Issue 1503 – Of Belts and Battles – July 20, 2024
I had been reading 1 John recently, and it brought to mind something that happened years ago.
Kathy had purchased a new belt for me because the one I had been wearing was in pretty rough shape. It was not all that old, but it was coming apart. I had bought it to replace an older belt that I had worn for years, which had worn out. The one I had been wearing lately was on sale quite inexpensively and was a fine-looking leather belt.
Only, it turns out it wasn’t all leather. It mainly was filler with a very thin layer of leather glued to the top, giving it the appearance of quality leather. The glue began letting go, and the belt started to come apart. I had been fooled by appearances and bought a “genuine leather” belt, not a full-grain cowhide.
Now, we can all be fooled at times and must be on our guard. That is especially true in the spiritual realm, where the Bible cautions us to be on our guard.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 1 John 4:1-3
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Matthew 7:15
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
We do not have to be paranoid, but we do have to be discerning.
While many Christians do not like to think about it, and many pastors refuse to preach about it, we are at war. A war rages in the spirit realm, and the prize is nothing less than the eternal souls of every man, woman, and child who ever lived. We battle against our sinful nature. We struggle against Satan and his minions.
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. Ephesians 6:10-13
My lack of diligence cost me a few dollars. I can live with that. The price of a spiritual battle is far higher.
However, there is a very specific military term for those who are in the midst of a battle and are unprepared: casualty. Do not be a casualty. Put your faith in Jesus, study His Word diligently, test the spirits, be on guard, and be discerning.
Until next time, rejoice that even though we are in the midst of a battle, we know the outcome. Our Lord Jesus has already won the war, and we have the victory through Him.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV)