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Are You Ready for Combat?
Tom Crandall • March 27, 2020
Are You Ready for Combat?
For the first time since World War II, the world has united to defeat a global enemy. We are living in historic times of unrest and change.
Eight days ago, Governor Newsom delivered a stay at home
order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Although I’m beginning to get used to Zoom meetings, I am ready for a high-five or a hug from the people I’ve been meeting with online.
This past week, I was thinking about what a gift the elderly population are. I contacted my aging parents and my heart filled with gratitude for who they are and the fact that they are okay. I know this is not the case with many others.
To say it has been an interesting week is the greatest understatement of the year. I’ve become a homeschool dad, my office has moved to my couch, and I am in desperate need of a haircut.
While working from home, I occasionally find my thoughts drifting towards a possible fearful outcome or questioning a relational conflict I had recently. I have found myself asking questions like, “What if that situation happened?” or “Did that person mean that?” I know myself enough to know that if I choose to follow those thoughts, they will ultimately give birth to ugly twins called Suspicion and Criticism.
Some may mistake those thoughts for being “discernment”; I call them “demonically-inspired distractions.” They are like seeds, and entertaining them is like pouring water on the soil of my thoughts, granting permission for roots to grow. Eventually, those seeds sprout into beliefs that shape my new reality. Scary!
The entire world is moving in one direction to safeguard itself from an invisible enemy. And yet, we are simultaneously ignoring the symptoms of the unseen principalities that are at work over regions. These principalities are doing their best to keep people quarantined from the deep conviction that will transform controlled and powerless men into courageous conquerors.
Life is being shaken and idols have fallen. A defeated devil is looking for a voice to borrow in order to release fear, panic, temptation, division, hate, and hopelessness.
Minds that are saturated in pornography, greed, and self-gratification are being exposed as lies that don’t actually satisfy or bring life.
But God is at work, like a steady rock in the chaos. Unmoved, his voice brings peace and protection from the storm. There is an invitation for us to climb up the rock by going low in repentance, being washed in His blood, and receiving His mind needed to stand with Him, protected from the waves of uncertainty.
Knowing how to stand in today’s world is imperative.
At 19-years-old, I was battle-weary and had to learn how to prepare and protect myself by putting on each piece of the Armor of God before I started each day. It felt silly, at times, but it changed my life.
Here are some declarations to claim that will get you ready for battle:
1. America is in a war over the mind.
According to Paul the Apostle, in Ephesians 6:10-18, we are in a battle for the mind and need to be clothed in the Armor of God. As a Roman soldier would prepare himself for battle, we need to think with the mind of Christ to be ready for spiritual combat today.
- Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Being strong in the Lord comes from focusing on His Presence, letting go of distractions, and living from Heaven to Earth.
Declare:
“I am strong in the Lord, my strength comes from His Presence.”
- Our battle isn’t against people, but demons and principalities that influence thought over regions.
Principality means “ruler” or “origin”, that seeks to control thoughts and reshape lives according to his lies. Most of this happens through media pollution and cultural pressure. There are lies being released from puppets who are controlled by the spirit of the age, giving opinions based on political correctness rather than facts and truth.
The gender confusion kids are battling is heartbreaking and wouldn’t be happening if parents and leaders would stand up and fight.
It’s time for leaders to quit bowing to the god of the age with our silence and, instead, declare the Gospel with conviction and authority that sets people free.
All attacks from the enemy come through thoughts or feelings. These fiery darts are an attempt to get you to doubt God, His work in your life, and who He says you are.
Principalities are on a megaphone over cities because someone with authority hasn’t exposed the lies and established the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven yet.
Will you be the one in your region to shift the atmosphere?
The battle you are facing today is the training ground for your tomorrow. You’ve got this!
Declare:
“People are not my enemy. The devil is, and I have already won with Christ.”
2. Stand!
- Stand in the finished work of Christ and who God says you are, being clothed in the whole armor of God.
Many Christians today look like they just showed up for a bikini contest, not combat, with the amount of armor they are wearing. I don’t take a vacation from the helmet of salvation and I never put down my sword of the Spirit. I am always battle-ready!
