Grace And Sin!

Psalm 19: 12-14 mentions three kinds of sin - Errors, Hidden Faults, and Willful Sins.

Errors - sins we commit and are not aware of. David said, "Who can discern (one's) errors?" We can commit error-sins for years as a Christian and not be aware of them, unless someone courageously and lovingly points them out.

Hidden Faults - sins we commit that we are aware of, but try to hide, hoping nobody catches on. David prayed often to God, "Forgive my hidden faults."

Willful Sins - Attitudes, thoughts, words, and actions that we know are wrong, and yet we do them anyway. David asked God, "Keep your servant also from willful sins."

But let us note that there is something encouraging here also. Though David knows he is a sinner, he is also still God's servant.

Even willful sin does not exclude us from God's Love.
God's Grace never gives up on us!

"Where sin increased, grace increased all the more." - Romans 5:20

Despite our sin, we are God's servant, not because of what we have done, are doing, or ever will do, but because of whom we believe in...

Christ, and the Finished Work Of The Cross.

Maybe that is why David asked God, "May my sins not rule over me." He knew God's servants should only have one ruler - and it ought not to be willful sin. He knew he was not perfect.

So David prays, as a humble man, "May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight." And to whom does he make that request? " O Lord, My Rock, and My Redeemer."

These inner struggles are what make us alive today. These same struggles were shared by Jacob when he wrestled with God as in Genesis 32:28. Every God-believer is a God-struggler. Struggling with God is not a sign of unbelief or weak faith. It is a sign of an honest relationship, and even strong faith. Those who have no faith, have no need of grace, and no need to struggle with God. But all who have faith, struggle with God and the grace, and unmerited favor which He gives to us because of the imperfections we see in ourselves. Sometimes it is with a great ferocity, and other times it is a lesser intensity. He actually likes us to struggle with Him, because it always brings about change in our lives. Struggling with God shows that we take Him seriously to the Truth that He reveals to us in our lives each day as we journey forward, renewing our minds to what is true of us. Transforming us more and more into His image and likeness for the world to see. God's Grace is always more than enough to help us in our struggles with sin, strengthening us in our faith, showing us that He has everything we need in this life and journey today. Our true freedom and change comes through accepting His Grace, through His Son, Jesus Christ, and all that He has done to allow us to have that relationship again today.

Unifying The Church - The Body Of Christ!

.....I come to you today as an Ambassador for God through Christ, to speak to YOU as a trumpet, and also as a prophetic voice, detached from things that mean nothing, and attached to God's things, that mean everything, preparing the way. A clear sounding word, used in the Old Testament as a signaling of God's presence, a calling of the assemblies, announcing a Feast, and a gathering of the Nation of Israel. As an Ambassador, it is my job to be a peacemaker. A peacemaker does not evade issues. He faces them, deals with them, and conquers them. He has no passive acceptance of things, but actively faces things, making peace, even when the way to peace is through struggle. The Church is to be the conscience of the Nation, and the conscience of Society, establishing peace, which is for the most part, to experience F.R.E.E.D.O.M. - Fully Renouncing Every Evil Dominion Over Man, from all trouble, and the enjoyment of all good. A conviction brought about by loyalty and living for Christ today.

.....I wish to address this day, the subject of Unifying the Church - The Body of Christ. Jesus is coming again, and is returning for 1 Bride, without spot, or blemish. Yet, the body of Christ is still not picking up on this. The true power of the Church will not manifest itself today until we come together as one.

.....I am about to show you a physical picture of a Spiritual Truth concerning this. Christianity was meant to be seen. We are to be a guide to make clear the way as an example, and also a warning light to others, concerning our duties to the world. I wish to start with Mathew 5: 14-16 which says, "You are the light (One Light) of the world. A city, (The New Jerusalem), that is set on a hill, (A High Place For Everyone To See), and cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house, (The World). Let your light so shine before men, (Visible To All), that they may see your good works, (Attracting Them To God), and glorify your Father in Heaven."

Follow me now to the book of "The Revelation Of Jesus Christ."

