Do Everything in Love

 

Do everything in love! This was an instruction written by Paul in his first letter to the Church in Corinth as he was encouraging them to be on their guard against false teachings and to stand firm in their faith.

The Church at the time was faced with many of the same problems today’s Church faces. There were false teachers, false prophets, lukewarm Christians (people who know the Word but take no interest in doing it), pew warmers and many man-made doctrines being preached that were created by falsifying the true gospel and designed to put the Church back into the bondage of sin. They were liars and thus followers of the father of lies – the Devil or Satan, his two well-known names.

Paul was encouraging the Church at the time, and indeed the Church of today, do everything in love, not the love of the world but the pure unadulterated love of God!

Whenever the New Testament writers are referring to God’s love, they use the Greek word ‘agapē’ – pronounced ‘ag-ah-pay’ which, when expanded to its full meaning, is translated in English as ‘a love that is unconditional, benevolent, charitable and freely given, it does not expect anything in return’ – we don’t have to do anything to earn it or give anything in return for it, we just need to receive it.

And as we receive God’s agapē love, so it is our duty as God’s children to show His love to others in all we do and in our service to Him.

This will bring glory to the name of Jesus and unity in the body – His Church! If we don’t have God’s love, then we don’t know God for God is love!

1 John 4:7-9 (AMP)

7 Beloved, let us [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves [others] is born of God and knows God [through personal experience]. 8 The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.] 9 By this the love of God was displayed in us, in that God has sent His [One and] only begotten Son [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind] into the world so that we might live through Him.

In the above verses the Apostle John encourages the Church in much the same way as Paul does and expands the meaning of God’s love and how we should seek the best for each other unselfishly. 

Unselfishly being the key word in our expression of God’s love to the world. Just as Jesus did when he gave himself up to death for us out of love so that we can receive God’s free gift of salvation through the righteousness of Jesus our Lord and Saviour!

Where do we, as born-again Christians, begin and progress in our walk of love?

Well, this one is easy! Right at the very beginning of your Christian walk, as soon as you have repented of your sin and given your life to Jesus. Our walk of love is an ongoing process that we have to consciously put effort into. Our Christian walk is our responsibility to work out by following Jesus in obedience to the Word and being led by the Holy Spirit. We are called to be like Jesus!

Paul exhorts us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling!

2 Philippians 2:12 (AMP)

So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ].

Jesus also tells us how we are to begin our Christian walk of love in the below verse.

Mathew 22:37-39 (AMP)

37 And Jesus replied to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’ 40 The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

So, our first command from Jesus is to love God with all are very being – our heart, soul and mind!

Our second command from Jesus is to love our neighbour as ourselves!

The whole law depends on these two commands and Jesus is the fulfilment of the Law and the writings of the Old Testament prophets. Jesus was without sin, and this is why he gave himself up on the Cross so that by believing in Him we are saved and receive eternal life and love from God.

Matthew 5:17-18 (NIV)

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

John 3:16 (AMP)

For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.

What does God’s agapē love look like so that we can emulate it in our lives?

In 1 Corinthians 13 the Apostle Paul tells us exactly what the agapē love of God is and what it looks like.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8b (AMP)

4 Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. 5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].

8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends].

This is the love God has for us as His children and this is the love that we should be showing to others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is how we imitate Christ as we go about our daily lives – our lifestyles expressing the love of Jesus to the world!

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT)

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

The love of God has to permeate our whole lives. The love of God not only transforms our lives, but as we show His love to others it will transform theirs too!

Paul encourages us to follow the way of love in 1 Corinthians 14. He tells us that the way to follow the way of love is to eagerly desire the spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 14:1 (AMP)

Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal], yet earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people].

When we as His children are using the gifts of the Spirit in the love of God, the Church both as individuals and corporately, will benefit as His love flows through the use of the Gifts by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The gifts of the Spirit will flow freely when the Church has fully embraced and is enveloped in the agapē love of God and is being led by the power of the Holy Spirit in all things and in all truth!

The Apostle John tells us that if we don’t love each other in this way then we do not know, and love God and we are only fooling ourselves. When we pursue God’s love, we take on an enduring attribute of His very nature for God is the originator of love!

1 John 4:8 (AMP)

The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.]

