Dr. Billy Holland

The Christian faith believes that God draws people to Himself when they hear the gospel "good news" message about how much He loves the world when He sent His Son to shed His blood on the cross as the only sacrifice that could redeem those who believe. This is why evangelism is important to the follower of Christ, as the idea is the more the gospel is presented, the more people might be convicted and respond to this gift of salvation. After a person has made their public profession in the Lord, and vows to love and serve Him all the days of their lives, they proceed to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to symbolize they have died to sin and are now resurrected into a new creation in Christ. We rise from the grave of hopelessness and become members of God's family.

The Bible declares that we willingly surrender our will to do His will as we are saved by His grace through our faith. We respond to His invitation to embrace Him as the King, and Master of all we are and hope to be. So, what happens next? Does this mean the person is now protected from evil and sheltered from any attacks, deceptions, lies, or temptations? I wish, but the truth is the battle has just started. You see, when we were spiritually lost and blind, we did not care about things like personal accountability to God, taking up our cross, or trying to live holy as God is holy. We did not have deep sorrow when we sinned or a hatred for being disobedient. However, when our spirit was transformed into a child of God and our mind was renewed, our thoughts and behavior changed.

The passage in I Corinthians 6:20 says, "You were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies." We seldom hear this theology anymore, but true followers of Jesus Christ have been purchased and rescued from sin and its consequences through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. We are called to live a life that honors God, as we are now owned and directed by Him. Within the context of this chapter, the sobering message is the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Verse 19 prefaces our passage by discussing how the physical body of the believer becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit, which lives within them as they no longer allow their carnality to rule them, but are completely devoted to love and serve God alone.

Being sanctified means to be separate from the world. Since our identity is now changed, we no longer dwell, or desire to do the things we used to do. Sounds easy, right? Not hardly. One of the greatest enemies of the faith is compromise. It is a destroyer of holiness. I've spoken with individuals who claim to be born-again followers of Jesus, but when I mention spiritual warfare, they admit they do not really know much about it. Sadly, sin is easily accepted by the religious masses and to shine God's holy light of strictness and discipline upon their dark secrets, causes lukewarm attitudes to become restless and uncomfortable. So, what is the psychological alternative? Just talk about how much God wants to bless us and all the good things He has planned for us. Don't mention blood, repentance, sacrifice, dying, discipline, or war, it's too negative.

Our own imaginations will always deny the truth of how the level of spiritual warfare we are encountering reveals how close we are to God. This cuts deep, but if we do not intercede daily and are not seeking a constant awareness of His presence, we are more enthused about His blessings than doing His will. If we are not accomplishing our mission, demons will not worry about us. It's when we are tearing down evil strongholds through prayer, and trying to help others escape the lies of the devil, that all hell will come against us. I realize it's secure to enjoy the comforts of life and dream about heaven, but what about God's demand that we spiritually fight against the darkness? What, too painful and violent? Too dirty, embarrassing, and difficult? Are we afraid that if we give ourselves completely to God, it will turn our lives upside down? Take the time and read I Peter 5:8-9, II Corinthians 10:3-5, and Ephesians 6:12, and you will notice our responsibility is more than attending church.

Dr. Holland is an ordained minister, chaplain, and author. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.