Faith Fitness
Bro. Sam Kaufman
As Christians, we have an archenemy, but it is not humanity.
Our battle is a spiritual battle, not a flesh and blood battle. We need to remember that and be reminded of it.
We love people, but we oppose sin. Our enemy is the devil, who came to steal, kill and destroy.
Ephesians 6 states it this way in verses 11-13, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
We need to recognize who our fight is against and who it is not against. It is easy to fight the wrong battle. When our fight is against humanity, we are deceived and actually playing into the enemy’s hand.
Satan attempts to get us to fight each other. That’s not God’s plan for us.
When we are wronged by a person, the natural reaction is to strike back. That is definitely the world’s way. But it is not God’s way.
The natural man wants to fight back with angry words and violence. It is easy to fall into that snare in the heat of the moment.
But the Christian is to walk in the Spirit of God and not in the flesh.
We don’t war after the flesh. Our weapons are not our fists or firearms, or what have you.
Those are carnal weapons. The Bible tells that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal or fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
In all cases, it requires our submission to God to resist temptation. The easy way is to strike back in unbridled fashion.
But we need to come under subjection of the Word of God. The Spirit of God can have control if we submit to God.
Galatians 6 reveals how we are to walk when it states in verses 16-18, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”
Verses 24 and 25 state, “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Jesus was the perfect example. When He was reviled, He reviled not again. As they crucified Him and put Him to death, Jesus asked God the Father to forgive them “because they know not what they do.”
That’s the ultimate example.
Romans 12 tells us to, “Recompense to no man evil for evil” and, verses 19-21, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Jesus said the following words in Matthew, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
