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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Fast: Quick, or stuck or made stable (10/16/25)
In the midst of spiritual combat, Scripture (1) calls for an advancing disciple to hold fast to the accurate doctrine that he or she has already learned.

Since the beginning (2) of the Church Age, spiritual combat has focused its attention on the issue of eternal security (3), with an endless list of additional “requirements” being promoted by Man (4).

Just a little leaven (false teaching/practices) impacts our whole spiritual experience (5).

One will not confidently build and apply an edified soul structure if one questions the integrity of its 1Cor. 3: 10 foundation.

Our spiritual combat is (usually) not the type of activity recorded in such passages as Mark 5: 1-5, or portrayed in modern-day horror films.

It actually consists of the day-to-day choices that we make that either glorifies God, fulfilling our purpose of our presence here on Earth, or that denies God the same glory and promotes the devil’s agenda.

As of the Church Age, the first time that one glorifies God is when he or she is born again (6), by making a one-time decision to believe, when presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message, encapsulated in John 3: 16, 18.

AFTER receiving salvation, the born-again believer THEN has the DAILY opportunity to bring further glory to God by living the lifestyle consistent with an advancing disciple (7), and by participating in the Great Commission (8).


Therefore, Church Age spiritual combat begins with distracting a would-be believer from his or her John 3: 5 need of salvation. The devil works day and night trying to see that this never takes place.

He disputes what God has said, while promoting “religious” activity and human good as the means of obtaining and retaining salvation.

Once born again, the focus of attention switches to attacking the quality of the post salvation spiritual life of the ones who are born-again. It is the devil’s desire to raise doubts as to the security of one’s salvation and to diminish one’s Mark 4: 19 productivity.

The integrity of a born-again believer’s salvation is eternally secure (9), but there is a daily battle going on with the devil, his Eph. 6:12 forces of evil, and with the people that he has deceived (10).

Their objective is to stop the forward progress in the development and execution of the individual’s post (after) salvation spiritual life in the midst of this ongoing conflict.

Jesus made it perfectly clear that He did not come to bring interpersonal or international peace to the Earth at the First Advent (11).

The type of peace announced at the First Advent was peace between God and those who would be born again. His coming, and the Gospel Message that He introduced, would be a source of conflict in the closest of human relationships.


Fellowship with the devil’s world (way of thinking and behavior) places one in conflict with God (12).

Salvation remains secure, but the direction of a born-again believer’s post salvation spiritual life is slowly, but surely, moving forward or backwards in the individual plan that God has in mind.

The devil and his allies will do all that they can to persuade born-again believers to head in the wrong direction, thinking all is well.

The first indication that a born-again believer is headed in the wrong direction (away from the plan of God), is a diminished appetite for the things of God, and an increased appetite for what the devil’s world has to offer.


If one’s “religious” experience is without conflict, he or she is not executing the post salvation spiritual life of Biblical discipleship.

The devil has no reason to rock the boat of anyone who is headed in the wrong direction.

He may even prosper him or her, to encourage him or her to continue, and to encourage others to follow his or her ungodly example.

Spiritual combat is a two-part operation. Of all the combat gear listed in Eph. 6:16, only the sword (the Word of God) is an offensive tool.

The others are primarily defensive tools, enabling the believer to hold fast and maintain his or her position when under attack.

The advancing disciple will develop the spiritual discernment to know when it is the time to go on the offensive, participating in the Great Commission, and when it is the time to stand fast.

(1) Heb.10:23/1Thess.5: 20/Rev. 3: 11 (2) Gal. 3: 1 (3) Rom. 8: 1 (4) Matt.15: 9 (5) Matt. 16: 11 (6) John 3: 5 (7) Eph. 4. 1 (8) Matt. 2ⁿ/: 19, 20 (9) Rom. 8: 1 (10) Matt. 15: 14 (11) Luke 12: 51ff (12) James 4: 4
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Terry R A Eissfeldt 
10/23/25
Well written study. Thank you.
Marlene Custer 
10/24/25
This is certainly a time that spiritual discernment is needed. I found your placement of Scripture references to be a hindrance to getting the thought you were trying to get across. Perhaps placing it at end of sentence would be helpful.
Bonnie Bowden 
10/29/25
As a reader, I found this well researched study written for a mature believer not someone new in the faith.