Our Life in the World

(A Spiritual War - see also Article 35)

"Brothers, sisters, all; be strengthened in the Lord, by the might of His power. Put on the armour and shield of your faith in God, that you may be able to withstand the wiles of the evil temptations which assail you. For our wrestlings are not against flesh and blood, but against the evil spiritual powers of darkness who permeate our spiritual world, whose origins of evil and wickedness are rooted in the high places of the heavens before our world began." (Ephesians 6:10-12)

Always be aware of God's Eternal Presence in every moment of your life, and have constant recourse to Him in all you say and do, for we all need be ever conscious that, "it is in Him that we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28) He is only ever a prayer away. So, pray always... "Pray at all times, making supplication in the spirit: and especially pray for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18)

Take as an example the evil activities of criminal gangs in our society. Their members live as having no awareness or fear of ever having to render an account, or be answerable, for their exploitative evil practices.

Little do they, and so many other criminal minds, realise their every thought, word and deed is being played out before, and within, the Conscious Ever-Presence of the Divine Mind Who has placed before us all the Divine Ultimatum, "Repent or perish!" (Luke 13:3) "Before man is life and death. What a man chooses shall be given to him." (Ecclesiasticus 15:18)

And so they continue, oblivious, until the unexpected terrifying day of reckoning like the people in Noah's day who, unsuspecting, were suddenly consumed in the waters of the terrifying flood. (Genesis 6:17; 7:17-24; Matthew 24:35-42)

Brethren, stay strong and fight the good fight. Jealously guard and defend your own personal autonomies against every temptation put to you by the evil ones, who by their subtle, and at times blatant, wiles would have you immediately enslaved as their servants. Guard yourselves, ever watchful for their snares, and protect your precious souls as fortresses to be defended against the most vile onslaughts of an intractable merciless, psychopathic enemy. Maintain your innocence! Beware their ploy-lure that says, "Try me but once...!"

To repeat and develop in more detail the words of St Paul: (See above)
"Be strengthened in the Lord, and in the might of His power. Put on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the Devil. For our wrestlings are not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in high places.

Therefore, take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things, perfect. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of justice. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace: in all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts (temptations) of the most wicked one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God)." (Ephesians 6:10-17)

Pray that every soul might, before death takes them, find the awesome God Who manifested Himself in Jesus, the prophesied Jewish Messiah, in Whom alone is our salvation, "for there is no other Name under heaven given to mankind by Whom we can be saved. " (Acts 4:12)

"Now, is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2) "Work out your salvation with fear." (Philippians 2:12)
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." "Who fears the Lord...in the day of his death shall be blessed." (Ecclesiasticus 1:16,13)
Stay awake! "For at what hour you think not, the Son of Man will come." (Luke 12:40)

Blessed be God forever