.....In Revelation 1: 10-13 it says, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as a trumpet, saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, and what you see, write to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lamp stands, and in the midst of the seven lamp stands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band."

.....Note that there are seven lights revealing Christ, in His fullness, standing there in the midst of the light. And as I said earlier, we are the Light. But why are we not there yet?

.....Chapters 2 and 3 in the book of Revelation of Jesus contains seven messages to seven churches. The number 7 in the bible represents Completion, or Divine Perfection. God is trying to reveal to us how the unity of the body of Christ is to come about. The perfecting of the Church. A physical picture of a Spiritual Truth. Each message contains a praise, and a rebuke from the Lord, then a correction to be made in the body, and then a reward for that correction. I have listed them below in part for this study.

The Church of Ephesus

Commendation- Rejects evil, perseveres, has patience.
Criticism- Love for Christ no longer fervent.
Correction- Do the works you did at first.
Promise- The tree of Life.

The Church of Smyrna

Commendation- Gracefully bears suffering.
Criticism- None.
Correction- Be faithful until death.
Promise- The crown of Life.

The Church of Pergamos

Commendation- Keeps the faith of Christ.
Criticism- Tolerates immorality, idolatry, and heresies.
Correction- Repent.
Promise- Hidden manna, and a stone with a new name.

The Church of Thyatira

Commendation- Love, service, faith, patience is greater than at first.
Criticism- Tolerates cult of idolatry and immorality.
Correction- Judgement coming, keep the faith.
Promise- Rule over nations and receive the morning star.

The Church of Sardis

Commendation- Some have kept the faith.
Criticism- A dead church
Correction- Repent, strengthen what remains.
Promise- Faithful honored and clothed in white.

The Church of Philadelphia

Commendation- Perseveres in the faith.
Criticism- None.
Correction- Keep the faith.
Promise- A place in God's presence, a new name, and the New Jerusalem.

The Church of Laodicea

Commendation- None.
Criticism- Indifferent.
Correction- Be zealous and repent.
Promise- Share Christ's throne.

Now picture with me how this all works:

Imagine we, the church, are in a dark room, (The World), and as a correction is made in our lives, a light is lit on a Menorah, (Jesus is the Golden Candlestick, and YOU are the Light of the World). The light reveals an aspect of Truth, about Christ, and you in Christ. A promise revealed and received. Now we know through the study of scripture that light always dispels darkness. And also no amount of darkness can ever put out that light, (Truth), once it is lit, (Within You). That is Revelation. So as we, the Body of Christ, continue to make these 7 corrections within the Church, more and more lights are then lit, revealing more of Him and less of us, until all that we see is Him. These corrections are in the correct order according to the word of God, and will manifest the fullness of Christ, restoring the power within the Church, unifying the body, creating a bride, (1 Bride), without spot or blemish for Him to receive. God gave us the perfect example of this when He created Adam and Eve. God first made Adam, and then Eve for him, his help-mate, 1 bride, was made from a part of him. In this same way, God made Christ, and His Bride, the Church is to also be made from Him. That can only be manifested stage by stage through these 7 corrections for perfection. So Church, let's start making these corrections. How you might ask? Through the Six Steps to the Throne of God, which I will reveal to you later.
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Growing In Grace!

.....Jesus Christ paid a debt He did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay. The Cross truly demonstrates God's love. The Bible says: Love conquers all, and also, that Love covers a multitude of sins. God clearly demonstrated His own love for us in the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. There is no greater act of love than to give your one and only son for the world. There is no F.E.A.R. in Love. Perfect Love drives out F.E.A.R., because fear has to do with punishment. The man who fears is not made perfect in Love, (1 John 4: 18).

.....Today, we are free to grow in Love for Him by the grace, (The Unmerited Favor) He has given us, that we may serve Him with joy, presenting our bodies as living sacrifices. Not presenting ourselves to an enemy whose motives and purposes are suspect at best, but to a Living God, a wise, loving, and powerful Heavenly Father, who's motives and purposes for us are founded in His perfect goodness.

