BATTLE FOR THE SOUL
W R Burner (Minister of the Gospel)
INTRODUCTION
Battle for the soul is ongoing in a world of iniquity, and the undermining of the soul of man, with destructive measures that attempt to exterminate any godly influence. There is a flood of ungodliness that has withdrawn from the common decency of man; that use to prevail.
There is a pollution of the mind that is being enhanced by modern day technology; a reprogramming process to help nurture one towards acceptance of ungodly ways, that would destroy mortality of the past. There is a targeting of the education of the youth; with a cancel culture to eliminate that which was formerly taught.
Battle for the Soul
Destination
Scripture reveals: What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul (Matthew 16:26)? It was noted that the loss of the soul is irrecoverable; a soul damned (committed to hell) can never be retrieved, with a soul's final destiny (heaven or hell) eternal.
There is a battle for the soul today; a political motivated power struggle to control the masses, with little recognition given towards the soul of man or his final destiny. There are those who only seek their own profit; all that is precious and valuable to them; power, pleasure, and riches.
Whom to Fear
Scripture reveals: Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). It was noted that the soul is immortal, and cannot be touched by instruments of violence; it lives in a separate state, while the body is in a state of death.
Fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell is a description of God, of His power to torment and punish both body and soul, with everlasting burning, in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone (hell). It is a lack of fear of God in the society today; with a loyalty towards the pleasing of the flesh rather than salvation of the soul.
Evil Desire and Sin
We are living in an age that is suited more towards the Pre-flood days of Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Babylon which was the hold of every foul spirit. There is an onrush outwards destruction of body and soul in hell (in the battle for the soul); unless realization comes forth of the realities of such.
There is an inroad being laid, and consumed, which is contrary to God's Word. Scripture reveals: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). It was noted that World signifies the evil desires and sin that is so much a part of human existence today.
Ways of the World
Scripture reveals: All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:16-17).
There is an enhancement towards the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, that far exceeds that of yesteryear. There is an allowance being made towards the sinful nature of man; with the godliness of man no longer identified, as it once was, though preaching and teaching of God's Unadulterated (Pure) Word.
There is a new generation of believers that has come forth; which is more tolerant and liberal towards the ways of the world, with the battle for the soul being more pronounced in acceptability of sin, but less recognized as such.
An Uncertain Sound
Scripture reveals: If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to battle (1 Corinthians 14:8)? The prophet Joel, in speaking the words of the Lord, cried out: Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord comes, it is near at hand (Joel 2:1).
The trumpet was used for various purposes but in this instance it was to be blown because of the seriousness of the crisis before the people. Today, the sound of the trumpet has an uncertain sound; if blown at all! The battle for the soul is ongoing; but many have become immune towards any such sound, because they relish in the ungodliness that is consuming many lands.
Conscience Seared
There are those who have grown at ease in Zion; having their conscience seared with a constant flow of immorality. No wonder the younger generation has lost its sense of direction. No wonder many once godly nations have lost their since of integrity. Why, because of those who are holding back, not willing to sound the alarm; as people walk away from the moral compass of yesteryear, heading towards the wrath of God.
Scripture tells us that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold (suppress) the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). It was noted that wrath is not the revelation of a future judgment of God but a present revelation that parallels the present revelation of God's righteousness. Ungodliness is failure in the religious realm; unrighteousness is failure in the moral sphere or injustice of man.
Salvation of the Soul
One man stated: A man has to think of his soul before everything else (Leo Tolstoy). In the hour in which we live many have reversed that saying, by putting everything else before the salvation of the soul. We are being bombarded by inactivity towards the eternal state of man; with the rewarding of sinfulness, rather than revealing its path towards destruction.
It was noted that we are suffering from the corrosive immoral breath of the 21st century. The secularism, humanism, materialism, liberalism, and commercialism of our day has devastated our resources of security. The home, once the primary place of stability has become a battleground. The church has forfeited its power because of allowing worldliness into its midst.
In the battle for the soul; many are losing out to the enemy of one's soul (Satan), for the temporal pleasure of sin that would send one to a devil's hell. One man stated: Every man decides the way his soul shall go (John Oxenham).
Endangered Souls
Jonathan Edwards sermon, Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God, contained these words: Consider the fearful danger that you are in: You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder.
You have no interest in any mediator, and nothing to hold on to save yourself, nothing to keep the flames of wrath away, nothing of your own, nothing that you have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment.
Those words still ring loud and clear today towards endangered souls (in the battle for the soul) who are about to descend into eternity without the benefit of a Savior (the Lord Jesus Christ), unless repentance comes into focus prior to judgment day.
Condition of the Soul
A man was asked: If he was given an hour to explain the Gospel message to someone, how would he do so? He said he would spend the first fifty minutes on the bad news of judgment and then the last ten minutes on the good news of salvation, because without the context of judgment one would not appreciate or even understand salvation.
His statement was of a deep concern for the condition of the soul of man; for in many nations, man has suffered from a lack of hearing the fullness of God's Unadulterated (Pure) Word; as the battle for the soul continues.
Restoration of the Soul
The Psalmist David, in reference to the battle for the soul, wrote: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1). He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake (Psalm 23:3).
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place: He that has clean hands, and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul into vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and the righteousness from the God of his salvation. The Lord redeems the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate (held guilty) (Psalm 34:22).
Wise and Foolish
Contrasted
In the Book of Proverbs the wise and foolish are contrasted in reference to the battle for the soul: The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he cast away the substance (desire) of the wicked (Proverbs 10:3). The righteous eats to the satisfying of the soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want (Proverbs 13:25).
Scripture further reveals: Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity (abundance) of naughtiness (wickedness), and receive with meekness the engrafted (implanted) word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21). Receive the end of your faith, even the salvation of your soul (1 Peter 1:9).
Deception Ongoing
The battle for the soul originated in the Garden of Eden; and has continued since that time. Scripture reveals: When the woman (Eve) saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise (a planted deception), she took of the fruit (forbidden fruit), and did eat, and gave also to her husband (Adam) with her; and he did eat (Genesis 3:6).
Satan utilized the serpent in the Garden of Eden to deceive Adam and Eve; but now utilizes, whosoever he will, to continue the battle for the soul of man. If one is not tuned into the Word of God, living in accordance with that Word, it makes one more prone towards allowing ungodly deception to come to fruition; rather than the righteousness of God.
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