In Colossians 3, we are to clothe ourselves with the virtues of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. These virtues will come to us naturally when we are enveloped with the love of God as the verse tells us to put on God’s love as it is His love that binds these virtues together. We are also told to forgive each other as the Lord forgave us. Forgive your grievance against your brother or sister!

Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

The Apostle Peter also exhorts us to show God’s love one to another as it covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8 (AMP)

Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others].

When we embrace the love of God, when we speak the truth in love and when we let it permeate our lives, then we will grow in every respect into a mature Christian and into a mature Church!

Ephesians 4:15

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

And as a fitting end to this little article let us always remember these words form our Lord Jesus himself.

John 14:15

If you love me, keep my commands.

Be doers of the Word and not just readers!

James 1:19-25 (NIV) – brackets are mine.

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law (Jesus) that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
I pray right now, dear Lord, that you would help me to embrace and be enveloped in your agape love that I may imitate Jesus in every way. Lead me by your Holy Spirit, I pray, to eagerly desire the spiritual gifts that I may bring glory to your name and be a blessing to your Church. Help me to be a doer of the Word, not just a reader and help me to forgive and love others as you forgave and love me. Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Am I Producing Good Fruit?

 

In Matthew 3:8, Jesus tells us that we; as His individual born-again disciples; must produce fruit that is consistent with our repentance. That is, we must show the world that we are different to what we used to be because Jesus has changed our hearts and we now consciously turn away from sin!

And in Matthew 7 our Lord tells us that people will be known by the fruit that they bear.

Matthew 7:15-20 (NLT) – brackets are mine

15 “Beware of false prophets (and false Christians) who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

The Lord tells us that people are known by the fruit that they bear which is our actions. Bad people produce bad fruit and good people produce good fruit.

Now here’s the rub, anything a person produces, good or bad, is worthless outside of Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 64:6 (NLT)

We are all infected and impure with sin.

When we display our righteous deeds,

they are nothing but filthy rags.

Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,

and our sins sweep us away like the wind.

This is why Christians are supposed to produce good fruit that is produced from a repentant heart, a heart that now has Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and a heart that is now led by the Holy Spirit!

But what is the fruit that a born-again Christian should bear?

Let’s work this out together by following what the Bible tells us.

God in all His fulness as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is love.

1 John 4:8 (AMP)

The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.]

God’s love cannot and will not end, His love lasts forever!

Psalm 136:1 (NIV)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

His love endures forever.

The everlasting love of God is the central theme right throughout this Psalm.

When we, as His children, live in His love, He lives in us! When we abide, when we live, in His love we become Jesus to the world – to unbelievers!

1 John 4:16-17

16 We have come to know [by personal observation and experience], and have believed [with deep, consistent faith] the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides continually in him. 17 In this [union and fellowship with Him], love is completed and perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him]; because as He is, so are we in this world.

Whenever the New Testament writers are referring to God’s love, they use the Greek word ‘agapē’ – pronounced ‘ag-ah-pay’ which, when expanded to its full meaning, is translated in English as ‘a love that is unconditional, benevolent, charitable and freely given, it does not expect anything in return’ – we don’t have to do anything to earn it or give anything in return for it, we just need to receive it.

And as we receive God’s agapē love, so it is our duty as God’s children to show His love to others in all we do and in our service to Him.

This will bring glory to the name of Jesus! If we don’t have God’s love, then we don’t know God!

So, how does this help us in knowing if we are producing fruit or not?

I believe the Apostle Paul reveals the answer to this in his letter to the Church in Galatia!

Galatians 5:22-26 (AMP)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.

25 If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. 26 We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another.

Now, it should be no surprise to us then that the first word used by Paul when he gives us the nine facets of the fruit of the Spirit, is love and the Greek word for love here is the agapē love of God the same word for love used in 1 John 4:8 above – God is love!

Do you see now that the fruit that every Christian should be bearing is the fruit of the Spirit. Everything we do should be done out of His love which embraces the nine facets of the Fruit of the Spirit!

1 Corinthians 16:14 (AMP)

Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us].

This is why Paul tells us in Romans 8 that the only way we, as born-again Christians, should live is by living life in the Spirit. If we are not living life in the Spirit, then it is impossible for us to produce the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit that is in keeping with our true repentance.

This is why Jesus tells us that He will send us the Holy Spirit to lead us in all truth!

