The moment you entered this world, you entered into a battlefield. You must understand that there is a war between good and evil, as we can clearly see when we look at the current condition of this fallen world. Although Satan is defeated, you must still put up resistance against the powers of darkness.
When Satan tried to tempt Jesus Christ, He quoted back to Satan the Word of God (Matthew 4:6). On that note, we must gain wisdom and spiritual understanding to overcome the various challenges and opposition of this world. It is my desire that God will give you a heart of perseverance, as you fight the good fight of faith and follow the teachings of Christ.
There is also a war from within. When temptation comes, the Bible says that people are enticed by their own sinful desires (James 1:14). Temptation is the inclination to sin. As a born-again believer, you must train your spirit to dominate your flesh. This is the spiritual war that rages from within. Let’s look at Galatians 5:17.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Galatians 5:17)
Although many have tried to change the condition of their sin nature, no person can completely change the condition of their heart without first receiving the righteous Seed. The Bible says that the spirit is willing, but the flesh indeed is weak (Matt. 26:41). Therefore, you must become born of the Holy Spirit and apply the Word of God to every area of your life.
Guard Your Heart
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
The Scripture above says to guard your heart with all diligence. Diligence implies that there must be effort and persistence in the life of each believer. So, there should be no room in your mental disposition for being passive. Furthermore, the world is full of many deceptions, and offenses will certainly come.
So, in order to live a victorious life, you must seek the wisdom of God and keep a pure heart. Otherwise, being ignorant of the Word of God can cause your heart to become vulnerable and inclined to sin. You can avoid the slippery slope of sin by inclining your heart to righteousness. As you apply this principle, it becomes easier and easier to live for God. Let’s look at this next powerful Scripture.
I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever, to the very end. (Psalm 110:112)
You Must Fortify Your Mind
For behold, I have made you this day a fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land— Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land. -Jeremiah 1:18 NKJV
Throughout history, forts were setup as military bases to defend cities in the event of an enemy invasion. In the battle between good and evil, too many people are dying before their time. The biggest problem is that they do not have God’s Word abiding in them. The Bible says that he who does not know how to rule his own spirit is like a city without walls (Proverbs 25:28). Walls are good for establishing barriers and lines of defense.
Understand that the enemy is crafty, and Satan is looking for an inroad to destroy your life. In John 10:10, it says that Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Therefore, the way to build walls of defense spiritually, is by applying the brick and mortar of the Word of God.
Know Your Enemy
Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. (2 Corinthians 2:11)
It’s no secret that Satan uses the media to influence the minds of those who are naive to rebel against God. The Bible says that the Word of God is able to make wise the simple (Psalms 19:7). Satan’s plot to destroy mankind has been going on for thousands of years through a process of gradualism. To give you an illustration, if you were to set a frog in hot water, that frog will jump out immediately. But if you sat it in water at room temperature and gradually turn up the heat, the frog will just sit there and eventually die.
Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Many are spiritually blind as a result of sin and the rise of deception. The Bible says that those who walk in darkness do not know where they are going. In Christ, your spiritual eyes become opened. In addition, your spirit is enabled to discern good from evil and truth from error. How? By the power of the Holy Spirit abiding in you, He will guide you into all truth.
As we share in the sufferings of Christ ,the Bible exhorts us to endure hardship like a good soldier. Although the life of a believer is not easy, yet it is rewarding. The good news is that the ultimate victory between good and evil has already been won in Christ. Your role as a believer, is to align your heart and desires to the will of God.