Thursday, July 31st 2014 DEFENDING OUR SPIRITUAL HERITAGE “My loved ones, while my thoughts were full of a letter which I was going to send you about our common salvation, it was necessary for me to send you one requesting you with all my heart to go on fighting strongly for the faith which has been given to the saints once and for ever.” (Jude 1:3 BBE) There was a time when the Philistines gathered for battle against the children of Israel to invade their land and seize from them a piece of ground full of lentils and barley. While the people of Israel fled and stood afar off watching impotently as the Philistines trespassed on their land and spoiled their inheritance, three of the mighty men of David refused to flee or watch helplessly. The Scripture testifies concerning these men, “But they stationed themselves in the middle of that field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.” (1 Chro. 11:13-14). The Church today surely needs such stouthearted, skillful and anointed men to defend our spiritual heritage against the invasion and intrusion of the devil and its cohorts. Evidently, the Church today is under a massive spiritual invasion and intrusion. Satan and his agents are now freely trespassing, encroaching or intruding on our spiritual heritage and legacy. Ferocious foxes and wolves in “sheep and shepherd’s clothing” have crept into the fold, devouring the gullible and undiscerning sheep of God. Sadly, it is happening as Paul had warned in his epistle, saying, For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20:29-30 NKJV). False teachers and prophets furnished with demonic powers to perform diverse signs and wonders have taken over the media to deceive and turn many souls from the truth to damnable heresies and doctrines of demons. If there is any time for the faithful saints who still love and hold fast to the truth to arise to defend and contend for the faith of old passed down to us by the early apostles of Christ, it is now! Like the people of Israel in those days who fled from the Philistines and stood afar off to watch them harvest or spoil their plot full of lentils and barley, many believers today are indifferent to the present invasion and intrusion of all sorts of evils into the Church and their communities. Sadly, many servants of God today are too fearful to stand and speak up for the truth and justice, to speak and teach the wholesome doctrines, and to defend and contend for the faith of old – the body of teachings of Christ passed down in the Church by the early apostles of Christ. While the devil and his agents are devouring, violating, manipulating and exploiting the gullible and undiscerning souls in our churches, sadly, many mature and discerning believers are silent and complacent, standing with arms akimbo and watching impotently. Although, God’s Spirit is blowing God’s trumpet in Zion and sounding an alarm in God’s holy mountain, yet many believers are not hearing and thus preparing for war - to enforce the victory that Jesus Christ has won for them through His death on the cross. You cannot be at ease in Zion, beholding her ruins if you hear God’s trumpet. Jeremiah testifies: “O my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart! My heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, Because you have heard, O my soul, The sound of the trumpet, The alarm of war.” (Jer. 4:19 NKJV). We are not hearing God’s trumpet or alarm of war distinctly today because we are completely engrossed, immersed or absorbed in ourselves and in the affairs of this world. Beloved, what are you going to do about the invasion and intrusion of false teachers and prophets into the Church? What are you going to do about the spread of demonic doctrines and damnable heresies? What are you going to do about worldliness, carnality, ungodliness, lust and immorality in the Church? What are you going to do about the encroachment of the devil upon your home, family, community, and city? God forbid that you continue to watch helplessly or impotently! These are the days of battles; we cannot afford to be like the children of Ephraim who being armed and carrying bows, yet turned back in the day of battle (Psa. 78:9). Let us arise today like the mighty men of David to give ourselves continually to intercession, exhortation, propagation and publication of the truth and wholesome doctrines, to soul-winning and spiritual warfare and above all to Christ lifestyle. Souls and destinies of many generations are at stake, we cannot therefore stand with arms akimbo, watching helplessly as the enemies invade and encroach upon our inheritance and spoil our spiritual heritage (Isa. 28:5-6). Our brother Jude admonishes: “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 1:3 NKJV). “My loved ones, while my thoughts were full of a letter which I was going to send you about our common salvation, it was necessary for me to send you one requesting you with all my heart to go on fighting strongly for the faith which has been given to the saints once and for ever.” (Jude 1:3 BBE) Friend, arise today to contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints by holding fast to the truth, propagating the truth, and living according to the truth – the words, teachings or doctrines of Jesus Christ. Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for my indifference towards the encroachment of the enemies upon Your Church. Holy Spirit teach and help me to constantly and consistently proclaim the truth, hold fast to the truth, and live according to the truth, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 01:43:30 +0000
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