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      YOU are at war! Whether or not you know it, your life has been plunged into a “state of emergency” by the Almighty Creator who made you. The promise of eternal life is made ONLY to one who has gained the victory—to the overcomer—“Him that overcomes” will I make a pillar in the Sanctuary of my Elohim…”  (Rev 3:12).

To Overcome means to Conquer!

It is not a passive fight that YAHWEH has called us to, but a direct frontal onslaught, a crushing conquest! It is an all-out war! TOTAL WAR!

Many wars have been fought in the history of mankind on this earth, but not one good thing has been produced by any of them! Men and women have been asked to give their lives that others might live. People have been called upon to die for every reason man could devise—for the emperor, for the country, for the congregation. The greatest motivation man can offer in war is either to protect country, home and family in a defensive struggle or to offer plunder and power if one helps wrest it from the hands of another! Or a hero’s death!

But YAHWEH offers us the whole world. “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the EARTH” (Mat 5:5). He also offers us POWER: And the one overcoming, and the one keeping my works until the end, “I will give to him AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS: And he will shepherd them with an iron staff…” (Rev 2:26-27).

YAHWEH does not call us to go to battle for nothing! He offers us the greatest rewards that any conquering king of this earth ever offered to his soldiers. But Yahweh offers one thing more that NO MAN can offer!

ETERNAL LIFE!

“For what will a man be benefited, if he should gain the WHOLE WORLD, but forfeits his soul (life)? Or what will a man give as an exchange for his soul?” (Mat 16:26). The most you could hope to gain from any other king in any other war would be a limited amount of power over a limited area for a LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME! Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Alexander, the Caesars ruled the world all in their turn—BUT THEY ARE DEAD!

Our Elohim offers us all that for which they fought and died, in addition to LIFE EVERLASTING! “…I came that they may have LIFE and may HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY” (John 10:10).

This goal YAHWEH offers is worth the greatest conflict you could possibly be put through! To have the riches of all the earth, to have the power beyond the realm of man’s understanding, to have practicing knowledge of the laws that make life happy and pleasant, peaceful and productive, and to have LIFE INHERENT WITHIN YOURSELF to enjoy and use these other blessings forever—THIS IS A GOAL WORTH FIGHTING FOR!

Rules of Warfare

The precept followed by every great military leader is, “Know your enemy—never underestimate him!”

The United States and Great Britain—the Israel of today—are going into captivity soon—conquered by an enemy they do not even recognize! Even in the struggle against the recognized enemy of communism, the West is losing ground and having a difficult time because it does not recognize the kind of warfare being waged by the enemy!

Both communism and fascism are fighting a total war—a type of war the United States and Great Britain have never had to fight before! A trade war, a propaganda war, a war using singers and dancers, artists and writers, a war of ideas, a war of diplomatic negotiation over conference tables— and at times a war of terrorism, of guerrillas attacking innocent women and children, and finally an open warfare of one army facing another in desperate all-out battle!

YOU face a war even more TOTAL in its concept! The enemy you fight has no honor, no ethics, and no mercy!

YOU are forced to fight three fronts in your war. Unless you recognize, put up a defense and mount an attack against these three fronts, you may lose! These three battle fronts are:

(1) Yourself; (2) The World; and (3) Satan and his demons!

Of these three enemies the self is the first and the WORST! In order to fight this enemy, you must know his purpose, his tactics, his strengths, and his weaknesses! In this article we will examine this enemy thoroughly and also examine the battle orders that the Captain of our salvation has given to us to overcome this enemy!

All-Out War!

Let’s realize first of all that no “Laodicean attitude” will ever conquer in this warfare! Every good soldier must have good morale! He must have a desire to fight, to conquer, and to WIN! Military leaders give men slogans to fight by; let us see the slogans YAHWEH has given to us. “FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, lay hold on eternal life…” (1st Tim 6:12). “Labor to enter in through the narrow gate…” (Luke 13:24).

“…mortify (KILL) the deeds of the body…” (Rom 8:13).

“… so run, not as uncertainly; so fight, not as one beating air; but I conquer and subdue my body, so that, by no chance, when I have preached to others, I, myself, will be disapproved” (1st Cor 9:26-27).

The discipleship life of overcoming is not a quiet, passive, contemplative sort; but an active, moving, pressing, striving RACE, won only by those who press forward constantly!

Too many of you brethren feel since you have been baptized and received Yahweh’s Holy Spirit that you do not live with a carnal mind any longer! You tend to consider the way you do or look at things as ‘the way’. If you discover a fault in yourself or if one is brought to your attention, you tend to generalize or excuse your own faults by saying, “Nobody is perfect!” Or you say, “I know I have got to overcome, and I am trying but I just can’t do everything at once.”

These answers come from YOUR CARNAL MIND!

What YOU Are Like

Before we go any further let’s understand two basic facts about the human mind that YAHWEH has created in you. “The heart [the way you naturally tend to think, feel, and believe] is DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS, and DESPERATELY WICKED: who can know it?” (Jer 17:9). This situation does not change completely when you are baptized and receive YAHWEH’S Holy Spirit. It only begins to change. At baptism you have added to your carnal mind a portion of the Mind of Messiah. YAHWEH’S Mind, His Holy Spirit, begins to reveal to you what you are really like, and gives you the power and strength to overcome that enemy, to cease to be like you were!

