Our Kingdom at War

Here is a truth that many times gets forgotten in our daily lives and the lives of those within the body of Christ here on earth.  WE ARE AT WAR!   

Let me set the stage

When Jesus came to earth, He was the fullness of the Godhead bodily. ( Col 2:9 NKJV  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;)  When Jesus was here on earth in His ministry the kingdom of God was here on earth.  When Jesus ascended into heaven, He sent His Spirit to indwell men which means we are His body here on earth now. (Eph 5:30 NKJV  For we are members of His body, of His flesh and His bones.)  This means the kingdom of God is on earth right now alive within His body, the church, the ekklēsia.  The early church understood the Kingdom of God they were members of literally was a real present tense kingdom and their allegiance and energy was fully given to the defense, battles, and health of this kingdom (the church, the body of Christ).

The early church fought off divisions and teachings that minimized Jesus and His Soveigness and Kingship.  The kingdom they fought for and died for with Jesus as King sought out the freedom of the truth and sharing the light, the Gospel.  The first-century believers seemed focused on the truth of who God was, sin, heaven and hell, and that Jesus was their King, literally.  (Not in a religious sense)

Present time setting

Being part of His body means that we have died to self and have been born again into Jesus Christ’s body.  Being born again into His body means we have become a citizen and a soldier in the Kingdom of God with Jesus Christ as our King, present tense!  (this is not the fullness of the  kingdom that will exist when our Lord Jesus Christ comes back and physically rules the entire earth)  The spiritual war spoken of in the Bible is occurring right now.  Battles are being fought and not just by angels, but by saints as well. You and I should be active in protecting one another from attack by praying and caring for each other.  We should be actively fighting to help the lost around us and those around our brothers and sisters, seeking to free them from the lies and delusions that Satan has them imprisoned.

I find myself asking the following; if we were literally under attack from another country and we were in the military, would we treat the attacking enemy with the complacency and nonchalance as we presently are treating Satan and his army in this spiritual war that we are involved?  How long would it take that enemy nation to overwhelm us?  If we were physically being attacked how important would the weapons and armor that have been given to us be?  Would we treat them with the same priority or awareness as many treat the weapons and armor of war that our Lord has made available to us? How would w look at the soldiers around us that are in the battle with us?

Would we be seen as soldiers fighting in the battle or AWOL?

Realizing that we are fighting principalities and powers allows me to look at my brothers and sisters in Christ as fellow soldiers and fighters in this war.  It is more important than ever that I become active in this battle.    We are fighting for the greatest cause the world will ever know.  We are fighting for the greatest Kingdom in all of creation.  We are being led by the greatest King the world will ever know!  If you are a born-again believer,  you’re in His Amy.  Don’t hide, allow the Lord’s Holy Spirit to lead you and give you boldness to attack the gates of hell and give the lost that are imprisoned a chance for freedom and eternal life! Matthew 16:18b  … I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

A simple thought from John, a simple pastor