The Anatomy of the Spiritual Warrior

OK, a little disclaimer.  If this post feels different some, it is because this is an excerpt of a bible study guide I wrote and taught while in Afghanistan.  I did tweak it some to be a bit more reader friendly.  But the message here is we can do more than just be saved, baptized and fill a pew.  We are expected to do more.  

We are called to be spiritual warriors.  The whole purpose of this blog is to understand the workings of the Inner Man, or the Holy Spirit, right?  Well this should be our outcome, to become "more than conquerors in Christ Jesus!  That is what this and next week's post is about, to spell out in as clear and concise a manner I can on what is expected of us, children of God, joint heirs with Christ, spiritual warriors.  Enjoy.

7 Characteristics of a Spiritual Warrior

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

Ephesians 6:12

The Spiritual warrior is more often than not equated with someone who prays and prays often for those around him or her.  This is true, but the warrior is much more than that.  A spiritual warrior hones his craft by dedication to God and his Word, learns the power of the Holy Spirit, and becomes attuned to discerning the spirits.   I have 7 characteristics of a spiritual warrior I'd like to discuss. 

1.  The warrior is able to fight evil spirits by seeing them for what they are and calling upon the Lord God to counteract those spirits through His Word and His Holy Spirit.  Getting to know that love counters fear, and faith and assurance battles doubt is a very useful weapon against the evil spirits that invade our daily lives.  This is the essence of the Spiritual Warrior.

For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work.   But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.  

James 3:16-18

2.  The warrior is wise enough to not accept just any explanation, but to test the words and the spirit attached to the word. And how do we test the spirits? Well, one sure way is to know what the Bible says, as encouraged in the below scripture 

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 

 I John 4:1, 2  

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Acts 17:11

Evil spirits attempts to deceive us in so many ways.  As one example, Jesus said, 

          "...many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" Matthew 24:5

In this example, these deceivers are saying that Jesus is the Christ, but then they proceed to teach something contrary to what Christ taught. They deceive people about what it takes to be saved, how Christ is going to return, the battle of Armageddon, what sin is and how to get rid of it, the New Testament requirement of perfection, etc. 

3.  The warrior recognizes the dangers of false prophets and fights those spirits that would deny Christ by calling upon the Holy Spirit of Truth and God’s word.  He is not afraid to have the faith as a child would have of his father.

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 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.   1John 4:3-4

Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" Matthew18:3

Jesus was not suggesting that we become as immature children, but become trusting in God as little children, to obey and depend on Him for our needs.

4.  God calls us to be of one mind.  The warrior seeks out the message that coincides with what the Word of God says.  The warrior understands that the Word governs the Spirit in that it is the Truth, but the Spirit is what gives us the understanding, the ability to apply the Word to our lives.  It is the perfect symbiotic relationship in that we need both to be effective and wise warriors.

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 1Corinthians 1:10

5.  The warrior recognizes those who are placed in authority over him/her, but to also recognize the Word and Spirit working within themselves as well.  He/she realizes that being a spiritual warrior is to become perfected, or spiritually complete by God our Father.

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;"

"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:"

"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" (continued below)

It is important to recognize each of us has at least one of these gifts within us.  We are all called to be ministers of God at one level or another.  This is but one of the ways we can be an effective witness of God's loving grace and mercy

This understanding of the Word and the Spirit will aid us to not fall away from God with any wind of doctrine that blows by As Paul writes

"That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; "

"But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:"  Ephesians 4:11-15

Becoming a spiritual warrior is much like the process of becoming a professional in anything.  And make no mistake, we are called to this profession of our faith.  It takes practice.  One may feel awkward at first, not knowing exactly what to say or how to approach a certain topic or situation.  

But as we learn to discern the spirits and get the Word of Truth within your mind, you have substance to draw from.  We have experience, authority, wisdom, knowledge...etc...to battle with.  This is how the "good ground" is prepared.  We are ready to hear and to receive, to take it in, nurture it, and allow fruit to grow out of the hearing.