.....The Law could never produce true growth in grace and actually worked against the process. 1 Corinthians 15: 56 says, " The power of sin is the Law." As long as people are kept under the Law, they are kept under the power of sin. Romans 7: 7-8 says, "I would not have known what sin was except through the Law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the Law had not said, Do Not Covet. But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the Commandments, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from the Law, sin is dead."

So, is the Law bad?

.....No, because in 1 Timothy 1: 8 it says, " The Law is good if one uses it properly." In it's proper use, God uses it as a mirror to show us the truth about ourselves, so that we will see our need for total dependency upon Jesus Christ. In it's misuse, it produces an "Outward Conformity" with an absence of Faith, Hope and Love. This results in a total lack of Christian maturity.

An example of this is a contrast between:

A City Dog, and A Country Dog.

.....I personally have had one of each, and the Lord revealed this to me through the Spirit while in my personal studies with Him. Have you ever had a dog that you kept in the house, or penned up in the backyard? What happens when there is a momentary crack in the doorway or fence? The dog takes off like a bolt of lightning! Give it a glimpse of freedom and he's gone. You end up chasing him up the street, constantly calling his name. Does he stop? No way! He would actually turn and seem to grin at you, and keeps running. The more you chase him, the faster he runs.

.....On the other hand, have you ever had or seen a country dog? Picture "Old Duke." There are no fences, but only miles of pasture and woods to run in. He can go wherever and do whatever he wants. But where is he? Right smack on the front porch of your house, sleeping, and resting contently. He is happy to hang around the house, waiting for his master to come and play or take him for a walk.

.....People are the same way. They can't stand to be in bondage! They remain in captivity if there are enough strong threats, persuasive deceptions, or peer pressure, but if you give them a crack of freedom in this situation, they are out there like a city dog.

.....This is what Christians do who have been kept penned up by legalism. Without a personal understanding of the Grace and Truth found in Jesus Christ to guide them, they see freedom only as an opportunity to indulge the flesh.

.....Christians are all too quick to condemn people who are so called, "Rebelling Against God," without first looking more closely and asking, "What are they really rebelling against?" Usually, people are actually rebelling against "Legalistic Religion," brought about by man's traditions, that has kept them in bondage, not against God Himself.

.....Do you really think the city dog is running from his master? No, he is running from the fence. He loves his master. He just hates being penned up. These kind of rebels are some of the most excited, dynamic believers, once the errors of legalism have been corrected in there lives.

Let's emphasize what God has added above and beyond the removal of the Law.

.....God's method of releasing us from the Law is by replacing it with His indwelling Life and Spirit. That is why the country dog stays near to the front door. Because he knows and loves his master, His freedom is not freedom from bondage, but freedom to be with the one he loves. In the same way, we grow to know and love Jesus Christ more intimately, and find ourselves experiencing incredible freedom, hardly ever thinking about the Law at all. The issue is not what I can or cannot do. I'm Free to know my Heavenly Father in an unhindered personal relationship. Then, through that relationship, God teaches my mind to think His thoughts. When I am wrong, He uses Grace to remind me who I really am, so that I can return to a dependancy upon Him. He doesn't just lock me back behind the fence. He is faithful even when we are not. Hebrews 13: 5 says, " He will never leave us nor forsake us." We may get deceived sometimes, or feel beaten down, but His Love and Grace continue to draw us to Himself as He continues to fulfill His Promise in Phillipians 1: 6 which says, "He who began a good work in you, will carry it out onto completion until the day of Jesus Christ. John 3: 30 says, "He must increase, and I must decrease." That is a good way to describe what growing in grace is like.

.....Through our trials, tribulations, and personal failures, we come face to face with our own inadequacy, and are forced to turn to Him for His total adequacy. He then lifts us up, and then we see that He still loves, and accepts us, even if He hates what we did. This causes us to be drawn to love Him, and to trust Him more, as we continue our walk through life.

