We are in a Battle

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 tells us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” (The Holy Bible:English Standard Version, 2016) 

There is a war we are involved in.  We cannot ignore it, and we cannot fight through our own strength.  God gives us His Spirit and His resources which are enough to overcome.  “A fortress or stronghold is a mind-set that holds you hostage.  It makes you believe that you are hopelessly locked in a situation, that you are powerless to change.” (Evans, 1998)  The devil does not want you to realize that God has already won the war, and He enables us to win the remaining battles.  This requires dependence on God.

“See, you are not responsible for every thought that flashes into your mind. ... But you are responsible for what you do with it once it is there.  Our job is to recognize and dismiss evil thoughts.” (Evans, 1998)  What types of thoughts does Satan use against you?  Does he say you have no value?  You can’t do what God has laid on your heart to do?  You can’t gain victory over sin in your life?  What you are doing isn’t really sin even though the Bible says it is?  Change in another’s heart is not possible?  Someone is beyond hope?  There is no hope for change in your life?  You have to earn His love?  God will not take care of you?  You have to solve problems all by yourself?  No one cares?  God cannot provide someone to help with the work that needs to be done?  Our battles are not identical, but they are shared by many.  We need to know the truth found in God’s Word and apply it to our lives.  We need to claim His promises and know that we are His beloved child.  Grace is freely given and available to us and others. God has made a way for us to be victorious in our walk with Him.

We are in a war, but our enemies are not people.  It is a spiritual battle.  Christ has already won the victory, so we are fighting from a place of victory.  Ephesians 6:10-13 explains, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil 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 firm.” (The Holy Bible:English Standard Version, 2016)

“You can’t beat Satan in your own authority, because you don’t have any.  The key is that you have been raised and seated with Christ.  Satan knows he can handle you, but he knows he can’t handle Christ.

“The devil’s strategy is to keep you from living your life in the power of Christ, claiming the authority that is yours because you are under His blood.” (Evans, 1998)


One of the important ways we do warfare is through prayer.  “Listen to me carefully: Prayer is the mechanism that brings down the power of heaven into your experience.  It is the divinely authorized method that activates your spiritual armor and makes it effective.  … I believe I can say it as bluntly as this: Unless prayer is a vital and thriving part of your life, you will never achieve spiritual victory.” (Shirer, 2018)

Ephesians 6:18 says, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”. (The Holy Bible:English Standard Version, 2016)

I think Satan tries to keep us from praying.  He distracts with good things we can do, time we can waste, stray thoughts, and just not realizing that prayer really makes a difference.  Persistence in prayer is also important.  Prayer breaks through the forces of evil to allow God to work with us.  It is inviting Him into the problems we are facing.  It is important to hold others up in prayer too.

Pastor Thom Keller of Calvary Chapel in Lebanon PA has some powerful things to say on this in the following video.

Do you pray before, during, and after ministry opportunities?  Do you pray for your co-workers?  Do you pray for the needs in the lives of those you are helping?  Do you pray for God To help you with the battles you are facing in your own personal life? Do you remember that God is bigger than anything Satan can throw at you?  Praying you will be victorious in what you are facing this month.

Works Cited

Evans, T. (1998). The Battle is the Lord's. Chicago: Moody Press.

Shirer, P. (2018). The Armor of God. Nashville: LifeWay Press.

The Holy Bible:English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Working Together as the Body of Christ

God has taken a diverse group of people and formed them into one body.  We are more than a team or a family, we are joined together in Christ to form His church.  Romans 12:5 says, “so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another”(ESV).  

“Salvation automatically makes God our Father and every other believer our brother or sister in the household of God.  Together, we are ‘heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ’ (Rom. 8:17 KJV).  Christians cannot live unto ourselves and still function as God purposed when He saved them.” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2002)

“In God’s family we will receive strength, encouragement, and much-needed fellowship.  We will grow in wisdom and maturity as we benefit from those who have walked with God for many years.  We will find security in the family’s watch care over our life and respond to its comfort and accountability.  More than anything else, God our Father manifests His presence in special ways when two or three are gathered together (Matt. 18:20).” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2002)


Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” God does design us to work together in community and that is how we accomplish the most.  However, we are never working alone, because He is working through us.  Blackaby tells a story about a warrior whose sword is feared.  When the king has a messenger bring him the sword, he finds nothing out of the ordinary about the sword.  The messenger then explains, “If I had brought you the hand that wields the sword, you would fully understand the fear.” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2002)  We are the sword, and God is the power behind us.


“Do you understand that the hand of God through the Holy Spirit wields a Christian’s life?  We may be common, ordinary in the eyes of men.  But when a Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit, God can bring down strongholds through our lives.  When a church is filled with the Holy Spirit, God can turn a world upside down.  The key is never our abilities, but the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us to accomplish the will of the Father.” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2002)

Phillip Allen, Youth Pastor at Cross Roads Church explains the importance of working together in the discipleship process.

As the church, we have a joint mission of glorifying God.  As a group, we have a vision of what God wants us to do to accomplish this.  We are willing to sacrifice some personal goals and opinions to meet a greater goal.  We do not exist to pursue our own personal fame or gain a list of accomplishments.  We want to see the whole team develop their abilities and use their gifts.  1 Cor. 12:26 reminds us, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”  We are in this together, and we should care about each individual in the body.



 It is not about getting the credit for projects or building up our self-esteem.  It is not all about us.  The goal is to glorify God.  “The Lord’s original design called for all the gifts to function together, in harmony and with mutual respect.  Every gift is necessary to accomplish what He desires with His people.  No one of us alone will possess all the gifts, but altogether, we do.” (Cordeiro, 2004)


 “Few things are more beautiful to God than seeing His people serve and work together in a united rhythm.  It is like a symphony to His ears.” (Cordeiro, 2004)


As humans, we have a tendency toward selfishness and pride.  The world tells us to look out for number one and do your own thing.  The Bible tells us in Romans 14:19, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”  Examples of this kind of living are given in Col. 3:12-13, “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”


This means living in submission to the Holy Spirit.  “Being filled with the Spirit is the key to a unified body.  Look at the contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit: ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. … Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit’ (Gal. 5:22-25).  Here is the true source of unity in the body.” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2002)



We are to “live in harmony with one another.  Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.   Never be wise in your own sight” (Romans 12:16 ESV).   “When we are walking in fellowship with God, He gives us the ability to walk in fellowship with all of His people.” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2002)   The result of seeing our unity will be that people are drawn to Christ.  John 17: 21 tells us the desire Jesus had for his followers, “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (ESV).

One of our goals as a group is found in Romans 15:5-6.  “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Works Cited

Blackaby, H. T., & Blackaby, M. D. (2002). Experiencing God Together. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Cordeiro, W. (2004). Doing Church as a Team. Ventura: Regal.