CALLED TO A DAILY STRUGGLE
By the example of Jesus, Paul and the other apostles, the Christian life is not meant to be one of ease. It requires that we "stay alert and be persistant in our prayers for all believers everywhere," for they are experiencing the same battles we are.
There is a reason that the kingdom of heaven has been described as a place of rest. It is because the life of a follower of Jesus in this world is filled with spiritual struggle, in fact, warfare. It is a warfare that is fought by being clothed with Christ and the armor of God. It is fought by being focused daily on remaining faithful to God's way of love, obedience, self-sacrifice, and righteous living. It is a relentless desire for holiness, not just in moral thought and behavior, but in being seperated from the world in order to live and work fully for God and his kingdom; in order to be fully empowered and used by him for whatever his purpose for us is.
This is spiritual warfare. It is a daily part of every believer's life. It is real, and is one reason Paul called us to live soberly. As long as Christ Jesus is our focus, the one we actively desire above all others and all things, we will win our daily struggle against the principalities and powers that are working in the spirit realms and physical world against us.
