Got fruit? 1

Isn't it interesting how people will respond to the question: "Do you believe in God?" Most people think that they are not only generally good, but many also think they are Christians. To be a Christian means that you are becoming Christ-like, a Christ follower. It is living a life that is not only pleasing to Him, but a life that is bearing good fruit. Paul, writing to the church in Galatia writes, "But the fruit of the spirit is love." One of the fruits that a believer must exhibit in his or her life is the fruit of love. The word love here, in this passage, refers to a sacrificial kind of love. It is not a warm fuzzy feeling, and it is not based on what you will receive. It is based on what you give to others. It involves laying down your life for the sake of another individual. Jesus said that people would know that we are His disciples if we have love for one another. We are to love God with all our heart, we are to love our neighbors, and we are even to love our enemies. Do you have Christian love in your life?

The battle plan (walk) 3

Ephesians 5:2 says, "And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma." Walking in love is no easy task. In fact, I would have to say that the battle begins in the heart. Jesus told us that we are to love our neighbor and that we are to love our enemies. The Bible tells husbands that they are to love their wives as Christ loves the church. Since the battle begins in the heart, then we should pray and ask God to help us to display this kind of love. It is a supernatural thing to perform all or some of these things. I am a firm believer that our relationship with God affects all other relationships. If we are having a problem loving others, then there must be something clogging our relationship with God. In Deuteronomy, it says that we are to love the Lord our God with all heart, with all our soul and with all our strength. If we can do this first, then there should be less trouble loving our fellow man. A good battle plan must include a good loving relationship with God!

The battle plan (walk) 2

Have you ever tried walking as a way to lose weight? Many people are into various diets and exercise plans. Maybe because there are so many to choose from. There is one exercise video that I am reminded of. It is called "Walk Away The Pounds". And personally, I think it is a good exercise video. In the Christian life, it is important to have a good spiritual exercise program. One verse that I am reminded of is found in Psalm 1, which says, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful." If we are serious about winning the Christian battle then we have to be willing to walk in the right direction. God wants us to live in victory, but if we continue to walk in disobedience we will never live a victorious life. Remember, we don't fight for victory, we fight from victory. The real battle has been won on the cross!

The battle plan (walk) 1

During the Christmas season, there is a whole lot of walking that we do. We might walk around the mall, we might walk around a certain light display, or walk over to Starbucks. We may spend the whole day on our feet, and they hurt. Walking is a part of our life. It would be pretty hard to get around without our two legs. Did you know that the Christian battle can be won by walking? As Christians, we sometimes view the spiritual battle as only being a war that requires weapons and fighting back. It is true that it does require us to use certain spiritual weapons and fighting back. But part of fighting requires us to walk in a way that pleases God. Deuteronomy 13:4 says, "You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him." When we consistently walk after the Lord in a way that pleases Him, in total obedience, we will have many victories!

The battle plan (stand) 3

In military combat, a lot of the war involves watching for on-coming fire from the enemy. You have to be able to detect an on coming missile, or certain kinds of bombs in order to save the lives of your platoon. In Christianity, I think there are plenty of Christians who have a hard time detecting the bombs of the enemy. In fact, I think that some believers are fooled into thinking that there is no battle. Satan would love it if every believer became unaware of his fiery darts and his plan to steal, kill, and destroy. Paul, writing to the Corinthians said: "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong." (I Corinthians 16:13) As believers we are to watch as a soldier waiting at his post. As we are standing, we are to stand on the faith that we have in Christ, without fear. We must know that God is with us and that He is the general of the Christian army.