God’s glory is never tarnished by the failures of Man; it cannot be. But we certainly miss out. Should it be otherwise? Could it be?

Perhaps there’s a sense in which Yeshua’s mother, as a pivotal figure in the vast human organism (Mk 3:21), is a type for us all here; we have all tried to control God and have things our own way. (Is 53:1) Consequently, perhaps we’ve all missed out on amazing revelations of God’s glory that were very real possibilities, eliminated by our own and/or others’ poor choices; perhaps every sin impacts everyone negatively in some irrecoverable way. (1Cor 5:6) Evidently, God’s OK with allowing this, so we should be as well, not finding an excuse to sin (Ja 4:17) but recognizing God’s will is still in play and He’ll richly reward our dedication to Him. (Ro 2:6-7)

Known unto God are all His works from the foundation of the world (Ac 15:18), so His will is never threatened (Da 4:35); He knows everything that’s going to happen and how He’s going to manage it all. (He 4:3) Yet our choices still matter; they have very real consequences (Ga 6:7-9), and God knows the potential, what would happen if we made better choices. (Mt 11:23) He’s constantly inviting us to follow Him into the ideal, and we should be right on His heels. (1Pe 2:21)

As it all plays out, God is supremely glorified in everything He allows (Ro 3:5-7), reconciling everything unto Himself (Co 1:20), and working out everything for the good of those who love Him. (Ro 8:28)

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No Man That Warreth

When we hear the term “spiritual warfare” we might think of casting out demons and/or praying for lost loved ones to be converted. That’s certainly part of the story, but in many respects it’s a very small part.

Each of us is in an ongoing spiritual battle every moment of our lives; if we’re unaware of this fact, perhaps we’re asleep in captivity, or worse — on the wrong side.

We’re in this battle 24X7 because Satan never rests or gives up; he never backs off and gives us a break. (1Pe 5:8) Whenever we let our guard down, he’s right there to take advantage (2Co 2:11): to steal, kill and destroy. (Jn 10:10) Whenever we make a little more room for him, he takes more ground and fights to hold on to it. (Ep 4:27)

If we’re ignorant of the struggle, then we simply aren’t in the fight. This can only mean one of two things: either we’ve been taken prisoner and Satan has us right where he wants us (2Ti 2:25-26), or we’re in league with the enemy and serving him. (Ep 2:2)

This battle can be described very simply: Satan lies to us to get us to sin, to violate God’s Law. (1Jn 3:4) Every time we believe him, we give him more power in our lives. (Jn 10:34) To engage him in battle we [1] identify the lies [2] believe the truth (repent) and [3] live in truth with our whole mind, heart and soul. (Jn 8:31-32) Every dimension of spiritual conflict of any concern to us can be related in these terms.

This war is not one of our choosing; Satan chooses when and how to fight us; we can either defend ourselves or give in to him and let him defeat us. There aren’t any other choices here.

Seeing we’re in such a battle, we should learn to think and act like soldiers who aim to win. A warrior disciplines himself to endure hardness and difficulty (2Ti 2:2); he doesn’t entangle and distract himself with worldly affairs; he’s focused on the mission, ready at a moment’s notice to engage the enemy. (3)

A good soldier keeps his weapon close and becomes proficient with it, always training and improving. He studies to understand his enemy (2Co 2:11) and learns proper military strategy from those who’ve succeeded in combat. He also learns from his own mistakes and failures, integrating his own practical experience. When he fails in battle, he doesn’t resign himself to failure: he doesn’t quit. He picks himself back up, studies and trains to correct his mistakes, knowing he is destined to overcome. (1Jn 5:4)

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