Matthew 11:12
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”
This often-misunderstood verse has led to some confusion but without cause. When studied in its context—as all Scripture must be—we see an amazing challenge given by our Lord, and it is this: the depth of our hunger and thirst for righteousness determines our Christian advancement. The kingdom of heaven takes its ground via violent warfare in the spiritual realm. Those who lay hold of it are those who will not let go of this reality.
Let me remind you that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) Can it be said of you that you are aggressively advancing in the Christian war against the pervasive and deceptive darkness overtaking our world? If not, I challenge you to war in the Spirit.
Battle on your knees—beseech the Lord of hosts to turn back the tide of evil. Willfully and uncompromisingly stand for righteousness, thus fulfilling the mission of our God. This is how we overtake strongholds held captive by our adversary, the devil.
Dear saint, in your struggle against the forces of darkness, you can take heart—the Bible declares that Jesus Christ has already won the ultimate battle over sin and death. Yet we are called to fight on. We must persevere with a single-minded commitment because our Commander-in-Chief has commissioned us to do so. And we must fight to win!
Awaiting His return,
– Pastor Jack
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