Love is the Goal of the Commandments

1 Timothy 1:5: Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: (AKJV)

Throughout the history of the people of God, commandments have become the guiding principles of life. As soon as God created Adam and Eve, God gave them a commandment (Genesis 1:28). Moses did not only deliver the 10 commandments given through him by God but also taught God’s people to obey these commandments (Deuteronomy 4:5-8).

The Bible suggests that we should obey God’s commandments because it would be unwise not to. Furthermore, God’s commandments are ethical and moral because God is a moral God, and it explains that the commandments help set for people the true standard of morality (Psalm 19:8-10).

Jesus Christ, before He died, left His disciples with compelling commandments (Matthew 28:19-20; Matthew 24:14; Mark 16:15; Mark 13:10; John 20:21).

Paul charged the young Pastor Timothy to correct teachers in their false doctrines and fables (1 Timothy 1:3-4). As Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to preach the gospel, Paul urged Timothy to warn and admonish preachers to preach only the truth gospel. This commandment looks awesome to Timothy as he can freely lambast the false teachers, point out their wrongdoings in public, preach about their nonbiblical teachings, and evangelize the unsaved by putting down the other fake teachers and counterfeit preachers with their fabricated doctrines, false practices, and pagan practices. After all, Timothy was charged to do so by the greatest leader of his time, the apostle Paul.  

The children of God are so comfortable to follow this commandment of pointing the wrong doing of our fellowmen or criticizing the crooked beliefs and practices of other Christian groups, even using social media to put down and denigrate other people’s beliefs, whether political or social, or religious.

Paul is very much aware of what is going on in the church of Ephesus. On his second missionary journey, Paul visited Ephesus from Corinth. He evidently planted the church there, as he left Priscilla and Aquila to be in charged (Acts 18:19). On his third missionary journey, Paul stayed in Ephesus for about 3 years. There he cleaned the city with false doctrines and pagan practices. When he left Ephesus, he charged Timothy to remain in Ephesus to continue preaching about false doctrines and pagan practices (1 Timothy 1:3-4)

Of false doctrines and pagan practices.

Who are practicing these false doctrines and fables and genealogies? The scenario of this letter of Paul is Ephesus, which was an ancient Greek city that later became under Roman rule. The Ephesians are predominantly Gentiles, and not Jewish. There were also Jews who already lived in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-2). There was mentioned of the sons of a Jewish priest (Acts 19:14-15). There were also itinerant Jews who served as exorcists (Acts 19:13). With this composition of the population in Ephesus, we can better understand what Paul meant in 1 Timothy 1:3-4 —teaching of other doctrines, fables, and genealogies.

These stray doctrines, according to Paul, has affected the growing Ephesian church that there are disputes in the church that removed godly edification among the Ephesian believers.

Teaching of other doctrines

As the church in Ephesus grew, the believers were confronted with many questions by Jewish teachers. They had issues on the interpretation of the Mosaic law as they are Greeks and not Jews. Because of the absence of Paul, the believers became restless in their beliefs and doctrines.

Fables or myths

The Ephesians worship the goddess Diana. She is known as the goddess of the Amazons, the mother of animals, and the many-breasted Artemis, the goddess of fertility. She is Artemis to the Greeks, and Diana to the Romans. There is also the reference of fables (Titus 1:14) and a rampant practice of magic and sorcery in Ephesus (Acts 19:19-20).

Genealogies

There were Jews who settled in Ephesus after their dispersion, and captivity. It has been said of an endless struggle among the Jews to prove what tribe they descended from or to prove to themselves priests and Levites. Paul said that there has been no end to this struggle that this often resulted to questions and debates among the Jews. Why were the Jews confronted of this confusion of their genealogies? In Gill’s Exposition, the reason is said to be the captivity of the Jews and their dispersion that has led to their inability to distinguish their tribes and families.

Paul, other than the charge to preach, correct, and admonish, reminded Timothy to be careful with his preaching. That is why he wrote this letter to Timothy to remind him that more than the preaching is the practice of love and compassion (1 Timothy 1:5)

The goal of the commandment to preach and to correct is love. There is no condemnation, no judgement, no despising, not belittlement, no depreciation, no deprecation, no derogation, no disparagement, no vilification, no mockery, no put-downs in evangelism.

