GOOOD NIGHT :D

Need help in Quiet Time or some inner understanding? Hopefully this entry today will make you feel more encouraged and more motivated to go all out for Christ. Of course, i pray that as you go through this entry, God will comfort you and soften down your heart to receive His help. No matter what, you must jiayou for God ohkay. Let's all stand firm together (:

Battlefield of the Mind Part I: Prepare for War
"The spiritual battle takes place in our minds, but the place we give Christ in our hearts determines our victory" ~ Magdalene.

The battlefield or realm in which our spiritual warfare takes place is in the mind of every believer in Christ. We wrestle, or strive and struggle in our minds against world systems, the flesh or the carnal nature, and the devil. The mind encompasses our thoughts (imagination, reasoning, and intellect), as well as our emotions and will. In all of these aspects lie the very heart of an individual. By our thoughts and feelings we determine our will and purpose for our lives. As Christians, we seek to live by the truth and power of God because they are our assurance of God's promised victory in each and every situation in life, and we are not ignorant of the reality of evil, and the destruction that surrounds our world on a daily basis. It is in this process that we will encounter a very real spiritual struggle in our thoughts, emotions and will because the adversary knows that these areas are directly related to the power of our faith and means to receiving the promises of God. The adversary's goal is to weaken the faith of every Christian. We read from 1PETER1:5, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

If we choose to live a half spiritual and half carnal life, we jeopardize much of our victory in Christ. Although, at the moment of conversion we received Christ and are assured of our salvation, our hearts still need to be right with God in our commitment to follow Him. When we follow Him we build a sure foundation in which Christ said in Luke 6:47 - 49, I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."

As Christians, we are deceiving ourselves if we are not walking with God from the heart. This has nothing to do with religion, legalism or ritualism because these have nothing to do with true religion. True religion is a matter of seeking to understand God's love and committing your heart to follow the way of Christ. God says in James 1:27, Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

This verse is speaking about compassion and moral goodness versus the many philosophies of the world that are in opposition to the love and justice of God. Our liberty in Christ sets us free from these worldly entanglements.

In James 1:25, But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

The devil hates the righteousness of God with a pure hate, as well as God's creation, especially those who follow after the righteousness of God. We are told in the epistle of Peter to: (1Peter 5:8) Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

In stark contrast to the devil, God also searches the earth but for a different reason. 2Chronicles16:9, For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war."

Since we have a very powerful and hateful enemy, we need to be watchful of our thought life and hearts and to remain in close fellowship with God, so that His power can effectually operate in our lives. Scripture tells us in Psalm 91:14, "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

The first step to take in preparation for the spiritual warfare that is before us, is to get our hearts in the right place. To set our love upon God, is to walk with God, and when we walk with God, we remain in His presence and promised protection.

How to set our love upon God

John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.
1 John 5:3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
1 John 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

His Promises To Those Who Love Him

John 14:21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
John 14:23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

God loves us unconditionally; however, by responding to His love we know God by experience. When we sow God's Word in our hearts and act upon it, we will reap the supernatural power and love of God. God will bring it to pass, and we will know God in a way we never thought possible. We then begin to understand the meaning of living on the holy mountain of God or in the presence of God. In Psalm 15, David expresses the righteous love of God in a believer and his or her dwelling place in God's holy hill.

LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

The love of God works the righteousness of God. Our achievements do not genuinely profit us when they are not motivated by the love of God, not even our greatest gifts and sacrifices. God tells us that love alone will not fail.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:1-6)

God desires the heart of an individual, and if we make a decision in favor of what is given to us from His Word, we will reap the wonderful promises of God, and obtain a sure footing for the battles of life. If our intentions and purposes are lined up with those of God’s, we will profit in everything we do, and obtain God's deliverance from all evil.

This however does not mean that we move along in life, and take no precautions for our own safety because we are walking with God. We always do our best to care for ourselves and rely on God to do the rest. God cautions us to the following: (Matthew 7:6) "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 10:16) I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

What A Righteous Heart Is Not

Does a righteous heart mean that we must be perfect in order to receive His promises?

If we become distracted by an ideal of perfection, we will find ourselves lost in a revolving door that takes us further away from the pure path that is set before us, and once again we become entangled with the works of the flesh and condemnation. The Christian life is not about a million do's and don'ts, its more about do unto others what you would have them do unto you.

