3 areas every Christian warrior should put their utmost focus on

During a war, there is often a long front, but not every place along the front is of the same importance. There are a few particularly important places, for example Gibraltar. These places are especially well-fortified.

This also applies to spiritual warfare in our battle against sin. In this battle, there are also a few especially important points. Everyone who fortifies himself thoroughly on these points is wise and understanding.

The first Gibraltar is: Money.

The second Gibraltar is: Power and honor.

The third Gibraltar is: Sexual morality.

It is difficult to breach the front line of someone who has made every effort to fortify himself in these three areas; he is virtually invincible. Many great falls occur on one of these three points, and many sins have their direct lines of communication with one of these three points.

Point 1: Money is a very important factor. (1 Timothy 6:10.) This also means everything you can acquire for money, which is a fair amount in this world. If you do not have victory over the love of money, you cannot, for example, gain victory over anger. Then you have to get angry when you are robbed of money, or of something that is worth your money.

Point 2: Power and honor are also a huge area. Feeling offended and insulted fall under this category, and there is usually much of it. The lust for honor is the cause for a person not being able to bear much, or even not being able to bear anything. Many divisions in assemblies are caused by the lust for power. Of course, they give a few nice reasons, but they have actually suffered defeat at Fort #2. That is the real cause for the split.

It is worth noting that it was on this point that Satan staged his last assault on Christ at the time when He was unceasingly tempted for 40 days in the wilderness. (Luke 4.) The three final temptations are mentioned: The first temptation was to prove His spiritual power. The second temptation offered Him earthly power. The third temptation was to perform a masterpiece that would give Him great honor.

Point 3: Sexual morality is the third of these enormous factors in life. Many have been slain on this part of the front. Many otherwise great men have become small because they have not fortified themselves properly and watched sufficiently on this point. Even David suffered a great defeat on this point although he was not destroyed, but the exceedingly wise Solomon was defeated. And there are many preachers who have been put to shame on this point. A great number of people, because they have not been sufficiently careful in this area, have failed their faith and failed Christ by pursuing a relationship that is against God's will.

Many people succumb to their lusts in this area, souls who otherwise can be very praiseworthy. It is important to be vigilant from the beginning in both what you think and what you look at.

If you want to gain a great and final victory, if you want to walk in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14), then you should, as in a natural war, start working purposefully and thoughtfully and build extra fortifications on these three points. Then you will have the best hope of the front line never being breached by the enemy.

This article was first published in Norwegian in BCC’s periodical Skjulte Skatter (Hidden Treasures) in May 1932, with the title “The battle against sin.”
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