Lesson 6 This is War Soldier, Time to Fight!
Question 3
In the previous lesson, we saw that we are to consult the Lord when going into battle, like Jehoshaphat did when faced with a vast army more powerful than himself (2 Chronicles 20:1-29), and in this lesson, we are going to consult Him in His Word to learn how to fight our own battle!
The Cross: God's Way to Fight
As we approach this topic, let’s remember that God’s ways are not like ours. As Christians, we learn how to fight by looking at the cross of Jesus Christ! When we come to the cross and meditate on it, we not only learn how to fight but we are given the spiritual strength, the power to fight to the death! When we look at the cross, we not only see that we are forgiven of sin, but we also learn how to resist sin. This fight is your calling, soldier!
Yes, the cross teaches us what we need to know about winning this battle over alcohol, smoking, and drugs of all kinds. So let’s look at it together.
For years I had learned to make peace with substance abuse by simply surrendering to it. I just gave in to my enemies and wallowed in my sin. It was like I walked out into the battlefield and yelled: “Here I am, take me as your prisoner!” What a horrible thing to do as a Christian soldier!
God has now trained me for battle and has taught me how to make war against sin. “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle” (Psalm 144:1). I want Him to do this for you as well. This is war, soldier; it’s time to fight!
As we look at the cross, we see our General in battle winning the war over sin and Satan. "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" (Colossians 2:15). Do you see that phrase, "triumphing over them by the cross?" That is exactly how you and I get the victory, too.
What does that mean? It means we win not by trying but by dying. We win, not through the world's teaching of addiction and recovery but through the gospel's teaching of death and resurrection.
For the remainder of our time together today, let's examine and think about the application of just one verse:
“For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”
Romans 8:13 NIV
Question 3. How does Romans 8:13 NIV show us that we are in a life and death struggle?
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