 

6.  The warrior seeks the truth, upholds the righteous and strengthens those around him through prayer, testimony by example, exhortations and instruction.  Christ was our ultimate warrior.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. Luke 4:18

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.  1Timothy 6:12

7.  A warrior is not afraid to accept those gifts God has given him to further the Kingdom of Heaven.  Gifts from God accentuate His power and Glory; while at the same time bless the recipient, which in turn blesses those around the warrior as he uses his gift for the Glory of God.

           

"To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."  1Corinthians 12:10-11

Practical Application of Being a Spiritual Warrior

We are going to end here this week, but will continue the discussion of the spiritual warrior next week with a study on Ephesians 6 and the Armour of God. But between now and then, let's agree to practice at least one of these characteristics each day this week. 

Seek out examples of how evil spirits tried to trip you up this week, and how you stopped it from doing so. Remember the characteristics we have studied so far, and what types of spirits they counter. Share your findings in the comment section below. By sharing your victories, others can gain strength and encouragement.  

Go back and revisit any of the scriptures above and get to know them better.  Getting the word and the Holy Spirit in us is the best defense against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places...as was mentioned above.

Happy hunting, and God Bless.

Sobriety

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour  1Peter 5:8

Ok, be honest...when you saw the topic of this post, you thought I was going to write about alcohol, didn't you?  Haha, well, in the Bible, to be sober means simply to be serious in what you do and think, to be of sound mind, to be in one's right mind, to exercise self control, to put a moderate estimate upon one's self, think of one's self soberly, and to curb one's passions.  Also to be circumspect, or to understand what is going on around you.

So, let's take a quick survey.  How do you think of yourself.  Do you think of yourself as being better than some, or maybe most?  How's your self control?  Do you go on binges; drinking, shopping sprees, movie marathons (uh oh, haha).  OK, now for the tough questions.  Where's your mind when it comes to sexual thoughts?  Do you fall to temptation easily?  Do you undress others in your mind?  Do you sneak that magazine or video in when no one is watching?

Do you visit shops, park in the back so passer-bys might not recognize your car?  Do you peruse those "free" websites that you know your spouse would object to?  Here's another thought.  Do you chat or say things on Facebook simply because you think you can without any recourse?  Do you use language there because you believe no one really "knows" who or how you are?   Would you say those things to your spouse or your mother?  Do you have an issue with road rage?  Do you get so angry sometimes that you experience "tunnel vision" or unable to notice anything but the target of your anger?

The Importance of Sobriety

These questions are for your own use, and not to place any judgement on anyone here.  But they are to emphasize the meaning of self control and curbing one's passions.  By the way, your passions may not just be sexual, and a passion may not be all bad; but if it draws you from God, well, that is where a line must be drawn.

As Paul wrote: 

'Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ'  1 Thessalonians 5:5-9

We need to recognize here that Paul isn't speaking of physical night and darkness.  He is speaking of being ignorant, to not understand.  We are "children of light" because we have Christ within us and we are beginning to understand how God works, what the truth is and how to apply those truths to our lives.

He advises us to not "sleep" and to "watch and be sober".  Again, this is not speaking of physical sleep or abstaining from alcohol as much as he means to be attentive to your spiritual surroundings. Be level headed, think circumspectly, and don't "lay down" spiritually.  When I was going through Basic Training many years ago, the buzz phrase was "Stay alert, stay alive".  That is somewhat apropos here because if we stay spiritually alert, we won't easily waste spiritual life, but may be able to protect others as well by not letting evil thoughts work out of us, or taking in those thoughts from others.  

 That is the key to sobriety, to catch the thought before it becomes a sin.  Remember, sin begins with a though as James wrote:  "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."  James 1:14-15  

Jesus taught; But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.  Matthew 5:28

He wasn't just talking about adultery as much as he was using it as an example.  Remember the lesson on the Sermon on the Mount?   It was all based on what is going on in the mind of the believer.  Sobriety is exactly the same issue.  To be clear and of the right mind, to think circumspectly, to think of self in moderation...

