I suppose I should take my own advice (well, it is actually James's advice) and count it all joy when I face trials, because it strengthens my faith. I know I have thrown that verse around here a few times, and now that I have faced what I have recently, I feel like I threw it out there pretty lightly. My perspective sure did change with this round of spiritual warfare. But I know that I can take joy in the fact that I know no matter what I may face in this life, I am never alone, and that in the end whatever battle I am fighting will end in victory. God has promised us that because when He sent His son to this world, He came in victory! Not just victory for that moment, for a short time, or for the apostles of His day, but victory for ever and for all of us who call ourselves His. Life may not always be fair. Some people suffer greatly, struggling to make ends meet, battling sickness; some even face death because of their faith in Jesus. And then some of us are well taken care of, healthy, and free. And yet we all still face battles. Some of us waver in our faith. Some of us face depression (and depression isn't particular about who it entangles in its destructive web). And worse still, some of us are just indifferent to our salvation. We get saved, we believe that all is fine and dandy with us, and we go in life not really changing and not desiring to see a change in the world or the people around us.

I was guilty of that as a new Christian. In fact, for awhile I didn't really care if my own salvation was secure, let alone worrying about anyone else's. I didn't understand that being a Christian certainly meant fighting spiritual warfare. I was weak and gave in easily. I wasn't aware that there was a "whole armor of God". And sadly, I was not surrounded by people who knew, either. And yet God did not forget about me. He was patient, and in His time He brought me into contact with people who weren't afraid of spiritual warfare--people who were willing to intercede on my behalf. I was brought back safely to the sheep pen. My shepherd gave me the biggest hug imaginable, told me how happy He was that I had come home, and told me that He didn't want me running off anymore. And now it is my turn. As Christians we are not required to do anything. Once we accept Jesus into our hearts, our salvation is secure unless we decide we don't want it anymore. We can go happily on our way through life, never touching another life along the way. We can just sit back and quietly wait either for Jesus to return or to die. But God really does want more from us. In Matthew chapter 28:19-20, before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He told His disciples:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

If we are not obedient to this great commission, then what happens is we are like grape branches that bear no fruit. We soak up all the vinedresser has to offer; sun, water, lovingkindness and tender care, and yet we give nothing back in return. In John chapter 15:1-2 Jesus told His disciples:

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

What does Jesus mean when He says His Father will take away every branch that does not bear fruit? Well, it does not mean that person will be cut off from salvation, because Jesus specifically says "any branch in Me". Instead, the Greek word for "take away" is airo, which means "take or lift up". In terms of a vineyard, a vinedresser would search for branches that are growing along the ground; those that get trampled and covered with dust and mud; those that cannot bear fruit where they are. The vinedresser gently lifts up those valuable branches, cleans them off, and ties them up on a trellis so they can reap the benefits of the sun and air circulating around them. And after some TLC, they, too, will begin to bear fruit.

Okay, but what about this pruning that Jesus talks about? Sounds rather painful to me. And yes, it can be. I am sure you have heard God referred to as the Potter, and us as the clay. Ask someone who goes to a ceramics class about what clay must go through before it is finally a usable vessel, and you have a pretty good idea of what it feels like to be pruned! We don't like it, but God knows it is necessary for our continued spiritual growth. When we become stagnant, we become indifferent. Indifference is definitely not a good thing in any situation. So to keep us on our toes, God is always looking for an opportunity to make us more fruitful, and if that means really digging in and cutting away, then that is what He will do--for our own good!

And now to tie it all together ;) When we are bearing fruit, or are about to bear much fruit, the enemy gets nervous. That means trouble for his kingdom. So he immediately begins to attack us. He throws monkey wrenches into our marriages, doubts into our minds, even uses those closest to us against us. Even been in a situation where you get no support from a spouse or other close relative? He will do whatever he can to bring us down and make us ineffective; in essence, to take away from or distract from the blessing that God has planned for us. So every morning we must wake up and put on our armor, because:

Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:4)

And James 4:7 says:

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

So, put on your armor each and every day, and keep an eye open for those blessing that God wants so badly to pour down on you. Don't be afraid to bear fruit. You can change lives today!

Be blessed!!