Life is a Battleground

The Christian life is not a children’s playground.

The Christian life is a battleground.

In Philippians 1:27-30 Paul pictures the followers of Jesus as soldiers defending the faith of the Gospel.

The faith of the Gospel is the body of God-given truth that God has given to His followers.

In Jude 1:3 we are exhorted to contend for the faith that had been delivered to the saints.

In 1 Timothy 4:1 Paul warns Timothy that there will come a time when people will depart from following the true faith.

In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul encourages Timothy to teach others the truth that he has been given so that they can pass it on to others.

Why is following the faith of the Gospel so important? The Gospel is truth. What I believe will determine how I live. If I believe a lie, I will live that lie out in my life. If I believe the truth, I will live out that truth in my life.

In this passage Paul shares three essentials for victory in the battle to defend the faith of the Gospel.

Philippians 1:27a

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ

Essential #1: Consistency

The most important weapon against the enemy is not a stirring sermon or a powerful book or great leader. The most important weapon against the enemy is the consistent life of believers.

Paul is basically saying, “Behave the way citizens of God’s kingdom are supposed to behave.”

We as followers of Jesus are citizens of the Kingdom of God. We are to live with God’s kingdom as our priority. Our loyalty is to the kingdom above any humanly established authority or entity.

In Ephesians 4:1 we are urged to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called.

It is a day-by-day commitment to the Gospel of Jesus.

It is a day-by-day surrender to the will and authority of Jesus.

We do not behave in order to go to heaven. Salvation is by grace through faith. We cannot be saved by works.

We behave because we have been saved. We are God’s people and we are to reflect His character as we live in this world.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living like Jesus so the world can see Jesus.

Philippians 1:27b

So that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel.

Essential #2: Cooperation

We are to stand firm in one spirit.

God wants us to live in unity with other believers.

Romans 15:5-6 says, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity as you follow Christ Jesus so that with one heart and one mouth you may give glory and honor to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We are to strive side by side.

The term striving side by side is where we get our term athletics. The church is a team. We experience victory when we as God’s people work together, not against each other.

We need to remember that in Matthew 16 Jesus promises that the gates of hell will not overcome the church. When trying to live out the faith of the Gospel alone, we are in danger of being defeated.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is working together as God’s church and experiencing victory together.

Philippians 1:28-30

And not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Essential #3: Confidence

We are not to be afraid of anybody who opposes us because of our faith in the Gospel.

We are given three reasons why we don’t have to fear.

First, these battles prove that we are saved.

We not only believe in Jesus, but we also get to suffer with Jesus.

Many believe that submitting your life to Jesus means an end to your battles. In reality it means the beginning of new battles.

The truth is that when we are attacked, it means that the enemy is threated by us. We will be in a battle, but Jesus will be with us in that battle.

Second, the presence of conflict is a privilege. It is a privilege because we suffer for the sake of Jesus. The conflict is granted to us. It is a gift, not a burden.

Third, others are experiencing the same conflict.

Satan wants us to think that we are alone in the battle. He wants us to think that our difficulties are unique, but that is not true. He wants to isolate us and pick us off one by one.

Satan has not tempted anyone with a unique temptation.

Satan has not attacked anyone with something no else has been attacked with.

Spiritual conflicts, temptations, or difficulties enable us to grow in our relationship with and dependence on Jesus.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing we are in a spiritual battle and depending on the victory that Jesus has already won.

Jesus tells us that in this world, this life, we will have tribulation (stress, affliction, oppression), but we are to take heart because He has overcome the world. Jesus has overcome all the stress, affliction, and oppression you and I will ever face.

In the Battle with Jesus Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls

                                                Joe