The finished work of the cross declares that I died with Christ, and He lives in me. My past is gone and I am redeemed. I am no longer a sinner but a saint; no longer an orphan but a son or daughter of Heaven. When the enemy reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!
Stand in Christ! Do not be moved!
Declare:
“I don’t fight for victory, I am already victorious in Christ. I fight from victory. I am forgiven, redeemed, filled with His Spirit and can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”
- With the Belt of Truth
Ironically, the belt on a Roman soldier held all the armor in place. Truth holds us together. Truth means reality - nothing hidden, no deceit.
The enemy blackmails us with lies, secrets, and things in the dark.
1 Peter 1:22-23 says, “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart”
Declare:
“I walk in the Spirit of Truth. I have an honest and noble character. I am a man/woman of Truth!”
- Breastplate of Righteousness
Romans 1:17 says,”For in the gospel, a righteousness from God is revealed; a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
You no longer have a bad heart. You have been made new from the inside.
1 Peter 1:23 “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
Declare:
“I have been made righteous from the inside-out. I have a good heart that has been made new.”
- Feet prepped in the Gospel of peace.
The peace of God is not the absence of chaos, it’s the presence of a person: Jesus. Everywhere your feet go, you bring peace. It’s not something you strive to get, but a Presence you rest in.
Declare:
“Every place my feet touch, comes under the peace of God because I carry the Prince of Peace.”
- Above all, taking the shield of faith to quench fiery darts from the enemy.
Faith means to be fully convinced; persuaded; assurance. I never focus on how much faith I have, but how much He has. My faith is in His faithfulness.
The tip of a fiery dart of the enemy is dipped in doubt, temptation, accusation, and comparison before he shoots it at you. The Roman shield was covered in leather and dipped in water to extinguish the enemy. Be sure your faith has been dipped in the river of God before you hit the battlefield.
Praise and worship is the greatest way we can activate our faith. It’s impossible to fully worship with your eyes on yourself or the enemy. The battle is won. Look at Jesus and give Him praise!
Declare:
“I was made for worship. I will lift my voice in praise and silence the enemy.”
- Take the helmet of salvation.
Paul admonished us in Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
1 Corinthians 2:16 says, “But we have the mind of Christ.”
A helmet protects you from the outside in, not the inside out.
Declare:
“The Holy Spirit lives in me and is giving me the thoughts of Heaven. I have the mind of Christ.”
- The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Of all the weaponry, this is the only offensive piece!
In the Greek, the word “word” means rhema which means “saying” or “statement” - that which is said.
Just like the Lord in Revelation 1:16, “Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword,” we have to have a sword in our mouths. It’s time to use it!
Many of us are just holding on, taking a beating. It’s time to stand up and swing your sword!
Declare:
“I am a child of God. No weapon forged against me shall prosper. I am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus! I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus!”
3. Our minds will follow our movements.
Physical obedience will bring spiritual breakthrough.
It’s time to take all of this and put it together in prayer. Lift your hands and give God praise for winning the battle of the mind. Give Him praise for each piece of armor, allowing your thoughts to align with Heaven, who he says you are, and then stand victoriously in Christ!
My hope for you:
I pray that you would recognize what is happening in the unseen realm and stand as a noble warrior, knowing that the battle belongs to the Lord and we’ve already won. Christ in us is using all the adversity we face for our good and for His Glory.
So for now, let’s cover our shaggy, in-need-of-a-cut hair in the helmet of salvation, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ and stand!