To possess a perfect heart before God, means that our intentions, motives and purposes agree with the heart of God. We acknowledge His love for us, and have made a decision to return that love because He first loved us, but our perfection will not be complete until our full redemption in Christ at His 2nd Coming. Conforming to the image of Christ is a process of growth in the knowledge and power of Christ as we draw nearer to Him. Like a baby, we first receive the pure milk of the Word, and as we mature spiritually, we are able to digest the meat. God is full of mercy and grace towards His children, and seeks to deliver them out of trouble and restore them back to fellowship with Him, if we fall away. When our heart is right with God, we are motivated by the things of God, but by no means does this guarantee that we will never fail God or others.

The righteous will continue to acknowledge their mistakes and change their course or direction in life. A true believer is in a continual state of repentance by putting off the works of the flesh and continuing in the things of God. A Christian may suffer from his or her errors, but to remain in a state of condemnation and retardant growth because of them does not work the grace or righteousness of God. God looks at the intent of the heart and not our weaknesses and failures.
God doesn't judge us according to the standards of men, but He always looks on the heart. The apostle Paul says in 1Corinthians 2:5, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

The Opposition and the Reason for Our Spiritual Warfare: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil

The World, the flesh, and the devil are in opposition to Christ. We are forewarned to put on the whole armour of God so that we can overcome these obstacles through the power of God. This is also a part of the Christian walk; your heart may be in place but so is your spiritual battle.

Why the World, Flesh, and the Devil in Spiritual Warfare?

When a believer is gaining ground for Christ in any of the 3 realms, whether we are winning souls for Christ, or overcoming obstacles to our personal walk with God, we will experience resistance in the world, the flesh, and the devil. Be not afraid, this resistance will come and is a sure mark of your progress!

Some Words of Encouragement for the Weary

There will be times when it is necessary and also an act of wisdom to retreat or step back a little from forging ahead spiritually, and to take the time to reflect, renew our strength and to gain perspective for our lives. We may even begin to feel a sense of relief and become complacent. If we are tempted to remain complacent, we should remind ourselves of the lives we will never touch, the spiritual heights we will never reach, and the force of faith that will no longer impact the invisible world to keep the enemy at bay. There are legitimate struggles in life, and we can become discouraged, but even if we feel discouraged, and we keep placing our trust in the Lord, He will not fail us. Some battles may be lost because lesser obstacles were overlooked at the start, and there are times, out of enthusiasm, we move ahead of our present capacity. It is not wise to tackle unfamiliar territory unless we are led by the Lord, to do otherwise is to witness the casualties of spiritual warfare. As a pastor once advised, when we fail, get up, and dust off our clothes and keep moving on.

Christians experience real problems, and doing our best to overcome them through the power of God, will involve struggles and wrestling's that Paul defined as "warfare." Is your battle personal? Are you fighting fear, doubt, depression, physical problems, condemnation, obsessions, worry, despair or hopelessness? Is there an attitude, a habit, or a part of your flesh that is destroying you and you know it, but you can’t seem to get a handle on it? Has your good intentions to win family and friends to the Lord now turned into a personal attack against you? Are you threatened by the hostility and hate of others, do you fear isolation or how others can hurt you? Are you disturbed by your own hardened heart? Then seek God for His deliverance because He has provided a way for us in Christ, set your love upon Him and He will deliver you.

Psalm 34:19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;
Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

God will transform our hearts and cause us to prosper in Him.

(KJV)Psalm 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

The Agony and The Ecstasy

When a believer in Christ is committed to live for Christ, and to be God’s light in a dark world, he or she will experience, to a varying degree, the "agony and the ecstasy."

Jesus sweat drops of blood during His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion.He endured extreme cruelty, both psychological and physical persecution that culminated in His death on the cross. The Lord's ecstasy was His inherited prize, the Church, known as the body of Christ. Are you sensitive to the sufferings of others? Have you ever felt sickened as you witnessed some type of suffering, but were helpless to do anything about it?

Just think what we can accomplish for the Lord; every decision we make, and every word and deed we perform, either glorifies Christ, Who is worthy to be glorified, or gives a back seat to the sufferings that He endured for us. Everyday is an opportunity to wipe the brow of Christ. In all of this, Christ won the victory for us, but we must continue to grow and trust God in our daily fight against evil. In our decision to give our whole heart to the Lord, we take hold of "the ground of Christ" then we take back the ground that the devil has stolen from us.

Where do we begin in our spiritual warfare?

With ourselves! Set your love upon the Lord!

(KJV)Psalm 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

Woah, paisey hor. For those peeps who know my 'character' in blogging should know i got the 'habit' of typing super ultra long post! HAHAHAH! Well, i really did enjoy reading all these. This passage encouraged me quite a lot (: JIAYOU!

Credit: hehe

JIAYOU WEST D!! JIAYOU!!

PS: Peeps who already know this blog, please spread to our new brothers & sisters in west D too alright? Thanks! :D