.....In closing, I want you to know that God truly cares about you and me. There is nothing we can give Him, no service we can perform, no self discipline we can apply that He wants more than just us. He wants to reveal Himself, and His Love to us, and wants us to grow to love Him in return. This is how we grow in grace, abiding in the Truth of God's Word, especially the Truth which deals with our total acceptance, forgiveness, righteousness, and life in "The Finished Work Of The Cross." Within the Truth, we have the boldness to approach God, and get to know Him in a personal way. Through, a relationship, not religion.

We must abide in His Grace, in order to grow in His Grace.

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WHY DID JESUS WEEP?

.....The passage of scripture in John 11: 1-44, is the story about Lazarus being raised from the dead. It also contains the shortest verse in the whole Bible, John 11: 35, "Jesus wept." May I share with you today a little bit of Revelation received from God through my personal studies about why Jesus wept.

.....One of Jesus' best friends, Lazarus, was sick. Mary and Martha sent someone to go and find Jesus. Yet when Jesus heard the news, He remained where he was for two extra days before coming. He told his disciples, (John 11: 4) "This sickness is not unto death, but for the Glory of God, that the Son of God maybe Glorified through it." The story was an example of God's Divine Sovereignty in the midst of human suffering demonstrating His Purpose and Grace through His Son Jesus. Jesus explained in John 11: 9 - 10 that His orders came from His Father and His relationship with His Father determined His actions. He went on to explain to the disciples in John 11: 11, that Lazarus, His friend, was only asleep and He would go and wake him. Lazarus represents the Church today, not dead but asleep, needing a Revelation of Jesus to awaken them today. Jesus finally arrived in Bethany and Lazarus had now been inthe tomb for 4 days. At this point, Martha and Mary both confronted Him when He showed up and each said, "Lord, if You had only been here, my brother would not have died. Jesus told them that their brother would rise again, but they did not understand what He meant by this. So He tried to explain to them further in John 11: 25 - 26, saying, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me, shall never die." Then He asked Martha if she believed this, and she said in John 11: 27, "Yes, Lord, I believe You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world. Jesus then groaned in the Spirit and was troubled when He saw Mary and the Jews that were with her crying. He asked them where they had laid him. And then He wept.

.....My question today is why did Jesus weep and who did He weep for?

.....He could not have been weeping for Lazarus, for three reasons:

.....1. Lazarus was asleep.

.....2. This sickness was not unto death, but for the Glory of God, so that the Son of God maybe Glorified through it.

.....3. Whoever believes in Me shall never die, he shall live.

.....You see at this point it struck me why He wept, and who He wept for. Jesus was weeping for Mary, Martha, and all the Jews (the people), not for Lazarus. Follow me back in time for moment.

.....In 2 Peter 3: 8 its says, "One day with the Lord is as 1000 years, and 1000 years is as one day." From the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden and their fall, to the fulfillment of all the Prophecies of the Messiah coming was 4000 years. Hence, the reason Jesus waited 4 days to go and see Lazarus. Lazarus in a way represented all of Mankind, God's creation that was in a fallen state, sick, dying under the curse, and separated from God, because of the force of Sin being released upon the Earth.

.....So here was the Messiah, the Christ, who came into this world to make things right again, and reconcile man back to God, fulfilling the Law, standing there before them and yet they still doubted and could not believe. This is truly why He wept. Jesus had been with Mary, Martha, the Disciples, and the Jews at this point for a few years, doing many miracles before them and shared many things with them and yet they still could not understand. You see, in the presence of the Messiah the Law is fulfilled, the curse is reversed, and death had no power or right to hold Lazarus in the tomb. Jesus was trying to show them it was only temporal and not eternal upon the completion of the Finished Work of the Cross.

