The seriousness of being a servant of God and choosing to stand on God’s side in the battle against the spiritual hosts of wickedness, leads us into the wars of the Lord. “Fight the good fight of faith.” This is a battle between flesh and Spirit, between our will and God’s will, between death and life. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life—no one comes to the Father except through Him. In Him there is no neutrality, but rather, battle: a real spiritual battle that goes on in secret. This battle is decisive and has eternal significance for us. “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” Rom. 8:10. Jesus offered Himself through the power of the eternal Spirit—that is the power of the resurrection—the same power that God now gives to those who obey Him. His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, and therefore we are without excuse. But this power is not given to the proud and those who want something for themselves. It is given to the poor in spirit—those who have something to acknowledge, who see their own need and who hunger and thirst for the righteousness of faith. This battle is not against people, but against spiritual forces, against arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. The greatest opposition isn’t out there somewhere, but is in our own flesh; in the pride that will not submit, that seeks an easier path, and that is an enemy of the death of the cross. But there are no shortcuts. This is not a broad way, but a narrow way, which requires that we hate our life in this world in order to gain eternal life. The flesh must die—so that my spirit may live. It doesn’t have to do with feelings or theories. It has to do with death to sin, so Christ can be formed in us. That is why we need to arm ourselves! Not with human power or wisdom, but with this mind that he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. This was written as a declaration of war by the apostle Peter, and is probably one of the most powerful weapons we can have, together with what the apostle Paul describes as the whole armor of God: our waist girded with truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. These are not just figures of speech—they are real weapons for real battles. Without them, we will fall in the battle, but with them, we will remain standing. Only those who are born through the living word of God will remain standing in this battle. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. And the Spirit has been in the Word from the beginning—the Word that was with God and that was God. When this Word begins to live in us, we become one with that eternal life that was with the Father and was manifested in the Son. These are the greatest and most precious promises a human being can receive— to partake of divine nature. His glory—His very nature—can be manifested in us. This has promises for the life that now is, and of that which is to come and which will last for all eternity. 1 Tim. 4:8. If we are to be a protector for the church of God, we ourselves must stand in our battle. Deception, lukewarmness and the spirit of the times creep in where vigilance is lacking. Carnal forces are always looking for a way for sin to remain undisturbed. But the body of Christ consists of members who stand in their battle, led by the Spirit and by everything that comes from the Head—Christ—in purity and obedience. For this reason, we need to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church, especially from those God has placed there—those who speak as the word of God. They have been given in order to lead the church to maturity in God— not according to human insight, but in that Spirit which has overcome the world. And we need to walk in this Spirit. Because where the Spirit speaks through obedient servants, the spirit of victory is kindled in those who listen. Then the church is edified, and women and men of faith receive power to fight. This is a battle for our own salvation and sanctification, but also for the life and purity of the church. God does not build His body based on theories and human thoughts, but based on living members who have suffered with Christ and overcome the power and strength of sin. We have been called to watch, to pray, and to fight, and to present ourselves as instruments of righteousness for God. Let us drink of the Spirit that was in Jesus—He who triumphed in Edom, clothed in red garments, traveling in the greatness of His strength. This is the good fight of faith that we have been invited to join. Those who fight in this Spirit, by God’s grace, will always be victorious and will, one day, receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him. Jas. 1:12.Kjell L. Risnes

“The mind of Christ is sacrifice; it never will draw back, though death it faces, this royal mind, this spirit just and right, takes all from God’s mighty hand,” writes Aksel J. Smith in a chorus from WotL no. 365. What kind of mind or spirit am I in? The mind of Christ is sacrifice. His mind is royal, and His spirit is just and right. There are many things that are unfitting, and many things that are fitting for me if I have a royal mind and a spirit that is just and right. It is not fitting for me—I, who should have a royal mind—to be constantly worried about what others think or say about me, or to be worried that I won’t receive the position or recognition I deserve. It is fitting, however, that there is rest deep within, and that I can experience His judgments in my own life. It is fitting to have an inner peace, joy, and thankfulness in the depths of my heart and in my relationships with others. It is not fitting for me—I, who should have a royal mind and a spirit that is just and right—to go around speaking and causing division because I feel that I, or those closest to me, are being treated unfairly. It is fitting that I am able to bear things, so that I know that “’tis our gain when folks mistreat us,” and that I keep it out of my heart, as Aslaksen writes in his song. It is fitting to be a grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies. John 12:24. Time passes, and if I have reached middle-age, there should be a development in all that is good which has an encouraging effect. My spirit should testify that I am forever finished with a whole multitude of my former sins which belong to the old man, and that I nourish myself with pure, spiritual milk. 1 Pet. 2:1-2. Peter continues, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.” 1 Pet. 2:9. Let us think about how we react and respond, deep within; we who have been chosen, we who are part of a royal priesthood—His own special people. “For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers.” Titus 1:10. Let this be far removed from us. This is not fitting for His own special people. It is fitting to praise God for those He has placed in the church so that I may be equipped for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Let us walk worthy, in our thoughts and words, of the holy calling with which we have been called. Eph. 4:1.Robert Nilsen