▪️Morning ruminations about serving the Lord: “If you plan to make it to Heaven, you will have to fight to make it.”

Have you ever noticed how the enemy tries to convince us — Canaan should be accompanied with ease and comfort. His ole trick is the pompous feeling of, “I have arrived.” What a facade that truly is…

I am doing everything according to the word of the Lord, so I am going to sit back, hit the auto-pilot button, and enjoy this wonderful life…

—OR—

One may say, “My goodness, I am doing everything I know to do as a Christian. And yet it seems, the more I try, the more I have to battle!” What is the point in trying?”

I am so thankful this morning — The Lord understands our human nature. Until we draw our last breath on this earth, or get caught up in the rapture, we will have to fight to make Heaven our home. Pseudo Christianity will not get you to Heaven. Half-hearted allegiance to the God you serve, will not get you to Heaven.

God warned Israel prior to arriving to their long awaited Promised Land —

“And when the LORD your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you–with great and good cities that you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant–and when you eat and are full, 12 then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 It is the LORD your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. Deuteronomy 6:10-13 (ESV)

This was the plague of Israel, and many years later, it became the plague in the Church at Sardis. They grew comfortable to the point of no longer setting a watch over the city, and Sardis fell to the enemy on two different occasions. I declare unto us all this morning, we have got to learn — “The good fight of FAITH.”

If there is a good fight, then there must be a bad fight. Yes, absolutely! When you’re fighting in the flesh, that is the wrong fight. When you are fighting the man of God trying to get you to Heaven, that is indeed the wrong fight. When you are fighting your loved ones, or perhaps your brothers and sisters in the Lord, you guessed it — the wrong fight!

We have three enemies we must contend with in this life.

1. Our flesh
2. Satan
3. The World (satan’s anti-Christ system in which he operates in)

▪️All three are conquered through Jesus Christ▪️

✝️ There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1 (KJV)

✝️ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)

✝️ I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 15 Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1 John 2:13-16 (KJV)

✝️ These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (KJV)

✝️ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4 (KJV)

▪️REALITY▪️

THE REALITY IS — GOD ALWAYS LEAVES ANOTHER GIANT, NO MATTER HOW LONG WE TRAVEL THE ROAD IN OUR CANAAN LAND. FOR EVERY NEW LEVEL, IS A NEW DEVIL.

God purposely left giants in the land to TEST ISRAEL…and teach them to WAR!

Now these are the nations that the LORD left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. 2 It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before. 3 These are the nations: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. 4 They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. Judges 3:1-4 (ESV)

▪️FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH▪️

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12 (KJV)

▪️ENDURE TIL THE END▪️

As the Apostle Paul wrote to his son in the faith, he was warning him, — Timothy, you must be willing to ENDURE TIL’ THE END!

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of [this] life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 5 And if a man also strive for masteries, [yet] is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. 7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. 8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: 9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, [even] unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 2 Timothy 2:3-10 (KJV)

🙏🏻Be encouraged this morning:🙌🏻

We are overcomers through Jesus Christ. If you’re sitting idle, then it’s time to get off the couch and onto the battlefield. If you’re on the battlefield, then keep fighting the good fight of faith.

Here are lasting words from the Apostle Paul — Keep fighting!

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10:35-39 (KJV)