Don't Sign Up for the Battle Unless You're Ready to Fight
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
From My Heart:
Over the past six months I've been under tremendous pressure. Not pressure to love and be patient, etc. but pressure to fight against the attacks of the ememy who has been trying to get me to succumb to the things that tried to sway me away from what God's expects of me. I battled with choosing to be liked by the world or stand and fight against the lies and spiritual injustice that God's people have buckled under. I've seen Christian who bowed down to other God's for fear of loosing friendships, jobs and reputations. However, just when I felt like throwing in the towel, I could hear a small voice say I didn't send you to be liked, I sent you to fight. It was in those moments I realized all the more of the spiritual battle we are in.
There are times you will have to choose between being politically correct, liked by man or pleasing in the eyesight of God. When we choose to be pleasing to God, it may mean speaking out against the lies, unfairness, mindsets and spiritual wickedness in high places. While some are comfortable with "not rocking the boat", God has given others boldness to declare and decree what thus says the Lord. These are times when the pressure to fight the fear of walking alone, standing out like a sore thumb and being different plaques the mind of the one whom God has chosen to go to war on behalf of others. Then anger rises, because the very ones you are fight for and the ones who are fighting against you. Sounds like what Jesus eontended with as He chose to bear our cross on our behalf.
So in retrospect, consider this...When God called you...did you really count the cost? Have you considered the battles you would have to fight?...maybe not with others but within yourself. I realized that God was calling me to a higher place in him and it was going to require accepting the feeling of isolation, hatred coming from other "so called Christians" and retaliation from some whom you were called to speak out against. Sounds alot like the call of Jeremiah, Isaiah, Elijah and many more. Just know...the battle is not yours it is the Lord's. All He needs you to do is ensure your armour is fully prepared and you are equipped for whatever comes your way. Just like many soldiers, you really don't know how bad the situation is until you are in the middle of the battle field. Going back is not an option...pressing forward means that you will eventually reach the end of the battle ground and you will see the break of day...Keep pressing forward!!!!
Kelly - Matters of the Heart
