04/12/2010 - Dominate yourself

• 
• 
• 
• 

“And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.” (I Corinthians 9. 25)

We’re committed to a fight greater than that of the rink wrestling competitors. They don’t get on the pad before having gone through tough training – not only do they train for hours on end but they also refrain from some types of food. Yet, it seems that we don’t believe or we haven’t learnt that we are in an open war against the forces of darkness. They’re horrendous and they are meant to destroy our lives.

Have you been preparing yourselves? An untrained fighter is synonymous to a defeated fighter. Do you really believe you’ve been enlisted for this war? It’s against the principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). Doesn’t that concern you? Those who think this way will be hit by a fatal dart when they least expect it; a dart which might bring either a disease, a problem in their household, a financial trouble or any other kind of problem. It’s useless to turn a blind eye to this fact since the enemy won’t rest until he gets you in his filthy hands.

How sad it is to see Christian soldiers hurt! They’ve been summoned by the King to be His ambassadors and they’ve done that for a while. Yet, due to lack of training, the enemy sent them a charming sort of Delilah, just like that one in Samson’s story (Judges 16), and as they were carried away by passion, they fell in the trap.  Now, only shame and an illegitimate child are left. Others got involved in scams and keep bribing law agents in order not to be arrested.

Our fight is real and it isn’t over. We must be at the feet of Christ, always in communion with the Lord, to be victorious. Each brother and sister must know that they’re not an exception; nobody is free from fighting against those evil forces and those who are not trained appropriately will fall in the battle. We have to get into the presence of God well trained as workers who have nothing to be ashamed of and who handle to perfection the Sword of the Spirit (II Timothy 2:15). After all, we have been summoned to fight and to win!

If you’re one of those soldiers who got hurt, the Lord can heal all of your wounds. If you don’t do anything from now on, you’ll be caught up in the enemy’s hands. That means being in error more than allowed. Now that you’re aware of the cause of the ordeals you’re going through, there’ll be no more excuses. All you have to do now is to repent for letting yourself be carried away by the devil and to mend your ways.

Cry out to the Lord like Peter did and let Him know you’re drowning (Matthew 15:22-33). Then, He’ll stretch out His hand to rescue you just like He did to David, who continued to be a blessing after he repented of his sin with Bath-Sheba (II Samuel 11:3). Invoke the Lord God of holiness and He’ll forgive you right now!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares