Spiritual Warfare, Hearts

In my opinion, Spiritual Warfare is in our hearts. God looks into my heart for our spiritual obedience rather than perfection. We will never be perfect as long as we live in our body. Like David's experiences, God meets us in our heart rather than our mind therefore we need to focus on the "heart of the matter". Every wrong act or practice begins with a "thought". Even though, our actions may "appear to be right" but we need to understand that Christians are always engaged in a spiritual warfare. Proverbs 4:23, it says "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." Spiritual maturity requires great care and a true knowledge of ourselves to distinguish a spiritual burden from irritation around us but at the same time, we cannot close our minds to everything that is happening around us. "Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16). We are to worship God from our hearts because we are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16), that God will search us and try us, and know our thoughts.(Psalm 139:23). God always unites and the devil always divides. It should be easy to find our way around in this confused and confusing world but sin has brought confusion. We need to focus on our spiritual warfare as Ephesians 6:12 says "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." We need to realize where is our spiritual battle is. "Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."--Matt. 26:41. Biblically, Christians are no longer "in the flesh": "You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him" (Rom 8:9). "If Christ is in us, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness" (Romans 8:10). Go to the source which is in our hearts. Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, "Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be." (NLT) In Proverbs 4:23, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." (NLT) Its not about the "flesh of the heart" but rather "spirit of the heart". Satan wants us to obey our SINFUL nature while God wants us to obey the Holy Spirit which is sealed in us. Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Faith: Source, Object, Christian's response

Source of FAITH: 1. God's Grace and Gift: Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God 2. Holy Spirit: 1 Thessalonians 1:5 "because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake." 3. Holy Spirit: John 6:29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." 4. Heart with the Help from the Holy Spirit: Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 5. Holy Spirit: Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Faith is NOT Works: 1 Timothy 1:4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work—which is by faith. Object of FAITH: 1. Faith in God/Jesus: John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." 2. Faith in Jesus Christ: John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. Romans 3:22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. 3. Faith in the Kingdom of God: Mark 1:15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" Christians Responds to the Holy Spirit gift of Faith: 1. Live By Faith: Romans 1:17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." 2. Walk By Faith: Romans 4:12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. 3. Pray By Faith: Matthew 21:22 "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." 4. Overcome By Faith: 1 John 5:3-5 "This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." 5. Die in Faith: Hebrews 11:13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. Hebrews 11:39-40 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. 6. Stand Firm in Faith: 1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 7. Continue in Faith: Acts 14:22 'strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.' Colossians 1:22-23 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. Be Strong in Faith: Romans 4:20-25 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Abound in Faith: 2 Corinthians 8:7 But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. Be Grounded in Faith: Colossians 1:23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. Assurance in Faith: 1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 1 Timothy 3:13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Doctrine of Faith

I guess people have made the word "Faith" more complicated than it should be. We exercise faith because He awakened our dead heart by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 "because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake." The Bible provides a clear understanding of genuine saving faith-true faith produces good fruit. In His parable of the soils and the seed, the Lord Jesus taught that, while unbelievers are unfruitful, those who are saved would bear fruit. Faith comes to the believer as a gift from God. It is not something that individuals are capable of coming up on their own. Were faith a work of man's own doing, man would be in a position to take partial credit for his redemption. Faith comes as a result of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit-He quickens our hearts to believe. Apart from the new birth, there can be no true faith. True saving faith involves repentance from one's sin and a complete trust in the work of Christ to save from sin and make one righteous. the most vivid of those figurative references is found in Jesus' words from the Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" (Matthew 5:6). In that verse, Jesus explains that true faith is equal to hungering and thirsting for faith in God.