My Personal Devotion on How We Ought to Live

(The pictures in this blog are pictures of a phalanx formation.  This formation was one of the most successful military formations.  Perhaps the church could learn a thing or two about this) 

Becoming the Phalanx:



Here is something I long to share with you. It is from scripture and the references are there. In some cases it is my interpretation of the scripture so you can go and see it for yourself according to those references.



                                 
There is a call to action and a call to prayer. I think it is time for the Christians to rise up like never before. To begin to suit up for battle.






BUT Our battle is not against flesh and blood.   




Our weapons are not of this world. Our weapons have divine power. They are able to destroy strongholds, and blow up every argument and everything that pretends to be bigger than God. We are able to control our thoughts and make them line up with the word of God which is Christ. (2 Cor 10:3-5) We need to put on our armor daily, which is the armor of God. We need to be certain of our salvation by guarding our mind with the helmet of our salvation. We need to be certain of our right to stand before God because we are right with God through Christ's sacrifice if we believe it and receive it. We need to KNOW the Word/ the TRUTH which is Jesus Christ "word became flesh" & the way, the "TRUTH" and the life.   We need to be saturated in it and immersed in all that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is. It is our belt of truth. What we believe (truly believe) is our faith. That becomes our shield which will put out the fiery arrows thrown at us by our enemy.

But then we come back at the enemy with the word of God which is the sword. (Eph 6:13-17) Our salvation guards our mind, our righteousness guards our heart and the truth guards our gut or the seat of emotion if we will not act on our feelings but rather measure our feelings according to the word of God.



In Gen 15:6 and Gal 3:6 the scripture says that Abram/Abraham believed the Lord and He credited it to him as righteousness.
How do we know that he believed God, because the scripture writes of his actions being that which the Lord had commanded him to do. That is obedience - appropriate actions that follow a command)

So our righteousness (being able to stand before God rightly) comes through believing God. Do not say you believe God unless you obey Him. If our actions oppose His commands we do not truly believe Him. Eph 2:8 By grace you have been saved, through faith.

Therefore if we choose to believe Him and His word, we must study the word so that the Word of Christ will dwell in us richly Col 3:16
But do not merely study the word or just listen to the word, so that you deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS James 1:22 In other words, don't just listen, DO IT!!!!

The way we will be able to do this is not by our own merit, ability or determination. We will be able to do this as we dwell on Him, and invite Him to be Lord of our lives. As we surrender to Him and allow Him into our lives we will grow in LOVE for Him and the Love will enable us to obey Him. It will motivate us. John 14:15 (If you love me, you will obey me)

We purify ourselves by obeying the truth and that enables us to love others deeply, and as we crave spiritual milk we will grow up into our salvation. 1 Peter 1:22 - 2:2

But as we reveal our love and devotion to one another in the body of Christ, ALL the world will know we are His disciples John 13:35

You see in Christ the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Eph 2:21-22

So once we are maturing in our salvation, being fully convinced by His word we then need to GO and make disciples of every nation, immersing THEM in all that GOD is as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We need to teach them to also obey His commands. Matthew 29:19-20

You see I believe we are to daily choose to dress in the armor, to love one another in the body.  Our shields are to lock together as we stand arm in arm.  We go to battle in the spiritual realm together.  Many will be able to seek refuge and heal in the safety of our temple that Christ is building up.  But people: we have to choose to get on our armor every day.  We have to choose to walk in unity with the WHOLE body.  A house divide will not stand.  The church is SO divided that it cannot stand against the real enemy for warring within its self.  We need to recognize the tactic the enemy has used on us all and stop allowing him to do it.  We need to wake up, wise up and become the sanctuary we are intended to be for the weary soldiers that are on the front line.  They are our missionaries, pastors, pastors wives and children.  They are our teachers, the person that sits beside you on the pew.  The person who cannot even bring themselves to the physical church.   They are the hard working single parents trying to keep their heads above water.  And yes it is you or me sometimes.  We need to allow Christ to join us together as He intended and stand once and for all against the REAL enemy.  The destroyer.   The one that comes to steal, kill and destroy.  The one that hates us deeply.

I can just see those weary sojourners seeking a place of rest and healing under the umbrella of those shields of faith.  As each of us warriors stand over the weak and fallen.  Providing them an opportunity to be strengthened.  And remember when they seek this sanctuary, not to be turning on them and piercing them with your own sword.  Let's become the healing place for the weary.