Where I come from, 3 against 1 isn’t a fair fight. Yet, every morning, millions of Americans leave the safety of their own home to enter the war zone I call life. Three invisible forces gang up on individuals daily, assaulting their minds, emotions and will. Enemy #1 is your own flesh, Romans 8:5, implanting within you a spirit of curiosity, swaying your conscious to experiment with the unknown, Genesis 3:5-6. Public Enemy #2 is this fallen world, 1 Peter 2:11, using a spirit of persuasion to conform your mind toward the excuse, “well, everybody else is doing it!” Spiritual Enemy #3 is Lucifer, encouraging a spirit of disobedience within young people, Ephesians 2:2, fixing their hearts on earthly treasures, Matthew 6:21-24.
On the other side of this spectrum, lies an invisible fortress built upon the Logos, the written word of God, prayer, fasting and worship. The Father created this heavenly castle, sending His Son to inform the masses of its existence, John 14:1-4. This kingdom does not use brute force, peer pressure or schemes to trick its occupants. Rather, this paradise involves selflessness, servant-hood and sacrifice, Matthew 20:25-28. The entrance fee is relatively inexpensive; one might say priceless, John 3:5-8. Yet, this domain thrives on humility, love and obscurity. There is only one star, one spotlight and one who is worthy to be praised, 1 Chronicles 16:25.
In the end, the choice is yours, to live for today, joining the 3 forces above or live for eternity? God established free will so that people might choose love over evil and obedience over sin. Like the line from A League of Their Own, when Gina Davis tells Tom Hanks, her manager, she’s quitting the team before the World Series. Hanks replies, “If baseball was easy, everyone would play it. The fact that baseball is hard; that’s what makes it a great game!” According to Revelation 3:19-20, God created a special door for his kingdom. The only handle of this door is located on our side. Thus, God continues to knock on the door of your heart, yet only you can let Him in. Today, the Spirit of Jesus has been left behind to guide you once you open this door, John 14:16-17.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 