John 14:26 (AMP)

But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.

When the fruit of the Spirit is manifest in us and through us in the power of the Holy Spirit, we are fully equipped to do the good works that God predestined us to do and even greater works than Jesus and thus in all we do we will bear good fruit!

John 14:12 (AMP)

I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Saviour] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father.

Prayer:
Lord I pray that you would continually fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may continually produce good fruit that is consistent with repentance in Christ Jesus. Help me Lord to remember that it is no longer I that lives but Christ who lives in me so that I may do everything in His love and bring glory to His name. Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

The Peace of Jesus

 

Dear Readers

I think that most of you, if not all, would agree with me when I say that we are living in turbulent times. I don’t have to explain to you what I mean because you can just go to any newspaper or turn on any News channel and you will be inundated with the most tragic stories and pictures of man’s inhumanity to man, natural disasters, environmental disasters, greenhouse gases and the lascivious lives of most of the so called ‘celebrities.’

For as long as I can remember people have been longing for peace! Peace from war and fighting, family feuds, feuds with neighbours, etc, etc. We all want peace yet in the world there is no peace and nor will there be!

Peace, peace yet there is no peace, these words have reverberated across the centuries from the times of the Old Testament prophets, Ezekiel and Jeremiah and they are still echoing in our ears today in just about every language in today’s world!

So, my dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, you will be pleased to know that the turmoil we find ourselves in today has not taken God by surprise. He has the big picture! He not only knows the beginning, but he knows the end as well – He is the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end!

He has given us all the good news we will ever need, and his name is Jesus, His one and only begotten son! Hallelujah!

So, as Christians, where do we find peace in this messed-up world and in our messed-up countries?

What does Jesus say?

In John 14:27, the verse in the picture above, Jesus gives us two very emphatic commands:

DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED

And

DO NOT BE AFRAID

We need to take a firm grip on these instructions and write them indelibly in our minds and our hearts. Let’s keep reminding ourselves that in Jesus we are overcomers of the world!

He also says that we can expect trouble, so don’t be surprised!

John 16:33 (AMP)

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

When we are in Christ Jesus, we have victory over the world because He overcame the world on the cross at Calvary. He overcame sin and death and was resurrected so that we can be overcomers too once we have accepted Him as our Lord and Saviour and have given our lives over to Him to manage by the power of the Holy Spirit!

As born-again Christians we belong to Jesus, we become co-heirs with Him in everything that God has for us as His beloved Children – but in order to appropriate this privilege we must be led by His Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:14-17 (NIV)

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP)

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

So, we will share in Christ’s suffering but, we will also share in his glory! Amen! God gave us of His Spirit, a spirit of POWER of LOVE and a SOUND MIND!

But we need to be obedient children! If the Bible tells us not to do something’ then don’t do it! If the Bible tells us to do something, then we’d better do it! So, what are you worrying about?

Matthew 6:25, 34 (NIV)

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So, brothers and sisters, be obedient and don’t worry but do pray and give thanks for everything – even for your difficult times for it is in hardship that we learn many godly things!

Phillipians 4:6-7 (AMP)

6 Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. 7 And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].

Roman 5:1-5 (NIV)

5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

So, in Christ Jesus we have peace with God, and this is the peace that the world does not understand – it is the peace that sees us through all the trials and tribulations that we have in life!

But we have a part to play in attaining this peace once we are born-again, we must believe in Jesus and the teachings of the Bible! We must trust in Jesus and the teachings of the Bible! We must have faith in Jesus and the teachings of the Bible! We must be filled with His Holy Spirit and be led by Him always and in everything we do! We must be doers of the Word and not just readers! When we do this, we are pleasing to God.

Romans 14:17-18 (NIV)

17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

Our righteousness, peace and joy in today’s world can only come through a relationship with Jesus. Our peace can only come by being obedient to Him and the Bible (Old and New Testaments) for the Bible is Jesus. Our peace can only come by being filled with His Holy Spirit and by living life in the Spirit.

John 1:14 (NIV)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Ephesians 5:17-21 (AMP)

17 Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is wickedness (corruption, stupidity), but be filled with the [Holy] Spirit and constantly guided by Him. 19 Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [offering praise by] singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21 being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Brothers and sisters, we are charged to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This is our responsibility, not the responsibility of our leaders, our pastors and elders and other in Church leadership, or they must do the same for their lives.