Too many times we like to use scriptures in the Bible against the people of this world from a self- superior sense on our part. “Because the mind of the flesh is enmity (hatred) towards Elohim; for it is not subject to the Torah of Elohim, for it is not possible to be so” (Rom 8:7). How many times have you used this scripture referring to the world—and it does refer to the world—not realizing the context in which Paul wrote this scripture. The book of Romans is written to the saints at Rome. It is written to begotten sons of Elohim, members of the body of YAHSHUA Messiah, members of the Congregation of YAHWEH!

Paul demonstrated that neither the Greek mind, which tends to be academic and philosophical, nor the Jewish mind, which tends to be proud and self-righteous, was the right kind of mind. He showed that ALL had sinned and come short of the glory of Elohim. Only through YAHWEH is there any power which would keep a human being from sinning and coming under the penalty of death. Paul showed all through Romans 7 that when the Spirit of Elohim is added to your mind there is an immediate warfare that ensues because of the basic human nature that you inherently are.

“But I see another law in my members having WARRED against the law of my mind, and taking me captive by the law of sin being in my members” (Rom 7:23).

As in any war, sometimes the enemy presses very hard, and you find yourself in retreat, not any longer in control of the situation and conquering. This is the time Paul is warning about in Romans 8:7, urging you never to give in to your carnal mind and live according to its dictates. In this battle the warfare is constantly going on, the enemy is ever present—you are either winning or losing at any given minute of any given day.

“For though we do live an earthly life, yet we do not serve worldly things; for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but of the power of Elohim to the demolition of strongholds, casting down imaginations (reasonings) and every false thing lifting up itself against the knowledge of Elohim, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Messiah” (2nd Cor 10:3-5).

Our warfare takes place within our minds! This is the battlefield! Little skirmishes and big battles are fought here every single day at the speed of thought!

Having Elohim’s mind present with you, especially when you are in contact with Him through never-ceasing prayer, enables you to see what you should do and how you should act. But your carnal mind, also present with you as long as you are a human being, begins immediately to put up a defense against the attack of YAHWEH’s Spirit. It begins to think of ways around doing what YAHWEH wants you to do. It begins to barricade and entrench itself with justifications and reasons why you have not or cannot do what YAHWEH wants you to do. It all seems perfectly reasonable; it is very understandable—but it is “AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF YAHWEH”!

Unless you immediately recognize this and ask YAHWEH for reinforcements to pull down the strongholds your carnal mind has built up, you will find yourself beaten back, having less character each time you submit to your carnal mind rather than conquering it with YAHWEH’s Holy Spirit!

Self Preservation

The basic law of all life is Self-Preservation! You are no different from any other form of life. Humanly, you want to stay the way you ARE! Humanly you resist any change. Your human mind is thinking at nearly the speed of light to come up with some reason why it does not have to submit to the mind of YAHWEH.

Notice very closely what YAHWEH said you must bring into captivity, what you must control: “every THOUGHT”—this is where sin begins!

Let’s notice the process of how this develops. “But each one is tempted by his OWN LUST, he covets and is seduced by them. Then having conceived lust brings forth sin, and sin being fully formed brings for death” (Jacob 1:14-15). First of all, your carnal mind makes you think you would like to do what is contrary to YAHWEH’s Torah (law). You play with the thought; roll it over in your mind, entertain it and plan—until finally you have GONE TOO FAR! You have not resisted from the beginning and the power of sin has snowballed until it is too great to resist. Next you actually DO what you had been thinking about doing—this is sin—and death is the penalty!

This can be repented of. But the only one who knows how many times you can retreat before sin, and ask YAHWEH later to forgive that retreat, is the one who has repented too many times! YAHWEH says very plainly, “I am weary with repenting” (Jer 15:6).

Don’t try to find out how many times YAHWEH will forgive. Certainly, He is forgiving, loving, merciful, and kind. Yet He warns us very sternly that if we do not bear fruit consistently that He will break us off as a dead branch and cast us into the lake of fire!

Don’t assume YOU are all right! “Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith; test YOUR OWN SELVES…” (2nd Cor 13:5).

Just the Way I Am

How many times have you heard people say, “I’m just hardheaded, that’s all!” or “I have a very quick temper and I tend to jump to conclusions”? This is the excuse your carnal mind puts up—the reason your human mind displays against the knowledge of YAHWEH! This is your excuse for not overcoming because you are the way that you ARE!

Some even try to blame it on their parents and complain, “Dad was always nervous and grouchy and so am I!” This explanation satisfies the self. It explains readily that if you just are that way, then that’s just the way you are and there isn’t any way of helping the way you ARE! You just are easily offended. You just happen to have a despondent, pessimistic attitude. You “just can’t seem to remember.” Or you are just weak!

This, to the carnal mind seems to be the perfect reason why you do not have to overcome! It is PERVERTED REASONING!

YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO OVERCOME WHAT YOU ARE!

