Posts Tagged ‘victory in Christ’
One of the things very much on the heart of this ministry is a concern for the persecuted church. We receive information from several organizations that are involved with caring for the needs of persecuted Christians, and always take time in our services to pray for them.
Many people in the west don’t realize the degree of persecution that is happening to God’s people today. It has been estimated that one in every ten Christians in the world is suffering some degree of persecution because of his/her Christian faith. This can range all the way from discrimination against them in education and employment; to having property destroyed, stolen or confiscated; to being forced from their homes or villages; to imprisonment; to physical attack and death.
Particularly, we have been hearing a great deal in recent months about the persecution against Christians in India, and particularly in the state of Orissa. To read an account from one Indian brother who recently visited the churches in Orissa, go to http://glorytotheking.net/glorymagazine/christmas08/orissa.html
I have enormous admiration for the saints who stand through such things, holding firmly to their faith no matter what. They both encourage and challenge me, and I thank God for their faith and faithfulness.
However, I can’t help feeling that they are missing a very important part of the Gospel. Yes, Jesus made it very clear that those who follow Him would suffer persecution – it is the inevitable result of the clash between the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of God. And yes, the Word makes it clear that we are to love those who persecute us. Unlike those who follow the religions of the world, we cannot rise up in an earthly “holy war” against those who attack us.
At the same time, we do not have to lie down and allow the world, and the gods of the world, to trample all over us. Jesus defeated satan at the cross. He “disarmed principalities and powers” and “made public spectacle of them” (Colossians 2:15Colossians 2:15
English: World English Bible - WEB
15 having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
WP-Bible plugin.) The demonic powers behind those who would attack us have already been defeated. That means that we have the right to rise up and demand that they accept their defeat, and cease their attack. We have the right to require their surrender.
Now I fully understand that the moment when someone has a knife at your child’s throat, or is in the process of pouring petrol over your house and everyone and everything in it, is probably not the best time to begin learning to do warfare at this level. That’s why the persecuted church needs us – the church in the free world, for whom “persecution” is nothing more than a nasty look or a snide remark – to warfare at this level on their behalf. It is not enough for us to pray for them God’s comfort and protection. We need to be declaring God’s victory on their behalf.
If we don’t learn this, the time may quickly come when we are ourselves in the position where they are now.
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This blog is © copyright Lynn Fowler.
English: World English Bible - WEB
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
WP-Bible plugin)in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9Colossians 2:9
English: World English Bible - WEB
9 For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily,
WP-Bible plugin)and Whom God the Father has exalted to the highest place, giving Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11Philippians 2:9-11
English: World English Bible - WEB
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name; 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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Often people ask me, “How do I get into spiritual warfare?” The truth is, if you are a Christian you are in spiritual warfare whether you like it or not. The only choice you have is whether you stand in that battle as a victorious warrior for Christ, or whether you fall helpless and defeated before the enemy.
Before you were saved, you were in the devil’s army, even though you might not have been aware fo it. When you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you defected from the army of satan and joined the army of God. You became an enemy of the devil, and he will attack you in every way he can.
The good news is, Jesus has already won the war at Calvary. The bad news is, the devil does not accept defeat easily!
Though this blog we will explore some of the ways to stand in the victory that is already ours in Christ.