Faith Under Fire: Fighting the Spiritual Battle

Have you ever felt your faith tested by life's temptations and distractions? Join me, Jessi Morgan, as I share a poignant story from my childhood about resisting peer pressure to play with a Ouija board. It's a reminder that standing firm in our faith isn't just a lesson for kids, but a daily battle we all face. Drawing from powerful scriptures like Ephesians 6:12 and the cautionary tale of David and Bathsheba from 2 Samuel 11:1-27, we'll uncover the dangers of complacency and the importance of staying spiritually vigilant.

This episode isn't just a devotional; it's a call to arm yourself with faith and become a bold representative of God's kingdom.

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Podcast Music by: prazkhanal
Song: Whip

Chapters

• 0:00 Faith Under Fire
• 8:58 Spiritual Warfare and Faith Strengthening

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello, hello. You're listening to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast, episode 21. This week's devotional is titled Faith Under Fire Fighting the Spiritual Battle. Let's go. Hi, I'm Jesse Morgan. I used to just share home decor and renovation tips, but now I'm sharing something even closer to my heart my love for the Lord. Welcome to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast, a weekly devotional. I started in May 2024, but was inspired by the faith journey that began when my daughter was born four months early in 2023. Through this podcast, I share personal stories of faith intertwined with scripture, to show just how incredible God's work can be. I invite you to join me for less than 15 minutes a week as we reflect on these devotionals together. Let's all pray with good Faith Under Fire, fighting the Spiritual Battle. Key passages for today Ephesians 6, 12, 2 Samuel 11, 1, 2 Samuel 11, 2-27, and 1 Timothy 6.12. Hey friends, welcome back to another episode of the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast.

Speaker 1: 1:14

Today, we are diving into the topic of fighting for your faith. The battle we're talking about isn't one with fists or weapons, but a spiritual battle, the one Paul writes about in Ephesians 6, 12, which says for our struggle is not against the flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. The concept of fighting is something we all understand. Usually, we think of a fight, we think we picture a physical confrontation or war, and while this is true, the Bible teaches us that there's another type of fight lurking, one that's not about flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of darkness, satan. This is basically the fight for your faith. We're called to prepare for this battle, because the world around us will try to distract us, weaken us and pull us away from the Lord.

Speaker 1: 2:12

One story that illustrates this perfectly is the well-known story of David and Bathsheba, which can be found in 2 Samuel 11, 2-27. Let's take a moment to remember by just summarizing what happened here. David, the king chosen by God, saw Bathsheba, a beautiful woman who was married, bathing on a rooftop. He fell for her and invited her to come see him. They slept together and Bathsheba became pregnant. Now David could have asked God for forgiveness right then and there, but instead he dug himself. Now David could have asked God for forgiveness right then and there, but instead he dug himself into an even deeper hole. He tried to cover up his sin. He attempted to get her husband, uriah, drunk so he'd sleep with Bathsheba and think the child was his. When the plan failed, david sent Uriah to the front lines of battle where he was killed on orders from his king. Lines of battle where he was killed on orders from his king. Just hearing that story all over again makes me cringe. David, the man after God's own heart, did this. But what really led him there? Why? Well, let's read 2 Samuel 11, 1. No-transcript. With the king's men and the whole Israelite army, they destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem. So, as I'm going to repeat the last word sentence there, he remained in Jerusalem.

Speaker 1: 3:44

One of the most talented and successful warriors of all time and successful warriors of all time stayed back from fighting side by side with his men. David wasn't where he was supposed to be. He was meant to be at war with his men, as he always had been, but this time he chose to stay behind and in his complacency he got distracted. He let his guard down, both physically and spiritually, and it led to sin, it led to deceit and, finally, the death of an innocent man and friends. This is a lesson for us fighting for our faith. When we remove ourselves from the battle and become complacent, we open ourselves up to temptation, disobedience, sin, compromise. So as Christians, we will always be challenged in our faith. That's the reality we have to accept. And if we're going to be challenged, doesn't it make sense that we should always be prepared to fight spiritually? Yes, absolutely, and in 1 Timothy 6.12, it says fight the good fight of the faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. When you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses, when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses, we need to ask ourselves are we willing to fight for our faith? The question takes me back to a story when I was in fourth grade.

Speaker 1: 5:19

In the mid and fourth grade In the mid 1990s, the Ouija board became popular again. I remember seeing the commercial all the time. But my parents were clear. They told me that that game wasn't innocent fun. It was about calling on spirits and it was, in their eyes, very satanic. So I always knew that I wasn't going to touch that game.

Speaker 1: 5:43

Fast forward to a sleepover I attended with about 10 other girls. We were having so much fun until one of the girls pulled out a Ouija board. Everyone got excited. They were ready to play. But I sat there and said I can't play that game. One of the girls said they asked me why and I told them. My parents said it's a satanic game about calling spirits, and I'm a Christian. I don't want to play. I'll just go downstairs and watch the Little Mermaid while you guys play. They were all pretty stunned by my response, but I didn't argue or try to condemn them. I just quietly went downstairs, grabbed some airheads at the time my favorite candy and watched the movie Within 15 minutes. This was God. Within 15 minutes. One by one, the girls came downstairs and joined me. We ended up having a great time watching the movie and playing Twister.

Speaker 1: 6:39

Afterwards, looking back, I realized how innocent yet bold that decision was. I wasn't physically fighting anyone, but I stood firm in my faith, even when I was the only one standing. That's the fight. That's the good fight that Timothy was talking about. So again I ask are you willing to fight for your faith? Are you willing to take a stand even when it's uncomfortable? Will you, like fourth grade Jesse Morgan, walk away from something that goes against your beliefs, or will you, like David, king David, let complacency lead you down a path of compromise.

Speaker 1: 7:26

The fight we're called to isn't a physical one. It's a spiritual one. It's about being a prayer warrior and an ambassador of Christ in everything we do. And yes, it's hard. I know I'm not someone who likes to offend anyone, but I've realized that being a follower of Christ means that sometimes you will just piss some people off.

Speaker 1: 7:51

Oh well, so as we close today, I encourage you to ask yourself are you ready for the battle? And if you aren't, are you willing to seek the truth? Are you willing to study God's word? Are you willing to seek the truth? Are you willing to study God's word? Are you willing to change some of your ways, to spend more time with the Lord, to be ready for that battle, to be able to witness to people, to be able to showcase what God has done for you? I was able to do that, I'm still working on it, and I think this podcast has been the foundation of me really showcasing and showing people what God has done for me. And let me tell you I have never thought in a million years I will be sitting here on a podcast sharing my faith. I never thought it would even happen. But, guys, anything is possible with the Lord.

Speaker 1: 8:45

So I encourage you, fight for your faith, stand firm in Jesus Christ, stand firm in what you believe in and don't let the world, don't let distractions, get a hold of you.

Speaker 1: 8:58

Put God first, fight for him, fight for that faith, fight for that unconditional love that God gives you through Jesus Christ. Let's pray, lord. We come to you today asking for strength and courage to fight for our faith In a world full of distractions, temptations and spiritual battles. Help us to stand firm in you. Remind us that this fight is not against the flesh and blood, but against the forces of darkness. Equip us to be warriors for your kingdom and give us boldness to represent you in all we do In Jesus' name. Amen. That's it for this week's podcast. I pray that these devotions encourage you to focus on and lean into God daily. If you found value in this episode, please consider sharing, leaving a comment or leaving a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. For more information or to get in touch, check the show notes or visit jessimorganhomecom. You can also find me on Instagram at jessimorganlife. Until next time. This is Jessi Morgan praying off.