Let’s make sure we play our part as Jesus commands!

Philippians 2:12-13 (AMP)

12 So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. 13 For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.

You are not your own, you belong to Jesus, we are His Bride, His Church!

Acts 17:28 (AMP)

For in Him we live and move and exist [that is, in Him we actually have our being], as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

God keeps those that are whole heartedly His in Christ Jesus, in perfect peace!

Isaiah 26:3 (AMP)

“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character],

Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
I pray this day that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit and keep on filling me so that I may overcome the things that come against me in this world and not become bogged down by worry and anxiety. Help me to be obedient to your Word in every way and do your bidding in accordance with your will for myself. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Last updated: 11 November 2022

The Importance of Fellowship With The Holy Spirit

The above verse (2 Cor 13:14) is how the apostle Paul closes his second letter to the Church in Corinth. He pronounces this blessing over them and in modern day terms many in today’s Church call it the benediction and many of today’s teachers and preachers use the verse as a way of blessing their congregations on closing their sermons or messages and sadly it has become to many, just a ritualistic way of closing a message.

When I look at this verse, I see something more than just a closing benediction or blessing on a congregation. I see Paul showing and telling us all, each and every one of us, just how important it is for each and every born-again Christian to receive and acknowledge the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as the only governing power over our lives. We have the grace of Jesus our Lord and Saviour, we have the agapē (unconditional) love of God and we have the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. This verse is not a closing statement, it is the beginning of true Christian fellowship!

It is only in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit that we, the Church, will be covered in and filled with the grace of our Lord Jesus and the unconditional love of God so that we can be conformed to the image of Christ and do the works that He has predestined us to do! We are overcomers of the world in Christ Jesus.

Jesus tells us that He has much more to say to us and He does this through the Holy Spirit.

John 16:12-15 (NIV)

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Here again we see the Holy Trinity working in complete and total unity for the benefit of the Church, you and me! All that the Father has belongs to Jesus to and Jesus will tell us all what we need to know in the Father’s will for our lives through the Holy Spirit!

This is why every born-again Christian should actively pursue fellowship with the Holy Spirit, because when we are in fellowship with the Holy Spirit we are also, at the same time, in fellowship with the Father and the Son.

Why is it important for us to actively seek and pursue fellowship with the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit through Jesus knows the deep things of God and He will lead us in all truth. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and saviour it is our spirit; the spirit that God places in each one of us; that is born-again and thus, we are able to receive what is from the Spirit of God.

1 Cor 2:10a-16

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord

so as to instruct him?”[Is 40:13]

But we have the mind of Christ.

Galatians 4:6

Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."

We will be unable to receive anything from God if we are not in fellowship with the Holy Spirit!

If we have a look at the Greek word for ‘fellowship’ in the New Testament which is ‘koinonia’ we get a far better picture of what it means. 

Strong’s 2842: We see that ‘koinonia’ is a spiritual partnership with the Holy Spirit and one that requires our active participation, and in this way, we are able to share the spiritual things that the Father would have us know in our walk with Christ day by day. A walk that will build His Church in the unity of the saints in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Our fellowship with the Holy Spirit leads us into an ever increasing, intimate relationship with Jesus and enables us to be more and more conformed to His image!

Fellowship in this sense is not just the saints gathering together to socialise, Biblical fellowship is about the Church gathering in unity to seek intimacy with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, sharing the Word and praying together and actively participating in the things of the Spirit, the fruit, the gifts, each of us living life in the Spirit as God intended! Becoming a true family that cares about each other, putting the needs of others before our own.

Acts 2:42 (NIV)

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

How do we fellowship with the Holy Spirit?

What does the Bible say about fellowship with the Holy Spirit?

2 Corinthians 13:14

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Philippians 2:1 (NLT)

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?

In the above two scriptures the writer, Paul in both cases, gives us a very clear picture of what fellowship with the Holy Spirit is. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit is:

• Having the grace of Jesus in us.

• Having the love of God in us.

• Belonging to Jesus.

• Being comforted from His love’

• Being tenderhearted towards others.

• Being compassionate towards others.

In other words, it is being imitators of Christ in every way! Be in constant fellowship with the Holy Spirit just as he was.

