Hey guys WATCH THIS VIDEO! This is not from a movie, it is a song written by Dustin Kensrue who produced the video himself. It is about the BIRTH of Jesus, the video is told as if his birth occured during a WWII environment.

I truly suggest watching it a few times to get the full effect of what is being stated here! VERY powerful, thank you Santana for pointing this one out to me! When I watched it the second time and really grasped what all was happening I GOT CHILLS!!!! Heaven against Hell...and in the presence of our KING even HELL MUST STAND DOWN!


This is war like you ain't seen.
This winter's long, it's cold and mean.
With hangdog hearts we stood condemned,
But the tide turns now at Bethlehem.

This is war and born tonight,
The Word as flesh, the Lord of Light,
The Son of God, the low-born king;
Who demons fear, of whom angels sing.

This is war on sin and death;
The dark will take it's final breath.
It shakes the earth, confounds all plans;
The mystery of God as man.

WOW......WOW.......WOW......WOW

What an incredible story that is told here. Satan goes around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour......BUT can NOT stand in presence of our KING OF KINGS. All we have to do is say Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. At the mention of his name the enemy must flee.

Okay....gotta go watch it again......PRAISE BE TO GOD!!!

Jared

Despite how much the website is growing, and how good the Podcst is doing...I started getting a little down today. While I was moping around This is War popped into my head, and it truly hit me...we are at war on every level; spiritual, physical, intellectual...the list could go on for a while!

We need to constantly know we are never alone! And I will be honest...while I was kinda getting down I thought of my brothers and sisters in arms, and my spirit was lifted! Thank you all for being here, thank you all for fighting by my side!

You know a real truth is...we can not look our enemy in the eye! We are blindsided by the attacks at times; when we are at our highest he may strike and bring us crashing down if we let him! He knows our weeknesses, he knows our strengths, and what enemy attacks anothers strengths! We have to remember that our battle is not 100% in the flesh, we can and will be attacked on a very deep personal level...in our very minds and hearts!

Quote:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

We have to remember that we are not alone in the fight! This is one of the key reasons fellowship is so very important! This is why the Upper Room was built, fellowship and to bring together people in prayer and in community, so we always remember distance does not even matter in the Kingdom, we may be struggling in New York, and someone from California may be going through the same thing and is praying for us! How great is that!

Quote:

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Through the word of God (the Bible) we learn to do battle with the enemy! God does not want us to be alone in the fight, but he does want us to take the stand on our own. We must come to Him...use his word, as a weapon against the darkness that threatens us!

Quote:

Psalms 144:1-2 Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. Ephesians 6:11-22 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 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, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

As we learn to lean on God during the times we feel we just cant get by, we see how he brings us out, we see how he picks us up just as we feel we can not make it another step. He is a King that will jump in the battle and stand between his people and the enemy...what other king would do that for his people...in fact he gave his very life...so we can survive and overcome deaths grasp!

Quote:

Deuteronomy 3:22-24 Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you. And I besought the LORD at that time, saying, O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?

Now I suggest after reading all of this to scroll back up and watch the "this is war" video. With these scriptures fresh in your mind...and try to keep a dry eye! You know the look "Mary" gives the enemy after "Jesus" is born in the video is really what gives me CHILLS. The look on her face as she looks over at them is as if she is saying "You are helpless, you can't do anything to us anymore...we have WON!"

Well, as for the rest of us...I would really like to "DIG IN" and "UNPACK" this! Lets talk about the individual battles we all face, how do you overcome the attacks of the enemy? Do you do as "Mary" in the video...and look it dead in the eye, saying "You are defeated" with a simple look...or do you allow it to pull you down a little before climbing back out!...sadly I typically do the latter...

If anyone is interested in doing a bible study or just looking for a great book to read, check out this book....

Spiritual Warfare-Biblical Truth for Victory by John Franklin and Chuck Lawless

It's in a study format and is very biblical on where they get their guidance. When my bible study did this, we all learned so much! We really grew and grew in our walk after that study......

____________________________________
With His Strength, not my own
Mike

Well lay some of it down here Santana...give us a battle plan!

That's where I got most of my material for my previous posts on demon possession, and rebuking satan.......

That is a good break down on how to recognize the battles! It really helps. I want to learn how to win them! I think they will only get worse as the time of His coming gets closer!

Myles, Love what you said here.

Scott

Scott, here is another one that I know you know...but just want to give you a little dose as a reminder brother!

Quote:

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

It is so easy for us to get "Lost" in the battle. That fealing of hopelessness washing over us to the point we feal as though we may drowned in it. Scott, as long as you are standing with God you are covered in his shadow...his Grace and his love. This doesn't mean we dont get beat up a little, just like when holding an umberella in a storm. Some of the rain may come in on the sides and we may get a little wet...yet the umberella protects us from the blunt of the rain. God covers us in the same way; he lets us go through these trials to strengthen us, to build us up...and likely to keep us from getting to comfortable here in this present world, but he protects us from more than we can handle. He protects us from the blunt of the storm!

Quote:

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Sometimes when we're in the trenches we forget that God is in control! Here's some info from that book to help remind us of this fact.....

GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY VS. SATAN'S FREEDOM

Scripture is clear, Satan cannot arbitrarily do anything he wants to you at any time. If you are experiencing warfare, the biblical evidence confirms Satan cannot do it without first obtaining permission. Let's look at the evidence of this...
-God made a hedge around Job that Satan couldn't violate
-Satan asked God to touch Job. He did not volunteer to do it himself. In effect, he acknowleged God's sovereignty over Job and his own limitations. He could not cross the boundaries God had set
-God himself had to grant permission before Satan could touch Job's things
-Even in granting permission, God set a limit on Satan. He could not touch Job himself, and Satan had to obey

Things do not just happen to you, but God works them out for His greater purposes. If God is sovereign and the battle is His, then you cannot ultimately be defeated! God knows His own purposes for allowing the enemy access to your life, and His purposes can only be good. Although on occasion God chooses not to reveal His purpose in warfare, most of the time He does.

The battle is always the Lord's. God is the one who ultimately fights our battles. (See 1 Sam. 17:47 and 2 Chron. 20:15) God's sovereignty does not mean that you have no responsibility in spiritual warfare. What happens in your life will be affected by how you respond. God's sovereignty means your focus, expectations, and responses are radically altered so that you cooperate with God.

The sovereignty of God is always accompanied by the love of God. Spiritual warfare is not some chess game in which God dispassionately, mechanically moves you and Satan in some grand scheme called His "will." Instead, the love of God means that He is looking out for your best interests. This truth sets you free to take refuge in God's sovereignty as a strong tower.

*Spiritual Warfare-Biblical Truth for Victory by John Franklin and Chuck Lawless
(This is just a tiny sample of what's in this book. There's a ton of great information on how to fight the battle)

Hope this helps serve as an awesome reminder that GOD IS IN CONTROL!!

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When I am weak, Then I am Strong
Mike

God always has a goal-
To make us like His son. If He allows spiritual battles to occur in our lives, He does so for our good. He wants us to turn to Him, trust Him, follow Him, and become more like Him through the battle!

*Spiritual Warfare-Biblical Truth for Victory by John Franklin and Chuck Lawless