Thoughts for Life: #71 Principles for Warfare

C. Peter Wagner: "Now for the principles. We want to be good spiritual warriors, so we know we must achieve holiness.

Yet we want to avoid the bless me trap and ministry paralysis. Here are five principles that will help equip us for battle:

1. Be sure you are in proper relationship to God. The basics are: knowing you are born again, knowing you have a satisfactory personal prayer life and knowing you are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Note; this checkpoint is in proper relationship to God, not a perfect relationship. The crucial test is that your heart desire is to know God more intimately and to please Him in all things.

2. Confess all known sins. Most mature believers know when they have sinned. But just to check periodically, use the list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 and other biblical lists of sins as a starting point.

Francis Frangipane warns: "If you attempt to bind a principality or power while you harbor sin in your heart you will surely be defeated." The House of the Lord (Lake Mary, FL: Creation House,1991), p.147

Note: Do not indulge in spiritual self-flagellation. That is also a work of the flesh. Something is wrong if you do not feel good unless you feel guilty! Allow the Holy Spirit Himself to convict you of sin.

3. Seek healing for persistent sin patterns. If you have a heart for God but a particular sin continues to surface, this is a spiritual illness for which you must seek healing just as you would seek healing for a bladder infection or sugar diabetes.

Note: You will usually need outside help for this inner healing. Get the help before you attempt any ministry, but especially before you attempt spiritual warfare.

4. Allow others to read your spiritual barometer. Relate closely to a number of other people whose spirituality you respect and who know you well enough to be frank with you.

Note: Too much openness, especially in public, can itself become pathological. But by keeping everything to yourself, you have no way to test the accuracy of your self-evaluations.

5. The higher God calls you to leadership, the higher your standards of holiness. Many levels of Christian ministry are not overly demanding for holiness, although mature holiness is a goal for all believers.

Some forms of ministry are like playing touch football with kids on the front lawn. Not too demanding. But other levels of ministry are more like the National Football League, and they require a spiritual conditioning that is considerably above the average.

Note: Strategic-level spiritual warfare should be considered more in the NFL category. If you feel you are gifted and called to this kind of ministry, be especially strict with yourself.

If your score on this checklist is satisfactory, you are ready for ministry. Don't separate holy character from giftings or ministry or you will end up with hypocrisy. At the same time, don't wait until you have attained superholiness before you do ministry or you will end up in the bless me trap. (see #66 The "Bless Me" Trap)

(Google image and emphasis added)

Warfare Prayer

#71 Principles for Warfare

By C. Peter Wagner

(pg. 121, 122) Regal Books

Father, I want to become effective in my
efforts in the ministry I am involved in.
May I examine my thoughts, conversations, and activities in the light of what Wagner has shared today.
Help me be open and honest, and to receive any corrections needed to make me more like Christ.
I ask this in the Name of Christ, for His glory, and for the Kingdom's work here in my area. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Micah 6:8 b "but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."

Today’s quote: Paul E. Billeimer - "From heaven's standpoint, all spiritual victories are won, not primarily through a pastor's sermon, not primarily in the glamorous light of publicity, nor yet through the showy blaring of trumpets and musical instrument, but in the secret place of prayer. The only power that overcomes Satan and frees people from his stranglehold is the power of the Holy Spirit; the only power that releases the energy of the Holy Spirit is the power of believing prayer." (Taken from his book, Destined for the Throne, pg. 104)

Some thoughts today: When we have the desire to serve God with our lives, we need to understand that the evil one will try to get us to return to our old ways, and to make us slaves once again to them. (Gal. 5:1; 2 Cor. 1:21-22)

- Old impulses will return, even though we've given our hearts to the Lord. He wants to give us new desires from His Word, which please Him. We have to make choices to walk in this newness of Life in Christ Jesus.

- Reading God's Word, attending Bible studies, and church gatherings help us develop in our sanctification process. (see Romans 6:4-14)

18th- Thursday’s post: #72 The Whole Armor of God

C. Peter Wagner
20th- Saturday's post: Humble Before God
Michael Brooks
21st- Sunday evening's post: The More We Take the Time to Pray
Lee Forbes
23rd- Tuesday's post: #73 Remitting the Sins of Nations
C. Peter Wagner

A popular post: Christian Benefits Jean Oathout continues her thought of what's
in it for you as a Christian. "The following
is a partial listing of the benefits:

1) The LORD loves us for who we are

now, but once we've admitted we're a

sinner, received the free gift of salvation..."

jean-oathout.blogspot.com (save to check in sometime)

Samples of Jean's crafts

http://twitter.com/jeanoathout

http://facebook.com/jean.oathout

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse

Kindle $2.99