Weekly Reflection

Spiritual Battle

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.

God desires to lead us into truth, peace, and victory, while the enemy seeks to sow confusion, fear, and destruction:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." — John 10:10 (NIV)

However, when we surrender to God's guidance, He promises to direct our steps:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." — Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Are You Living a Godly Life or Just Displaying a Form of Godliness?

I believe the pain and turmoil in the world today are signs that Satan’s time is drawing near, just as God warns us in the Bible. Jesus cautioned that many will fail to find the narrow road (Matthew 7:13). This should serve as a wake-up call for all Christians to examine their motives and way of life. If Christianity is the largest religion in the world and Islam is the second largest (Britannica.com), why did Jesus say the road to destruction is wide while the path to life is narrow? Have you truly reflected on Jesus’ warning about the path to God’s kingdom?

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Are You Ready to Give an Answer for Your Faith?

I have found that God continuously works in me through different seasons of my life. While He refines both my physical and spiritual being, my answer to why I said "yes" to Jesus' love has never changed. However, each year, He reveals my purpose with increasing clarity.

This new year, God has made it abundantly clear to me what my faith and purpose in the Gospel of Jesus are grounded in. I do not believe that sharing the Gospel, according to Jesus, is meant merely to grow an earthly congregation. The Gospel’s impact is far greater because God’s kingdom is spiritual. I firmly believe that salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ. There is no single congregation or denomination that has perfected the path to salvation. If any group or person believes their way is the only way to God, they are placing God in a human-made box, limited by worldly understanding.  Every congregation has flaws because Satan, our accuser, works tirelessly to sow confusion, deception, pride, and self-sufficiency in the hearts and minds of those who seek to make Jesus their Lord, including leaders and teachers (Ephesians, Revelation 2 & 3, Proverbs 4:23, 1 Peter 4:12-19). This is why embracing and understanding the Holy Spirit—whom Jesus promised as our teacher and counselor—is crucial (John 14:13-18, 25-26).

In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Are You Living as an Heir in God’s Kingdom?

Have you allowed Satan and his demons to make you feel like a second-class citizen in God’s kingdom? Paul, who was called by Jesus and transformed by the power of God, understood firsthand what it meant to be made equal in the kingdom of God. Take a moment to reflect on the passage we just read. Through Jesus Christ, we—the Gentiles—have been granted the same rights as Israel. This is why, under the new covenant, the Israelites are no longer the sole chosen people of God.

"So in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:26-29)

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 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.

Are You Alienated from God?

Are you merely going through the motions of religion without a true spiritual foundation? In this passage, the apostle Paul warns us that we cannot expect to be set apart and free from Satan’s accusations if we continue to live without rejecting our sinful behavior and fully surrendering our lives to Christ. Transformation comes only through Christ, not by empty religious rituals.

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’⁸ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

If we continue to willfully live in sins after we become a Christian, why did Jesus die for our sins (Hebrews 10:26)? Throughout the years walking with the Lord, I have heard different reasons why people are not able to change their sinful nature after they decide to surrender their lives to God. What strikes me is how religious leaders are becoming afraid to warn people about the wages of sin being death (Romans 6:23). It becomes evident that many pastors, clergy, ministers, teachers, and evangelists are more fearful of how society will react to them instead of preaching the full Gospel. Consequently, sin seems to become the norm of the church. Religious leaders who are in ministry have different reasons why they prefer to teach about Jesus the savior, grace, peace, redeemer, healer, provider, and the many feel-good gospel messages that people want to hear, and rightly so. However, Jesus the Lord, Judge, King of Kings who expects repentance, transformation, surrender, commitment, who is coming back is not taught or is sometimes mentioned in a passive and light manner.