Encouragement for your soul. The last two Rules of engagement to strengthen you for life’s battles.

 

© desireofmysoul.faith & SoulBreaths.com. All rights reserved.

 

SUGGEST READING PARTS 1 & 2 FIRST BEFORE PARTS 3 and 3b: COMBAT ZONE: PART 1—YOUR SOUL and COMBAT ZONE: PART 2—SOUL NUANCES

 

READING TIME: 3 MINUTES plus end scripture list.

 

Yes, the battle rages around (and in) us. But God is a mighty, mighty warrior—LORD of the battle. His ways always win. So breathe in His rest, comfort, stillness. His power, majesty, and loving faithfulness will never fail you.

 

And keep these last two Rules of Engagement in mind.

 

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT #4:

KNOW YOUR WEAPON

 
 

 
 

Go through basic training and refresher trainings with your weapon (the Word of God), just like a soldier needs to qualify for live-fire drills—and the real thing. Because this daily battle you and I are in is always the real deal.

 

SO STAY IN HIS WORD. It is life, it is renewing, it is Truth that will show you where to walk and help you not be derailed in your soul journey down here.

 

Check out this insightful passage from the New Testament (the Soul Nuances are inserted to help connect the dots for you) . . .

 

Hebrews 4:12. See, the Word of God is alive! It is at work and is sharper than any double-edged sword — it cuts right through to where soul meets spirit [dividing where those Hebrew soul/spirit words intersect—neshama, ruach/spirit, nefesh ] and where joints meet marrow [dividing where your vessel/body’s inner parts intersect], and it is quick to judge the inner reflections and attitudes of the heart.

 

PRAYER! Full-on, distractions blocked. Prayer is warfare in the spiritual realm. It’s where the war is won, really. With that, I’d strongly add worship since worship is battle—and it is prayer. The two work together, interlocked for intense spiritual fighting, using both simultaneously.

 

James 5:16 nails it simply: The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

 

So crank up powerful worship music, grab your Bible, humble yourself before the Lord, and get to it!

 

Sing-pray His Word through the attacks, valleys, and even on those mountaintops to keep a lookout and get prepared in season and out of season.

 

[Recommendation: My go-to music is Rick Pino’s worship songs—from his warfare albums to his stirring songs before the Lord. Hands down, he is an anointed worship leader and his team is amazing. I had the privilege of meeting him briefly after one of his musical events in Santa Rosa, CA when I lived in the Bay. God had used Rick’s music to get me through a deeply difficult time.]

 

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT #5:

KEEP COMMUNICATION LINES OPEN—AND STAY ALERT

 

This is soul-to-soul communication, yours and God’s. Report what’s going on, what you see, what you’ve done, what you need—and wait for God to respond and lead. Sometimes you aren’t to speak—just still your soul and listen.

 

Psalm 42:7, a downtrodden soul [nefesh per the line prior] calls out to God: Deep [tehom, תְּהוֹם, subterranean waters of the soul] is calling to deep at the thunder of Your waterfalls; all Your surging rapids and waves are sweeping over me.

 

There, in the deep part of your soul, humbled and hungry to reach His soul’s deep, is where holy communication is sparked, where you discover yet another layer of who He is, what He is, where He’s moving, how He’s guiding you, what He’s saying to you for this season of your life.

 

HIS WATERFALL OF REFRESHMENT FLOWS FROM HIS THRONE, RELEASING . . .

 

revelations

prophetic actions

words of knowledge

wisdom

discernment & understanding

provisions

His never-ending

L

O

V

E

mercy & grace

long-suffering

forgiveness

 

THAT’S HOW YOU CAN STAY SPIRITUALLY IN SYNC WITH HIM.

BECAUSE REMEMBER: THE ENEMY IS ON THE PROWL.

 

Always, as it so happens. So be ready for hostile fire. He roams the world to see who he can devour, derail, destroy.

