From: allan-sv@algonet.se   
      
                The fight of Faith and of the Disbelief   
      
      
   When Moses came down from Mount Sinai Joshua said to him,   
   There is a noise of war in the camp. But Moses said, It is not the   
   voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them   
   that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I   
   hear. Exodus 32:17-18. So it is also now. While we are waiting for   
   Jesus to come, the people have made their own gods and "the   
   dancing around the gold calf " is in full swing. Instead of fight the   
   good fight of the faith, they are busy with religious entertainment   
   and play Christianity.   
      
   "Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on eternal life ..."   
   Tim. 6:12. "And if a man also strives for masteries, yet is he not   
   crowned, except he strive lawfully." 2 Tim. 2:5. Please, compare   
   1 Cor. 9:24-27 and Phil. 3:12-16. If we wish to win the eternal life,   
   we must fight according to the regulations. Not the regulations of   
   the churches, but according to God's regulations for the Assembly.   
      
   Following God's word many comprehend as bondage and a   
   compulsion. They are not at all delighted at God's commands.   
   But those who love Jesus do not feel it as a compulsion that   
   follow God's word. It is as it was for the prophet Jeremiah.   
   "Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart ..."   
   Jeremiah 15:16. John 14:23-24.   
      
   The disagreement and disunion among the Christians depend on   
   their aversion and inability to receive the direction that God wants   
   to give us. God is willing to give us the teaching we need if we   
   are willing to accept it. Nevertheless, when the Lord sends his   
   revival message, it breaks so radically against church traditions   
   and people's way of thinking so that many apprehend it as a   
   personal attack. God's revival message refuses their own planning   
   and condemns the churches and denomination which they have   
   established. And in self-defence they reject the truths that the   
   Holy Spirit wants to reveal.   
      
   "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of   
   his might. Put on the whole armour 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 the high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of   
   God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having   
   done all, to stand.   
      
   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 sword of   
   the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all   
   prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto   
   with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."   
   Eph. 6:10-18.   
      
   For many who confess the Christian faith this is only a theory.   
   They know that God's word says that our struggle is a struggle   
   against the spiritual forces of evil, but they themselves have not   
   taken up this struggle against these spiritual forces of evil. It   
   seems as they have no trouble with the evil spirits. If you tell   
   about the spiritual struggle and resistance from the spiritual   
   world, then they don't know what you mean. They think it is   
   only as new saved we have a struggle before we are free   
   from our force of habit, but after that when we are saved then   
   we have no spiritual struggle. They think and speak as if the   
   spiritual forces of evil do not exist.   
      
   The Bible exhorts us to put on the full amour of God so that   
   we can overcome the devil and his demons and false doctrines.   
   Nevertheless, what will happen to those Christians who are   
   sleeping so dept? They are not even conscious of this struggle   
   that the Bible tells us. How can they stand firm against the devil   
   and use the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit? The truth   
   is that they are already victims for the enemy. He has struck them   
   with spiritual blindness and they do not know where they are in   
   spiritual meaning. If they have not completely fallen away from   
   the Lord, they live in spiritual stagnation and retrogression.   
      
   They can be members in a church and take part in such a called   
   Christian activity and mean that everything is all right. But as   
   soon as God's Spirit begins to works and there are agitation and   
   fight in the religious camp, then they become afraid and nervous   
   and wonder what is going on. And in their spiritual blindness they   
   take an attitude against the revival and condemn what God does.   
   We have had it so calmly and good in our church and we may   
   continue so, they say. They do not know that the devil has the   
   same opinion. Please, compare Rev. 3:14-19.   
      
   Do not believe that the devil arranges a persecution unnecessarily.   
   He sees rather that the Christians are sleeping, then he has least   
   trouble with them. But if we want to follow Jesus and obey God's   
   word, then we come to experience that the devil is against us.   
   The devil has never liked revival, and he is so furious now as he was   
   in the days of apostles.   
      
   How would we get a revival without fight? The devil does not like   
   us to unmask his lies and false doctrines, and he does not give up   
   his positions without fight! And the tools that he uses are just those   
   lukewarm Christians who mean that everything is good and well.   
   Those are the worst marauders and saboteurs against the revival.   
      
   Allan Svensson   
      
      
   Do you want to read the continuation of this article   
   or if you have any questions   
   Please, visit my Web Site   
      
   http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/CONTENTS.HTM   
   (Article 55)   
      
   What is Babylon the great? It is all churches and denominations.   
   http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/THEGREAT.HTM#churches   
      
   God's powerful revival message to his people for our time   
   is the truth of the Assembly of God,   
   and the coming out of all God's people from Babylon the great.   
   http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/PAGE83.HTM   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)