POST INDEX:
Can you imagine receiving a gift on Christmas—adoring the box and beautiful bow, yet never opening the gift? It’s possible to be in church for a lifetime and not receive the treasures of what’s been paid for. In the past few months I have found myself in a deep dive in understanding the simple message of the gospel. The Spirit of God has been highlighting different aspects of the cross, the blood of Jesus and the new nature that we have received as a result of it. I want to share 3 truths with you that have started to revolutionize my life in recent times: 1. Righteousness is a gift from God that can’t be earned—it must be received by faith. Righteousness means right standing with God—a position that no man can earn. The law reveals God’s holy nature, and man’s sinfulness. The law is good, and gives us the definition of sin, but can’t give life to anyone. Instead, it leaves us in a place of needing forgiveness and grace. It’s like a doctor that is able to diagnose a disease but unable to offer a cure. Jesus is the cure for the disease of sin and sickness that we all need. Many Christians try to earn their right standing before God with their good deeds and noble offerings, not realizing that Jesus has already paved the way for them. Their efforts are in vain and soon enough they burn out and wonder why they are not sensing God’s approval on their life. Self righteousness just leads to more self and focusing on sin management as the barometer for the righteousness you carry—a religious treadmill that never stops. We don’t live for righteousness, we live from it! In case you don’t have a relationship with God yet, you can click HERE to read my blog on “How to start a relationship with God”. If you are a child of God, you are righteous not because of what you do, but because of what Jesus has done for you on the cross. Meditate on these verses: 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Romans 5:17 “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:20 “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,” Peace is the result of trusting that God has made you righteous before you feel it, see it, or do anything to prove it. Focusing on our shortcomings and failures will never set us free, but only perpetuate more bondage. Looking to Jesus (John 3:14-16) is how we get free and receive the gift of righteousness. Activation: Ask yourself: Is there anything you need to surrender to Jesus? Take a few minutes to let the blood of Jesus wash you from the inside out. Spend some time meditating on the fact that you are already fully righteous before God, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. If you are righteous in nature, how do you believe God sees you? Good or bad? Declaration: “Jesus, you are Lord of my life. Thank you that your blood was enough to make me fully right with you.” “I am standing pure and righteous before the throne of God right now, not because of what I did but because of what Jesus has done!” “I receive your peace you paid for in every area of my life.” 2. Faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus has brought us into full union with Christ. Romans 6:4–5: “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been UNITED together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,” United means to identify with, to be like, to be one with. We are in union, oneness with Christ! Our old sinful nature is nailed to the cross, buried in the grave and we are resurrected with Jesus—alive in Him! Just as a man and a woman getting married die to the single life and become one with their spouse, so we die to our old, sinful life and become one in spirit with Jesus. Ephesians 2:6 (NLT): “For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:11 “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Activation: Become aware of your union with Christ and take time to thank Him for being closer than the skin on your bones. See all temptation and sin as something outside of you. It is not who you are. Meditate on the reality that God lives in you on your best and worst day—He promised He would never leave you. Declaration: "I am hidden with Christ in God." "I have the mind of Christ." "I am one with Christ." “I am no longer separated from God. Every feeling of loneliness is a mere illusion, because I know that I am one with Christ in my spirit man!” 3. Our identity in Christ becomes a reality as we renew our minds. Oftentimes life happens and we don’t feel saved, at peace, or free. But God and His Word never change—we can come to Him just as we are at any time, in any situation, and He will receive us and transform us. It is so important to not interpret God’s word through the lens of our experience, but instead interpret our experiences through the lens of God’s Word. Your perception might be wrong, but His word never changes or fails. Romans 12:2 (NIV84): “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Ephesians 4:22–24 (NIV): “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Galatians 5:24 (Passion Translation) “Keep in mind that we who belong to Jesus, the Anointed One, have already experienced crucifixion. For everything connected with our self-life was put to death on the cross and crucified with Messiah.” HERE is a blog called “Receiving Righteousness” that I believe will help you in the process of growing in your identity. The renewal of the mind happens as our faith aligns with Him by doing the following: Feasting on His Word Reviewing testimonies of what God has done Praise and worship Prayer Meditation Declaration Activation: Give God thanks for what He has accomplished on the cross for you. How is the Holy Spirit leading you to renew your mind with what Jesus has accomplished for you? Take time to receive the love of God, His grace, and His perception of you. Declaration: “My mind is continuously being renewed by the Word of God, and as a result my life is continuously growing to look more like Christ!” "I am a new creation." "I am covered by mercy, and empowered by grace to live bold in Christ!"
