Spiritual Warfare

Dear readers,
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Thanks for your prayers.  I’ve been praying for quite a while to know more about spiritual warfare.  I’ve read many books on the subject but just recently had 2 dreams where satan flew at me from a distance.  He seemed to be targeting my mind, and we know that our enemy intends to make our minds a playground for tormenting thoughts!

Tonight I read how God wants to lead us in “triumphal procession” (2 Cor 2:14). It is in this victory walk with the Lord that our fragrance goes out to others to bring them life.  What we do actually smells good, instead of stinking J Putting this verse in context it seems that the fragrance we have in victory comes from the Life that lives inside of us because of the death we are experiencing in that same place.  In other words, suffering brings the sweet smell, if we let it.

Since I was targeted in my mind, I read about what our thought-life should be; thinking what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy (Phil 4:8).  These things are part of the weapons of our warfare. Obedience to these disciplines of the mind builds a strong arsenal inside of us. It prevents us from having buttons that can be pushed . . . or as Jesus said before his betrayal, satan is coming but he has nothing in us.  Obedience to Phil 4:8 prepares us to win.

I also have to have the full armor of God on so that I can stand in the day of evil (Eph 6:10-18). Truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace (not strife), faith, salvation, the Holy Spirit/Word of God, prayer and alertness need to be my armor or satan’s thoughts will defeat me.  Prayers are meant to be powerful.  In Rev 8:3-5 we read about the power released as a result of the prayers that have incense mixed with them.  It is hard to get to the point of praying when we’re hurting.  In fact, satan sends many things our way so that we will give up and not care about the outcome of the people who cause us pain.  But if we stop caring, we still experience torment, pain, and a feeling that we’re fighting our battles under our own strength.  In caring we carry the fragrance of Christ on our lives and His Life is shown through ours.  God’s intended outcome is victory.  Though each person we pray for has a personal choice to make, I see by these scriptures that we are the ones presenting the good choice to them. Those who fight against us then smell the fragrance of Christ and see His Life at work in us.

Seems hard.  I am confronted with my weakness and undisciplined mind daily.  But there are enough challenges in life that I get lots of practice making choices about how to think, and how to pray. I am sensing that this is the training we all need before each battle.  Let us keep our mind on the victory.  It will be a sweet day when it comes.  Amen.