Because we are moving past Pentecost to the Jewish feast of Trumpets (to be followed by the spiritual fulfillments of the Day of Atonement and the final climax of the feast of Tabernacles) there will be an increasing emphasis on war. Our hymns and choruses, while we already possess "Onward Christian Soldiers" and the like, will increasingly emphasize the spiritual battle of the last days.

The Jews did not have to fight when they left Egypt. God did all the fighting. The Jews did have to fight when they entered the land of promise. God helped them but they did the fighting.

So it is that Christ did all the fighting for us when He died on the cross. But in order for us to enter our land of promise we ourselves will have to fight, and God will help us.

Why a Battle Is Necessary

As we have stated, the landlord, Satan, will not surrender the earth and its nations even though the price of redemption was paid on the cross of Calvary.

Satan and the fallen angels heavily affect the peoples of the earth. Their thrones are in the air above us. This is why the army of the Lord will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The thrones in the air must be occupied by Christ's kings before the earth can be cleansed from the powers of darkness.

When we come to the Lord today He forgives our sin. The blood has redeemed our soul. But Satan fights for control of our body. We want to serve God but Satan looks for every door in our personality that he can find in order to deceive us into sinning against the Lord.

We are fighting the good fight of faith today as we keep going to God for the wisdom and strength to subdue the lusts of our flesh and soul and to keep the commandments of Christ and His Apostles. If we are faithful in putting to death the deeds of our body through the Spirit of God, then, when the Lord comes, He will redeem our body and we will be able to appear with Him and help install the Kingdom of God on the earth.

But if we are not faithful in putting to death the deeds of our body through the Spirit of God, then, when the Lord comes, He will not redeem our body. Rather we will reap corruption, the Scripture says. Just what will be included in reaping corruption I am not certain, but I am certain we will not be resurrected, glorified, and caught up to meet the Lord in the air. I am certain of this because of what Paul taught about the Kingdom of God and what Jesus taught us in the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of the talents.

If we have not been faithful in the little entrusted to us now we would not be faithful in the greater and we will not be assigned the greater. Our talent will be taken from us and given to another and we ourselves will be placed in the outer darkness.

If we have not learned to overcome the enemy in this world we are not a candidate to ride behind the Lord Jesus.

To be continued.