To be a Christian is to be a warrior.

The good soldier of Jesus Christ must not expect to find ease in this world: it is a battle-field.

Neither must he reckon upon the friendship of the world; for that would be enmity against God.

His occupation is war.

Jul 22, 2013

A Distinguished SWORD!




And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God: Ephesians 6:17





Imagine with me for a moment, long, long, ago …



an elite garrison of Roman soldiers
intensively trained in the art of war…



They have the best training in the world.


No expense has been spared in supplying the best,
strongest weapons, armor, and shields.


The best SWORDS, made with the finest materials available,
fitted out and prepared for battle unto the death.


Ready to take the victory AT ANY COST.




Now imagine there were found…



among the ranks of those battle ready soldiers…
certain ones who used every opportunity afforded them
to speak thusly to the troops:



"…your sword is weak and untrustworthy…”
“…your battlements are compromised…”
“…your armor and shields are inferior…"

Thus weakening the troops morale and confidence
in their lifesaving tools and weaponry.



What, suppose ye, shall we think of such men ?
Men who take care to sow such unbelief and discord
amongst the soldiers?




Traitors!
Why, however can they be anything else?




Instead of stirring up the troops to ACTION…


and encouraging them on to VICTORY…



They undermine the authority of the CAPTAIN…
(Who was responsible for issuing the armor and weaponry)
and cast doubt and unbelief upon the effectiveness of their arsenal.



What should be done to such fellows as these?




Now, fast forward, down through the ages…


to TODAY!




Behold, the Army of the Living GOD!


Blood-bought…
radically Born-again…
HOLY…
Jesus loving…


CHRISTIANS!




What of those today, who go around telling the Army of GOD…
(or anybody for that matter)


that their SWORD…
the HOLY BIBLE*


is not perfect, inerrant, and trustworthy?



Those who cast doubt on, and undermine …



the AUTHORITY of SCRIPTURE…


Causing others to lose faith
in the PERFECT Word of GOD
preserved for us today.



Would the CAPTAIN of our SALVATION encourage such foolishness
in HIS HOLY ARMY?



NEVER!


Who then, would inspire such activity?



What would you call such men who sow confusion and discord…



attacking the very WORD of GOD…


the SWORD of the SPIRIT?





I would call such individuals…


TRAITORS


and Agents of the DEVIL.






Inspired by – Brother Joe Christopherson



 *God's perfect Word, preserved for English speaking people, the Holy, Authorized King James Bible.




May 9, 2013

Stand and Withstand!




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.
Ephesians 6:13

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us:
for we are not ignorant of his DEVICES.
2 Corinthians 2:11


The CAPTAIN of your salvation bids you STAND


You are to stand in OPPOSITION…

to stand in OFFENCE…

and to stand as an OVERCOMER!


You are to OPPOSE the enemy of your SOUL…
To stand against his WILES…
To DEFEAT his METHODS…
And to EXPOSE his LIES.


You are STRATEGICALLY placed in this WAR…

to defend your POSITION…
and your spiritual POSSESSIONS!


Hold fast to what you have…

Fight the good fight of faith, LAY HOLD on ETERNAL LIFE,
whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession
before many witnesses.   1 Timothy 6:12

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;
(for he is faithful that promised;)  Hebrews 10:23


But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we,
if we HOLD FAST the CONFIDENCE and the REJOICING of the HOPE
firm unto the end.
Hebrews 3:6

Behold, I come quickly: HOLD that FAST which thou hast,
that no man take thy CROWN.   Revelation 3:11



Wrestle. Strive. Contend. Sweat.

For what you HOPE to gain…


Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?
SO RUN, that ye may OBTAIN.   1 Corinthians 9:24

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days:
be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a CROWN of  LIFE.  
Revelation 2:10

That I may know him, and the POWER of his resurrection, and the FELLOWSHIP of his sufferings, being made CONFORMABLE unto his death;
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 
Philippians 3:10-11



Therefore Brethren,

We cannot always have a defensive attitude!
There are those times when we need to strike first!


