Your neighborhood has been seized by gang activity. The very place where your children play is now the target of a turf war. Your daughters are terrorized, and your sons are approached for membership. Just when you think life couldn't get any worst, your family is taken hostage by the most vicious gang ever imagined. These gangster take sheer pleasure in the torture of you and your family. The more pain they inflict the louder they laugh. And if they can manage to take a life in the most horrendous way possible they will be richly rewarded by their leader. As you huddle in the corner tied and forced to watch the torture of your loved ones, a glimmer of hope appears.

The police arrive. They come in with armored vehicles, bullet proof vests, full riot gear and the most powerful weapons available. They storm the neighborhood and charge into your home. The police are here to save you and your family and indeed the entire neighborhood from the torture inflicted by these vicious gangsters. They are there to save your life and the lives of those you love. Picture in your mind, these men and women entering the battle field that was once your quiet neighborhood, storming command central, which was once your loving home. They know that their failure would cost you, your family, and many others their lives. But the police charge forward with victory in thier hearts. Imagine the look of fear and defeat on the face of each gang member as they flee, leaving you and your family safe.

Now, back up and imagine your only hope for deliverance and survival coming in with no armored vehicles, no weapons, no riot gear, no bullet proof vests. Can you see victory in this scenario?

Since the time Lucifer and his followers were cast out of Heaven the earth has been the target of a turf war. Satan and his cohorts ARE the most vicious gang ever imaginable. Their only desire is to terrorize you and your family, through hardship, turmoil, deceit, violence, addiction, division of family, rage, fear, fornication, adultery, abuse, hopelessness, heartache, and ultimately, eternity in the unquenchable lake of fire.

This turf war for each and every life is so real, and being fought today. Praise God, He not only gave us the free gift of salvation, from the unquenchable lake of fire, through the Blood of Jesus Christ. But the armor and weapons to fight this battle as we live here on this earth. This is a battle to reach the lost for Christ, but also a battle for earthly joy. Satan will try to steal your joy and prevent you from telling others of the gift of salvation. If Satan and his cohorts can keep us beaten down, depressed, poverty stricken, living in fear, bound by curses like addiction and abuse, or living a life of turmoil. Who is going to see us as an example and want what we've got? Lets face it. Satan makes life without Christ appear attractive, because Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

We are a society of NOW (instant gratification). Drugs, alcohol, and sex appear more appealing than the Do's and Don't of today's church. The party down the street appears more appealing than sitting quietly with our hands in our laps in church. Fornication appears more attractive than purity, theft more fulfilling than work. The joint with friends appears more appealing than the mopey, wimpy, boring Christian life many of us so often exhibit.

Too many of us, as Christians, have lost the fire that gives life for Jesus joy. We seem to have lost the fire to seek deliverance from earthly turmoils. The fire that gives us a zest for life, and a song in our heart. The fire that gives us the certainty that God will bring us through every storm of life with victory. (Not always the victory we expected, but the victory that will make the difference in the long run.) Brothers and sisters we haven't lost anything. We have allowed Satan to steal our fire and our joy, to kill our hopes for happiness here in this life, and to destroy the very things about Christianity that drew 1000s when the disciples preached the gospel. But Praise God there is good news. We can get it back, and keep it!

We can, if we choose, live our Christian life with victory. Victory over every adversity Satan and his cohorts throw our way. Speaking from personal experience, as adversity strikes us down. We can either fall to the circumstance, or rise to it. Either fall to adversity, or face it with joy and praise. Brothers and sisters, I have done both. There was a time in my life when problems would come (and they will come), I allowed fear, stress and depression to control me. As a result, I felt that, to protect myself, I had to control every situation and everyone around me. Let me tell you, this is hard work and a miserable existence. Today, when problems come my way (and they will!) I look to my Savior. I give thanks for the opportunity to learn. I rise to the adversity with a song in my heart. Sometimes this is not easy, but always rewarded. Joy for me is knowing, no matter what God is still on the Throne, God is in charge and nothing I or anyone else can do will ruin the plans He has for me. God shows me the way to defeat the crisis (not always immediately), and sometimes even miraculously removes the cause of the crisis. But always uses it to help me Grow!

As long as I am wearing my heavenly armor, and carrying my two edged sword (either physically or in my heart, and mind). Nothing can steal the joy God has given me. Neither turmoil, grief, sorrow, or crisis can take the song from my heart. I, for one, intend to live a victorious life, and show through my example, that life with Jesus Christ is far more appealing than a life of sin. Both for eternity, and for this instant. Brothers and sisters look around you, listen to the news, walk through our schools. We are living today in a world that is the target of a turf war. The most vicious, vile, gang ever imaginable is after our loved ones. Satan and his cohorts have targeted our children. It is time we put on our heavenly armor, and take up the most powerful weapon available to man. It is time we put victory in our hearts, reach out to every eternal life targeted by Satan and his gang, and show them the way to salvation.

Are we going to sit back in out personal turmoil, afraid to enter the battlefield, while Satan and his gang take precious lives into an eternity of HELL? Are we going to live a defeated life without joy? Are we going to go to battle with no protective armor, and no weapons, expecting victory? NOT ME! What is Heavenly armor you ask? I'm so glad you did!

Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God (Heavenly armor) so that you can take your stand against the devils schemes (depression, confusion, division, fear, idolatry, drugs, ect). For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers, of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly realms (Satan and his gang). Therefore put on the full armor of God, (symbolic clothing of Christ) so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth (character, not brute force, wins the battle, just as in the case of Christ. The Roman soldier wore a loose fitting tunic----and when the time for battle came he gathered up all the loose ends (we all have loose ends to deal with) with his belt----hence the term----girding up your loins ) buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness (the warriors character is his defense) in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace (the message of the gospel is picturesquely connected with the protective gear of the Roman Soldier). In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith (soak yourself in the anointing of faith, as the Roman soldier soaked his shield, covered with leather in water, and used it to put out flaming arrows), with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation (shield your mind from temptation, and doubt, using the cleansing blood of Jesus) and the sword of the Spirit (the battle is spiritual and must be fought in God's strength, depending on the word of God) which is the word of God.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the hearts and attitudes of the heart.

Romans 13:12,14
...Let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Rather cloth yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ...

Have faith to live in victory. Place God's Word in your heart and mind, so that it is with you always. The battle is all around us. This turf war is real, and being fought today. Right in YOUR neighborhood, command central is right in YOUR home. No matter who you are, what status you have, where you live, or where you attend church. But you were not left as a defenseless orphan. God has given you everything needed for victory. It is up to you to use it!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

1 Peter 5:7-9
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in faith...

2 Corinthians 11:14
For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

1 John 3:8b
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.

As for myself and my kids, every day, we put on our Heavenly armor. On the few occasions we miss this routine, those are the days we find ourselves falling. Oddly enough we seem to have no strength, and are often in a bad mood on those days, allowing division to creep into our family. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.






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