"Embracing
the Fight of Faith: The Sword God Has Given is Nothing Less than the Echo of
His Voice in Us"
by Francis Frangipane
Web: www.frangipane.org
Email: comments@frangipane.org
In spite of worldwide conflicts, the Holy
Spirit is guiding the church into its greatest season of transformation. We
must not look at the pressures of our times as though they were obstacles set
to restrict us. For in the hands of the Almighty, these are the very tools He
is using to perfect us.
One of the problems of interpreting end-time events is the tendency to focus
only upon one set of conditions. If we only look at the fact that Satan will be
raging or that there will be lawlessness, wars, earthquakes, and famines, we
might conclude that difficulties and darkness is all that we have awaiting us
until the rapture.
Yet, the same Spirit that predicted the perilous conditions at the end of the
age, also forecasts that, in spite of difficulties and battle, the gospel of
the kingdom of heaven will be proclaimed worldwide to all nations (Matthew
24:14). The Lord also said that the "crop" of last-days Christians
will reach full stature (Mark 4:29), and those who know their God will be
strong, do exploits, shine like the stars, and lead multitudes to righteousness
(Daniel 11:32; 12:3).
Our focus must remain riveted upon becoming like Christ in all things. One
might argue, "But the world around me is full of sin and wickedness - and
it is getting worse!" Yes, but the Bible tells us that where sin abounds,
the grace of God abounds more so (Romans 5:20). We might be overwhelmed by the flood
of evil storming against our societies. Yet, the promise of God is that, when
the enemy comes in like a flood, God shall raise a standard against him (Isaiah
59:19).
Is your focus upon the enemy's flood or are you aware of the standard God is
raising up to counter the flood?
Do Not Forget!
Do not forget, Beloved, that even when darkness covers the earth and deep
darkness covers the people, the promise of God is that His glory shall rise
upon us, and His presence shall be visibly seen through us! In spite of the
appearance that darkness is never-ending, the Lord promises that at the end of
the war between light and darkness, "...nations shall come to your light
and kings to the brightness of your rising" (Isaiah 60:1-3).
Indeed, nestled and unfolding in the midst of the panorama of end-time events,
God's word reveals that there will also be an ongoing "period of
restoration" (see Acts 3:20-21). This does not mean that the world will be
subdued by the church (as some erroneously teach), but that the true church will
be fully subdued and transformed by Christ! This final display of grace will be
consummated in a Christ-like church, whose spiritual maturity shall manifest
the person and passions of Jesus Christ Himself on earth.
Proclaim the Reality of God's
Promises
I have written you by way of reminder that, though the battle seems to rage,
God's word shall not return to Him void. Our fight is the fight of faith: Do we
believe what God has promised? Our war is against principalities and powers: Do
we believe the report that Christ shall "sprinkle (that is, cleanse and
bring forgiveness and transformation to) many nations" (Isaiah
52:12-53:2)?
I, for one, believe the promises of God. God's word is not just a comfort to me
in times of trouble, but a sword that I speak in times of spiritual war. I
proclaim the reality of God's promises over my family, my church, my city, and
nation! Consider His proclamation:
"So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not
return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding
in the matter for which I sent it." (see Isaiah 55:9-11)
Consider also His commitment:
"...I am watching over My word to perform it." (Jeremiah
1:12)
And His accessibility:
"Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is,
to bring Christ down), or 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring
Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? 'The Word is near you, in your
mouth and in your heart' - that is, the word of faith which we are preaching."
(Romans 10:6-8)
Take Up the Sword of the
Spirit and Embrace the Fight of Faith!
You see, we are not mere mortals stumbling
blindly on earth, separated from God and isolated from His response to our
needs. No! We are new creatures, born again from above, that have resident
within us the Holy Spirit of Almighty God. And He has given us His word, put it
in our hearts and mouths, and then He promises, "Whoever believes in Him
will not be disappointed" (Romans 10:11). The Lord does not want us worrying
about the future, but to create it through the knowledge of His will, through
the proclamation of His word, and our yieldedness to the power of the Holy
Spirit.
God calls us to a "war mode" in our thinking, where we take up the
"sword of the Spirit," which is the living "word of God"
(Ephesians 6:17). Yes, we labor and intercede, we repent for our sins and the
sins of our nations, but the weight of our victory rests not upon how much we
labor and groan, but upon how truly we believe what God has promised! Beloved,
the sword God has given is nothing less than the echo of His voice in us!
So, do not just whine about negative conditions in the world or sigh prayers
muttered in fear and unbelief - embrace the fight of faith! Pick up your Bible
and speak audibly the promises of God's word. Pick any verse that I quoted
above and speak it out loud with faith and authority. I guarantee that if you
proclaim God's word with faith, it will release power in and through your
spirit.
The greatest weapons in the universe are the promises God has inspired in His
book. He assures us, "All things are possible to him who believes"
(Mark 9:23). Our call is not just to pray, but to take up the sword of the
Spirit and embrace the fight of faith!
by Francis Frangipane
www.frangipane.org
comments@frangipane.org