LIFE! as we see it

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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 6:10-12 KJV

As we tend to get a bit more casual with Christianity the older we are I our faith. We become a bit more relaxed and get a bit lazy here and there; we tend to forget that we are in a battle for life and of life. The heat of the battle does not reduce the closer we are to the finish line, in fact the enemy fights harder to see that we don’t finish the race well.

Apostle Paul was telling them in the early church that life is not easy. He said that life is a wrestle; according to him our problems are not the people (not against flesh and blood) we see but against spiritual authorities. Your brother is not your enemy, not your mother, your husband, your children, or that member in church. Paul described this authorities as

1. Principalities
2. Powers
3. Rulers of darkness of this world
4. Spiritual wickedness in high places

So he says we should put on the whole amour of God so we can win over the wiles of the devil. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:13 KJV. He says the devil is not coming to you frontally. It is not just a boxing match but a wrestling match, an intimate (body to body contact) fight. This means that the enemy is closer to you than you think. It means that we must be attentive, watchful, prepared, we must be able to resist the wiles of the enemy. Why? Because we fight a no -holds-barred match with spiritual authorities which works through the people around us.

In fact their is a principality, power and rulers of darkness operating in the spiritual that is holding us down. The principles that helps us overcome in this wrestling match are

1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Obedience
4. Dwelling in the word

We are to bring every thought we have to the obedience of Christ. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you Phil 4:8-9 KJV. We need to fight our battles in our thoughts and begin to bring under submission and obedience to Christ every one of those thoughts that gives the enemy a leg in the door.

At the end of our journey here on earth our desires should be that after we have done all, we are able to stand before Christ and the father knowing that we have fought a good fight and finished our race.

The Principle of Aspiring PT 2

And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 1 Samuel 17:23-24 KJV

The victory over Goliath required a counter challenge by the children of Israel. David had an understanding of what Elisha said to his servant. And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 2 King 6:16 KJV. 

Everybody has a Goliath that is speaking against our face saying we will see how you succeed. To counter this however, in every home, nation and place there is a David that has been looked down on. It is up to us to let go of our fear and let David overcome the uncircumcised philistine that is enslaving us  and trying hold us back that we may not succeed.

There is nothing wrong in aspiring in life, career, family. It is human nature to aspire to succeed. The challenge in life is that even as we aspire we are frightened by the Goliath in our life, We are afraid to come out of our comfort zone. We have become enslaved by the circumstances of our life, we listen to what people say. The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. Proverbs 26:13 KJV. 

Too many people have very little aspiration and most people aspire to nothing. In 1 Samuel 17 the children of Israel saw the giant and ran away, their aspiration of victory in battle over the philistines were dashed by a goliath. They were gripped by fear. Life is for the bold and the brave, and the life we are not strong to protect will run away from us. Goliath means an exile, a wanderer from the wine press. Goliath was therefore not worthy of the fear because he was a nobody in the land, all he had was the noise he made. A lot of the Goliath in our life has no substance and is not worthy of the fear and attention we give to it.

For us, that challenge we face may seem like a big and insurmountable but the truth of the Word of God tells us that nothing can be too big for the God who is lord over all we can see or think. The mystery of challenges is anything that is big is only so in our imagination. It is like smoke in the wind, like chaff. Whatever is big in our eyes is very tiny before God, all we need to do is to give David a chance in our life to express himself and to try what he wants to try so he can bring the Goliath in your life down.

Today speak to God and ask that where ever your David is, the Lord should bring him forth and let him take on the Goliath and put an end to him. Stand today with the believe that every Goliath in your life is of no significance because Christ has already nailed them to the cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets. Colosians 2:15 MSG. Therefore that Goliath in your life has already lost its power; all it has are barks with no bite. Move on and live the victorious life of Christ that lives in you.

As children of God we have the answer to the Goliath that is holding us back from overcoming.

1. Having an understanding of who God is- God is all powerful, all encompassing and can do all things which includes overcoming trillions of Goliaths with just the move of a finger
2. Having an understanding of who we are - He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world 
3. Have the ability to aspire to greater things- aspire and take action, move in the trust in the God who holds you in the palm of His hands
4. We must get away from those things that is holding us down
5. You must know and differentiate the fact from the truth - fact was that Goliath was a giant who was a champion fighter but truth is that God is greater and mightier than every Goliath combined
6. All that we need to know is that God can do all things and he can make little things to solve dig problems - David was a small young man before a giant but Goliath was so big that a small stone could not miss.

The Principle of Aspiring PT 1

And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 1 Samuel 17:23-24 KJV

Goliath was a champion, one who had won so many battles, who had been challenging the children of Israel for days on end. He would come out every day and challenge the Isrealites to chose a person to battle. He made fun of the children of Israel. He promised that his people shall be slaves to Israel if just one of the soldiers of Israel could beat him in battle. Every one of us has a Goliath shouting against our success and breakthrough, saying and making us believe we would not enjoy the promises of God.

Goliath stood out and kept the Isrealites in a state of fears and trembling. In Nigeria one of our Goliaths is called corruption, it is shouting that Nigeria would not progress. It is frightening the children of God and making it difficult for the Christians in Nigeria to progress.

David was a young man of 17 years and he heard the challenge of Goliath and asked about what is happening. To him Goliath may be a giant, he may be tall and a champion in battle; but in all of this achievements and victory reports all was is an uncircumcised philistine. And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. 1 Samuel 17:26-27 KJV.

The spirit of Goliath is a spirit of

1. Threatening
2. Fear 
3. Enslavement 
4. Shame 
5. Reproach 

David's aspiration was to face the giant who spoke against the chosen one of God. To him the battle was against the Holy one of Israel and therefore the battle was already won. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 1 Samuel 17:45-46 KJV. 

David looked the enemy in the face, stood before him with a complete trust in God and knew that the battle was already won. He saw Goliath and he saw a man of no significance and so he didn't even allow fear to have any place in his heart. David knew God was bigger than Goliath, God had won more victories than Goliath could ever fight in, God had all lives in his hands and so the goliath had already been defeated.