YAHWEH never inspired the hymn titled, “Just As I Am!” We can’t come the way we are to Elohim. WE MUST CHANGE!

The human mind is very fertile and clever in coming up with all kinds of arguments against YAHWEH’S truth. When His truth, revealed by His Spirit in your mind, begins to accuse you of not overcoming, as you should, you begin immediately to find an excuse! This is another tactic of your carnal mind!

The Excuse Tactic

Like the first Adam, you cast secretively about to find a scapegoat for your sin! You say that you inherited your bad habits or your faulty disposition from your parents. Perhaps you claim that it was your family background, that you grew up in a house where mother always dominated and so you just naturally tend to dominate even though you are a woman. Or you men just naturally tend to listen to your wife more than you should because mother always told you what to do! You let this NATURAL CARNAL reasoning satisfy you into thinking you don’t have to overcome this problem! It is not your fault; it’s the fault of someone else!

Some like to blame their education and claim that if they had received more or better education, things would be different! After all, you can’t be expected to study the Scriptures if you only had a sixth-grade education as much as you would be expected to study the Scriptures if you had a college education!

Perhaps your excuse is your geography! If you had just lived in Oregon instead of Arkansas things would be different. If you lived in the country instead of the city; or if you lived in the city instead of the country things would be different!

Perhaps your job is your problem. If you didn’t have to work such long and hard hours you would be able to study and pray more. If you had a job you could do with your hands, your mind would be free to think about the things of YAHWEH. If you had a job where you had to use your mind, you would be able to develop and use all of the attributes that YAHWEH would have you develop.

“Pass-the-Buck” Classic

This is an excuse that mankind has been using ever since the time of Adam! This is how the real you thinks, and acts and works. YAHWEH faced Adam, with the question, “Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” Gen 3:11. Adam was quick to answer, but the answer was an excuse: “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she has given to me of the tree, and I ate” (12).

Adam had to find a reason why he had sinned – just admitting it to YAHWEH didn’t seem to be enough. But when he offered the reason, when he explained that it was his wife’s fault, not his, his carnal mind was satisfied. If you will read on briefly there in Genesis 3, you will discover the women was no different from her husband. When YAHWEH asked her why she had done this thing, she replied that it was the serpent’s fault, that he had been the one to beguile her – it was Satan’s fault!

MOST PEOPLE ARE ONLY BLIND TO THEIR OWN SINS! “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but YAHWEH weighs the spirits” (Prov 16:2). We can’t have the understanding to know how our own carnal minds work unless we ask YAHWEH in heaven to guide us in recognizing this worst enemy, we have. “The steps of a man are from YAHWEH, and what can man discern of his way?” (Prov 20:24).

Turn now to Jeremiah 10:23— “O YAHWEH, I know that his way does not belong to man; it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. O YAHWEH, CORRECT ME, only with judgment, not in Your anger, that You do not bring me to nothing” (Jer 10:23-24). Make this YOUR prayer: “…Acquit ME from SECRET FAULTS. Also withhold Your servant from arrogant sins; do not let them RULE over me…” (Psa 19:12-13).

Don’t ask YAHWEH to show your husband or wife where he or she is wrong—ask YAHWEH first to show YOU where YOU are wrong! If your sins are not obvious to you—if you cannot pick out at least three specific things you need to overcome, then you desperately need to ask YAHWEH to search and cleanse YOU—to show you the sins that are secret to YOU!

“You have set our iniquities before YOU, our secret sins in the light of YOUR face. For all our days pass away in Your wrath; we finish our years like a sigh.

The days of our years are seventy; and if any by strength live eighty years, yet their pride is labor and vanity; for it soon passes, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? And as Your fear is, so is Your fury. So teach us to number our days, so that we may bring a heart of wisdom” (Psa 90:8-12).

The marginal rendering reads better here “that we may get us a heart of wisdom.” This is the way to get wisdom—to fight your chief enemy, YOURSELF! Our days are numbered and slipping away too fast—we don’t have the threescore and ten years left to us anymore, and using every precious second is absolutely necessary.

Concentrate all your force and energy on your worst enemy—bringing every weapon to bear to exterminate this enemy. “SEARCH ME, O El, and know MY heart; try ME, and know MY thoughts; and see if any wicked way is in ME; and lead ME in the way everlasting” (Psa 139:23-24).

What You Can Do!

In order to come to grips with your worst enemy, to come concretely to the attack—so you will know exactly what to do, I urge you to write a short essay about yourself. After praying, on your knees to Almighty YAHWEH, in the attitude expressed by the above scriptures, take out a piece of paper and title it: “WHAT I AM”.

Be candid, truthful before YAHWEH—ask YAHWEH to help you see YOU, AS HE SEES YOU! Then describe what He opens your mind to see. After you have this written, you will know what you need to change. Ask YAHWEH directly in prayer to help you overcome one of the points that you have written down about yourself.

In a succeeding article we will examine several other phases of human nature concretely and specifically to help you find out even more how your human nature works and how you – the begotten son of Elohim—may overcome this nature and stand before YAHWEH MORE THAN A CONQUEROR!