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"Embracing the Fight of Faith: The Sword God
Has Given is Nothing Less than the Echo of His Voice in Us"
by Francis Frangipane
Web: www.frangipane.org
Email: comments@frangipane.org
 In
spite of worldwide conflicts, the Holy Spirit is guiding the church into its greatest
season of transformation. We must not look at the pressures of our times as though
they were obstacles set to restrict us. For in the hands of the Almighty, these
are the very tools He is using to perfect us.
One of the problems of interpreting end-time events is the tendency to focus only
upon one set of conditions. If we only look at the fact that Satan will be raging
or that there will be lawlessness, wars, earthquakes, and famines, we might conclude
that difficulties and darkness is all that we have awaiting us until the rapture.
Yet, the same Spirit that predicted the perilous conditions at the end of the age,
also forecasts that, in spite of difficulties and battle, the gospel of the kingdom
of heaven will be proclaimed worldwide to all nations (Matthew 24:14). The Lord
also said that the "crop" of last-days Christians will reach full stature (Mark
4:29), and those who know their God will be strong, do exploits, shine like the
stars, and lead multitudes to righteousness (Daniel 11:32; 12:3).
Our focus must remain riveted upon becoming like Christ in all things. One might
argue, "But the world around me is full of sin and wickedness - and it is getting
worse!" Yes, but the Bible tells us that where sin abounds, the grace of God abounds
more so (Romans 5:20). We might be overwhelmed by the flood of evil storming against
our societies. Yet, the promise of God is that, when the enemy comes in like a flood,
God shall raise a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19).
Is your focus upon the enemy's flood or are you aware of the standard God is raising
up to counter the flood?
Do Not Forget!
Do not forget, Beloved, that even when darkness covers the earth and deep darkness
covers the people, the promise of God is that His glory shall rise upon us, and His presence
shall be visibly seen through us! In spite of the appearance that darkness is
never-ending, the Lord promises that at the end of the war between light and darkness,
"...nations shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising" (Isaiah
60:1-3).
Indeed, nestled and unfolding in the midst of the panorama of end-time events, God's
word reveals that there will also be an ongoing "period of restoration" (see Acts
3:20-21). This does not mean that the world will be subdued by the church (as some
erroneously teach), but that the true church will be fully subdued and transformed
by Christ! This final display of grace will be consummated in a Christ-like church,
whose spiritual maturity shall manifest the person and passions of Jesus Christ
Himself on earth.
Proclaim the Reality of God's Promises
I have written you by way of reminder that, though the battle seems to rage, God's
word shall not return to Him void. Our fight is the fight of faith: Do we believe
what God has promised? Our war is against principalities and powers: Do we believe
the report that Christ shall "sprinkle (that is, cleanse and bring forgiveness
and transformation to) many nations" (Isaiah 52:12-53:2)?
I, for one, believe the promises of God. God's word is not just a comfort to me
in times of trouble, but a sword that I speak in times of spiritual war. I proclaim
the reality of God's promises over my family, my church, my city, and nation! Consider
His proclamation:
"So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to
Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter
for which I sent it." (see Isaiah 55:9-11)
Consider also His commitment:
"...I am watching over My word to perform it." (Jeremiah 1:12)
And His accessibility:
"Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring
Christ down), or 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up
from the dead). But what does it say? 'The Word is near you, in your mouth and in
your heart' - that is, the word of faith which we are preaching." (Romans 10:6-8)
Take Up the
Sword of the Spirit and Embrace the Fight of Faith!
You see, we are not mere mortals stumbling blindly
on earth, separated from God and isolated from His response to our needs. No! We
are new creatures, born again from above, that have resident within us the Holy
Spirit of Almighty God. And He has given us His word, put it in our hearts and
mouths, and then He promises, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed"
(Romans 10:11). The Lord does not want us worrying about the future, but to create
it through the knowledge of His will, through the proclamation of His word, and
our yieldedness to the power of the Holy Spirit.
God calls us to a "war mode" in our thinking, where we take up the "sword of the
Spirit," which is the living "word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). Yes, we labor and intercede,
we repent for our sins and the sins of our nations, but the weight of our victory
rests not upon how much we labor and groan, but upon how truly we believe what God
has promised! Beloved, the sword God has given is nothing less than the echo of
His voice in us!
So, do not just whine about negative conditions in the world or sigh prayers muttered
in fear and unbelief - embrace the fight of faith! Pick up your Bible and speak
audibly the promises of God's word. Pick any verse that I quoted above and speak
it out loud with faith and authority. I guarantee that if you proclaim God's word
with faith, it will release power in and through your spirit.
The greatest weapons in the universe are the promises God has inspired in His book.
He assures us, "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). Our call
is not just to pray, but to take up the sword of the Spirit and embrace the fight
of faith!
by Francis Frangipane
www.frangipane.org
comments@frangipane.org
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2004
All rights reserved.
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