On Memorial weekend my hubby and I watched several documentaries on wars that our nation has been involved in. In one scene, we saw actual footage of the aftermath of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and it was heart wrenching to watch this unfold knowing that thousands of lives were lost that day.
When I (selectively) tune into the news I am reminded that as I go about my life each day there are battles being fought to keep us free. Whether overseas, or in our own government.
But the greatest struggles are not being fought in the physical realm but the spiritual. Because, “thibgs that are seen were first created by things unseen.” (Heb. 11:3)
When I first became aware of the spiritual battles raging around us I decided that I had better pick up a weapon and go on the offensive.
For years, as a Christian, I had was totally oblivious/ignorant of the spiritual world around us. Therefore, I was passively going about my daily life while in the midst of a heated battle. I had been aiming at nothing and hitting it every time. Lol!.
I knew I was different now. The second I got born again in Dec. 1996 I had a tangible awareness of meeting the Lord Jesus in the spirit. I knew a change had taken place in my heart that night. After reading my Bible I discovered that Jesus had placed His rigteousness inside of me in exchange for my own unrighteousness. (Romans 3:21-26.) I had a desire to live for Christ and follow Him, but it seemed that I had no ‘fire” power inside of me to do that.
Then a most wonderful thing happened I chose to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit in 2008, and began by faith to speak in tongues and experienced my soul coming alive! (This is separate from water baptism performed by man.)
It wasn’t all at all weird, or evil, or done away with, like my prejudice, through wrong teachings, had led me to believe.
“It” is actually a “He.”
The Holy Spirit, JESUS not in bodily form, baptizing/immersing us in His Spirit. Living waters overflowing!! It’s a beautiful experience. A revelation of the new life GLOWING inside and born of LOVE for all who will believe and ask.
I now had access to the knowledge and power of God working in me.
By reading my Bible and letting Jesus disciple/train me in His word, I began to run after Jesus with excitement building each day.
In regards to the spiritual battles around us, I had been told very little in the church I grew up in. Now, I realize that we are all just walking in the light that we have. The denomination that I grew up in were well meaning and God loving people (and I thank God for ALL my brother’s and sisters in Christ), but we were just following the same teachings year after year, and generation after generation. And in ignorance excluding certain Biblical truths for us today, such as the baptism of the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Nevertheless, by studying the word of God, and along with hearing many testimonies, I was convinced that God wants all of his children to have the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and speak in tongues. I humbled myself and allowed the Lord to open up my “spiritual” eyes to the things “unseen” in His word and working around us.
A large portion of the body of Christ are preaching a limited version of salvation. They don’t believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the sense that “the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is living in us”- not out there somewhere. Nor do many churches agree/allow/teach about the power/knowledge available to us thru speaking in tongues, so they cannot not teach about Someone they didn’t know. Again, in my own experience these were good people, who had allowed the traditions and doctrines of men to quench the Holy Spirit “and limit the Holy One of Israel.” (Psalms 78:41.)
We had weapons at our disposal that we are unaware of and inadequately prepared for the assaults. So in a sense, it was like experiencing the likes of Pearl Harbor every day. Caught completely unaware of demonic “sneak attacks” bombarding us 24 hours a day.
Whether I was engaged in verbal arguments, substance abuse, or emotional distress, it was a losing battle. Oh I was fighting all right. With my husband, family, finances, sickness, depression, addictions, emotions.
And all the propaganda I was being supplied with through worldly wisdom produced no lasting effects. No permanent solutions.
But I found out that God’s unconditional love is the most powerful weapon we have. When a person chooses to become a child of God in Christ Jesus AND then chooses to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You can be immersed in this tangible knowledge of His love and the the power of His might.
With a better understanding of some truths, I immediately went into training to redirect my thought process and realign my thinking with God’s word. Within a very short time, I was healed of MS, delivered from a 20 year drug addiction and 32 year cigarette addiction. The testimonies of physical and emotional healing from soul bruises and many other things are too many to list here.
We are constantly under attack. Hand granade of offenses come flying our directions all day. Round after round of persecutions. Some folks are pinned down with various diseases- mental and physical.
But when we are weak in Christ- He is strong in us. We have to be able to draw upon His power to actively fight against (resist) the devil. And being weak in Christ does not mean we are helpless, it just mean’s we have not humbled ourselves to allow God’s word to rise up inside of us and arm ourselves with the truth! We still think we are puny little beings waiting for the day we go to heaven and then all of this will take place.
Brothers and sisters, we will not need the power of God working in us in heaven- there is no opposing forces trying to destroy us there, we need/have all the powers of heaven working on our behalf here…. if only we will choose to believe and act on our beliefs.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [a]wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [b]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints …” Eph. 6:10-20.
So we (children of God) have the answer- the love of Jesus and all the power of the heavenly gifts flowing through us to fight for people and see them walk in the freedom that Christ died and rose again in victory to make available to us who will believe.
The enemy is not all powerful … WE ARE … more than conquerors in Christ Jesus who loves us. Romans 8:37.
(All scripture taken from NKJV)
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