 

Watch out for the big sweep: So-called spirituality—as the term is used in the world today—that brashly proclaims there are “many ways to God.” It’s another tool of the enemy. False roads leading to death, not God’s eternal life.

 

You won’t find God’s truth in . . .

 

~ rote mantras

~ transcendental meditation</p>

~ crystals

~ astrology & tarot cards

~ trance-like states, psychics, palm readers

~ or all the rest of the “New” Age and one-world religious systems

 

Same goes for fashioning your version of God . . . that’s called idolatry.

 

Securing your position in Him is about connecting with Him on His terms and His Word, not the world’s, not yours, not mine.

 

God has made His terms clear from Genesis onward, revealing His holy character, His holy desires, His holy ways.

 

READ THIS FINAL COMBAT ZONE POST WITH A FILM NOIR BENT. COMBAT ZONE: PART 4—SOUL VIA A FILM NOIR LENS

 
 
 
 

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SCRIPTURES: BE ENCOURAGED

 

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Exodus 34:6 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.

 

Lamentations 3:22-23 The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

 

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

 

Deuteronomy 6:5 & Matthew 22:37. You are to love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

 

Psalm 55:16-18, 22 . But I call to God, and the Lord will save me.
Evening and morning and at noon, I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.
He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me.
Cast your burden on the Lord,and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

 

Matthew 11:29. [And Jesus/Yeshua said] Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

 

John 4:23-24. But the hour is coming—indeed, it’s here now—when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

 
 

PHOTO CREDIT

Sniper girl photo by Piotr Will on Unsplash.com

 

[Combat Zone is the foundational post for soul basics. The original article was created/posted in 2009, but later divided into shorter posts for easier reading.

 

The Heaven-Earth expanse. How can our fractured, earth-driven souls be guaranteed an eternity with God in His holy place? God made the Way. But accepting that way is up to you.

 

© desireofmysoul.faith & SoulBreaths.com. All rights reserved.

 
 

READING TIME: 4 MINUTES.

 

Worldview insists that there are many ways to reach God and enter heaven—and that God is whatever He means to you. Don’t fall for that. There’s no “harmonizing” of various religious ways or bundling it all under global religio-culturalism.

 

One World Religion and a whatever-you-do-is-cool spirituality are LIES from the master deceiver—satan—and a deceptive, self-desired-focus human soul.

 

God is clear in His instruction manual—the Bible—about who He is . . . and who we are. And what He requires for worship and salvation. Understanding that is the critical first step before you’re able to walk on His one-way road to heaven.

 

So let’s start our path toward those ABCs of Salvation by setting worldview aside and getting down to some straight facts about who God is—a quick 4-1-1—according to what He says about Himself in His Word, the Bible. Then we’ll take a look at how we stack up to who He is.

 

#1. HIS NAME IS HIS CHARACTER

 

The Great I AM. El Elyon, the Most High.

Faithful. Justice. Righteous. Truth.

Ha Kadosh, the Holy One.

Perfect. Steadfast. Mercy. Grace.

A Strong Tower. El Shaddai, the Almighty God.

El Gibbor, the Powerful Warrior, Hero, Mighty Champion.

Adonai, the LORD, Master.

Adonei ha’adonim, the LORD of lords.

The Living God, King of Kings, our Judge, the Rock.

He alone is God. There is none like Him.

Haggo’el, the Redeemer. Sar Shalom, Prince/Ruler of Peace.

There is no salvation apart from Him.

He knows all things and declares the end from the beginning.

His decisions stand, His rule is forever.

 

#2. THERE ARE NONE LIKE HIM

(more scriptures at end of post)
 

I AM the LORD, and there is no one else.
I have not spoken in secret, in some dark land . . .
I, the LORD, speak righteousness,
Declaring things that are right . . .
There is no other GOD besides Me,
A righteous GOD and a SAVIOR,
There is none except Me.
Turn to Me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth.
—Isaiah 45: 18b, 19, 21b, 22

 

But the LORD is the true GOD;

he is the living GOD and the everlasting King.