And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others SAVE with FEAR, PULLING them OUT of the FIRE;
hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Jude 1:22-23


And take the BATTLE to the GATES…


And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church;
and the GATES of HELL shall NOT PREVAIL against it.
Matthew 16:18


You have been commissioned by the CAPTAIN of your SALVATION to GO!


Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
Luke 10:3

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Matthew 28:19

Behold, I give unto you POWER to tread on serpents and scorpions, and OVER all the POWER of the ENEMY: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Luke 10:19

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.  Luke 24:49



GO!    That ye may put the enemy to flight…

And OVERCOME!


For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:
and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth
that Jesus is the Son of God?   1 John 5:4-5

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,
and by the word of their testimony;
and they loved not their lives unto the death.   
Revelation 12:11



And receive all things promised…

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life,
which is in the midst of the paradise of God.  Revelation 2:7

He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.   Revelation 2:11

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.   Revelation 2:17

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 
Revelation 2:26-27

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.   Revelation 3:5

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.  Revelation 3:12

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.   Revelation 3:21

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God,
and he shall be my son.   Revelation 21:7





One day…the battle will be OVER!

When the smoke of battle clears…


Will YOU be left STILL STANDING?



Inspired by "Stand" by Brother Mike Metzger.

Apr 7, 2013

Fight or Flee!




Fight or flee Christian, it is your choice!


Why do we constantly labor to comfort ourselves with the thought 
of an EASE PAVED road to glory?



There is a hell-bound devil who is TOTALLY dedicated…
to dragging you with him. 


He lost out with God long ago,
and he's not content with losing by himself.
Misery loves company!

The world, the flesh and all the hosts of darkness
are consumed with one thing:

YOUR DEFEAT.

This is EXACTLY why we must…

through MUCH TRIBULATION…

enter the Kingdom of God .


And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 
Acts 14:21-22


So put your ARMOR on SOLDIER!

Get your loins girt about with TRUTH
that you may overcome those lying spirits!

PUT ON your BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS
so your HEART will be guarded from sin!

SHOD your feet with the preparation of the GOSPEL of PEACE
so you can walk upright!

LIFT UP your SHIELD of FAITH
so the enemies darts can't pierce your spiritual sight!

TAKE UP your HELMET of SALVATION
to protect your mind from soul destroying influences!

PICK UP the SWORD of the SPIRIT, which is the WORD of GOD,
that you may be able to slice and dice every temptation with,

"It is WRITTEN!"

Don't flee, but FIGHT!!!



You may have lost some BATTLES…

but you have not lost THE WAR. . .






~Brother Chris LePelley

Mar 29, 2013

The Time Is Now!



For the time has come…

for God’s mighty men and women of valor
to assemble with likeminded soldiers of the cross
and advance to the battlefield to fight the good fight.


It is time to understand …

these last evil days,
being Holy Spirit instructed with knowledge
of what battles we must fight and which skirmishes to avoid.

And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do;
1 Chronicles 12:32

For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war:
and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Proverbs 24:6


The devil is working overtime…

frantically trying to get God’s soldiers diverted off the battle field
and into Laodician churches to be entertained and happy,
rather than EQUIPPED and HOLY.

Meanwhile…

Satan’s forces continue to advance his kingdom…

Deception. Division. Darkness. Death.  


Christians must draw up in battle formation…

with HANDS divinely trained to battle
and with ARMS that can bend a bow of bronze
sending arrows into the enemies camp…

Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag…
and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war.
They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow…
1 Chronicles 12:1-2

…such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart.
1 Chronicles 12:33

He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Psalms 18:34


We have been girded with STRENGTH for battle…

so we can take up the FULL ARMOR of God
and  SILENCE His enemies,
forcing them to turn their backs to us as they FLEE…


For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle:
thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies;
that I might destroy them that hate me.
Psalms 18:39-40

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Ephesians 6:10

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  James 4:7


God is enlisting His soldiers to draw up in battle formation…

with a perfect and undivided heart under Jesus’ Lordship…

…such as went forth to battle…fifty thousand, which could keep rank:
they were not of double heart.
1 Chronicles 12:33


