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Open the eyes of the blind and release the prisoners so they can
see and believe!
Julia Marie
Phillips
Did you know
that when you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior you were enlisted?
Soldiers are
called to counter evil and protect the kingdom of their King.
How is that
accomplished? By the overwhelming, overcoming goodness that flows from an
obedient heart in love with God.
No matter what
situation a Christian soldier is in, they must live by the Spirit.
Soldiers in
Christ bless everyone around them as they take it by force.
Our enemy, the
devil, is the “prince of the power of the air.” (Ephesians 2:2)
He operates in
the atmosphere around us. He battles to defeat our faith by introducing doubt,
fear, and eventually unbelief.
If we could
peer into the spirit realm surrounding us, we would see that Satan is
attempting to be our substitute for God!
Our enemy knows
he doesn’t have to annihilate the church – he just needs to deflect her from
her God-given destiny and purpose.
There’s a
reason Satan is called “the accuser of the brethren,” When we fall into
sin in battle, the Holy Spirit will convict us.
But Satan will
counterfeit with accusations. “You call yourself a Christian…?”
It’s designed
to drive you into false peace. Church, it’s critical we keep our eyes on the
prize and set our face like a flint regarding God’s commands.
A soldier
without a kingdom to protect has nothing.
“It is for
freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Galatians 5:1)
If a church is
not releasing people into their pre-ordained destinies, identities, and
calling, they’re failing to produce warriors or even soldiers who are prepared
for their missions.
Warriors are
people who change the atmosphere and ignite passion in those around them.
Warriors,
through their total obedience and fearless commitment, are windows into the
Kingdom we were created for, far above all principalities and powers.
Warriors get
things done!
As a Soldier of
Christ, your first mission is to change the atmosphere around you.
Church, we are
ambassadors of reconciliation who represent a merciful King who has paid the
price for freedom and blessing for whosoever will – and it’s past time we be
about our Father’s business!
That is the
good news we have been assigned to proclaim to all people. Ambassadors of
reconciliation.
The righteous
anger of God against sin has been satisfied by the sacrifice of Jesus, and “Mercy
and truth have kissed each other,” and “Mercy rejoices over judgment.”
Glory to God!
Spiritual
warriors fight for the freedom for all people to realize through experience all
the blessings God intends them to inherit.
The enemy and
religious spirits try and deceive us into thinking we need to be spiritual
giants to accomplish this mission, but it has nothing to do with who we are but
instead who He is that lives within us!
The plan of the
enemy is to create and disperse misery, take away hope, and maintain a climate
of despair and helplessness.
We overcome
evil with good! We must position ourselves daily as good soldiers in order to
have the power to “Open the eyes of the blind and release the prisoners so
they can see and believe!”
Otherwise we
will continue to live our lives selfishly, like someone with a cure for the
disease of the masses who doesn’t have the love or mercy to share it.
None of us has
an excuse to sit around and whine about the encroaching darkness.
Though we are
all enlisted in God’s army, there is a distinction between spiritual warriors
and soldiers.
The training
required to be a true warrior requires great sacrifice, discipline, and faith.
This calling is voluntary and open to whosoever will.
But a person
needs to pause and count the costs, because if charged with specific, God-led
special assignments regarding recovering people or places the devil has stolen.
It requires a
highly disciplined, selfless lifestyle along with an ear to hear what the
Spirit is saying at all times.
Like David’s
mighty men, they are raised up to battle and hold ground in the spiritual
realm.
David’s men
were identified by their specific strengths and callings as much as their
names:
- the
incredible swordplay of Josheb-basshebeth, who killed 800 men at one time;
- the amazing
courage of Eleazar who, after everyone else retreated, stayed and fought the
enemy alone and won against the odds – a great victory;
- Shammah, who
defended a piece of ground alone and unaided against an entire troop of
Philistines;
.
- Abishai couldn’t be overcome by 300 men and won an amazing battle with just a spear;
.
- Abishai couldn’t be overcome by 300 men and won an amazing battle with just a spear;
- Benaiah
killed two mighty heroes of Kabzeel then went on to kill a lion!
Great leaders
produce mighty warriors! God raised up these mighty men to help fight alongside
David – a man “after God’s own heart.”
Just as David’s
victory over Goliath inspired previously paralyzed Israelite soldiers to charge
into the fight, our victories will awaken the faith in many who have abandoned
their faith long ago due to unending battles, or feelings of uselessness and
defeat.
Get ready
church, because the Lord is about to restore those ones, and many prodigal sons
and daughters will be returning home to the Father’s House!
A true warrior
has already given his or her life away.
It doesn’t
belong to them but to Christ! “For to me to live is Christ, to die
is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)
That’s our
battle cry! Paul suffered the loss of all things but counted it as nothing
compared to the return of knowing Jesus. (Philippians 3:8)
He knew that
there are times when a soldier or a warrior puts everything on the line for the
purposes of Christ.
We are not
putting our actual life on the line, because “We are dead and our
lives are hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3)
Christ is our
life, and when He is revealed in us, His glory is manifested also!
Warriors – when
confronted with a huge challenge or assault, before you move, submit your will
to God.
We march
inwardly to Him to be changed; we march outwardly to make a change!
A safe place in
God becomes a strong refuge from the enemy.
The day has
arrived when Christ is sifting and shaking everything that can be shaken.
Do not lose
heart, friend, because things aren’t always as they appear in times when you
feel you’ve been thrown under the bus, or judged unfairly, because there is One
who sits in the heavens Who sees all and nothing escapes His view.
“I will repay,” says the Lord.
Don’t spend
your time trying to fight personal battles or trying to correct a wrong done to
you.
Your times are
in His hands, and you want to leave them there!
Soldier, do not
lose heart! Rather, ruminate on this!
Delta Wind is Delta Junction’s only online
and print newspaper covering all the news for Delta Junction, Deltana, Big
Delta, and Fort Greely.
Since 1987 we have provided the community
with information on what’s happened in the community and events that are
upcoming.
Our print publication is distributed each
Thursday (except for the week after Christmas) and is available in local
retailers and by mail.
Delta Wind is published by TriDelta, Inc.
Publishing.