As scriptures teach us to obey commandments, they also teach us to love. Preaching in necessary for people to understand that the only way God’s purpose and plan can be received by humankind is through faith. We are encouraged too to share the message of faith to those who advance false teachings, wrong teachings, and those who live in darkness.  

How then are we able to preach in love? Paul did not only command Timothy but advised the young preacher in preparing himself for the capacity to love.

Scriptures teach that love results from three human experiences.

A pure heart

A pure heart is a requirement for worship (Psalm 24:3-4). It is a requisite for being a vessel of God. Timothy was advised to prepare himself for a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:21) to love (2 Timothy 1:13). A pure heart is a result of a real encounter with God (Ezekiel 36:26; Matthew 5:8) and genuinely repentant heart (Galatians 5:1). A pure heart results from obeying God commands of purity and righteousness (1 Peter 22-23; Psalm 119:9) and the pursuit of truth (John 4:24).

This pure heart we experience when we fully surrender to the truth of God’s word. It is also a measure of how much we wanted to know Him (Psalm 18:26). And it is this knowledge of Him that we desire to worship Him, love Him, and live like His Son, Jesus Christ.

As a pure heart leads to contentment in life (1 Timothy 6:6), one can love even the unlovable. As love is exercised in life, this love does not only teach, confront, and edify; this love also yields maturity in faith (Ephesians 4:15).

A good conscience

We might wonder where our conscience comes from. Evidently, our conscience is within us (Romans 1:20). When Paul charged Timothy to love from a good conscience, he understood it himself. He lived it, he proclaimed this good conscience before Felix the governor (Acts 24:16).

Love comes from a clear conscience toward God and men. This prevents us from being judgmental of other people. I have experienced in my life that the darker my conscience, the more I become critical and judgmental of other people, the more that I am not able to love other people.

We often ask ourselves why we love others. It is because we are happy in our live. The secret to happiness is having a good conscience, when our conscience is in lined with God’s righteousness.

A good conscience does not only teach us to love, it also allows us to enjoy God’s eternal joy (2 Corinthians 1:12).

A sincere faith

Faith is what matters in our encounter with Jesus Christ (Galatians 5:6; 2 Timothy 1:13).  Faith is believing in what Jesus died for. We cannot love when we do not see what prodded Jesus Christ to offer Himself on the Cross. It was love (John 3:16; John 15:13).  Unless we understand and experience this ourselves, we cannot love.

That is why our eloquence and credibility in preaching is considered as merely sounding brass or clanging cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1).

Jesus Christ taught his disciples that love is attached to the commandments (John 14:15). Jesus Christ even gave his disciples a new commandment (John 13:34) to love one another as He has loved them.

In Gospel Chimes, we can find a story of a little four-year-old African girl that had been sold as a slave. She had never known what love was. Even her name, Keodi, meant "Nobody loves me!"  When she grew to be about ten years old, her body became covered with ugly sores. The natives turned her out and would have nothing to do with her. But some kind missionaries took Keodi in and cleaned her up, cared for her sores, and put clothes on her. At first, she could not believe any one loved her. She went about saying, "I am only Keodi; nobody loves me." The mis­sionaries told her that Jesus loved her and tried to teach her what love meant. Then she looked down at her dress, clean body and bandaged sores, and asked, "Is this love?"

We Pray for Two Reasons

1 Timothy 2:1, 8

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—

Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

In the Encyclopedia of Illustrations, Maxwell Droke shared the story of a noted clergyman who was asked by a colleague why the loud, vehement praying of his earlier days had given way to a more quiet, persuasive manner of speech. The clergyman laughed and said, “When I was young, I thought it was the thunder that killed people, but when I grew up I discovered it was lightning. So I determined that in the future I would thunder less and lighten more.”