The Practical Application of Sobriety:

  

 Each week I try to break it down in the same way.  I give an intro, then the importance of the topic, and finish with a practical application.  I know how hard it is to apply the things I am suggesting.  This is why I suggest we try to apply a couple of things together for one week.  The goal, of course, is to raise awareness as to how the Holy Spirit works and how it can be used to fight evil spirits.  Sobriety is one of those characteristics that is easy to understand, but really hard to apply.  As an example, I know how hard it is to "curb" a sexual thought, or to do anything in moderation.  Just ask any of my Kingdom of Camelot gamer friends how hard it is to not be on that game a lot.  It is a major time destroyer.  But, we are called to be sober in our daily walk.  To do things, to think things in moderation.  So, here's my suggestion for this week:

Pick that one thing that just eats your time away that has no spiritual value whatsoever..  Maybe it's the internet, Facebook, a game like Kingdom of Camelot or Farmville (I know, I'm being boo'd right now, haha), and cut some of the time down.  In its place, spend more time reading something that will grow you in a positive way.  Study a topic in the Bible.  Spend more time with your family, kids, spouse, etc.  Maybe you've been wasting away doing a brain-dead function instead of finishing a project at home, like power washing the house or going to church.  Pick something meaningful, hopefully something of a spiritual nature, and practice a bit of self actualization.

I was chatting with my Pastor a few days ago, and I asked him if the practical application was clear enough on these posts.  He said they were, but as always the hardest thing was to apply it.  This week, let's practice this important characteristic of the Holy Spirit by being intentional in our walk with Christ.  In the next 2 weeks, we will go into another compilation study and consider the anatomy of a Spiritual Warrior.  I hope you will join me on this important topic, as this is why God has called us all into service. As Paul explains:

"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]". Ephesians 6:12

Let's begin fighting this week using sobriety to seek out what would destroy our peace, faith, and hope.

Here's a few scriptures to consider for your personal quiet time on sobriety:

2 Corintheans 5:13                  1 Timothy 3:11
Titus 2:4-6                               1 Peter 1:13
1 Peter 5:8                               Mark 5:15
Romans 12:3

Grace

“Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It's a way to live.” The law tells me how crooked I am. Grace comes along and straightens me out.” -Dwight Lyman Moody (1837-1899)

It is hard to understand how God's grace works, but thank God it does.  If it weren't for God's grace, Christ's suffering and sacrifice would have been without cause.  Without God's grace, sin would be rampant...well more than it is today at least (Ephesians 2:5).  Without His grace, we would still be paupers, not children of God.  It is the power of grace that enables us to excel as joint heirs to the kingdom of Heaven (Titus 3:7).  Why?  Because the power of grace has given us the ability to get rid of sin.

The Importance of Grace:

As was mentioned in the introduction, the Holy Spirit characteristic of Grace grants us the ability to be sinless in the eyes of God.

The definition of grace according to Strong's Dictionary is "that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech" and is also commonly exchanged with the following words, but has the same root meaning.:  good will, loving-kindness, favour which produces the following effect "of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues"  Strongs Concordance.

You see, as a Holy God, He had to come up with a plan to enable us, mere sinners, to have a relationship with Him.  He wanted to have this relationship with a creation of His that chose to have that relationship with Him freely.  He craves this love, as we do.  We were created in His image to crave this loving relationship.  And when sin entered into the world by the one creation He made to have this relationship, He had to come up with a counter plan.  The plan of salvation, the Gospel of Grace...Christ!

