In our Christian battles, we need judgment to win spiritual battles. We need to discern what is important in life to make the right decisions and overcome sin. Prove the importance of judgment in your daily battles.
TChristians are spiritual soldiers in a spiritual battle (2 Timothy 2). There are many similarities between spiritual and physical battles. During the Civil War, American President Abraham Lincoln had many generals who were unable to win battles. One of the main reasons was that judgement.
Jesus Christ warned us against poor judgment in spiritual warfare: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, balm and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faithfulness. These ought to be done, and not neglect the others. You are blind guides who sift out gnats and swallow camels” (Matthew 23:23-24).
Christ Called the Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites! They were so intent on the little things that they ignored the bigger matters of the law. They did not understand the big spiritual picture.
The judgment is stated First It’s about mercy and faith. Judgment is the bigger issue that gives us victory. As Christians, we desperately need God’s judgment to win the spiritual battle.
President Abraham Lincoln was extremely disappointed that the generals who reported victory were defeated, as T. Harry Williams discusses in his book: Lincoln and his generals. These men were not satisfied with absolute victory and could never see true victory. General John Frémont’s judgment was unreliable; General George McClellan was timid and cautious; General John Pope was aggressive and reckless; but neither could judge the realities of the battlefield! McClellan overestimated the danger and Pope underestimated or never saw it, which led to the devastating defeat at Bull Run.
Before his execution, the Apostle Paul wrote his final book, “Second Timothy,” which is one of the most moving books in the Bible.
“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). God is leading us in spiritual warfare. We must overcome the spirit of fear! Paul had a spirit of power, love and a sound mind, so he did not fear death. Our world today is gone crazy Because there are very few people with healthy minds.
Paul continued to inspire God’s people with a sound mind even during difficult times in God’s work. God’s love can give you a sound mind! (Request my free booklet to learn more. The Gospel of John: God’s Love.)
“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, or of me, his prisoner, but share in the sufferings of the gospel, according to the power of God” (verse 8). All Paul was doing was obeying God and doing God’s work, and crazy people were trying to kill him! By God’s power, we can endure the “sufferings of the gospel” and move the work forward. We do not need to succumb to fear.
“Therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1). Simply follow the example of Jesus Christ, Paul said to Timothy:
“And what thou hast heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Endure hardships, therefore, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (vv. 2-3). Endure hardships, soldier!
in How to Be an Overcomer, I am writing about the science of spiritual warfare. Most of Lincoln’s generals did not understand the science of war, and therefore could not win the victory. They were weakened by lack of judgment. Spiritually, we must learn how to win the battle against Satan, the world around us, and our own wretched humanity.
“Those who wage war, this “To give their lives to please the one who chose them as soldiers” (verse 4). Was chosen God allows us to be soldiers and endure hardships, He fills us with happiness, but we must endure hardships in order to overcome and conquer.
Another of Lincoln’s generals, General William Rosecrans, could not distinguish between what was important and what was unimportant, Williams writes. What about us? As disasters strike the world, do we use our judgment to choose and prioritize what is most important? Do we recognize that we are in a spiritual battle that we must win to enter the kingdom of God?
Remember, judgment comes before mercy and faith (Matthew 23:23). What happens when mercy and compassion leap over judgment? We give in so much to the enemy that he gets a great deal. God’s judgment should be telling us not to give in to the devil who is trying to kill us. No compromise is allowed.
It is a good thing to have faith, but poor judgment can undermine it. Unwise It is a matter of stepping out in faith, and walking by faith requires good judgment so as not to get into all sorts of unnecessary difficulties and dangers.
General McClellan “called a partial victory a complete victory… [H]He called the partial reversal a disaster. He demonstrated a remarkable inability to appreciate the reality of events.”Lincoln and his generals). McClellan couldn’t judge reality! This is a pretty big deal!
God and Christ exercise righteous judgment. “As the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man” (John 5:26-27). We must follow Christ’s example, and that includes exercising judgment. You and I must exercise judgment! Strong judgment brings many victories.
Note an example of Christ making a wise decision: “Then the Pharisees went out and took counsel together to kill Jesus. But Jesus, learning of it, went his way: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all” (Matthew 12:14-15). Christ sensed the threat and went into hiding to continue doing God’s work.
God’s judgment brings victory in the physical and spiritual battle. Are you winning? Am I? I must be winning! God’s judgment will be victorious!
“Judge not by appearance, but judge righteously” (John 7:24). Millions of people misjudge others by appearances. You cannot judge others based on superficial details. Christ warns: No, we need to be more careful. We need to be really observant. We need to thoroughly assess what is going on or we will lose the battle. We may even lose the war.
“Jesus said, ‘I came into the world for judgment, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind’ (John 9:39). If we are not guided by God and Christ, we will be spiritually Blind— We lack God’s judgment. We cannot win the battle blindly.
It’s easy to think that we can solve the problem or find the solution ourselves, but God tells us: I do not understand How can we live righteously without God’s help? (Jeremiah 10:23)
“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away. If I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you. But if I go away, [it] To you. And [it] Here it comes, [it] “God rebukes the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment” (John 16:7-8). After the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, God sent the power of the Holy Spirit to a select few who were called out of the world and into the one true church. This power enables us to cast off the righteousness and false judgments of the world’s men.
The Holy Spirit is our Comforter in ways the world cannot understand: He makes our lives comfortable, focuses our judgments, and gives us clarity.
“As to sin, because they believe not in me; as to righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye see me no more; as to judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (vv. 9-11). God is about to judge Satan the Devil, the god of this world, who has deceived all mankind (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9).
“I have yet many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). growing up Then we will be able to handle what God has to say to us with perfect judgment and love. He knows how to fight the spiritual battle perfectly and can empower us with that same judgment. He never loses.
Beware of the heart of man, which is apart from God. It is “deceitful above all things and very wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). Accept correction. Overcome your human nature. Let God humble you so that you are teachable.
“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which has been given you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6). We need to stir up God’s Holy Spirit in our hearts every day through deep contact with Him. This Holy Spirit is the greatest gift God can give us today.
Verse 7 again: “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” God wants us to live joyful lives, victorious after victorious, because of His righteous judgment.
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