The Fight Is On

Sometimes, I seem to inhale blessings and triumphs, while exhaling spiritual findings and insight. These have often been called "mountain top" moments. It's the time in your Christian life where you are walking with the Lord, the devil is firmly planted between your heel and the floor, and all inside seems still, quiet, and serene. The victories are being won, the flesh is in total subjection, and you are ready to charge all of hell itself with faith that overcomes the world! It is at these times that you wonder if you will ever go back again. Back to where the struggles take place. Back to where the flesh is formidable, the foe advancing, and your spirit is struggling to breathe. Those times of fighting the devil are a distant memory from the mountain top.

But, one day...there I find myself. There in the valley. I'm not alone, it's just so dark sometimes with the smoke of the battle that I can't see. My flesh is raging with desires, appetites, and carnal lusts. The spirit of God advances, its forces even greater than the former. But the victor, in the end, will be who I endorse. The one who gets my nod of approval, the one I allow to take center stage, on the throne, making decisions, he will take the victory. That could be the fleshly man, if I take his side. As powerful as the spirit of Christ is in me, my will alone can repel him and send him into silence. The greater one that is in me has seen that corner of my complete rejections far too many times, watching my flesh take me captive while the plan of Satan since the garden of Eden is accomplished yet again. The serpent has his advantages. My flesh is on his side, and it strives for the destruction that he proposes. The beautiful delicacies of this world, poisoned by the diseases of sinful consequences and bitter aftertaste, allure me in these times of weakness, where, like Eve, I long for the taste that brings what I presume to be greater pleasure...only to be blinded and hurt once again by the sting... I know the tempter is near, I can see the temptation coming, I know the result, and yet I still struggle with the decision.

Paul faced the same thing.

"For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I...Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me...For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not...I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me...O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Romans 7

It is an inevitable, irresistible fight that you as a Christian will face. When Salvation took place, the devil devised a plan to make you useless for God. He can no longer take you to Hell, but he can put you on a spiritual shelf, rendering you incapable of serving God. To do this, he uses the flesh. He drives you to decisions of impulse so that you are fleshly, without God's power as a Christian, and without the capacity to succeed as a Christian. You will have taken the reigns of your life from Almighty God and begun making decisions on your own. You will never fail at failing when you behave this way.

I have found myself in the battle of my life recently. A battle that will never end until I get to my heavenly home, and this corruption shall put on incorruption, and this mortality shall put on immortality.

I thank God that victory is possible, though. Over the past couple of weeks, I have fallen flat on my face multiple times. But God is faithful!! I'm so glad my Salvation is not based on my faithfulness! Aren't you?

Hebrews 4:16
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

What a wonderful verse that is!! What a privilege to carry everything to the Lord in prayer. All our anxiety, all our care, bring to the mercy seat, leave it there!! Hallelujah!
I have adopted an attitude of victory. I've fallen, granted. But the war is not over. I have a commander that will never give up on me, no matter who else does, and based on the grace of the faithful one, I can go on!! I will not quit!!! He did not quit on me!!

I love second chances. It's not everyday you get a second chance anymore, let alone meet someone who gives you a second chance every day!!!

After reading Romans 7, I was feeling pretty down, but then the Holy Ghost spoke to me and said, "Read the next chapter..,"

Romans 8:1
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

What a great book I'm reading! That means I don't have to have condemnation because I don't have to walk in the flesh! Through God I can do valiantly!!! Through God I can be different! And through God, I can walk right out of this valley!

I find out now looking back just how close he was to me in that valley. I just didn't see him. I didn't realize all of the help that was there, just waiting to be called upon. When the smoke cleared I saw. God doesn't always show you everything. He just wants you to remember in the dark times what you saw in the light, and keep walking... It's called faith. Faith that God is true.

Christian, defeat is not something we can afford in this latter day. The fight is on, and I'm here to stay. I'm not quitting, and I'm not backing out. I'm in this fight until the end...until God calls me home. Maybe you're struggling now with the flesh, and you can sympathize with what I wrote here. Just stick in there...when the battle is the hottest, victory is just around the corner! Hold on! And furthermore, God knows exactly what you're going through. He's been where you're at. I'll save that for another post I'm working on.

It's worth it at the end of the battle, friend! Stay in the fight!