God created human being like himself, with bodies and inner spirits. He gave us power to rule the world, each of us are created with a purpose. But in the world we face spiritual struggle with our bodies. While God has given this body with unique shapes and talents. Some of us take care for this body greatly, some overeat or some starve, some go to the extend to change their appearance and change their identity of what God had given. While we do this Satan wants to target this Body for various reasons.
In this writing, we understand why our body is important to God and how we should care to grow spiritually
Why does Satan attack our Body and bring this spiritual battle
1. We are God’s Own Image
Satan attacks some of us who are God’s children as we are God’s image.
Genesis 1:27 (NIV) 'So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. '
God created man in his own image so that he will bless him to rule the things of the world. Its the sole reason why he created in his own image. Like how God is the ruler of the entire universe, he wanted to create man in his own image so that he can rule the world
Genesis 1:26 (NIV) 'Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” '
When God created man and woman he created them with a purpose, a will for each of us. Some of us walk according to his will, some fall from the grace and go on their own and struggle.
God did not use any other creation to accomplish his will, his will is accomplished only thru human being, other elements aid to God’s will.
2. Our Body is God’s temple
God is invisible, the world cannot see him. Jesus has returned to heaven cannot be seen and its our conduct “in the body” that glorifies and exalts the Lord.
God wants to use our body as a vehicle for revealing the lost world, unconverted people are not going to read the Bible or Christian theology or listen to sermons, they will how ever read our lives.
When he attacks our body, he attacks God from revealing the grace and love to the lost world.
3. Our Body is also God’s tool.
Romans 6:12-13 (NIV) 'Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. '
God created us for a purpose, he uses each of us as his tool. God used Noah to build the ark. God used Solomon to build his temple and the workers with the knowledge needed to build the temple.
1 Kings 6:2,7 (NIV) 'The temple that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits long, twenty wide and thirty high. In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built. '
1 Kings 7:13-14 (NIV) 'King Solomon sent to Tyre and brought Huram, whose mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father was from Tyre and a skilled craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom, with understanding and with knowledge to do all kinds of bronze work. He came to King Solomon and did all the work assigned to him. '
Jesus used his disciples hands and legs to feed the 5000 people with bread & fish.
Matthew 14:16-19,21 (NIV) 'Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. '
Never underestimate the importance of your Body, Never minimise the care of your body.
The christian who is careless about his health or safety is giving into the hands of the destroyer (Satan)
Our body cannot be an idol, it has to be cared to be taken care for the will of God to be executed. Think of your Car ,how you maintain that to drive, so you take care of it so that its drivable and clean so that you experience the drive in a good way.
God is going to use each of us as a tool / tools to complete the mission he has planned fur us on the earth, it happens by the empowered spirit of God into our bodies.
Satan has no power to attack or stop the plans of God, so he attacks the tools.
4. Our Body is God’s treasury
2 Corinthians 4:7-10 'But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. '
When we are saved by God and get water Baptism, he puts us the treasure of eternal life which is Holy Spirit within our Body.
The Holy Spirit given to us is not only to be protected, but to be used as a blessing for other people’s lives. We are to seed this spirit to others to grow in Faith.
God deposited the spiritual wealth in Apostle Paul, Paul invested that treasure in Timothy.
When Timothy got that, he in turn invested that treasure in life of others.
1 Timothy 1:11 'that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. '
1 Timothy 6:20 'Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, '
2 Timothy 1:14 'Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. '
God’s Holy Spirit which is priceless even costlier than a Kohinoor diamond jewellery or any other costliest thing you can think of, but God choose to deposit this to the weakest human being and use this weakest link to bring other believers to his kingdom. When you think of the way God uses us, its amazing…
Satan wants to rob the world of spiritual wealth by attacking the believers, so that it cannot be transferred to others. The chain be cut off and not grow further.
5. Our Body is a testing ground
Ephesians 6:11-12 (NIV) 'Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against 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 struggles between rulers of authority (Godly Kingdom) and Power of Dark (Satan) is done in the world. We are being used as a testing ground to this struggle.
Job’s life is a classic example, he was upright man when Satan came in front of God, God challenged him “Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him”
Spiritual battles that Job got was a result his righteous work in the world and God wanted to prove Satan that he will be faithful even after all the bodily struggles he will go thru..
In the case of Job, God challenged Satan. In our lives, Satan may challenge God to show our life to say its because of the Grace we are are being holy and if he can remove that he can destroy us. God permits these to ensure we are strengthened in him.
Paul gives the analogy of Boxer in a boxing match to have it protected and he does not fall into the tricks of Satan and get disqualified
Like wise we need to make sure our body acts as a slave to God to obey what he calls to do and not take anything that’s tempted to (Anger / Bitterness / Adultery / Drinking / Gossips / Lies etc..) so that we don’t forfeit the reward that God has prepared us.
Summary
Satan uses our body to force and test us and forfeit the price we have from our father. How do we protect that Body to ensure we don’t give into satan, follow what Paul says in Romans 12
Offer your Body to God As Paul says - Romans 12:1 (NIV) 'Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. '
Offer your Mind to God as Paul Says - Romans 12:2 (a) (NIV) 'Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. ..'
Offer your will to God as Paul Says - Romans 12:2 (b) (NIV) '..Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. '
Its the only way to protect against Satan and to do what he has called you in the world and accomplish what he has planned for you. You cannot win the battle with your own. The battle can be won only with God’s Holy Spirit. he will work thru us to accomplish his plans.. God’s promise is true as he commanded his disciples, he also gives us the same power to drive out demons and cure all the diseases from the Body as its important for him to accomplish his will.
Luke 9:1 (NIV) 'When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, '
Matthew 10:1 (NIV) 'Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. '
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