Stand Up For Righteousness - Part 3 - We Will Fight

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, to those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend (fight) for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. (Jude 1:3)

Many Christians have an aversion to standing up for righteousness because they believe we should be focused on loving everyone. This leads to compromising God’s word and defeat in the spiritual war we are engaged in. We are commanded to engage in this combat. The enemy has corrupted this truth.

THE BATTLEFIELD
 
Attack on Authority 

• Movement to defund the police 
• Physically harming police 

Attack on Marriage & Identity

• Redefining Marriage 
• Fluid Sexuality 
• Destroying God’s family order 
• Two Fronts: People’s Gender 
• The Country’s heritage 

Attack on Life

• Abortion (all stages) 
• On day of birth 
• Escalation of acceptance 

Attack on Education

• Redefine History 
• Hate America 
• Critical Race Theory 

Attack on Freedom

• Freedom to speak God’s truth (Bible) 
• Freedom to gather and worship 

Attack on Christianity

• Weaponizing IRS against non-profit organizations 
• Legal challenges to businesses and organizations who exercise religious beliefs through their business and organization’s practices 
• Intimidating people who exercise Christian values 

We need to choose our leaders wisely. Choose those leaders who follow God’s word and will work for the good of His Kingdom.

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by food words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.  (Romans 16:17-18)

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.  
(Ephesians 5:6-13)

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. (2 Corinthians 10:4-6)

Satan’s strongholds are designed to keep the Gospel out and to keep people bound in their sins. 

Know your weapon!
 
The weapons of our warfare are more powerful than we can ever imagine. Recognize the power of our spiritual weapons. They are enough! The bible is what we use to measure every idea or movement we encounter in the world.

Bringing into captivity literally means to take someone prisoner at the point of a spear. It is a warfare term indicating you must be aggressive to destroy the lies of the adversary.

How do we win? 

1. Elect leaders who are aligned with God’s Word and will work for God’s Kingdom. 
2. We destroy arguments (not the person saying it) and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God. (2 Cor. 10:5) (We must identify these ideologies, the danger they pose, and dismantle them.) 
3. We take every thought captive to obey Christ being ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete (when believers obey God will avenge them of their adversary.) 
4. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect 1 Peter 3:15 
5. Change the trajectory of today’s youth back toward God.
   
   Know what you believe, why you believe it and be able to communicate it in an effective manner.