In Philippians 2 Paul goes on to say this:

Philippians 2:2-5 (NLT)

2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

When each of us are in true fellowship with the Holy Spirit, according to the above scriptures, the following transformation will take place in the Church:

• The Church will be complete and wholehearted agreement – verse 2

• We will love one another as Christ loves us – verse 2

• We will be working together in unity – verse 2

• There will be no selfishness – verse 3

• There will be no need to impress each other – verse 3

• We will be truly humble as Jesus is – verse 3

• We will not consider ourselves better than others – verse 3

• We will be thinking of others before ourselves – verse 4

• We will develop the same attitude as Christ – verse 5

And what was Christ’s attitude:

Philippians 2:6-11 (NLT)

6 Though he was God,

he did not think of equality with God

as something to cling to.

7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;

he took the humble position of a slave

and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,

8 he humbled himself in obedience to God

and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor

and gave him the name above all other names,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Being humble before the Lord, having a contrite and teachable spirit, being doers of the Word and not just readers.

Love and fellowship of the Holy Spirit

These two actions go hand in hand. When we love others as Christ loves us, we are in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 14:1 to follow the way of love (agape) and eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit. When we do this and when we step out in faith and start moving in the gifts of the Spirit, we are in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

When we are moving and operating in the gifts of the Spirit and when we are in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit then we are living life in the Spirit!

The spiritual dynamic in this combination can thus be expressed as this formula:

Love (agape) + gifts of the Spirit + fellowship of the Spirit = living life in the Spirit

This is the kind of life the Jesus expects for his Church, his Bride! The best life, the only life!

1 John 4:8, 13-16 (NIV)

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are in constant fellowship with one another and when we are in Jesus and in the Spirit, we too are in fellowship with them!

John 3:34 (NIV)

For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

Practical fellowship with the Holy Spirit

1. Break bread together (share a meal) – communion

Focus on Jesus and give thanks with a grateful heart.

1 Corinthians 11:24-25 (NIV)

25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

2. Soak in the presence of God.

Psalm 16:11 (NLT)

You will show me the way of life,

granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever.

God releases power in us through the Holy Spirit when we are in close and intimate fellowship with him.

3. Pray in the Spirit – Worshipping in Spirit and in truth

Let your heart and your spirit become one as you pray and worship in the Spirit.

Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

John 4:24 (NIV)

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

4. Meditate on the Bible and be doers of the Word

Soak up the Word as often as you can, but don’t be readers of the Word only, be doers of the Word as well.

Psalm 119:15-16 NIV)

I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.

16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

James 1:22 (NLT)

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

5. Keep in fellowship with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ

Make a point of attending Sunday worship celebrations and mid-week Home Group meetings. Let it become a joy and not a drudge! Gather together as often as you can. Attend gatherings with a true heart of wanting to give and you will receive. This is one on God's spiritual dynamics for His chidlren!

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)

24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Romans 15:13 (NIV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

6. Let your faith and belief in Jesus rise up from within - be bold.

Don’t just believe in God but BELIEVE GOD! Be prepared to step out of your comfort zone and – conquer fear and unbelief and move in the gifts of the Spirit. Be willing to serve others.

Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Mark 10:45 (NIV)

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

7. Submit to those in authority over you and one to another out of reverence for Christ

Be a true servant to the body of Christ just as Jesus is.

Hebrews 13:17 (NLT)

Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

Ephesians 5:21 (NIV)

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

8. Don’t give up!

Be sure of your calling and don’t give up!

Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

God has given us everything we need to live life in the Spirit!

2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV)

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

When we are born-again and living life in the Spirit, we will be able to do the same things Jesus did:

Mark 16:17-18 (NIV)

17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.

Matthew 10:8 (NIV)

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!

John 14:12-14 (NIV)

12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven
I thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Lord I pray that you would teach me your ways and continually fill me with your Holy Spirit and conform me to Christ’s image day by day. Help me, Lord, to daily seek fellowship with your Holy Spirit that I may be a blessing to others. I ask this in the name of Jesus, my Lord and Saviour. Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus, the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

Last updated: 26 December 2022

How Do We Combat Satan?

How do we fight the good fight of faith in Christ Jesus?

So, just who is the enemy of Christians and indeed all mankind and how can we fight someone we can’t see?

