Hand to Hand Combat

Only those in regular hand to hand combat

against Satan and his kingdom,

will constantly see their need of God's power

to accomplish what He has commanded...

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.

Act 26:18

The early church had the gifts of the Holy Ghost...

and God EXPECTS us to have them!

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:

and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea,

and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 1:8

 

The gifts of the Holy Ghost accomplish EVERYTHING the Holy Ghost does--

They convict of SIN...

DESTROY the works of the devil...

REVEAL the hearts of sinners and hypocrites...

ADVANCE the kingdom of God...

and EXALT the Lord Jesus Christ and testify of Him!

They are given by GOD HIMSELF to arm you for the conflict...

Because the battle is HOT on every side...

and the WARFARE is Spiritual.

No one can dis-arm you IF you possess these spiritual gifts

and heavenly weapons!

No one can render you defenseless!

Your weapons are mighty!

Being furnished directly from the heavenly armory…

Your spiritual weapons and armor

were MADE to be USED!

Their potency, strength and effectiveness are unsurpassed…

FOR the TASK at HAND!

You MUST:

Subdue. Restrain. Resist.

Withstand. Put to flight. Drive back.

REPROVE...

And to cause your adversary to RETREAT!

 Furthermore…

YOU have GREAT NEED of this heavenly ensemble…

For the Captain of your Salvation…

has placed you on the front lines…

of this raging Spiritual battle...

And HE expects you to FIGHT!!!

Art thou ready, SOLDIER, to quit thyself like a man of WAR?

Art thou endued with power from on high?

Art thou ready to face the enemy?

Hast thou donned the armor of the KING?

Hast thou girded on the SWORD for the fight….?

***Why don't we see more of the spiritual gifts in use today, you ask?

We do not see our need of them.

We do not desire them.

We do not pay the price to obtain them.

GOD is more than willing to give them...ARE YOU willing to pay the price to receive and USE them?

Inspired by: Bro. Micah Armstrong “Gifts of the Holy Ghost”

read his blog here: http://brothermicah.wordpress.com/articles/

SOLDIER of the Cross

SOLDIER of the cross…art thou ready for battle?

Examine thyself…examine thy fruit…

Does thine HEART burn for HIM…

For HIS TRUTH….

And for HIS KINGDOM?

Has thine HEART been purified by the fear of GOD!?

Is thine EYE SINGLE in focus…

Is thine ear INCLINED to HIS VOICE…

Are thine lips circumcised to speak HIS TRUTH…

Have thine fleshly desires been put to death by the power of His Spirit?

Have thine thoughts been purified and purged by the washing of HIS WORD?

Have thou exercised thyself unto holiness, obedience, faith and godliness…

In the secret place of prayer, dost thou delight in the presence of the KING of KINGS?

Is thine HEART fixed upon the eternal Kingdom of God and His Christ?

Art thou ready, SOLDIER, to quit thyself like a man of WAR?

Art thou endued with power from on high?

Art thou ready to face the enemy? Hast thou donned the armor of the KING?

Hast thou girded on the SWORD for the fight….?

NOW…art thou ready to engage and overcome thine adversary?

To enter into dragon’s dens and devils haunts, and fight with thy glistening SWORD of TRUTH…

To cut to the ground and utterly demolish every evil stronghold and refuge of lies that hold captive

countless thousands of eternal souls?

Art thou ready to expose the kingdom of darkness and lay plain the face thereof..

that others may see, and tremble and fear the name of the Living God?

To stand alone, if need be, and defend those that cannot defend themselves?

To vanquish devils, heal the sick, set captives free?

Art thou ready, Soldier of the Cross…to take up thy SWORD and enter the fray?

To use thy most powerful weapon of war to bring LIGHT and TRUTH

to SPLIT the darkness like a garment rent in two?

Art thou ready to give ALL to the cause of CHRIST?

ART THOU READY?

Soldiers of Christ!

Soldier of Christ…

                                if thou enlisteth, thou wilt have to do hard battle.

There is no BED of down for thee;

there it no riding to heaven in a CHARIOT;

the ROUGH way must be trodden;

MOUNTAINS must be climbed,

RIVERS must be forded,

DRAGONS must be fought,

GIANTS must be slain,

difficulties must be OVERCOME,

and GREAT TRIALS must be borne.

It is not a smooth road to heaven, believe me;

for those who have gone but a very few steps therein

have found it to be a rough one.

It is a pleasant one; it is the most delightful in all the world,

but it is NOT EASY in itself;

it is only pleasant because of the company,

because of the SWEET PROMISES on which we lean,

because of our BELOVED who walks with us

through all the rough and thorny brakes of this vast wilderness.

Christian, expect trouble:

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,

as though some strange thing happened unto you:

(1 Peter 4:12)

for as truly as thou art a child of God…

thy Saviour hath left thee for his legacy…

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer;

I have overcome the world.  (John 16:33)

If I had no trouble I would not believe myself one of the FAMILY.

If I never had a trial I would not think myself a HEIR of heaven.

Children of God must not, shall not, escape the rod.

Earthly parents may spoil their children

but the heavenly Father never shall his.

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son

whom he receiveth.  (Hebrews 12:6)

His people must suffer; therefore, expect it Christian;

if thou art a child of God believe it, look for it, and when it comes, say…

"Well suffering, I foresaw thee; thou art no stranger;

I have looked for thee continually."

You cannot tell how much it will lighten your trials, if you await them with resignation. In fact, make it a wonder if you get through a day easily.

If you remain a week without persecution, think it a remarkable thing;

and if you should, perchance, live a month without heaving a sigh from your inmost heart, think it a miracle of miracles.

But when the trouble comes, say…

"Ah! this is what I looked for; it is marked in the chart to heaven;

the rock is put down; I will sail confidently by it;

my Master has not deceived me."

--Charles H Spurgeon