V RaptureChrist Newsletter
August 1, 2011

According to the Apostle Paul we are at war. However, it is not against flesh and blood we fight, but against the spirit realm. People do not realize that we are engaged in spiritual warfare.

The devil is like a dark shadow that hovers over us. He is always around trying to harm us. God has angels to protect those who follow him, but even so, the devil tries to get us to sin and will afflict all of us with pains.

Whenever we are faced with problems... problems that are so big that we think they cannot be solved... this is due to obstacles from the forces of darkness.  The Holy Bible gives us many examples.

Let me mention one of them.  The prophet Daniel was praying to God and finally, several days later, the angel Gabriel appeared telling him that his prayer was answered from the first day he prayed to God.  The reason for the delay was that the "Prince of Persia," a demon, was opposing the angel.

Daniel 10:13
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

As we can see, not only do demons attack people, they can also attack good angels. Of course, angels can see each other... we just cannot.  We cannot see demons approaching people and planting ideas in their minds.  We cannot see demons causing bad weather, accidents, disease... but they can do these things -- look at the example of Job. 

Satan, as "the big orchestrator of evil," caused all the children of Job to be killed, most of his servants, the animals, destroyed their properties, and finally caused illness for Job.  On top of all of that, Satan made other people confront Job with criticism, ridicule, and contempt. Read the whole story for yourself in the book of Job.  Even his own wife told Job to curse God and die.

God allowed Satan to do all those things that made Job suffer, but you see, God sees the end from the beginning.  Suffering made Job understand many things he did not realize before. After all his trials,  he acquired humility and his faith was magnified. Job came to know God in a way he did not know before.

There are many people, many of them Christians, who at the present time are going through perilous times.  One of the reasons for their troubles is that the love of the many has become cold.

A large group in the population thinks it is ok to hate other human beings who "do not belong to the same faith" or do not agree with their ideas.  In this way Satan has deceived the masses into an egotistical behavior by which the only important thing is to "take care of number one."

Nowadays, the example of the good Samaritan that Jesus gives in the bible is not taught in public schools. What is taught is to be aggressive and to be an over achiever and to get to top positions no matter how many people you need to step on. 

On the contrary, Christians, following the example of Jesus, are told to set an example of what it means to love each other, including our enemies.

Many Christians are enduring hardships and persecution instilled by Satan into the hearts of the unbelievers.  Some Christian churches have been burned, and many Christians are being jailed or put to death, but the way to resist the Devil and his human cohorts is not by paying back in the same way.  If people throw rocks at you, get out of the way.  Do not throw rocks back at them.  If people hit you, remember Jesus said to give back the other cheek.   We are not fighting people, but the spirit realm.

 2 Corinthians 10:4
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;

Now, as Christian families, we need to prepare for spiritual battle every day, and train our children with love so that they could confront the attacks that they will face at an early age.

The problem is that many Christian families have abdicated their role in  raising children. Television and school are their tutors. Many Christians are letting their children to be taught in public schools, were they are told that religious ideas are foolish, and that unhealthy and immoral lifestyles are proper.

Obeying God and his ten commandments becomes more unreal every day as children are exposed to teachers and groups of other children who do not embrace these virtues.

We are presenting these facts in order for Christian families to wake up from the slumber in which this society has fallen.  We have to resist the Devil and his evil human armies. 

James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

In our battles on this earth, God warns Christians that we are not fighting other people, but Satan and his hordes. God also shows us how to prepare for battle.
 
Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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.

Observe that God says that we need to stand against the wiles of the devil.  The word "wile" denotes a stratagem or trick intended to deceive or snare.  The word "wile" suggests deceiving and entrapping a victim using his/her weak points.  Satan the devil is a master at entrapping victims, and has many years of experience .... thousands. 
 
Many humans have fallen to the Devil's deceptions, starting with Eve in the Garden of Eden....but behold, there is a man who has never been deceived.  His name is Jeshua/Jesus of Nazareth.  This man confronted the Devil and did not fall to his wiles.
 
We, as followers of Jeshua, can also overcome the Devil if we listen to this warning from the word of God:

Ephesians 6:13
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.
 
God tells us that the evil day is coming, but that if we take the whole armor of God, we can stand the attack.
 
And these are the components of the armor:

Ephesians 6:14-17
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with TRUTH, and having on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS; And your feet shod with the preparation of the GOSPEL OF PEACE;
Above all, taking the shield of FAITH, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of SALVATION,
and the SHORT SWORD (DAGGER) of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Notice which are the components of the armor:
First it gives you 5 protective items.

1. Belt of Truth
This means you have to proceed from the only source of truth which is the word of God.  Remember Jesus told us not to swear, but that our yes must be yes and our no must be no. 

We should always be truthful and have a good understanding of the word of God, our base for truth.

2. Breastplate of Righteousness
This is the second piece of protection. We must be righteous, as Jeshua was righteous.  This is accomplished by accepting the sacrifice of Jeshua for ours sins and obeying Jeshua by following his commandments.  This is the way to put on the breastplate of righteousness.  We have to be the light of the world and be spotless in our dealings with this world.

3. Gospel of Peace
This is the third item of protection -- to shod our feet with the gospel of peace. The word gospel means "good news," so we need in every aspect of our daily lives to be ready to share the good news about the Kingdom of God.  Remember that God tells us to be strong and courageous, not to shy away from bringing the news of the gospel.

4. Shield of Faith
This is the fourth protective item. With this shield we will be able to quench the fiery darts of the enemy.  Faith is able to make us stand in the day of battle.

5. Helmet of Salvation
This is the last of the five pieces of protection. The hope of salvation is what keeps us fighting in the evil day -- the day we are attacked by the devil.

6. Dagger of the Spirit
This is the word of God. It is not a protective item, it is a defensive item, The dagger is used against an assailant in a defensive mode, not an offensive mode as an arrow or a spear. It is an item that you use in close combat to defend yourself against an attacker. 
 
This dagger is called "the dagger of the spirit" which is the word of God.  Therefore, God tells us that when the devil is attacking us, we must use the word of  God.  If you look at the temptation of Jeshua/Jesus after his 40 days fast, he uses the word of God as his defense to fight off Satan.  We must memorize the word of God to give back an answer whenever we can.

1 Thessalonians 5:8
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
 
Therefore remember that your fight is not against flesh and blood.  Anytime anybody deals with you unfairly, remember it is not the person, but the devil who is manipulating that person to make you respond in an unchristian way.  Put on your armor everyday and pray to our heavenly father to make you remember how to answer.

God says in the bible that a new day is near.

Romans 13:12
The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Be of good cheer, the kingdom of God is near.