Cortland Trinity Baptist Church

     In His book, Why Revival Tarries, author Leonard Ravenhill has a chapter entitled, Known In Hell.  He references the incident in Acts 10 where seven sons of Sceva try to exorcise a demon by saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches,” only to be overpowered by the demon possessed man and then fled naked and wounded!  If would be a funny story if it wasn’t so sad.   Listen to Ravenhill’s penetrating observation concerning the fact that the demon didn’t know who these seven were but they knew who Paul was.

     Listen to the testimony of the demon, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?”  (Acts 19:15)  This is the highest praise that earth or hell affords – to be classified by the enemy as one with Jesus.  

     Are you known in hell?  Are we, as the church of Jesus Christ, known in hell? Are we a threat to him at all?  Where are the warriors?

     It has been said that every morning when Paul woke up, the demons in hell would moan, “Oh no, Paul is up again!”  While Paul lived, hell had no peace. Oh to God that there would be some who would elicit the same response today.

     Every day we wake up we are in a very real spiritual battle and the souls of men lie in the balance.  Yes, God is in control, but very real choices are being made that have very real consequences and we as believers, have very real opportunities to make a difference in the world for good.  There is a desperate need in the church for a warrior mentality

     We’re all familiar with the verse that says,” Casting all your cares upon Him for He cares for you.”  (I Peter 5:7)  But I agree with Ravenhill who asked, “Who is the Lord going to roll His burden upon?”  The bible speaks of the burden of the Lord.  It is a weight we are to carry for the glory of God and the work of his kingdom.  It doesn’t cancel out our joy, but it exists within our joy.  A paradox you say?  Yes, it is, but it is true.  Jesus certainly was filled with the joy of God but scripture depicts him as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” (Isaiah 43:3)  If we are to be warriors for His kingdom, we must take up His cause and carry His burden for righteousness.  Scripture admonishes us to, “endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3) and Paul said as the end of his life, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.   (2 Timothy 4:7)

     What is the readiness of the church today for spiritual battle? The church’s readiness for battle will be as strong as the individual believers who make up the church putting on their spiritual armor and marching into battle.  The more of us who get serious about our commitment to Jesus, the better our chances are of winning spiritual battles for the kingdom of God.  The march of the warrior begins on his knees.  Only when the church prays like God is her only hope, will we begin to see the revival we so desperately need.
     If you and I will begin to make time to be alone with the Lord…if we will learn to be still and know that He is God, we will surely hear His call and receive our marching orders.

     Pastor Dan