.....In John 11: 38 Jesus went to the tomb and a stone was laying against it. The stone represented an obstacle, the bondage, those things that stand in our way to believing in the Word of God. Jesus told them to remove the stone. Yet they questioned Jesus saying, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for Lazarus has been dead for 4 days." Jesus then asked them about their Faith in John 11: 40 when He said, "Did I not say to you that if you believe you would see Glory of God? (Life in Christ- F.R.E.E.D.O.M.-Fully Renouncing Every Evil Dominion Over Man.) They then removed the stone. Jesus then lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing here before Me, I have said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." Jesus then cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" Showing that the Messiah, and the Word of God spoken, brings forth Life. Lazarus then came out, bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. (Walking toward the Light, The Truth, Taking little steps.) Jesus said to those around him, "Loose him, and let him go." Signifying that those around him, now believers from seeing the Miracle, had a part in helping to set the captives free. This is the responsibility of the Church today. The Body of Christ.
.......................Whom the Son Sets Free, is Free Indeed!

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THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD

Spiritual Warfare

.....God has designed every Christian for spiritual warfare. We are all commanded to resist the devil so that he will flee from us. We must all wrestle against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness or wickedness. In this combat, each of us must learn to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. In a day when the Church is being challenged to a contest of power by the forces of evil, it is essential every Christian learn how to carry out effective spiritual warfare, and put on the pieces of God's Armor and stand against the devil.

The Whole Armor of God (Ephesians 6: 10 -- 20 ).

How to put on our Armor and Weapons.

.....A soldier must expend time and energy in order to put on his armor and take up his weapons. Similarly, a Christian puts on each piece of armor through precise disciplines in the Christian life. The spiritual armor of the Christian is similar to the physical armor of a soldier; however, it is of a different nature. Example -- David went out against Goliath in full armor, but all Goliath saw was a slingshot. David's armor had been forged and put on through the years of Godly disciplines which he developed in the wilderness caring for his father's sheep. ( See Psalm 78: 70-72)

1.) Belt of truth

.....Throughout history, the belt has been a symbol of strength, it is also been a means of freedom, and open times. Men wore outer garments which reached to the ground. If they ran in battle, they would be apt to step on the garments and stumble. To avoid this danger, they would raise their garments to the knee and secure them around their waist with the belt. Peter had this picture in mind when he quoted, "Gird up the loins of your mind." (1 Peter 1: 3).
Truth is also a means of freedom, as Jesus said, "And you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free." (John 8: 32) (see also -- John 14: 6 ).

The Discipline related to the Belt of Truth:

Reading the Bible daily

.....Satan is a liar and the father lies. (See John 8: 44). He will tell us lies about God, ourselves, sin, the purposes for which God made things, and about every other aspect of our life. The best way to guard ourselves from Satan's lies is to have a daily program of reading and studying God's Word. ( The Truth )

2.) Breastplate of Righteousness

.....The Roman warriors who directly engaged the enemy wore plate armor around the trunks of their bodies to protect vital organs. In the same way, Christians are directed by God to guard "Their hearts with all diligence; for out to of them are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4: 23) The plate armor was heavy and restricted motion somewhat; however, the protection it gave was necessary for the soldier's survival.

The Discipline related to the Breastplate of Righteousness:

Memorizing God's Word

.....The ability of the Word of God to protect our heart is explained in Psalm 119:11, "Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee."Satan is the accuser of the bretheren (Christians) and brings condemnation to our hearts, (attacking the mind) if we do not know how to offset it with the Truth, such as passages in Romans 8. As we memorize God's word, our hearts, (minds) are sanctified and cleansed, according to John 15: 3, "Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you." (See also Galatians 3: 6 )

3.) Feet Shod with the Gospel

.....The foot is a symbol of authority. When a king was conquered, he would be brought to the victorious ruler and made to bow his head down to the ground. The conqueror would put his foot on the neck of his defeated foe, symbolizing that he had jurisdiction(and victory) over him and his kingdom.

