Prepare for battle

 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ~1 Peter 3:15

Yesterday,  I was placed in the position where I had to defend my faith in Christ.  I had to respond to social media posts that questioned (and that’s being nice) a believer believing in God.  They cloaked it  as one being crazy to believe in religion, but they were attacking the Christian faith.  They called believing in God a coping mechanism. One post compared my faith, our faith, as believing in Santa Claus.  With each attack I felt insulted and continued to proclaim Jesus.  They wanted proof in God.  I pointed to Jesus. I pointed to the heavens and creation itself.  I pointed to myself as a witness to the goodness of God.  I pointed to the word of God.

I felt myself getting angry and weary  because they were calling me a fool even as I thought about what is foolishness to man is wisdom to those who believe. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength(1 Corinthians 1:25).  One even said if you believe in God you haven’t suffered enough.  I replied, that’s why I believe.  I recalled the suffering of Christ on the Cross for me and for all those who were choosing to reject God and “crucify” and ridicule those who would dare to believe.  

One dared to state that God is not coming back because its been two thousand years.  I said it because He loves us and wants no one to be lost, not even those who are now rejecting him to be lost.  It was a heavy couple of ours because it was a student doing a report for a college course and I wanted to get it right.  I asked the Spirit to guide me.  It was important for her to know the truth.  The Spirit reminded me of Mathew 5:11- “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  So, I felt my anger dissipate and my sorrow for all the unbelievers increase and I prayed for them.  I prayed for my student because she is curious and I want her to know the truth for herself.  I wanted her protected from all the lies of the enemies.

There is a battle going on.  There is a fight for lives of the unbelievers.  Our identities must be fully established in Christ and we must stand firm in the faith.  We must pray for the lost and cast down the lies of the enemy.  We must keep up our shields of faith.  We must be armored for the Lord and prepared to battle knowing that He has already won the victory.

Lord, I thank You for the opportunity to defend my faith in You; to declare Christ.  Help me to do so in future with more gentleness.  They were not attacking me, but You and I confess that I did not like it as your daughter, but You are God and can handle any and everything.  You are Elohim.  In Jesus name.  Amen