Spiritual war is not Christians fighting each other

Character is from the heart, not an external thing. I’ve heard said that who I am is measured by what I am like when no one is looking. Because I am a Christian, who I am is certainly measured by what I am like with other Christians.

Most of the New Testament is about living the Christian life in community. While it tells me how I should behave with my unsaved neighbors, the assumption is, if I get it right with the family of God, I will be okay in every other area.

Even as I write that I’m thinking, But isn’t it easy to fake it at church? I’ve known people whose demeanor and behavior, to all appearances, seemed great, but their lives were filled with sinful secrets. That seems backwards, yet the key is that for Christians, those things never stay secrets. They become known, are a total embarrassment to the church, and put off a lot of people who might otherwise be interested in following Jesus. God will not lest us away with hiding our sins.

This illustrates the importance of integrity and being honest with one another. It also illustrates that Christians are just as susceptible to sin and hypocrisy as anyone else, maybe more so. We have the power of God on our side and any time that our spiritual enemy, Satan, can get us to act like idiots, he strikes a blow against our credibility and the reputation of our Savior.

In a passage that points out that our foe is not “flesh and blood” but “principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places,” I’m told to take up the armor of God so I can stand against whatever these spiritual enemies throw at me. Because I’m reading this today, Sunday, I’m thinking of how Satan tries to ruin my experience of corporate worship and fellowship with His people by getting me to drop my armor just because I’m going to church.

The battle against evil is won only by using the right weapons. While the armor includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith and so on, there is only one offensive weapon and one way to use it. Paul writes,

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. . . . (Ephesians 6:17-18)

I’ve been years trying to learn how to pray using Scripture and even more years realizing that I must. When thoughts come to my head that are part of what the Bible calls Satan’s “devices” or “schemes” the only way to drive them away is with God’s thoughts from His Word. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness (Matthew 4), each time He answered His foe with Scripture.

For me, the idea isn’t that I hear an evil suggestion and start yelling out verses. Rather, the way to use this weapon is described in these verses from Ephesians 6. When I pray, in fact when all Christians pray, we pray using the Word of God. I also note another thing; our priority in prayer is for one another.

Doing this would put an end to all church fights. How can anyone be at odds with the people they are persistently praying for with “all prayer and supplication”? It would keep our focus on our true battle. Instead of petty arguments about all sorts of stuff, we would have our priorities in line with the will of God.

I’m not sure why God is giving me this morning, but I am sure that when I go to church I need to be filled with the Spirit just as much as I need to be filled with Him when I go anywhere else. While we love and accept one another and can be honest and struggle with our foibles together, this is not an excuse to let the Liar loose in my heart, thoughts or lips.

I cannot help but compare 1 Peter 5:8 which says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” and Galatians 5:13-16 which has an interesting parallel: “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. . . . But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

I’ve no intention of devouring anyone, but for some reason that I may never be aware of, today I particularly need to put on my armor and pray for my church family.