Bibledoorajar: Let the wars begin

     "Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.....Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." Paul in 1 Cor. 10: 1ff.

     Three very spiritual things had happened to God's people. According to Paul, they were baptized, ate spiritual food and drank from the Rock, and that Rock was Christ. Once Moses struck the Rock and that spiritual water came forth, the people were God's people. A new nature had been given to them, but it did not take long to see the warfare was to begin. The story reports that Amalek, the grandson of Esau, came on the scene. His name means "war-like" and he began to war with the people. Amalek's behavior and belief system was just the opposite of what God had just bestowed on his people. He operated completely from the lusts of the flesh and found the Israelites an enemy.
     It is a hard concept to explain to a new Christian that he can now expect warfare within. But it does not take long for it to occur. We go from feeling "fresh and clean" to "wilted and unclean" pretty quickly. We learn the battle is on; the mind will need renewing and often. We have to "put off" the flesh and "put on" the spirit. We begin to see the value in the water flowing from the Word of God. We need the Spirit's strength and transforming ability. We learn we have to fight, but the world and our flesh cannot get us down permanently. We will fight on all the way to Glory.

"I've been to the river and been baptized,

All my sins have washed away I've been redeemed.

And that's not all, the Lord and I we got so close.

He went and He filled me with the Holy Ghost.

All My sins are washed away, I've been redeemed."

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