The Bible tells us that our enemy is of course Satan or the Devil, the two names by which he is most commonly known. He is the one who deceived Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He enticed them to disobey God and thus sin entered the World and caused the fall of mankind. And because Satan did this God put enmity between him and man.

Genesis 1:14-15

14 The Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

You are cursed more than all the cattle,

And more than any animal of the field;

On your belly you shall go,

And dust you shall eat

All the days of your life.

15 “And I will put enmity (open hostility)

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed (offspring) and her Seed;

He shall [fatally] bruise your head,

And you shall [only] bruise His heel.”

When we examine the above two verses, we see that verse 14 is purely a physical curse and verse 15 is a spiritual curse.

Let me try and explain this in this way, because Satan was not created as human or animal, he is a spiritual being and thus he cannot be seen by the human eye. The only way Satan could get himself to be seen by Eve was to take possession of a physical body and in this instance, he chose the snake’s body.

He was unable to take possession of either Adam or Eve’s body as they had not yet sinned. Satan can only take possession of a human through sin and animals have no spirit or soul as human beings do, so Satan was able to enter and take possession of the snake and communicate through it. We have an example of God doing this with Balaam’s donkey in the Old Testament, but that story is for another time!

Up to this time we can safely assume that the snake was able to stand upright because God, the creator of all life, commanded that from that time on the snake would slither on its belly in the dust, thus indicating that the snake didn’t previously do that!

And to Satan God decreed that he and man would be enemies for all time!

Now here is where things get really interesting!

God says in verse 15 that the enmity would be between Satan’s seed (offspring) and Eve’s Seed.

There is a subtle nuance in this verse in that Satan’s seed has a lower case ‘s’ in seed and Eve’s seed has an upper case ‘S’ in seed.

Satan’s seed therefore, because he is unable to create, are those that deny God and are in disobedience to Him and are thus His enemies as Satan himself is.

Eve’s Seed refers to Jesus and ultimately all those that believe in Him, the Church! Many consider this verse the protevangelium (protoevangelium is a compound of two Greek words, protos meaning "first" and evangelion meaning "good news" or "gospel")., the first announcement of the gospel. This is the first prophecy about the Messiah (Christ), who through His death on the cross and resurrection would ultimately defeat Satan, the power behind the serpent and indeed all evil that men do!

In Luke 3 we are given Jesus’ lineage through his mother Mary, which goes right back to Adam and thus substantiates the first half of Genesis 3:15,

“And I will put enmity (open hostility)

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed (offspring) and her Seed;”

In Romans 16, Paul corroborates the second half of Genesis 3:15:

He shall [fatally] bruise your head,

And you shall [only] bruise His heel.”

With this:

Romans 16:20 (NIV)

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

And this in Galatians:

Galatians 4:4-5 (NIV)

4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

And in the book of Revelation we are told this:

Revelation 12:17 (NIV) – brackets are mine

Then the dragon (Satan the serpent) was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus (His Church).

Okay, now the scene has been set, let’s get back to our topic of, “How do we Combat Satan?”

To start we must become born-again. We must accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, repent of our sin and be baptised, and follow Him in the power of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to the Word of God, the teachings of the Bible. Not the fanciful teachings of man but the teachings of the Bible. Jesus Christ and Him crucified!

John 3:3 (NIV)

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.

Acts 2:38 (NIV)

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

There are a number of extremely comforting scriptures that we all know, yet I think that even though we know them, we don’t let them permeate our hearts, our minds and our very being, we really do need to appropriate them. Jesus has already defeated Satan and He has given us of His authority!

Some of these scriptures are:

Luke 9:1-2 (NIV)

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Luke 10:18-19 (NIV)

18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

John 16:33 (NIV)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

James 4:7 (NIV)

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

So, you see that we have an already defeated foe, but only when we have Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, are fully repentant and living a holy and righteous life in Christ Jesus in full compliance to God’s Word.

We are in the world yet not of the world. We must contend with the ruler of this world, Satan, and as the scripture says, as Christ has overcome, so in Him we can too! Our fight is not against any man, government or organisation, our fight is a spiritual one.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT)

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

The above verses gives us a good solid foundation in our ‘spiritual war’ with Satan.