The Discipline related to the Shoes of the Gospel:

Meditating on Scripture

.....Since Satan is the author of rebellion, he will do all he can to cause us to rebel. However, by engrafting Scripture into our souls,( mind, will, and emotions), we will be able to think God's thoughts,(revelation, wisdom, knowledge,) after Him. Meditation On Scripture is the way to engraft God's word into our lives so we can walk in his ways and bring peace to many others through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

4.) Shield of Faith

.....Roman shields came in various sizes and shapes, but the purpose was the same: To protect a warrior from deadly spears, arrows, and swords of the enemy. Even with the other pieces of armor, a soldier had vulnerable areas and needed the added protection of a shield to stop or deflect what would otherwise be lethal blows. The Roman shields were designed to interlock with one another. With this feature, soldier's interlock their shields over their heads and advance towards the walled cities of the enemy. The fiery darts that came down upon them from their enemies on the walls, were thus ineffective.

The Discipline related to the Shield of Faith:

Fasting Regularly

.....Satan is the one who buffets the Saints and watches for openings to attack. It takes spiritual discernment to anticipate and deflect these assaults. Such discernment comes through fasting. Jesus promised to reward openly those who fast secretly, and Isaiah 58 promises good judgment to those who fast. When Paul was buffeted by Satan, he resorted to prayer and fasting.

5.) Helmet of Salvation

.....A variety of helmets were worn by soldiers of different armies. In hand to hand combat, it was a distinct advantage for a soldier to have a helmet which protected not only his head, but also is face, an especially his eyes. A blow to the uncovered head would immediately disable the soldier; therefore, this was one of the most important pieces of armor.

The Discipline related to the Helmet of Salvation:

Rising Early

.....One of Satan's most devastating tactics is to disable us with fear. (False Evidence Appearing Real). If he can bring fear to our minds, we will take our focus off the power and protection of the Lord and lose our will to sustain the battle. By rising early in the morning and having a communion time with the Lord, we renew our minds to what's true of us in Christ and focus on God's power and purposes for us through the day. (Reflection and repentance also). David wrote, "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and I will look up." (Psalm 5: 3)

6.) Sword of the Spirit

.....The first five pieces of armor are defensive; however, the sword is to be uses an offense a weapon. The effectiveness of the sword depended on the hardness of the metal and the sharpness of the edges. The two edged sword was essential in battle because the soldier could wheeled it at the enemy in either direction.

The Discipline related to the Sword of the Spirit:

Using Rhema in Warfare

.....The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The Greek term used in this verse for "Word" is not Logos but Rhema. Rhema is Scripture which the Holy Spirit gives us for a particular situation. Jesus demonstrated how to use Rhema when he was tempted in the wilderness. With each temptation, he quoted a verse of Scripture from the Old Testament Logos. ("It is written" or "God says").The disciplines of reading, meditating and memorizing Scripture will provide the basis of receiving Rhema from the Holy Spirit. A wise exercise in spiritual warfare would be to match Rhema with temptations which you anticipate. (Rightly understanding God's Word and the right use of it.)

7.) All Prayer

.....Our second offense a weapon is prayer. "The effectual ferverent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (Makes much power available.) (James 5: 16). The scope of the influence of prayer is extensive: "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make know the mystery of the Gospel." (Ephesians 6: 18 -19).

The Discipline related to Ferverent Prayer:

Establishing Priorities

.....Satan is a hinderer of the Saints (see -1 Thessalonians 2: 18). It is our responsibility to determine what is most important in our lives and to choose the things that are excellent. (Good, perfect, and pleasing to God). Ferverent prayer for the salvation of non-believers and for the strengthening of our brothers and sisters ( In Christ) damages Satan's kingdom. Satan will, therefore, do all he can to hinder Christians from engaging in prayer. We can, however, be more than conquerors if we turned Satan's temptations into signals for prayer. This brings victory in a Christians life. Prayer is the battle itself. God's word is the chief weapon. The bottom line is that an unbroken, ongoing relationship with God is the only absolute guarantee of being constantly dressed in the Whole Armor of God, thus producing true freedom. (Fully Renouncing Every Evil Dominion Over Man.)

.....In conclusion, notice that the Armor of God does not protect the back of the Christian. That is because first of all, God has our back, and also our brothers in Christ. Also we are to stand against the wiles of the enemy, not to run from or shy away but to stand. For weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual and mighty in the pulling down of strongholds, warring against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness.

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