Ready For A Spiritual Battle?

Getting Ready

I was a Girl Scout a long, long time ago.

Let’s not talk about how long. 😉

Our motto was to: “Be Prepared.”

Does that phrase sound familiar?

The direction to “be prepared” is also in the Bible – God’s Word.

Are You Ready For A Spiritual Battle?

It’s certainly easier to respond, “no thanks,” and just live your life without a care.

Easier maybe, but that’s not the right answer.

The Bible tells us, and as Peter reveals in 1 Peter 3:15-17:

¹⁵ but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. – 1 Peter 3:15-17, ESV.

Contending For Your Faith

Always be prepared with confidence and complete reverence for God.

No one said it would be easy, especially when an unbeliever or false teacher is coming at you with all sorts of accusations. It can hurt, especially when the accuser is someone you know.

Have you ever heard anyone verbally attack the Bible and the Sovereignty of God?

I sure have.

It seems like the confrontations are happening everywhere – on college campuses, in the workplace, and elsewhere.

The most disturbing examples I’ve seen are on the internet and in social media comments.

It’s so bad that I only scan the headlines now, and skip over the comment threads where people are so awful to each other. There’s name-calling, threats, and twisting words of Scripture.

Do these folks realize what they’re saying, in a public forum, no less?

I once had a job where a coworker told me that a client we both knew was a “nice” person and would go to Heaven simply for that reason alone.

Our fallen human nature wants to believe that lie, but as Christians, we know that “Congeniality” is not a free ticket to Heaven.

That may sound harsh, but it’s reality. We must turn to the Bible for the answer, not Hollywood movies, or false teachers who add to or delete words of Scripture.

By our faith, we know better.

We are in great need of a Savior and a repentant heart. If being nice was all that was required to get to Heaven, Jesus would not have had to die.

The Gate Is Narrow

A very convicting Bible verse and a key reason why we, as Christians, should share our faith, comes from Matthew.

¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. – Matthew 7:13-14, ESV.

The way to eternal life is narrow. (Chilling, right?)

A very loving thing we can do for a lost person is telling them about salvation through Jesus Christ. We can also pray for them and, for the Holy Spirit to give us the right words when an opportunity comes up. I pray for this all the time.

We can’t let an intimidating person get us to back down about our personal faith in Jesus Christ and salvation through Him.

Are You Prepared?

You have to know why you believe.

What do athletes do before the big game?

They practice.

Practice talking about your faith, not because your beliefs are weak, but because it helps. This process isn’t the same as writing a rehearsed script and sounding like a robot. We need to examine our lives, our secular motives before we came to Christ, and the eternal perspective we gained after.

We’re not beating anyone over the head with it or trying to start fights. I take to heart what Paul said in Philippians.

²⁷ Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸ and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. ²⁹ For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, ³⁰ engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. – Philippians 1:27-30, ESV.

Expecting Opposition

Not everyone will appreciate your testimony. If someone gets overly ugly with you, you can opt to say you’ll pray for this person and leave. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Not a Bible expert? It’s okay. You’re sharing your faith because you love others and don’t want them to go to hell.

Here’s a useful resource, Got Questions.

In this two-minute video, John MacArthur explains why readiness is so important. Feel free to share this with others who need encouragement. God bless.

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Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, ESV, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

*Begg, Alistair. “Declare Great Things.” Crosswalk.Com. 25 May 2016. Web Access 03 April 2017. Used with permission. http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/truth-for-life/truth-for-life-may-25-2016.html