Weapons of Warfare

We all fight different things in life and we spend a lot of energy doing it. For you it might be a person who opposes you, an impossible situation, or a lingering feeling (depression, emptiness, fear...). Everyday we try to pull together enough strength to fight the battle that day. But by the end of the day we probably feel beaten up, destroyed and near death (hopefully only figuratively).

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12 ESV

Consider the verses in Ephesians, have you ever thought that you may be fighting your battles in the wrong place? Try fighting your battle in a new arena.

Ephesians says you are not fighting those people or circumstances but powers in heavenly places, spiritual forces of evil. Those comic powers shroud themselves in our circumstances, family/friends, and even pit our emotions against us. So whatever you see in the natural is only the result of the activity in the spiritual.

"For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:4 ESV

The place of prayer is sometimes a very underutilized place of battle. From the place of prayer we have access to power to destroy spiritual strongholds in our lives, families, workplaces, and cities.

My encouragement is do not be on the defensive today, but in prayer be on the offensive. See your battles for what they really are, spiritual forces that seek to oppose you, slow you down, distract you. You my friend, in Christ, are a child of God, you are seated in a place of victory with him. You have authority in Christ to speak life and destroy darkness!

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere." 2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV

Continue

Who's Lacking?

I recently heard a pastor say, "Whatever you don't like about your church is what you probably don't like about yourself." He implied that where-ever you feel your church is lacking is probably where you are lacking.

Lately, I have spent several hours reading everything I can about church planting to see how to be successful here in Macon. The more I read though the more I feel Holy Spirit bring my attention back to ME! The more I search to inquire about our church's development and growth the more the Lord questions me about my development and growth. The more he inquires about my prayer, my worship, and my relationship with him.

My pastor and mentor, Chad Waller, often says that you cannot lead where you have not been. In our leadership development at VC2, before we talk about leading other people, we discuss how to lead ourselves. Before you can lead people to drink from the fountain of grace, you must discipline yourself to drink from the fountain of grace.

As a leader, the key to the success of your ministry or organization depends on your personal development. The time you spend in the word, prayer and worship is fundamental to the development of your ministry. The missing dynamic that you want in your organization must first be found in you, the leader.

Just take a second and jot down what you feel is lacking in your ministry, business, or even family. Then honestly ask yourself if you are an example of those things in you church, business and family. If you're not, then you have found what was truly lacking all along.....LEADERSHIP!

So take that list of what is lacking and simply put your name at the top of that list and make it your goal to be a model of those things. Ask Holy Spirit to work those things in you so you can lead others in those areas!

Continue