No Neutral Ground

I am reading "This Day We Fight!" by Francis Frangipane. Not far into the second chapter, he writes, "The Holy Spirit is looking for determination in us so that, like David, we will pursue our enemies until they are consumed…He [Jesus] never allowed evil spirits to control Him. He was aggressive toward His spiritual enemies. There is no neutral ground."

 

How do we, like David, aggressively pursue spiritual enemies? The answer is prayer. The Psalms give a glimpse into some of David's pursuit and help us realize that spiritual battles warrant spiritual weapons.

 

Paul wrote that clothed in the full armor of God and brandishing the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, we are to be "praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to the end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18 NKJ) This is how The Voice puts Paul's words: "Pray always. Pray in the Spirit. Pray about everything in every way you know how! And keeping all this in mind, pray on behalf of God’s people. Keep on praying feverishly, and be on the lookout until evil has been stayed."

 

If we are not doing so—feverishly pursuing our enemies in prayer—the reality is the enemy has not been stayed but is freely on the loose.

 

Staying the enemy means engaging in the battle that leads to conquest. That battle begins when we start praying. "Which may be why we are all so hesitant to start at all!" says Mike Glenn.

 

He is probably right. We don't want to fight. We don't want the conflict, which always happens when we get serious about prayer. We don't want to get wounded, a genuine risk. We want no worries and happiness, serenity and peace.

 

But, that is a mind-set that lets the enemy gain ground we're supposed to be staking claim to. In fact, Jesus Himself said, “This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse." (Luke 11:23 MSG)

 

The way only way to true peace is to enter the battle to conquer the enemy. Jesus' words in Revelation to the churches remind us that's what it is all about—conquering. Repeatedly, Jesus said to John, "To the one who conquers…" (See Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:8, 12, 21) The Greek word for conquer, which many versions translate "overcome," is nikaō. It means to conquer or carry off the victory that results in freedom from the power of the enemy.

 

Sure, the battle is not easy and sometimes is drawn out. But, the ancient accounts written on the pages of the Scriptures are meant to encourage us to persevere. For example, the walls of Jericho fell after eight long days of obedient devotion to the Lord's strange command. Only then did the Israelites conquer.

 

We've been left here to join God in what He is doing. Oswald Chambers wrote, "God brings His marvels to pass in lives by means of prayer, and the prayers of the saints are part of God's program." (Revelation 8)

 

I noticed something a while back. When my husband gets up to go, the three dogs rise to go with their master. They don't care where he is going. They just want to be a part of what he is doing.

 

Our Master is on the go. He is aggressively pursuing the enemy by actively interceding for us right now.  (Hebrews 7:25)

 

What about you and me? Are we actively being a part of what our Master is doing?

 

If we are not feverishly praying for our children and for those who influence their lives, then we are losing ground. Moms, that means the enemy is gaining ground! Because—

 

—there is no neutral ground!