Faith and Spiritual Warfare
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. By it the elders received a good report. (Hebrews 11:1)
Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness. It must be based on spiritual truth to be valid. Common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth. The life of faith brings these two into the proper relationship.
Common sense and faith are as different from each other as night and day, the natural life from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration.
Nothing that Jesus Christ says is common sense, but is revealed truth, and is complete. Whereas common sense, as human analogies, applied to divine truth falls short. Read chapters five, six and seven of Matthew’s gospel.
For instance in chapter five it is written, “I say to you, That you resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also” (5:39). “Whosoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two. Give to him that asks you, and from him that would borrow of you turn him not away. “I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (5:41-44).
Yet contrary to what he says Jesus never refused to heal the sick, give sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf encourage the downtrodden. When the people were hungry He fed them (Matthew 15: 38 & Mark 6: 44).
Why does Jesus say you must do this? “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven ( See Genesis 1: 26-28): for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? Those that call him Father should “honor their father” by acting like Him. These are not common sense at all; but, we are told to do them and God blesses all those that obey “His commandments.” (5: 3-13).
Faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life and it always works in a personal way, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children.
For every word of common sense in life, there is a revealed truth from God by which can prove it and in our practical experience prove what we believe God to be. Faith always puts Jesus Christ first.
Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:17).
It is spiritual warfare. The flesh wars against the Spirit. Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
For this kind of warfare God has prepared special armor; The Christian soldier must use this armor he or she can’t use the enemies weapons. Just as any army must know the weapons available and how to use them as well as practice how to use them so must the Christian soldier. Warfare is serious and the lives that are lost in this war suffer eternity in hell and the lake of fire.
Put on the whole armor 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 high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armor 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” Ephesians 6: 11-18).
These former verses as well as the latter try common sense to the limit.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (II Corinthians 10: 3-6).
To make certain they are valid and work for the Christian he or she must prove God and take Him at His Word. They do work! The Patriarchs, Prophets and the Apostles used them to the Glory of God many times.
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