Battle Ready?

Ready for Battle
by: JefLivs Livara

Years ago I was caught at the middle of two of my good friends  arguing about Life being a constant struggle or not. Although I can no longer remember if it was even resolved but I am very sure that we are going through struggles right now. In fact everyone of us undergo struggles. Being equipped guards us from deception, corruption, selfishness, greed and hate. We want to become successful. We want to become prosperous and we want to maximize our potentials but are we ready for the challenges? Are we geared towards the same plan? Let us do a head count before we start going to battle

Check List / Mission Order:
1. The Enemy
Our enemy is not a person. It is in the inside that we need to terminate. It is the heart that we need to cleanse. It is the eyes that we need to wipe. It is the hands that we need to hold. The enemy is NEGATRON - Bad thoughts, impure intentions, illicit behavior and negative attitude. Funny how we think of another person when we hear the word enemy but in order to win every battle we must overcome first the ENEMY within us. Everyone wants to be successful and prosperous but deep inside them some things are holding them back. We need to overcome first our INNER GIANTS in order for us to win in life.

Who are the INNER GIANTS. The inner giants are representations of our FEAR. They are giants because sometimes when we are faced with good opportunities, there is an inner voice saying "YOU cannot do it and you will fail" and they become bigger and bigger and they succeed in you the moment you turn back from your dream and start dwelling in that FEAR without facing it.

FACE your inner giants, counter that fear. The inner giant can also be PRIDE. It gets taller than you. And when pride gets taller than you, you get over powered. Pride simply consumes you leaving you lifeless. Lifeless? because the only person you know is your self and you forget you have a GOD, a brother or a sister, a friend and a life.

2. The Artillery
They say to win a war, you must have the best artillery. Imagine two warring groups using BAYONETA and Machine Guns. Who do you think will win? Of course the machine guns. But we are non violent people and sometimes we do not need guns to win a war. The best artillery is our FAITH in Christ. Our faith will save us. Not our wealth. Even the best doctors will not save. It is only through Christ.

When the Spaniards came to the Philippines, they try to battle it out and Magellan was killed during the battle. They knew the filipinos were of brave and furious fighters but what did the spaniards do? Instead of raising that sword, they inverted the sword. The inverted sword now represents the cross. And they have penetrated even in the deepest jungles of the Philippines and all the way to our hearts.

To win life's battle, we need Christ in our lives. We need to be with people who have hearts of a winner. If you are with  Jesus you simply cannot fail.

3. The Plan
In order to achieve what we want we must have a plan. We must have direction. A man with direction will not get lost. We will pursue that goal what ever it means as long as you have a director. Know God's plan for you. Having trouble knowing God's plan to you? Just think of this, YOU are in the situation you are in right now because God has chosen you to be there and to inspire the people there around you. Your present job is a blessing. Do your best to spread the Gospel. God has commissioned you and it is an act of ignorance when you do not know. The moment you become and called as Christian ( Either catholic or not) you are mandated to spread the good news and be the light in your dark office and in your dimly lighted homes. Jeremiah 29:11 is God's plan for us. If you are feeling lonely, pained and down. Read the verse and get up.

Our life is like scattered dots that we try to connect and later on when we connected those dots we see the whole picture and the beauty of life. You might be experiencing hardships right now but that is temporary. It might be a lesson or a reminder to seek for the kingdom of God.

4. The Contingency
To maintain a wining status. Be reminded of Jesus everyday. Read and reflect on the Gospel. Let your faith transcends to your hands. Help others on their quest in life. In the Philippines, crab mentality is defined as pulling one another down. BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO REDEFINE IT!   the GOOD CRAB MENTALITY - it is the act of pulling one another upwards and helping another reach their dreams. It is a Christian virtue to help the weak and when the weak becomes strong, the strong will help another weak and this should not stop.

As long as we have Christ in our lives, the peace inside us remains. Life is a continuous Battle. We battle to become better people each day. We battle to GUARD our Heart. We battle to protect our Family. But more than those...

We must also battle to know Christ better each day and live what Christ says. The battle is only within you. Resolve the battle and follow the two commandments of Christ in everything that you do:
1. Love God before anything else.
2. Love thy neighbor.

Everything should be based in God for God is Love.
-jeflivs

Reflection:
Ephisians 6:12 NIV
"12 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."