There is one important lesson that we learn in prayer. Prayer shows the power of God in us (2 Corinthians 4:7). For when we pray, we invoke God’s power. This power is available to us, to make us confident of what God can do for us. Having this confidence of God’s power, our prayers life should show results.

How then do prayers show results? First, let us understand that prayer has two directions. Prayer is both vertical and horizontal.

Prayer is vertical when its direction is from top to bottom or bottom to top. When we pray, we pray to God who is in heaven. Prayer comes from the lowly state to the heavenly power, from the plebeian point to the high and holy place. Prayer is directed from the heart of the abject and dejected to the throne of the high and lofty One (Isaiah 57:15).

This prayer brings vertical dependence on God. Without God who is our confidence and the source of power, we are nothing.

The direction of our prayer is upward to heavens. Our prayer does not stop at the ceiling. Our prayer of dependence does not go sideways. It does not depend on people around us. It does not depend on idols or graven images around us. It does not depend on resources around us. Our prayer is our vertical dependence to God.

Prayer is also horizontal. Being horizontal, the direction of prayer is sideways. When we pray, we pray for people around us. We pray for family members.  We pray for friends. We pray for circumstances around us. Being horizontal, prayer brings blessings.

With our prayers, we can ask for blessings for other people. We pray to God to bring blessings to other people. As the direction of our prayers is sideways to other people, our prayers do not stop at ourselves. Our prayers of blessings do not stop at our own wall or door. They do in fact, allow our lives to be channels of blessings when we pray for others.

Whether vertical or horizontal, prayer comes from a source. The source of prayer is the believer. God both commanded us and empowered us to pray. Praying is God’s command to all believers (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Matthew 26:41; Luke 18:1; Ephesians 6:18).  Being commanded by God to pray earnestly, continuously, and patiently, the believers are the very sources of prayers. We cannot expect someone who does not believe in God to call upon God in prayer. As God commanded the believers to pray, He expects us to do so in obedience.

Prayer is also God’s empowerment to all believers (Acts 4:31; Luke 11:13; Philippians 1:19; James 5:17-18).

The great men of faith in the Old Testament had proven the power of prayer. Elijah prayed for rain and he received the answer to his prayers (1 Kings 18:45-46). Hannah prayed for a child despite the barrenness of her womb and she received the answer to her prayer (1 Samuel 1:20). Samson prayed for strength and God empowered him with such strength that torn down the whole building (Judges 16:28). Jonah’s prayer for salvation while he was inside the belly of the big fish was heard by God and he was rescued (Jonah 2:1-9). King Asa, one of the righteous kings of Judah prayed for victory in battle and God answered him and gave him victory (2 Chronicles 14:11).

The New Testament accounts of the power of prayer are as compelling as the Old Testament accounts of powerful prayer. The leper’s prayer for healing was heeded by Jesus Christ (Matthew 8:2). The thief at the cross cried out to Jesus Christ to remember him when Jesus returns to His kingdom (Luke 23:42)-43. The repentant tax collector prayed for mercy and Jesus Christ taught that his act of prayer made his justified (Luke 18:13-14). The centurion in Capernaum prayed for Jesus to heal his servant who is sick of palsy and Jesus Christ healed his servant according to his faith (Matthew 8:5-13). Peter prayed the prayer of distress when he started sinking in the high waves and Jesus Christ saved him (Matthew 14:30-31).

As believers, we can pray for two main reasons. When we recognize these two reasons, we can accomplish all the other reasons to pray, both vertically and horizontally.

We pray for the fear of God.

Psalm 86:11: each me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Scriptures have shown in many different instances the essence of the fear of God. When we pray for the fear of God, we pray because the fear of God is a positive thing rather than a negative one.

Consider these examples:

Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: 16 “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.” 17 But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too (Exodus 1:15-17).

So Joseph put them all in prison for three days. 18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “I am a God-fearing man. If you do as I say, you will live (Genesis 42:17-18).

But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten (Exodus 18:21).

The fear of the Lord in these scriptural passages show us that the fear of God compels His people to obey Him rather than obey human sinful instincts. The Hebrews midwives fear God and allowed the Hebrew baby boys to live. Joseph fears God and suppressed his human desire to exact vengeance upon his brothers. The Hebrews leaders were chosen by Moses because of their fear of God is a mark of their honesty and integrity in leading the people of God.