—Jeremiah 10:10a

 

Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

his understanding is unsearchable.

—Isaiah 40:28

 

You are my Lord,

apart from you I have no good thing.”

—Psalm 16:1

 
 

 
 

HOW DO WE STACK UP?

 

Ever since the Garden of Eden, humanity has shown its propensity for rebellion against God—choosing our selfish desires over His ways and falling for satan’s trickery.

 

Here are just a few (of many) scriptures revealing humanity’s soul condition. These are from both sides of the Judaic-Messianic bridge.

 

For there isn’t one righteous person on earth

who does [only] good and does not sin.

—Ecclesiastes 7:20 (CJB)

 

The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind

to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

They have all turned aside, together they are corrupt;

there is no one who does good, not even one.

—Psalm 14:2-3 (NASB)

 

The imaginings [inclinations] of a person’s heart are evil from his youth.

—Genesis 8:21b (CJB)

 

True, I was born guilty

was a sinner from the moment my mother conceived me.

—Psalm 51:7 [5] (CJB)
 

For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of the Lord (ESV).
—Romans 3:23

 

OUR SINS SEPARATE US FROM HIM

 

Adonai’s arm is not too short to save,

nor His ear too dull to hear,

rather it’s your own crimes [sins]

that separate you from God.

—Isaiah 59:1

 

Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil from your perspective;

so that you are right in accusing me and justified in passing sentence . . .

Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my crimes.

—Psalm 51:6,11 (4,9)

 

THE HUMAN HEART LIES TO OUR SOUL

 

The heart is deceitfully wicked,

who can know it?

I, Adonai, search the heart.

I test inner motivations in order to give to everyone

what his actions and conduct deserve.

—Jeremiah 17:9-10

 

If we claim not to have sin,

we are deceiving ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

—1 John 1:8

 

HUMAN GOOD FALLS SHORT

 

All of our righteousness

are like menstrual rags [filthy],

misdeeds blown in the wind.

—Isaiah 64:5 [6] (CJB)

 

For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is

as guilty

as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.

—James 2:10

 

Yep, that’s us: we all break His Law every day . . . one way or another, at any given moment. In thoughts, words, actions. And it’s by those thoughts, words, actions that we’ll be judged.

 

HOPE UP AHEAD

 

With that reality check, how can any of us bridge the relationship gap with a holy God? We’re only human, right?

 

READ THE ANSWER in Part 2. ABC ROADMAP TO HEAVEN: FIRST, THE REAL JESUS.

 
 
 

* * * * *

 

MORE REVEALS ABOUT GOD’S CHARACTER

 

The Bible is filled from page one to its last page with truths about God’s character and our fractured state. The scriptures below are but a few more revealing His majesty and power.

 

For I am GOD, and there is no other;

I am GOD, and there is no one like Me,

declaring the end from the beginning

and from ancient times things not yet done,

saying, “My counsel shall stand,

and I will accomplish all my purpose.”

—Isaiah 46:9-10

 

There is none holy like the Lord:

for there is none besides you;

there is no rock like our God.

—2 Samuel 2:2

 

The LORD passed before him [Moses] and proclaimed,

“The LORD, the LORD, a GOD merciful and gracious,

slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

keeping steadfast love for thousands,

forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,

but who will by no means clear the guilty,

visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children

and the children’s children,

to the third and the fourth generation.”

—Exodus 34:6-7

 

For I will proclaim the name of ADONAI.

Come, declare the greatness of our GOD!

The Rock, his work is perfect,

for all his ways are justice.

A GOD of faithfulness who does no wrong,

he is justice and righteous.

—Deuteronomy 32:3-4
 
 

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

—Isaiah 55:8-9

 

PHOTO CREDITS:

Lit cobblestone photo by Ray Fragapane on Unsplash.com

Person in red photo by Elia Pellegrini on Unsplash.com