Soldiers of the Cross – Part 3 by BRO. KENNETH ILENRE- Digging Deep

INTRODUCTION: We now know who our enemy is. We also know that with God on our side, we will win. We know that God insists that soldiers of the cross must surrender all to Him and be absolutely obedient. In this third part, we want to learn about how to put on the Armour of God and have the ability of God.

1) ALL OVERCOMERS HAVE A SECRET: GOD IS WITH THEM: The power of God is exceedingly great and it is a available for our use. There is a fullness of God, which any desirous Christian may enjoy through the Holy Spirit, and a deeper, more complete knowledge of Christ. And that is the secret of the strength of all overcomers down the ages: God was with them. And since God never faints or tire, it follows that if His strength is yours, you too will never faint or be weary. Eph.1:19, 3:14-19, Deut.31:23, Jos.1:6,7,9, 1 Sam. 23:16, 1 Chron.28:20 , Isa.40:28,31, Ps.138:3.

2) YOU CANNOT BE CLOTHED WITH GOD AND SINS SIMULTANEOUSLY: In order to put on the ability of God, we must first put off certain things. These include among others (i) lusts of the flesh, (ii) lies, (iii) anger, (iv) wrath, (v) malice (vi) blasphemy and (vii) filthy communications. Initially, there may be some hardships encountered in the putting off process and as result of it. However, after a while, as we gain more experience in the Lord, we become stronger, more stable, more settled, more perfect and more victorious. Then with our new-found ability of God, we can pull down strongholds of Satan in our lives, cast down wrong imaginations and pride, capture and hold captive any desire to disobey our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph.4:22-25, Rom.13:14, Col. 13:8-10, 1 Pet.5:8-10, II Cor.10:4-5, Judges 16:24-25.

3) SATAN IS A STRATEGIST BUT OUR GOD IS SUPERIOR: Satan is an accomplished strategist, but thank God, we are not ignorant of his devices. His devices include (i) blinding the mind of unbelievers to the truth of the Gospel (ii) deceiving people, many times not openly but indirectly (iii) demonstration of fake power (iv) the use of false prophets and teachers who are good copies of true ones (v) giving of false signs and wonders (vi) roaring like a lion. II Cor.2:11, 4:3-4, 11:3-13,15, 1 Thess.2:9-10, 1 Pet.5:8, 2 Pet.2:1-3, Rev.2:24, 12:9, 13:11-15, 19:20, Rev.20:1-3, 7-8.

4) GOD HAS NO ROOM FOR COWARDS IN HIS ARMY: God does not expect us to be cowardly. With the Lord of Hosts on our side, why must we be afraid? Since the strength we are going to use is not ours, every weakness in our life is an opportunity for God to demonstrate His awesome power. Consequently, for all true soldiers of the cross, it should be FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER. 1 Cor.16:13, Hag.2:4, Zec.8:9,13, II Cor.12:9-10, Phil.4:13, Col.1:11, II Timothy 2:1, II Timothy 4:16-17.