April 11 Thought for the day...an example of real spiritual warfare

There are so many times when I am threatened with some kind of battle or warfare (mostly spiritual) and I have to decide how am I going to fight this thing. Too often my first response is fleshly but when we compare to what God can do it does seem pitiful. I know this might not make sense but let's look at something Jesus said.

"Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?" Matthew 26:53

Peter in his attempt to defend and protect Jesus pulled a sword on Malchus and an army of 300-600 trained soldiers. How ridiculous was such an attempt in light of Jesus words, let me explain.

Jesus said the Father would send more than twelve legions of angels if He wanted. Jesus used "legions" because he knew everyone would understand. A legion was 6000 men. At a minimum, Jesus was saying God was willing to send at least 72,000 angels to Jesus' aid. Alone that was a significant force against any opposing army and would easily defeat 300-600 soldiers in the garden or anywhere.

Angels are much more powerful than mankind. We are told in Isaiah 37:36 that one lone angel defeated 185,000 soldiers. So if one angel could easily defeat 185,000 men 12 legions (at a minimum) would be able to defeat nearly twice the human population on the earth today (13B+).

Two things are very important for us to realize. First: No one forced Jesus to go to the cross. He had potentially a 44,400:1 ratio angels to humans, He chose to be ridiculed, tortured, and die for us. Two: Peter's attempt with the sword was an excellent example of the way we move in the flesh versus the power we have at our disposal by moving in the Spirit.

It is so pitiful for us to try to win our battles in our own strength. The devil is not an equal with God, he is merely a fallen angel who desires worship. We waste so must time struggling, by trying to accomplish our things through our own strength, when all power and all authority are in Christ.

When you are in a battle the next time, remember this verse. Remember who you are in Christ and whose you are! It is time, that we showed the world who Jesus really is and exposed the devil for who he is. Be the overcomer you have been called to be. Don't fight according to the flesh but war according to the Spirit!

December 6 - Thought for the day....winning battles

Every day we are in a battle. Some it begins with simply fighting to get out of bed. Others a battle to get motivated. For others it can be a series of personal attacks that happen against their nature and/or character throughout the day. We all end up in some kind of battle. Our battles could be internal or external but we will face something today.

Paul gives us a list of the armor of God and in his mention of these armaments he says this.

"above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one."

Paul tells us to "take" the shield which is to say, we always have a choice to pick up faith and run with it, not in our own strength but His through us.

Paul is saying here, let your faith always go ahead of you in the battle. Faith is simply saying, "God I am afraid, I am having doubts, I am struggling" or whatever but then also saying "But God I want to trust you through this, help me!"

We win battles not by our strength, power, wisdom or whatever but instead by His. Pick up your faith today. Be honest with God about your fears and doubts and He will pick you up and get you through it all! You will win every time.