The apostle Paul spoke of grace quite a bit in the New Testament.  He understood that it was because of grace that we have the ability to be saved:  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God"  Ephesians 2:8  Those who are followers of Christ probably know this verse by heart.  It is the anchor verse of the old tract "The Roman Road",and is commonly used along with "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord"   Romans 6:23.  But just before this verse gives an explanation of the gift given.  Paul writes "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."  Romans 6:22

You see, that was IT!  This is what all the prophets, and all the religious leaders could not bring to the table before Christ...this grace gift.  The reason?  SIN.  Sin had not yet been conquered in any of their lives.  Christ was able to conquer sin by being completely and utterly sinless...until he took on the sins of the world, past, present and future, on the cross.  "Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God"  Romans 3:25

"This is what set up the possibility of Christ dwelling within us.  This was the missing link between being justified by faith and not being justified by the law.  Because no one could be justified by the law.  Only through faith in Jesus Christ was this possible.  This is what Paul refers to as the mystery of the Godhead...Christ within us"

Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:  To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Colossians 1:25-27.

This Christ within us is God's Word and Holy Spirit.  And this is only possible through Christ's sacrifice, giving the impetus to gift of Grace.

The Practical Application of Grace:

One of the reason this edition was so late  in being posted is because of the enormity of this topic.  I am trying to convey a simple yet complex explanation of the possible relationship between God and man.  Volumes of books have been written on this subject, and I am trying to encapsulate it in a few pages of text.  But, ultimately, all the posts I have made thus far are on topics made possible through this specific characteristic of the Holy Spirit...Grace.

I try not to make these posts sound like sermons, haha.  But this topic yells GOD'S MESSAGE TO US ALL.  It is because of His grace that we can experience love, faith, peace, discernment, mercy, hope, and on and on.  The practical uses of grace is unmeasurable.  We are commanded to live our lives full of grace towards others, to be a shining example of God through showing love, mercy, forgiveness, etc.  Remember the definition above; "that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech".  This is what we are commanded to do as well. 
It is because of that "Christ within us" that we can then reciprocate these things and more.  This is where the rubber meets the road as far as "living a Christian life" or as Paul writes 

"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.  

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.  

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."  Romans 12:1-3

So, we should pray to be filled with grace.  Yes, we were given a measure of grace at that moment we asked Christ into our lives.  But, as we progress in this lifestyle that Dr. Moody spoke of above, we realize that when we start this Christian walk, we are just babies, but as we grow, we need more of God, His Word and Spirit.  Grace is no different.  Pray for grace this week, and practice to be graceful in speech towards others, to live this week as a living sacrifice to sin.  Stop before speaking, catch those thoughts before they go down the proverbial road of destruction, and use that grace given to you as to not waste it in vain.  It is, after all...our reasonable Service.  

 May God richly bless you this week with His Grace.  Here are a few verses to consider for your quiet time pertaining to Grace.

Ezra 9:8                   Zechariah 12:10
John 1:14-17           Acts 20:24

Romans 5:15-17     II Corintians 12:9   

Colossians 3:14-16

The Good Samaritan, a Lesson on Mercy

Where mercy, love, and pity dwell, there God is dwelling too. 
William Blake 


This topic will be a challenge for me, but at the same time all too familiar.  Why?  Glad you asked.  Because it is one I have to work on constantly.  Given my background, I have been immersed in justice.  I have been in the law enforcement community for a long time, to include over 2 decades of being in the military.  I have had my share of discussions on fair judgement, just rewards, and so on.  But, mercy...well, I have heard many times mercy is for the weak.  If that is true, I hope I am the weakest individual around.  I need mercy myself daily.  I make my share of mistakes, oh brother!  

So, with my extensive experience on being unmerciful, let me ask a few questions and see if you are anywhere in my ballpark.  Are you a perfectionist?  Do you consider what you do as the standard, or above standard?  Do you expect others to work at least as hard as you?  If others don't perform at your level, how do you feel about them?  Are they slackers, codependent, nonworking individuals?  If you make mistakes, do you get really upset?  Do you tend to take your issues out on others?  Are you hypersensitive about how others feel about your performance at work, or play, or anywhere else, for that matter? These are all questions that will lead you right back to mercy.

