Fighting one another's battles ~ Being the church
Beloveds, I had a friend yesterday say, "I just stop trying because they are too mean hearted and their unkindness is not seen by others and I can't fight this battle alone"
I shared with her that she was never alone and that because we have all we need to be Battle Ready, Kelly Martin Balarie has a wonderful book on being battle ready. She shares how we have a defense and those without the right armor and prepared for the fight will fall in the battles.
But its hard to stand alone and go against the flow of "how things have always been". ANd the evil one will use all of his weapons to stop change because he has had a stronghold for so long and it affects so many people that he will not relinquish without a fight.
If you are in the middle of a spiritual battle ~ keep fighting!
Fight with the right armor!
Fight and forgive!
This is all too hard for our flesh to do alone we must be in constant prayer to keep a soft heart and a steadfast spirit.
Satan has a scheme that catches us so off guard and that is wolves in the midst dressed like sheep.
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep. clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Matt 7:15
This causes so much damage because according to Gal 6 ~ the armor of God described for the believer our backs are to be covered by the church being the church. Who's fought is it when another "sheep" stabs a sheep in the back or injuries another sheep? Is it the one that one that wasn't expecting it or the one doing it?
God's word says to beware of wolves in sheep clothing because the church was always intended to be a place of rest and encouragement in the battles, not a place where people make you feel as if there is no room for you or treat you as replaceable. It was put in place by the One that laid His life down to give His disciples Life and community with Him first and then those that love him and followed Him through their obedience.
I strongly believe in the commands and words of God so much that I know that through each command is guiding us to a better place. A place where all are welcomed and we all rejoice in Him because we know His power to overcome any conflict and disunity. A place that looks a lot like heaven on earth.
I have learned that when "sheep" go astray and stay in their sin and rebelliousness that they may just have been wolves in sheep's clothing. Because I know how God goes after me and how He pursues with a relentless love and overwhelming love that ushers me right back to where I need to be when my flesh gets weak and my heart may seem to be getting a little hard.
I say this to point out that believers should not get tired of doing good within the body of Christ. That we have allowed satan to distract us from our real mission by holding captive the church one unfaithful choice after another, leaning on our own understanding when God has given us all we need if we would just seek and find.
The church should be a body of believers acting as a family because they have a strong conviction to follow Jesus and keeping His commands so that the world may see His power to overcome. But instead so many are passively allowing satan take over as they step by step try to build a kingdom of their own.
SO church arise, put your armor on and fight your battles so that others may be encouraged to keep doing good. My sweet friend could use the encouragement.
I truly believe that if the church fought each other's battles, loving others more than ourselves, that the church would be protected from the evil schemes that satan throws our way.
This is me fighting for my beloved sister in Jesus~ She needs to know she is not alone and that someone cares for the church as much as she does. Maybe you need to know your not alone and that you are the church if you believe and you have the choice to fight the right battles the right way, in the power of the Holy Spirit!
Share below what battles you are fighting ~ I would be honored to pray for you as I prayed for her.