We, as Christians, are called out of the World even though we still live in it and anyone who is still a friend of the World is an enemy of God. Don't get involved with the things that the world does, don't bring worldly things into the Church. You have been set apart, called out of the world!

James 4:4 (NIV)

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

How are we spiritually fed and equipped for our spiritual war?

Just like any natural army we need to be well fed (like the adage, an army marches on its stomach) and we need to be well equipped.

But our feeding and equipping is not of this world, so what is it? Let’s take a look at these scriptures first:

Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

So, my fellow brothers in arms, how are we fed?

That’s right, you got it! The Word of God, the Bread of Life! How did our Lord Jesus rebuke the devil and resist temptation in the wilderness? By quoting the Word!

Jesus is the Word – the Word is Jesus. 

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH AND EVERY BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN TO KNOW, UNDERSTAND AND BE OBEDIENT TO THE WORD OF GOD!

John 1:1-5 (NIV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The more you study the Word, the closer you’ll get to Jesus – the closer you get to Jesus the more you will understand the Word.

John 6:51

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Ephesians 5:18 (NLT)

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

So, just to re-cap, how we are fed:

• By having a personal relationship with Jesus – being born again.

• By studying, understanding and knowing the Word of God.

• By speaking the Word of God.

• By being filled with the Holy Spirit and being led by Him.

Now, how do we equip ourselves for the battle against Satan?

All the above, naturally! Plus, and most importantly:

Put on the full armour of God

This is a key passage of scripture that is essential for all born again believers to know and implement in order to be a relevant an effective spiritual warrior in the Kingdom of God. It is important for us to examine the verses in some detail.

In his writing of these verses, I think we need understand that Paul would have been very familiar with the Roman soldier dressed in full battle armour, after all he was escorted by Roman soldiers on more than a few occasions. He also knew that no Roman soldier would ever dream of going into battle without putting on his full battle armour. The Roman soldier was probably the best protected soldier of the time, and his armour was designed to be effective against most enemy weapons of the time.

It was probably the Roman soldier that Paul had in mind when he was describing the Armour of God as it would have been very identifiable for his readers at that time.

Ephesians 6:10-18 Full Armour of God

Verses 10-13
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

In these four verses Paul is giving us a pre-battle pep talk. He knows what battles we’re going to face in our daily walk because he’s been there and done it. He’s been whipped, stoned, imprisoned, left for dead, bitten by a poisonous snake and for good measure, whipped some more. He knows we’re facing a spiritual battle and he tells us to be prepared and make sure that we clothe ourselves in God’s protection – the Armour of God. When we do this, we will be able to stand firm and strong in the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit. We will then be fully equipped to overcome the enemy in Christ Jesus!

Verse 14
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

On a Roman soldier it is the belt that holds the other pieces of body armour in place, and it is on the belt that the sword is hung. When a Roman soldier had finished putting on his body armour he would gird his loins with a belt as described above. This meant that he was now ready for service and to go into battle. So what Paul is saying here is that we need to gird ourselves to do battle with the belt of truth which is our integrity and right standing in Christ Jesus and our walking in the Spirit.

The breastplate of a soldier’s armour does as it says it covers the breast, the area between the waist and the shoulders. It protects the soldier’s vital organs and most significantly it protects the heart.

For the soldier of the flesh the breastplate is made of iron. For us, the spiritual soldier, our breastplate is made of our righteousness in Christ Jesus (stronger than anything else), our righteousness protects our hearts and minds from the attack of the evil one! We all know that the Devil constantly attacks our hearts and minds with lies, accusations and reminders of our past sin. If we do not clothe ourselves with the breastplate of righteousness the Devil’s lying arrows will penetrate our hearts and render us null and void. Be aware of who you are in Christ Jesus and come boldly into His presence and he will fill you with his Holy Spirit who will cement your righteousness in Christ Jesus (Hebrews 4:16). Don’t try and take on the enemy without first praying and then being led by the Holy Spirit with all your armour on!

Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Verse 15
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Now, keeping the Roman soldier in mind, what did he wear of his feet when marching and going into battle? He wore heavy duty, hobnailed boots called Caligae – no Roman soldier marched or went into battle without them! They were the strongest footwear going at the time.

