A hill to die on

There is a battle that rages around us, a battle so intense that from the very beginning of creation it has been going on.

Most don’t even know it is happening, the weapons are mostly silent the agents are covert and it is fought in a realm we know about but in our foolishness refuse to acknowledge or talk about.

The spiritual realm is just as real as what we see around us right now, it is a realm where angels tread and demons dwell, it is a place where the prayers of God’s people make there way too His throne, and a place where even the bravest of mankind fear to go.

God’s word says this “Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit — which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.” Ephesians 6:10-20 CSB

We are in this battle, we are born into it and in no way can we avoid it, ignoring it only helps the enemy for their powers are taken from fear, ignorance and apathy.

God never abandoned us, or intended for us too go at it alone and fight this battle, He fights this battle for us. He sent Jesus to defeat the enemy and He did. On the cross Jesus said “ it is finished” and struck the enemy a death blow.

God’s word says this; “For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.”

Colossians 2:9-15 CSB

Jesus chose to take the hill called Mount Calvary , it was here that the battle raged for mankind’s soul, and Jesus took that hill for us. He abandoned His humanity, His Deity and surrendered His life for ours. But three days later He rose from the dead and once and for all ended the reign of sin and death.

By doing so He set the captives free, those who were held captive and those of us who would be held captive. He did this so we would see the love of God, the truth of God and so the enemy of God would be exposed for who and what he is, a liar, a thief and deceiver.

God’s word says this; “Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. For it says: When he ascended on high, he took the captives captive; he gave gifts to people. But what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth? The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things.”

Ephesians 4:7-10 CSB

“For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, in which he also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared. In it a few — that is, eight people — were saved through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.”1 Peter 3:18-22 CSB

This battle we are in is already won, we must choose what side we will line up with.

Just as Jesus chose to die on a hill called Mount Calvary and rise again from the dead, we must choose to die on the hill of self. A hill where this battle rages daily for how we will live. When we choose to die on this hill, Christ lives in us and in Him we have the victory over sin and death, we can walk through the spiritual realm in Christ and be not afraid for His rod and staff comfort us as He prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies.

God’s word says this; “Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

1 John 4:7-10 CSB

Are you ready to walk in victory? We are more than conquerors when we surrender our lives to Christ, let’s walk in complete victory by surrendering all of our lives to Him today and die to ourselves so He may live in us.

“What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but offered him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:31-39 CSB

For more on spiritual battles read Genesis 3: Daniel 10: 2 Kings 6: Matthew 4: Acts 19: these are just a few examples of how real this battle is.

There is a better way

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is here in John 21, the disciples return to their lives before they met Jesus, they had given up on themselves they failed and had deserted Jesus when He was arrested and crucified.

But Jesus had not given up on them, this is the 3rd time He comes to them after His resurrection, and He wants them to know how much He loves them.

He sees them fishing and says to them , did you catch anything?

For they had not caught anything all night. (Jesus was asking a rhetorical question, He knew the answer)

Then Jesus says cast your net to the other side, what He is saying is hey there guys there is a better way, My way.

They then recognize it is Jesus and come to Him.

Jesus is saying stop doing what your doing it is okay, I can't rely just on you, but you can always rely on me.

How about you, are you still doing things your way?

If so read John 21:1-17 and see that Jesus way is the only way.

When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore. However, the disciples did not know it was Jesus. “Men,”  Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you? ” “No,” they answered. “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” He told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish.John 21:4-6 

At that time Jesus said,  “I praise   You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants.  Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure.   All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows   the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires   to reveal Him.  “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:25-30

A higher calling!

As Christians we are called out of the world, we are soldiers in the army of the Lord, our weapons are used not to kill but to set free those held captive.

We must engage our culture on the issues that they do not want to engage God on, for they know right from wrong.

Poverty, same sex marriage, racism, sex slavery, immigration, persecution, abortion, orphans, pornography, these are issues the world embraces but we as Christians can not be in line with the world.

We are called to to be steadfast and immovable speaking the truth out of love, showing them the way.

Do not disengage in the heat of battle, engage armed with the word of God and in His Spirit.

Here is a great quote.

If I profess with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I AM NOT confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christianity,

Where the battle rages the loyalty of the soldier is proved ; and to be steady on ALL the battle-field besides is mere flight and disgrace to him if he flinches at that point.

Elizabeth Rundle Charles

“And I say to you, My friends, don’t fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies?   Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight.   Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows! “And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God,   but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Whenever they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how you should defend yourselves or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said.”

Luke 12:4-12

God pursues you

When Adam and Eve sinned against God, God came to them knowing they had sinned.

They hid from God because their pride had turned to shame, God pursed them for His love for them was still the same.

Genesis 3:8-9

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

God still calls today where are you, knowing where we are, mankind still tries to hide from God, knowing they truly cannot deep inside.

God came to mankind to pay the price for Adam and Eves sin, for Brian Kinnetts sin and for your sins.

Instead of walking in the cool of the morning in the garden, He walked the path up Golgotha's hill bearing our cross of sin and shame.
And He said Father forgive them,

Luke 23:33-34

And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Are you trying to hide today?
if so stop.

God knows it all, and He has seen the cost of sin, for He paid the price we could not pay, for the sins He did commit so you and I could be reconciled to Him.

Colossians 1:3, 17-23

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.   And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven.....

God does not turn any way who are willing to repent of their sins, will you respond to His calling today?