This fear of God builds lives, guides decisions, sets godly people apart from the ungodly.

Why do we pray for the fear of God?

In Exodus 20:20, we read, “Don’t be afraid,” Moses answered them, “for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning!”

In Matthew 10:28, we find this: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

In 2 Corinthians 7:1, we are encouraged that “having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

These passages are teaching us that praying saves us from yielding or surrendering to our own sinful nature.

The Bible also teach us about the lack of fear of God.

The book of Romans in chapter 3, verses 10-18 says, “As the Scriptures say, No one is righteous—not even one. 11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. 12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.’ 13 ‘Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.’ ‘Snake venom drips from their lips.’ 14  ‘Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.’ 15 ‘They rush to commit murder. 16 Destruction and misery always follow them. 17 They don’t know where to find peace.’ 18 ‘They have no fear of God at all.’ ”

Thus, the lack of fear of God is sinfulness. We pray therefore, that the fear of God be our strength to say no to sin and to say yes to the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

We pray for the love of God.

Ephesians 3:14-19: For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.

God is not only a powerful God. He is also a loving God. He desires that we are filled with His love through the Holy Spirit.

As Paul spent over three years with the Ephesian church, he has loved them and longed to see them live faithfully with God. We spend our entire life loving our family, loving our neighbors, loving our enemies, loving even those who are so difficult to live. We pray for the love of God because we know that it is extremely difficult to love unconditionally. We pray that God, with all His mercies and compassion, teach us to recognize that the people who are the most difficult to love are the ones who needed love the most.

We know the power of God through prayer. When we pray for the love of God, then we can pray for anything that pertains to our neighbors, to our friends, to our brothers, to our sisters, to our enemies, even to our loved ones who are difficult to love.

When we ask for the fear of God and the love of God, God grants us these capacities to fear Him, to revere Him, to honor Him, and to love others more than we love ourselves.

There is power in prayers, especially when they are prayed in the fear and the love of God. Such is the power that created godly men and women that God is using for His kingdom. This power of prayer was made manifest in the lives of God’s people who love to do so. When a young preacher just settled in his first pastorate in Philadelphia, he was visited one evening by one of the laymen of his church. The layman said bluntly to the young preacher, "You are not a strong preacher. In the usual order of things, you will fail here, but a little group of us have agreed to gather every Sunday morning to pray for you!" The young preacher saw that a group of people grow to more than one thousand praying weekly for him. The minister was J. Wilbur Chapman, who grew to be one of the greatest preachers America has ever known.

In Jesus Christ, We Are Strong

Ephesians 6:10: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

A male deer was drinking at a pool, admiring his stately antlers but feeling ashamed of his long, tall, and thin legs. Suddenly he sensed an approaching mountain lion. Those long, tall, and thin legs propelled him into the safety of the forest, but his antlers became caught in the underbrush and soon he was killed. In life, our weaknesses are our secret strengths while our pride is our downfall.

Paul admonished the Ephesian believers to be strong in Jesus Christ through the power of His might. Paul, at the present age, is preaching the same spiritual principle to the present-day believers.

Paul preached a series of spiritual principles and practical Christianity to the Ephesian believers (Ephesians 5:18-33; Ephesians 6:9).

1. Believers are not drunk with wine (Ephesians 5:18).

2. Believers speak in hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19).

3. Believers give thanks always (Ephesians 5:20).

4. Believers submit themselves one to another (Ephesians 5:21).

5. Believers obey their parents in the Lord (Ephesians 6:1).

6. Believers honor their parents (Ephesians 6:2).

7. Believers nurture their children in the admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).

8. Believers obey their earthly masters (Ephesians 6:5).

9. Believers respect those who serve them (Ephesians 6:9).

In this series of teachings, Paul capped these teachings with this reminder: “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might”.

There are two important lessons that we can learn from this Scripture.

#1 There is power in the might of Jesus Christ.

