Friday, December 28, 2007

The Battle Must Be On.....

As Christians united to Christ and engrafted in Him we are engaged in a war. We must war against the flesh, sin, Satan, and the world. These are terrible enemies and will stop at nothing to destroy the vital communion we have with our Triune God. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the heart is desperately wicked and Proverbs 4:23 states that we must keep the heart with all diligence for from it flow the issues of life. John Flavel, the Presbyterian Puritan, in connecting these two vital truths says, ""The heart of man is the worst part before it be regenerate, and the best afterwards: it is the seat of principles, and the fountain of actions" (Works, 5, 423). The four enemies mentioned above have their most powerful influence through the heart of man. It must be kept like one would keep all enemies out of a castle. How does your castle compare to the requirements of God's word?
Indeed, this battle would look quite impossible if we did not have the gift of the Holy Spirit from the ascended and reigning Christ to assist us. Christopher Love is quite right when he states, "A single man can as soon destroy a whole army of men with his own hand as subdue one sin by his own power," (pg 7, The Mortified Christian). We must be good soldiers in the army of God. What do these soldiers look like? They do not speak in tongues, they do heal the sick, or slay people in the Spirit. John Owen is helpful for a description of a soldier in God's army. "To labor to be acquainted with the ways, wiles, methods, advantages, and occasions of its success (i.e. of sin) is the beginning of this warfare. So do men deal with enemies" Works, 6, 31).
One of the best means to fight these enemies is to constantly keep in your thoughts Him who is so precious to the saving and preserving of your soul:t the Lord Jesus Christ. The words of William Gurnall are helpful, "And thus Jesus Christ (when you are being tempted), whom Satan thought to bring out of the soul's favour and liking, comes in the end to sit higher and surer in the saint's affections than ever" (pg 109, The Christian In Complete Armour).

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