For the battle shoes of the Church, the spiritual soldier, we need to put on the peace that comes from the Good News of the Gospel in Christ Jesus so that you will be fully prepared. Our spiritual shoes (our peace in Christ Jesus) allow us to step freely and without fear while we turn our full attention to the battle at hand. They aid in our movement and defence. The peace God gives us will propel us onward to proclaim the true peace, which is available only in Christ Jesus. The peace that surpasses all understanding. We need to prepare ourselves to follow the Lord no matter what.

Verse 16
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

The shield not only defends the Roman soldier’s whole body but also His armour. The shield of faith has a very specific function, which the Bible makes abundantly clear: it will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Not some, not most but all of them. The shield moves with the attack no matter what direction it is coming from. This is the kind of faith that Moses had when he confronted Pharaoh to let Israel go. It is the kind of faith that Elijah had when he confronted the prophets of Baal, the faith David had when he fought Goliath, the kind of faith Jesus has and that he gives to us today through the Holy Spirit! 

Hebrews 11:6

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Verse 17
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Roman soldier’s helmet was made of iron and was strong enough to withstand a number of hefty sword or spiked battle club blows. It covered the whole head and the back of the neck with just slits for the eyes and for the mouth. It even had an iron pieces to protect the bridge of the nose and the cheeks.

Satan's favourite target is our mind. We have often heard that our minds are the devil’s playground. Satan's weapons are lies and false accusations. The enemy wants to make us doubt God and our salvation. The helmet of salvation protects our minds from doubting the truth of God's saving work in us. 

1 Thessalonians 5:8

"Since we belong to the day, we must be serious and put the armour of faith and love on our chests and put on the Helmet of the Hope of Salvation" 

The Roman soldier’s sword was light and short and ideal for hand-to-hand combat where short, stabbing motions were required. It was not only a weapon of offense but was also ideal for defence as well.

The believer, as a spiritual soldier, always needs to be prepared to go head to head and toe to toe with the devil.

The sword of the Spirit – the Bible, the Word of God, is not only a weapon of offense in the armour, but also a tool for defence. Strongholds, arguments and thoughts are all weapons the enemy uses against us. With the Sword of the Spirit, God's word, the Church is equipped to deal with them all. We need to trust in the truth of God's Word. Have confidence in the value of God's word and develop a hunger and desire to know it and study it.

When Jesus went head to head with the devil in the desert – Mattew 41:11 – he used the Word to defeat him and resist temptation - "IT IS WRITTEN". We need to be prepared to battle the enemy in the same way. By the Word of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Verse 18
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

And last but not by any means least, prayer! Every believer and the Church corporately, need to be constantly in prayer. Praying in the Spirit and praying in our understanding. Praying the Word into our lives and into the lives of others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, Eph 6:12, and so we always need to be in the Spirit – walking in the Spirit.

The battle is won in the heavenly realms. Prayer is an integral part of our worship of God – it should never be neglected. Praying in our understanding and praying in the Spirit always!

Matt 18:18 (KJV)

Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

• Be sober-minded and watchful – 1 Pe 5:8 (AMP) Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

• Do not make a practice of sinning, be obedient to the Word in every way – 1 Jn 3:8a Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.

• Submit yourself to God in every way - James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

• Give the devil no opportunity in your life – Eph 4:27 And give no opportunity to the devil.

• Practice righteousness in your daily walk with Christ and love your brother – 1 Jn 3:10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

• Be quick to forgive, do not hold unforgiveness in your heart – 2 Co 2:10-11 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

• Take up your authority in Christ Jesus – Lk 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

• Be vigilant - 1 Peter 5:8-9 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

• Pray continually – 1 Thess 5:16-18 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Remember that when you gave your life to Jesus you also became a member of His army. We don’t glorify Satan in any way, but we do need to know him as our enemy so that we can resist him! Your enemy is not your spouse, your boss, your neighbour or any other flesh and blood – your enemy is a spiritual being, who uses his spiritual minions to manipulate flesh and blood! Our battle is won in the spiritual realm – be prayer warriors in Christ Jesus!

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father
I pray that you would help me, Lord, to be ever vigilant and alert so that I can resist the devil as I go about my life. Help me Lord to make time to feed on your word and draw closer to Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. Do not let me forget to rejoice in you always and pray continually and help me to clothe myself in the full armour of God and never take it off that I may being glory to your name. Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus, the name above all names!