The Importance of Mercy

"And Jesus answering said, A certain [man] went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded [him], and departed, leaving [him] half dead.  And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked [on him], and passed by on the other side."

"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion [on him].  And went to [him], and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave [them] to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee."
Luke 10:30-35

Jesus often taught his most poignant lessons in parable form.  The most memorable lesson on mercy is probably the parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10.  The real twist in this story is the history of the people.  Samaritans and Jews were like oil and water; they never mixed.  They despised each other.  To the Jews, the Samaritans were unbelievers, and to the Samaritans, the Jews were intolerant and unforgiving.  But in this lesson, a Samaritan comes to the aid of a Jew by binding his wounds, transporting him to an inn, and paying for his care until his (the Samaritan's) return.  This is an amazing act of mercy towards another by one that was supposed to be outside the family of God, while leaders of the Jewish faith passed this time of need by.

Later, near the end of his ministry, Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees and said;

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Matthew 23:23


What Jesus was trying to convey was that the Scribes and Pharisees were the spiritual rulers of that time, yet they were not acting like the Godly men they were called to be. Mercy in this passage simply means to have kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them (Strong's definition for G1656).  But these leaders were more interested in their power, greed, and looking holy rather than ministering to their people.   They were instead quick to judge and slow in patience and forgiveness

It can be argued that both of these examples, the Pharisees and the Samaritan passages, were examples of those involved who failed to allow God's mercy that dwelled in them to work; the Pharisees, the priest, and the Levite (one of the tribe of Levi, traditionally, was given to the priesthood).  At the end of this parable, Jesus asked:

"Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?"  He answered his own question by saying "He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise" (Luke 10:36-37).

Many times we think that God is the only one that is licensed to show mercy from his throne.  Indeed God's throne is called the Mercy Seat, but as we have already learned, His Mercy Seat is within us as well as God dwells within us.  Therefore, it is our responsibility to practice mercy as well.   It may be asked, if we beg God to have mercy on us, and we are to be like Him, a reflection of our Father, how then can we not practice mercy ourselves?

The Practical Application of Mercy

As I opened this topic for consideration, I asked several questions.  You will notice all of them pertained to our own thought processes.  Mercy starts with God's Holy Spirit working in us with mercy.  We then need to realize that the only way to be effective in this area is to allow God's mercy to work in us; then it can work around us as well.  As an example, a perfectionist will be the hardest on him- or herself.  As a perfectionist, I understand this issue.  I need to remember that there is none perfect other than Christ, that we are called to be perfect, yes, but with God's grace, not our own.  That, the only way to obtain perfection...God's perfection...is by God and God alone. 

For I am saved by Grace, and this not of myself.  It is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8)!  I need to relax, and let God do His work.  I need to remember that those I deal with are at their own level of becoming perfected, that God's time frame for their perfection will not coincide with mine.  I need to remember that judging myself or others should not be based on what I do or think, but what God does.  I need to remember that when someone lets me down, I need to rethink my priorities and rearrange them to meet with mercy, understanding, peace, love and gentle kindness. 

How many of us wake up in the morning with the inspiration to go out into the world to screw with others, just because.  I don't.  You don't.  It is safe to say no one gets up with evil intentions for that day.  Mistakes will be made, and corrections will be made.  In the end, it is up to God and me as to where the balance lies in my life.  And so it is with us all.  If we are merciful towards ourselves, we will then be more apt to be merciful towards others.  As we pray for ourselves and others, let us remember that we all are sinners, but with God's loving grace and mercy, we can all be victors and joint heirs with Christ to the throne of Heaven...God's Mercy Seat!

Here are some verses to consider for your personal quiet time this week on Mercy.

Titus 3:5-6                     Hebrews 4:16
James 2:13                     James 3:17
1Peter 1:3                       Jude 1:21
Romans 12:4-12