ity. Therefore the attack is aimed , ultimately at the Gospel of grace and the propagation of these truths to the ends of the earth. No won der we get caught up in the cross fire of that very real war between God and the evil one. There are three major areas in which this battle rages. The first is in the heavens above us. Paul gives the devil's title as, "the prince of the power of the air." He is limited in his ability and activities, but all the same he is a powerful creature and has under his command mul titudes of wicked spirits. He in filtrates governments, educational institutions, societies and the hearts and minds of all those who are not believers in Christ Jesus. He exer- j cises a controlling influence over j the affairs of man in this manner. If we would live godly then we can 1, expect to do battle in the heaven- j j ly realm meeting resistence from j these forces of evil. Our Lord who | is our Commander-in-Chief, is able i to give us the victory. The second great theater of this battle is waged in the heart of man. j There is always the flesh lusting ! against the Spirit. The two are con- , trary to each other. The Holy Spirit seeks to implement God's truth in j our lives while the devil seeks to 1| keep us from it. This is the area wherein we overcome doubts and L fears. The lusts, passions and de- I ceptions of our own emotions can be overcome by the Holy Spirit (I John 4:4). The third battleground is the en vironment in which we live. The word ecology has become popu lar today. We see physical as well as moral corruption on every side. There are immoral suggestions, L ideas and intrigue no matter where
Lay hold of these great under girding principles. Do not let your mouth be shut or your heart closed toward each other or toward God. Stay teachable and stay leadable. Discuss the issues in the light of God's Word. Stand together and move forward by the power of the Holy Spirit. Cultivate the promises and contemplate the character of God. Keep in pursuit of the ideal of God Himself and His glory. These principles faithfully applied will keep a group together and heal thy, as we press on for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Life is War What did you expect when you became a Christian? Is there any thing in the Word of God indicat ing that as we live out our Christian lives we can anticipate anything but hardship? While there are those times of great joy yet there is much work to be done as we go on to ward spiritual maturity. We do face many obstacles and barriers. Our lives are confronted with a contin ual war! Paul tells Timothy, "Fight the good fight of faith." He himself tes tifies, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." In II Corinthians 10:3 to 5 we have this battle shown which is not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Our weapons are heaven-sent. Our conflict is against the hosts of darkness. Jesus called Satan "the prince of this world." Paul spoke of him as the spirit that is now working in the children of disobedience. Peter pictures him as a roaring lion going about seek ing whom he may devour. Scripture clearly authenticates the fact of Satanic reality and activ- Page 48
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