People are convinced that God is angry, disappointed, punishing and judgmental. Let me assure you, the Bible proves, that is not the nature of God. Contrary to the world’s opinion God is actually holy, righteous, just and also loving, merciful, gracious, kind, forgiving and empowering. How can you know what God, the Father really looks like? By looking at Jesus! Jesus dealt with our inability to know the nature of God. He Himself said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” God looks like Jesus, because while Jesus was fully man, He was also fully God. Christ was not afraid of sinners, He was their friend. He never gave anyone an excuse as to why they cannot be healed, instead He healed everyone who was sick. Wherever He went, he brought freedom and deliverance to those who were bound. The life of Jesus points us to this truth: A good Father, like God will do anything for his kids, even if it means laying down his own life for their good. He gave up His only Son to give humanity true freedom. Many have not encountered a father like this, which is exactly why Jesus came; to reveal a heavenly Father who is better than anything we could imagine. He was a physical example of the love that God has for us. I want to encourage you today: No matter how hopeless you feel right now, this amazing Father loves you, and is right there with you to set you free! Meditate on Jesus and you’ll find the Father: Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” -John 14:12 Jesus covered sinners. Jesus healed the sick. Jesus accepted the rejected. Jesus set the oppressed free. Jesus forgave sin. Jesus removed shame. Jesus listened to people. Jesus gave hope to the hopeless. Jesus protected the vulnerable. Jesus comforted the broken-hearted. Jesus brought laughter and joy. Jesus brought peace to turmoil. Jesus revealed truth in the midst of lies. Jesus did miracles to provide for others. Jesus demonstrated the reality of another world. Jesus laid down His life so others could live. Jesus empowers us to live like Him. Everything Jesus modeled was a good Father. Activation: Get comfortable and take 3 minutes to imagine what the Father is like. Think about how He revealed Himself through Jesus. Are there any lies that you have believed about the nature of Father God? Write them down and leave them at the foot of the cross. Declaration: “I know that the Father loves me, because Jesus demonstrated it by dying on the cross!” “The Father’s embrace is the safest place in the world for me! I will not be afraid of punishment when I come to God, because I know Jesus has paid for all my mistakes."
Over the past months I have been pondering on the subject of freedom. In today’s fast world we are inundated with options but do our choices produce real freedom? The world thinks freedom is the ability to do, say and think whatever you want, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Living in lawlessness will make your soul sick, it will leave you asking “Isn’t there more to live for?” We all know of people who seemingly have it all. They are searching for freedom in money, friends, sex and success but when their head hits the pillow at night, they are left empty on the inside. True freedom is found in knowing God. We are designed to live in friendship with a Father who loves us. Never do I feel so free as when I experience the presence of God. Can you relate? That’s because we are made for Him. Jesus did not just give you a “get out of hell free” card, He paid in blood for you to live a life of freedom here on earth! “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!” -Galatians 5:1 If you received Jesus’ gift of salvation you can experience this freedom today, because Jesus paid for it. You have free access to the Source of everlasting freedom, love, joy and peace-found in Christ alone. Activation: Say this with me: Father, here I am! I know that I am precious to you. Thank you for loving me today.” Now, just sit still for a moment. Do you feel Him loving you? Take a few minutes to identify areas of your life where you are not experiencing this freedom yet, areas where you feel bound. Then take time to lay them down before the throne and listen to what God is saying to you about how He wants to change your life. Declaration: “I was designed for freedom in Christ, not for bondage!” “I don’t have to earn freedom, Jesus already paid for it on the cross! I simply get to receive it as a gift by entering His presence.”
I love history. Everything we want to learn for our future is found in our past. Love, fear, courage, cowardice, sacrifice, selfishness, hate, kindness, poverty and prosperity—the fingerprints of God and man can be witnessed throughout the halls of our past.
Have you ever felt like something was missing from your life? Like something was wrong and you just couldn’t figure it out? You’ve been faithful in church attendance, and trying to be a good person yet you can’t shake this gnawing feeling that something is missing—or worse, wrong.
We were designed for righteousness—to be just—in right standing with God, and when we aren’t something feels off.
This “off” feeling isn’t meant to condemn us, but lead us to righteousness.
I have been there—and I have good news for you!
Living encouraged has more to do with how we steward our internal world than external circumstances. The Kingdom of God is a limitless fountain we can access to give endless encouragement at all times. God is our source of encouragement.