We must SKILLFULLY use all our spiritual weapons…

against the spiritual forces of WICKEDNESS,
working in the sons of DISOBEDIENCE…
even those in religious houses…


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.
Ephesians 6:11-12

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves
into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself
is transformed into an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:13-14


And though we may find ourselves in a spiritual wilderness…

we are to have faces like a LION
and be as SWIFT as the gazelles on the mountains…


And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David
into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler,
whose faces were like the faces of lions,
and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;
1 Chronicles 12:8


We  are commissioned by Jesus …

We must not remain silent and passive at this time…
For we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation.


But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation,
a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him
who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1 Peter 2:9



God’s people must now volunteer freely, in the day of His power…

arrayed in holiness!

  
Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power,
in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning:
thou hast the dew of thy youth.
Psalms 110:3


We must not flee in fear …

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7

What shall we then say to these things?
If God be for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31




~Brother RW Klous

Mar 25, 2013

Confrontation



There will be no progress of God's kingdom…



                                                                                                against satan’s kingdom…



WITHOUT CONFRONTATION.

Their belief system must be confronted,
their wicked hearts must be CONFRONTED and EXPOSED.

This will always bring OPPOSITION.
It will always bring a BACKLASH.
It will always bring PERSECUTION.
PERIOD.

Strongholds in the sinners heart and mind must be…


CONFRONTED
EXPOSED
and
 DESTROYED


by the truth of the WORD of GOD
in the Power of the HOLY GHOST.

Sinners must be AWAKENED before they can be CONVICTED
and must be CONVICTED before they can be CONVERTED.
Before there can be building and planting
there must be…


 rooting up,
tearing down,
pulling up,
throwing down…



See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms,
to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down,
to build, and to plant.
Jeremiah 1:10





CONFRONTATION is the CATALYST for CONVICTION and CONVERSION.


When LIGHT meets face to face with DARKNESS…
There will always be CONFRONTATION.


When TRUTH  exposes LIES and DECEPTION…
There will always be CONFRONTATION.


When  HOLINESS collides with UNGODLINESS…
There will always be CONFRONTATION.


When the POWER of GOD meets the PRIDE of MAN…
There will always be CONFRONTATION.


When the SAINTS of GOD assail the kingdom of DARKNESS…
There will always be CONFRONTATION.





The SOLDIERS of the CROSS will not advance the battle…


without CONFRONTATION.




Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation,
it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you
that ye should EARNESTLY CONTEND for the faith
which was once delivered unto the saints.
Jude 1:3



The SAINTS of GOD  must CONTEND!




Persuading. Contending. Disputing.



And Stephen, full of faith and power,
did great wonders and miracles among the people.
Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist
the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Acts 6:8-10



And he [Paul] went into the synagogue, and spake boldly
for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things
concerning the kingdom of God.  Acts 19:8


But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he [Paul] departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.  Acts 19:9-10






Opposition. Persecution. Reproach.



But Peter and John answered and said unto them,
Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.


So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
Acts 4:19-21






And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone,
they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews,
do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs,
which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.


And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:  Acts 16:19-23








Saints of GOD, YOU have a noble calling…



YOU must, without hesitation, attempt to reconcile…


Hostile, stiffnecked, unrepentant  REBELS
to a HOLY and RIGHTEOUS GOD.



This task requires a courageous HEART that is steadfast with God,
a LIFE that is marked by FAITH and HOLINESS
and GODLY CHARACTER tried by the fires of anguish and affliction.



GOD has entrusted YOU with a message of reconciliation…
HE expects YOU to deliver that message…


All of heaven is waiting upon it.

What are YOU going to DO about it?








Need more exhortation?  Start here…


This requires you to get your nose in your Bible and on your face before a holy God crying out, beseeching, petitioning, supplicating, seeking and asking Him for His power, grace, wisdom and anointing ...


To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Acts 26:18









Inspired by “Confrontation” by Brother Micah Armstrong.