Wake Up Body of Christ

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. 

Ephesians 6:12

Beloved, we need to wake up and realize there is a battle going in the spirit realm that involves us. No one is exempt from this battle. No one can view it from a distance. We are in the midst of conflict whether we acknowledge it or not. If you believe it will get better, you are wrong. There is no middle ground! This Christian warfare will not cease until Jesus Christ returns for those that are His. There is a great war being waged in the world today.  We're not referring to the state of civil unrest namely in the United States nor the war that is occuring in Ukraine. It is not the conflicts between nations, tribes, or government leaders. It is not a rebellion or a coup. What it is is an invisible battle taking place in the spirit world. We are wrestling spiritually. "Wrestling" involves close personal contact that requires plenty of prayer, discernment, knowledge of the word of God and His Holy Spirit.

   

This is the invisible war in which every believer is engaged. It is a war where no one wears a uniform, but where everyone is a target. The historical and prophetical record of this war is contained in God's Word, the Bible.

It is necessary to use "spiritual discernment" to understand spiritual things.  Probably one of the best examples of natural and spiritual discernment is recorded in 2 Kings 6. It records the story of a natural battle in which troops of the enemy nation of Syria had surrounded a small town called Dothan where the prophet Elisha was staying. When Elisha's servant saw the great host of the enemy he became fearful. Elisha prayed that God would open his servant's spiritual eyes so he could see the angelic hosts surrounding and protecting them. On this occasion, God actually opened the natural eyes of Elisha's servant and allowed him to visibly see the superior forces of God aligned for battle.

The account of this battle at Dothan is similar to present spiritual conditions in the Church. There are some, like Elisha, who see clearly into the realm of the spirit. They know there is a conflict occurring, have identified the enemy, and recognize the greater forces of God that assures victory. There are others like Elisha's servant who, with a little encouragement, will be able to open their spiritual eyes and no longer be fearful of and defeated by the enemy. But sadly, there are many people who, like those in the city of Dothan, are spiritually sleeping. They do not even know that the enemy has surrounded them and is poised for attack.

To understand this invisible war, we must first understand the natural and spiritual worlds. Man exists in two worlds: The natural world and the spiritual world.

The natural world is that which can be seen, felt, touched, heard, or tasted. It is tangible and visible. The country, nation, city or village in which we live is part of the natural world. We are a resident in a natural kingdom located on one of the visible continents of the world. We can see the people who are part of our environment. We can communicate with them. We can experience the sights, sounds, and smells around us.

But there is another world in which we live. That world is the spiritual realm. We cannot see it with our physical eyes, but it is just as real as the natural world in which we live.

Apostle Paul speaks of this division of natural and spiritual:

There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.  1 Corinthians 15:40

There is a natural body, and there is are spiritual bodies: 

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.  1 Corinthians 15:45

All men have a natural body which lives in the natural world. But man is also a spiritual being with an eternal soul and spirit. Man is body, soul, and spirit. Our spiritual being (soul and spirit) is part of a spiritual world just as our natural body is part of the natural world.

Because spiritual warfare is just that- spiritual - it must be understood with a spiritual mind. In our natural, sinful state, we cannot understand spiritual things:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  1 Corinthians 2:14

Within the natural and spiritual realms of which we are speaking there exists separate kingdoms which are ruled by natural and spiritual leaders.

All men live in a natural kingdom of this world. They live in a city or village which is part of a nation. That nation is a kingdom of the world. A natural kingdom is a territory or people over which an actual king or political leader is the sovereign ruler. The Bible speaks of these natural kingdoms as "kingdoms of the world". The kingdoms of the world have come under the power and influence of the prince of this world, Satan:

Again, the Devil taketh Him (Jesus) up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if you wilt fall down and worship me.  Matthew 4:8-9

In addition to the natural kingdoms of this world there are two spiritual kingdoms: The   Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. Every person alive is a resident of one of these two kingdoms.

The Kingdom of Satan consists of Satan, spiritual beings called demons, and all men who live in sin and rebellion to God's Word. These, plus the world and the flesh, are the spiritual forces of evil at work in the world today.

The Kingdom of God consists of God the Father, God the son; Jesus Christ, God the Holy Spirit, spiritual beings called angels, and all men who live in righteous obedience to God's Word. These are the spiritual forces of good.

The Kingdom of God is not a denominational church. 

Denominations are man-made organizations of groups of churches. 

They have been established for practical purposes of organization and administration. Denominations are major church organizations like Baptist, Assembly of God, Methodist, Lutheran, etc. The Bible speaks of the true Church which is not a denomination or religious organization. 

The true Church, called the Body of Christ, is composed of all 

those  who have become residents of the Kingdom of God who have 

accepted God in His totality.

At the present time in the natural world, the Kingdom of God exists individually within every man, woman, boy or girl who has made Jesus King; the head of their lives. It exists communally in the true church (body of Christ) and wherever people make this world the kind of world God wants it to be. In the future, there will be an actual visible manifestation of God's Kingdom.

The invisible spiritual war is a battle which involves all men and women. Because the Kingdom of Satan is a spiritual kingdom . . .

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.   Ephesians 6:12

Spiritual warfare is not a natural battle between flesh and blood. 

It is not a battle of man against man.  

It is not a battle of religious denominations.  

It is not a visible battle. 

It is an invisible struggle in the spirit world. 

It is a battle within and around man. It is not as visible war is because spirits are involved and we read in the word of God that a spirit does not have flesh and bones. 

Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.  Luke 24:39 

Spiritual warfare is "multidimensional", which means it is fought in different dimensions. It is:

     √     A social battle between the believer and the world:  John 15:18-27

     √     A personal battle between the flesh and the spirit:   Galatians 5:16-26

     √     A supernatural battle between the believer and evil supernatural powers:  Ephesians 6:10-27

Every person alive is engaged in this battle, whether he realizes it or not. There is no neutral ground. Unbelievers are in bondage to evil and have been taken captive by the enemy forces. They are victims of the war.

Believers have been freed from the enemy through Jesus Christ and are victors, but they are still engaged in the war. All Believers wrestle against evil spiritual forces not to become captive again to that which they have been converted.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.  Galatians 5:1

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