“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”
Matthew 11:12 NKJV
I have been talking to many people in the faith, and it seems like there have been forms of blockages, trials and heightened warfare as of recently.. but honestly when isn’t there…
Sometimes, I think we tend to forget that we are in a war. The enemy hates our guts because the Lord loves us and so the moment we said yes to the Lord, we became His soldiers. Enlisted for His purpose!
“No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”
II Timothy 2:4 NKJV
The enemy’s only tactic is to try and get us in our flesh. He wants us to be so focused on ourselves that our prayer lives selfish, we forget about our assignment, and most importantly our gaze is off of Him. This is why the scripture above reminds us, that as we are in this war for souls, we must ensure that we do not get entangled in the cares of this life. As we pray in faith and not amiss for the Lord’s will to be done, we must understand that it is so much bigger than us. There are souls attached to our lives, obedience and prayer life.
Yes! Jesus paid it all, but as He calls us to higher levels in Him.. the enemy is going to come for you. Now our focus is not on what the enemy is doing, but as we continue to behold our beloved and what He is up to, the enemy is going to try his hardest to steal our gaze. I say all this to encourage us to pray, intercede, and stop letting the enemy beat us over the head when Jesus already won the victory! May the increase of warfare push us into deeper levels of knowing Him. May it force us into prayer for our unsaved ones. May we begin to truly walk in our identity as children of God! As we behold Him, it is my prayer that the Holy Spirit would arrest us into new levels of prayer for His glory.
May we stop complaining about how hard it has been, and start meditating on how good God is! It is an honor to be enlisted into this war! He has set us free and now He desires us to freely give as He has given. He has called us to be His hands and feet. To go out into the harvest and labor for His namesake! Knowing this should encourage to go harder for the Lord and for His kingdom, not out of striving or trying to do it in our own strength, but from a place of carrying the Father’s heart, to see people reconciled unto Him. His yoke is easy, and His burden His light, and He graces us to take part in this war for His glory!
Until the day that we go on home to be with the Lord, there will be troubles, but take heart… for He has overcome the world!
“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 wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of 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—”
Ephesians 6:10–18 NKJV