Wednesday, November 13, 2013

A Call to Arms Part 5


It is only when we minimize what our enemy’s ultimate intent is, and how single minded he is about attaining his objective that we become indifferent and even flippant about his minions and what they are doing within the household of faith.

The devil isn’t out to bruise you, or skin your knee, or call you nasty names, the devil is out to kill you, and every single individual who does his bidding, every single one roaming about already marked for condemnation, has the selfsame objective in mind.

Men teach heresy for the singular purpose of destroying other men spiritually!

In the end that is the root of every false teaching, false doctrine, and false interpretation. The devil knows the battle he is in, but sadly much of the church does not. The devil knows the stakes of this battle, but sadly the church seems to have forgotten, thinking that somehow if they are trampled underfoot, if they are overcome rather than overcomers, they’ll just end up in a less glitzy part of heaven, but heaven nevertheless.

After outlining a pretty grim picture of the end times, speaking of wars, rumors of wars, and how we would be hated by all nations for His name’s sake, Jesus went on to speak some heavy, heavy words for every believer who thinks they can wing it, or somehow get through what’s coming without being fully equipped, fully trained, and fully sold out for Christ.

Matthew 24:13, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

Jesus didn’t say ‘he who tries, attempts, or thinks they can endure to the end,’ Jesus said, ‘he who endures to the end!’

Valiant efforts won’t cut it, nor will halfhearted attempts at enduring. If we believe the words of Jesus – and we have no reason to doubt Him – then only he who endures to the end shall be saved!

The whole point of this teaching series is to prepare you spiritually so you may endure to the end.

As such, feelings, emotions, or opinions regarding myself are irrelevant to me, because the purpose of this teaching compels me to be less than gentle in my approach, and for those who are not yet ready, my words may seem downright offensive.

If you are offended, so be it! The stakes are too high, and the outcome of this battle too important for me to try and sugarcoat this in any way in an attempt to spare feelings.

Once we understand the truth of the battle we find ourselves in, once we understand we are facing an enemy who takes no prisoners, then we will realize just how irrelevant our feelings or bruised egos are.

God doesn’t coddle soldiers, and we’re too old to be infants!

The lateness of the hour is evident to one and all, perhaps with the exception of the church, which is still under the misconception that when the Word tells believers to put on the whole armor of God, somehow it doesn’t apply to them but to someone else.

As with any battle, there are rules and principles governing the battle we are currently engaged in, and the first of these has to do more with us as individuals, than it does with the battle itself.

It is a principle which governs both physical and spiritual warfare, and that is total commitment to the objective at hand.

If you plan on being a duplicitous soldier with a divided heart, you might as well just stay off the battlefield altogether. If you plan on obeying only those orders which suit you, then you might as well just walk away now.

There can be no half-hearted commitment when it comes to this battle, just as there cannot be half-hearted commitment when it comes to battles in the physical.

You begin a battle with the intent of winning, of overcoming, and vanquishing your enemy. You know that which you are fighting for. The purpose is clear, the mission is clear, and the enemy before you has made himself known.

We cannot possess divided loyalties and still hope to be victorious in battle. We cannot possess divided loyalties and still hope to overcome the enemy. I guarantee you, the enemy’s loyalties are not divided, his purposes are not blurred, and his intent is not swayed.

Nehemiah 4:14, “And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.’”

Know what you’re fighting for! Know why you’re fighting the fight you are fighting! And know that the Lord is with you if you are with Him!

Do not be afraid, stand firm, and be committed to defending the truth and righteousness of God.

With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for this teaching. The Lord has recently laid this topic on my heart to teach about on my blog and it reassures me that I am hearing correctly from Him when I see another believer speak the same message, even if in a different manner.

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