The power in Jesus is enduring, indissoluble, imperishable, and lasting. It is unchanging, immutable, and eternal. Jesus Christ Himself rebuked the Pharisees about their question on resurrection when he told them that they err in their perception of spiritual truths because they do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. Scriptures describe Jesus Christ as the expressed image of God, by whom the worlds were made and who upheld all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:1-3; Romans 1:20). They all proclaim the power and might of God, through His Son Jesus Christ.

#2 Our circumstances, our successes, our human capabilities, even our failures and our mistakes, do not make Jesus Christ less of the God that He is. Jesus Christ is Almighty, whether we believe it or not. He is Almighty, whether we trust in Him or not. So as humans, frail and weak as we are, we are in a position of choice. We can remain weak in our own powerlessness, or we can be strong in the mighty power of Jesus Christ.

Choosing to be strong in the Lord may not be easy. Yet Paul teaches us through his letter to the Ephesian believers how to be strong in the Lord, how to live the victorious life amid challenges, and how to overcome the compelling trials of life. For there is a spiritual battle that believers are engaged in, whether they like it or not, whether they acknowledge it or not, or whether they experience it or not.

Ephesians 6:12-13 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand”.  

To be strong in the Lord, according to Paul, believers need to stand against the wiles of the Devil, of the Enemy, by putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11).

The traditional armory of ancient times served the soldiers both in defense and offense. The armor served to defend the soldier while the weapon served the soldiers for attack. Notice that Paul described in Ephesians 6 both the believers’ armors and weapon for spiritual battle. God did the battle for His people at many different times and occasions. Although God is on the offense (2 Chronicles 20:15) and we have our defense (1 Corinthians 10:13), God wants us to be prepared for this spiritual battle. God, who does the spiritual battle for us, also gives us a way out, gives us the strength to fight, and gives us victory.

Ancient Greek and Roman armory basically consists of armors and weapons. The weaponry consists basically of the sword and the spear. The armory on the other hand, consists of two pieces, the body shield and the body armor.

The body shield is heavy and thick and protects the whole of the soldier. The soldier also uses this shield to lunge at the enemy and to knock the enemy over. The soldier also kneels behind the shield and fights from behind it. Interestingly, the size of the soldier’s shield is regulatory, as a soldier can be reprimanded when his shield is too big for him.

Body armors are provided to soldiers according to ranks or position in the line of battle. Some soldiers belong to heavy infantry and some belong to the cavalry; some are front-line soldiers, some are considered veteran soldiers, and some are lightly armed soldiers. Body armors consist of the square breastplate (heart guard) and the greave (shin guard), and in some soldiers, the helmet.

The heart guard protects the pectoral portion of the body where the heart and lungs are situated.

The shin guard protects the left leg that is always exposed during the battle.

The helmet that is worn by soldiers in the heavy infantry and the front-line protects the head.

Other variations of the body armors are for mobility and ease, as in riding a horse for cavalry men.

The basic weapons of warfare are the swords and spears. The sword is shorter yet more powerful than the longer spear in terms of control of the soldiers. The sword is indispensable in close combat while the spear is vital in long range battle.

Paul identifies the spiritual armors and weapons of the believers. Ephesians 6:14-18 describe these armors and weapons: “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”

#1 The breastplate of believers is truth and righteousness (Ephesians 6:14).

The breastplate protects the heart and the lungs. The heart and lungs are vital organs as they provide the bloodline and the supply of air circulation. Truth and righteousness are the breastplate of believers. They protect the believers’ spiritual heritage, their spiritual position and their spiritual destiny. The believers’ spiritual life depends on the certainty of God’s plan and the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Romans 5:17).

#2 The shin guard of believers is the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15). The shin guard covers the leg that is exposed during the battle. When the leg is exposed and severed, the mobility of the soldier is affected. Some parts of the believers’ spiritual lives may be exposed to the world and they may fall or falter. They may be exposed to criticisms or wrongdoing by their brothers or sisters in church, yet there is the gospel of peace that guards the heart. There is the gospel of peace that guides them to forgiveness. There is the gospel of peace that leads them to reconciliation. The gospel of peace is the believers’ shin guard so that they continue to walk in spiritual victory and provide the world with solid witness (1 Peter 3:15).

