life is more than breathing – more than we can touch and see and taste and feel on this planet. there is more to life than the earth and the 80 years or so than we live. the reality is that there are two kingdoms. there are two realms – this physical planet and the spiritual realm. the world and God’s Kingdom. in the 21st century we’ve become so adjusted to the physicality of life that we often forget the spiritual realm – or we lump it in the same category as fairy tales and unicorns and rom coms. even us christians…
the world says that God is dead and not real and or that He’s santa’s 2nd cousin tucked away on a cloud somewhere having bacon and cheese toasties, grooming his long white beard, listening to the latest harpist on his ipod… but the world is blinded by a demonic strategy by our enemy who covers up the greatness of God and shuts Christians down so that people stay captive, stay sick, stay lost, stay in the dark…
when life is over, we can not take anything with us into eternity, except a life that was lived in love and obedience to God. This world is not real, Jesus is ultimate reality. We don’t live for that which is seen, but we must daily live for that which is unseen – the kingdom of heaven and release heaven into this earth through our words, actions and purpose. How awesome is that!
because eternity is real, because God’s Kingdom is real we can be confident there is purpose and strategy for our lives. and also contention.
the great purpose is to demonstrate the love and grace of God – to glow in the dark and show that God IS real, so that people dont miss out and spend eternity without Him.
the contention is to keep people blind and lost and condemned.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
as christians we live in a war zone. we are saved and sent. redeemed and recruited. we are part of God’s glorious plan to see people come to know Him. anyone that wants to be used by God will face contention and battle. the war zone touches evey area of our life. the great strategy of the enemy has always being the same, right from the beginning. God isnt who He says He is, and He doesnt mean what He says. He aims to distract and diswade us from knowing God and living for Him. he hates that we are children of God.
his goal is the same as it was in the garden. he exists to silence God’s message of hope and genuine relationship with His children. don’t pick up the lies the enemy is putting down. @stickyjesus
the enemy knows that if he can capture your thought life, everything else will soon tumble down around you. Christ died to give you holiness, but the enemy aggressively and enthusiastically bets against your holiness before you’ve even had your first cup of coffee. life on this side of heaven is hard. @stickyjesus
while your message as a follower of Christ is grace, hope and healing, there’s a power that works equally hard online (and off-line!) to cancel out your message by generating a perpetual flow of despair, hate and evil @stickyjesus
but in this war we are not unarmed or weak. we are not the losers. we are children and heirs of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who one day will return and breathe upon the enemy and destroy him. the enemy is defeated already at the cross.
God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Colossians 2:13-15
we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to stand and overcome.
Greater is He in you than the one who is in the world. 1 john 4:4
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13
remember the cross and how it defeated the sin in your life for good. you are no longer the underdog or a slave tot eh strongholds that left you helpless. jesus came as your escape route from all of the things you fear. @stickyjesus
as long as there are people on earth, evil will always find his way in and put his flag in the ground. it’s why you need to get serious about infusing the Light and shaping this global meeting place for God’s glory – sooner than later. @stickyjesus
part of the strategy we need as christians to have victory – in the big picture – and in our own personal lives as we live out for jesus is to be intentional and aware. we need to know we’re in a battle and that we are fully armed. we need to know WHO we are serving and WHY. we need to be watching and alert.
Be self- controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 peter 5:8
this isnt just a observance mode. its not just a looking out for danger but its a choice to live our lives aware and living according to the Word of God.
every choice is a choice between light and darkness, between obedience and disobedience, between the flesh and the spirit, between the world and the Kingdom of God. choose God. choose obedience. choose to pick up your cross and deny self and follow Jesus. this is your offensive attack. make choices to avoid evil. make choices to not compromise. make choices to overcome.
this chapter of @stickyjesus gives some really practical strategies for overcoming the onslaught of the enemy who seeks to distract and destroy us and our purpose, thus switching the light out – esp online.
take a heart stand – abide in Jesus
connect with Him – prayer, worship – 1 peter 1:13-15, 1 corinthians 9:27
know your content – know what the Word says and promises – it was jesus’ weapon of choice
trust God to transform you – romans 12:2
worship – prioritize God’s presence
go digitally dark – rest, be refreshed
protect the family bond
pursue and honour fellowship – real life people matter!
establish accountability
value your personal time
be alert – 1 peter 5:8
declare war
be safe online
you really cant relegate danger to a “zone” online. an alarm wont go off if you get too close to a danger zone, nor will a crossing guard wave you through when the coast is clear. Danger is everywhere because we live on a broken planet. @stickyjesus
we are flawed broken people. yet we are forgiven and cleansed. we are being transformed daily. the Holy Spirit is our guide. the Word shows us how to live. we are greatly loved.
we are children of God. citizens of God’s Kingdom.
protect your relationship with God. don’t let sin creep in. don’t compromise. there is always a second chance. and a million and thirty seventh chance. jesus died to make the way for us to be free from sin.
And God was pleased for him to make peace by sacrificing his blood on the cross, so that all beings in heaven and on earth would be brought back to God. You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things. But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent. Colossians 1:19-22
lets today rise and shine. lets overcome.
come join the conversation about @sticky jesus here: @stickyjesus read along.
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