Articles with spiritual fitness

Self-Defense Body Armor for Spiritual Warfare

For the Christian, self-defense is not limited to warding off physical threats only; it includes the tactical necessity for acute and discerning situational awareness to thwart personal temptations and spiritual attacks.

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The pastor of Ada Bible Church, in Grand Rapids, MI, Aaron Buer, preached the 4-part sermon series titled The Armor of God, which examines each element of the Roman armor and weapon that the Apostle Paul used as a metaphor for the defensive and offensive tools Christians require when battling against spiritual forces. (An earlier series explained the reality and nature of spiritual warfare in our daily lives; attacks to our soul coming from three directions: the devil, the world, and our own nature.)

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Watch each of the videos below to more completely understand the protective biblical body armor God tells us to put on every day.

The Biblical Case for Being a Christian AND a Warrior

In his Bible study article, Can You Be a Christian and a Warrior at the Same Time?, Keith Graves of
Christian Warrior Training
, makes the biblical case why followers of Jesus can serve in a profession that may require force, such as police officers and church security volunteers.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Interview with Keith Graves of Christian Warrior Training ]

He says, “The New Testament does not avoid men who carried weapons or operated under authority. It speaks directly to them, and it does so without treating their profession as automatically sinful.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The Biblical Case Why Every Church Needs Armed Security ]

Excerpts from the article are below:

Church Security PDF Library: Multi-Source Free Manuals

On this page is a collection of guides, fact sheets, and manuals from a variety of sources that provide helpful information for church security teams. Return often as new documents are added when available.

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Bible | Medical | Best Practices | Training | Threat Analysis / Persecution of Christians | Terrorism | Spiritual First-Aid

Bible Info

    

The Biblical Case Why Every Church Needs Armed Security

Dillon Burroughs, PhD, writes for the Standing for Freedom Center and serves as an adjunct instructor at Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity. In his article, When the Church Becomes a Target: Shepherds Must Defend the Flock With Armed Security, he makes the biblical case why churches are obligated to maintain trained and armed security ministry teams. Excerpts from the article are below:

Pray the Prayers of the Apostle Paul

Prayer and reading Scripture are fundamentally important in our Christian journey as the primary ways to build a deep, loving, personal relationship, seek guidance, express praise and thanks, confess sins, find strength, and align our will with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These are the “lifeblood” of a believer’s spiritual health, enabling participation in furthering God’s kingdom and His work on Earth.

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Effective prayer is a vital, transformative connection to God rather than merely a way to request favors of him. Essential themes include treating prayer as a conversation, seeking strength over easier circumstances, and fostering a submissive heart.

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The Apostle Paul’s prayers in the New Testament are characterized by, among other qualities, intense gratitude, intercession for the spiritual growth of churches, encouragement, and requests for wisdom, love, and vigor for believers. His key prayers focus on strengthening faith, unity, knowing God’s will, and persevering in hope.

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Use Paul’s prayers as transformative inspiration for your own prayers. What follows is a compilation of all of Paul’s prayers and prayer directives, drawn from the book Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D.A. Carson: