Everyday of our lives, we are faced with numerous battles that we must confront and deal with.  Living in this fallen world, we are faced with things that try to pull us off track, challenge our faith, challenge our passion, and try to eat at our lives.  These battles, if we let them, can start to tear at who we are, destroy our lives, our relationships with family and friends, and cause us to turn away from God.  These can be things that simple as negative thoughts toward something or someone.  It can lustful temptations of all kinds.  You name, we all face it.  The issue we all face is how do we deal with it.

Now, it can be easy, very easy to give in.  Many people do this daily.  It can be easy to get pulled into negative of this world.  Give in to negative thoughts, give in to sin, give in to Satan and his demons.  In reading an article in a new online magazine that launched this past week called And Sons Magazine, there was the topic of good versus evil.  The article took the example of the movie “Man of Steel.”  From that movie, he pointed to a line spoken by Kevin Costner’s character, Jonathan Kent.  He said to Clark, “One day you’re going to have to make a choice—you have to decide what kind of man you want to grow up to be because that man, good character or bad, he’s gonna change the world.”

Our actions and how we decide to deal with the battles and temptations we face each day can have lasting consequences, good or bad.  You may think to yourself, it’s just me, how can I have a lasting impact on others.  Trust me you do.  In my daily reading in Scripture this week, part of the focus is on the Book of Joshua.  Joshua, led the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Land, conquering Jericho and beyond with God’s angel leading the way.  In Joshua 7 & 8, we learn what happens to Achan and his entire family when he sins by keeping items set aside for God.  His own sins and brought death to his entire family from stoning.  His sins had a lasting effect on others because he fell to worldly temptations.

Going back to the article, we now look to Jesus.  Often times Jesus is seen as peaceful and tranquil. However, what we do not often see taught is that Jesus was preparing us to battle the evil that will confront us daily.  John 10:10, Jesus tells us the “The thief’s purpose is to kill and destroy. My purpose is to bring them a rich and satisfying life.” Matthew 10:34, Jesus says, “Don’t imagine that I come to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.” Then verse 36, ” Your enemies are right in your own household.”  Jesus came to lay down His life for us, to set us free from sin and death.  His mission was to also prepare us for what we will face on a daily basis.  The enemy will constantly be trying to destroy us from within.  We have to take a lesson from Christ and make the choice to take up the battle for Him.  If we don’t and we give in, then we face the consequences of Achan as our own sins and passivity to this world will have a lasting impacts not just on us, but on those around us.  Likewise, if we choose to battle the evil of this world and battle for God’s Kingdom by proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, then we can also change the world that way.  We can be contagious and change the world, but we have to choose which way to go.

C.H. Spurgeon said, “Look to the Cross, and hate your sin, for sin nailed your Well Beloved to the tree. Look up to the cross, and you will kill sin, for the strength of Jesus’ love will make you strong to put down your tendencies to sin.”  When you find yourself faced with a challenge today or any day for that matter, look to the Cross.  Jesus poured His blood out for us to be set free from sin.  When trials come your way, turn to Cross.  Nail them at the feet of Jesus and let Him take those troubles from you.  Jesus told us in John 16:33 that we will have trouble in this world, but take heart because He has overcome this world.  Jesus can take all of that trouble and those battles away.  When the evil comes knocking, let Jesus answer the door.  It is that simple folks.  Jesus Is The Answer!!!  He can pull us through every battle we face if we put our full faith and trust in Him.  Trust me.  He has done wonders for me and I have seen what He has done for many others who have struggled, but trusted in Him.  Be a warrior for Christ and look to Him for all your troubles.  He is the armor and the sword that you need.