Being a follower of Jesus is not always easy. It comes at a cost. But, no matter the cost, it will always be worth it.
We are in a spiritual battle and the world, the flesh, and the Devil are our enemies.
- The world – Make no mistake, we live in a post Christian world. It is as if we are living behind enemy lines.
- The flesh – This refers to our brokenness.
- The Devil – He is not just an allegory for all the bad stuff in the world. He is real and he is in direct opposition with God. Satan will stop at nothing to create chaos and devision. He will try to destroy your soul.
If we aren’t aware that we are in a spiritual battle then we are already losing. Thankfully, we aren’t the first ones to engage in this battle and Jesus gives us a great example of how to engage in the spiritual battle.
Jesus intentionally goes into Satan’s backyard to enter into battle. The desert is Satan’s backyard.
- Awareness – Be aware of the battle. We live in a world at war.
- Fasting – To engage in the battle, Jesus fasted.
- Community – Lean on others. We need to be shoulder to shoulder with others in the battle and we need a place to be ministered to. We need intentional community to be part of this battle.