#3 The shield of the believers is faith (Ephesians 6:16). The shield is the main armor of warfare. Faith is the believers’ shield for spiritual warfare. Faith covers the whole body, the sentiments, the capacity, the training, the disciplines, the characters of believers. Faith covers the whole being. The wickedness of the world throws its darts and spears against the believers. The world even tells the believers that we are worthless, wicked, good for nothing, barren, insignificant, not important, and useless. This is where faith comes in as armor. Whenever the world throws its spears and darts of doubts and judgement, misconceptions, falsehood, deception, deceit at the believers, they can go back to the foundation of their spiritual being (Hebrews 12:2). Faith is the believer’s shield in spiritual battle.

#4 The helmet of believers is salvation (Ephesians 6:17a). The helmet is made of bronze and has a ring of feathers. The metal is a basic protection for the head, which holds the brain for decision making and wisdom. The ring of feathers is not for decorative purpose, but for the illusion that the soldier could look twice his height. The helmet therefore, does not only protect the head but also makes the soldier look taller.  In spiritual battle, salvation protects the believers’ decisions and perception of themselves. In spiritual battle, salvation lifts the believers’ status from a lowly and sorry state to a new glorified, redeemed and valued state as a child of God. So, whenever the enemy disturbs your mind with the thought that you do not belong, then you go back to God’s plan of salvation. Believers are redeemed from the curse of the law, freed from judgement, and saved by the blood of no other than the Son of God (2 Corinthians 5:17; John 1:12). Whenever the enemy tells you that you are lowly, caste down, inferior, condemned, and bound for condemnation, then fix your crown and stand up as sons and daughters of the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Galatians 3:26; Revelations 19:16)!

#5 The sword of the believer is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17b). As the sword is the main weapon of a soldier, the Word of God, the sword of the Holy Spirit, is the main weapon of believers. The Holy Spirit works with the believers during spiritual battles to remind them of the Word of God. When the Enemy sows doubts in the heart of the believers, they fight with the God’s Word in the Scripture (John 14:26; John 16:13). As a believer, you can remind yourself of the Word. You can pray to the Holy Spirit to send you the Word. The Word could come in remembrance of the specific scripture that you have studied and meditated upon in the past. Or the Word could be sent through a friend or a brother. It is therefore important that you study the Word and correctly apply the Word in your life and the lives of others, especially during a spiritual battle.

As believers, your strength and power come from Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection have provided you the armors and weapons to fight the battle in the spiritual realm (Ephesians 6:12-13). Whenever you are in spiritual battle, you have Jesus Christ as our living hope. He fights for you. He provides you with the armor and the weapons to fight the battle. He provides you the strength and the victory.

Are you in a spiritual battle right now?

Are you experiencing troubles, loss of family members, loss of job, loss of self-esteem, even trials right now? Remember that even Job, an upright and faithful man, experienced an onslaught of trials and losses in life (Job 1:8-12).

Are you experiencing attacks of physical danger, or illness, or life-threatening situations? Remember the enemy comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10).

Are you constantly being tempted and increasingly lured towards sin or wrong choices? Remember that even Jesus Christ was tempted and lured into the materials power and possessions of the world (Matthew 4:1-11).

Are you overwhelmingly bombarded with despair, darkness, or fear?  Remember David had his bouts of despair and fear (Psalm 7). Remember that Elijah wanted God to take his life out of darkness and despair. (1 Kings 19:4).

Are you suffering from confusion, or do you experience the feeling of condemnation and guilt, or your spiritual awareness is being shrouded, dulled, and numbed at the moment? Remember that our God is not the author of confusion but the source of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). Remember God’s assurance that there is no more condemnation to those who belong to Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1).

Spiritual battles are real. But strength and the victory in Jesus Christ are the realities that believers experience while knowing and serving the Lord Jesus Christ. As believers, we all are strong in the Lord. We all are victorious in His mighty power.