When God relates to you as a father, ensure you take the position of a son. But when God relates to you as a general, ensure you draw your sword. We are in a battle. The battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. The battle between the children of light and the children of the world. This gets fierce by the day. The enemy seems to be prevailing but it is just a mirage. This battle pre-dates our existence and the Lord Himself is in charge and in control. The Bible says that the Lord is strong and mighty in battle. The battle did not take the Lord unawares. God is fully aware of the battle that we are in, even in these last days.

Many times, in the Bible, we see synonyms that try to describe God or explain who a believer is. All of these is to help us to understand our attributes and understand our responsibility as well as the part we should play as believers. These are perilous times, darkness exists everywhere and there is decadence in the society because the enemy is after our teenagers, youths and family.

Our teenagers seem to be at the center of it all because at this time and season of their lives, they are trying to find their identity and their emotions and personalities are being developed. If we are not careful to channel their lives aright, then there is every likelihood that we would lose them to the enemy.

We are in warfare. This war has a commander and this commander is the Lord of host. He is the Lord strong and mighty in battle. He has never lost a battle and He will never lose this battle. The Bible told us that He would build His church and the gates of hell shall not and cannot prevail over it. God is at war with the kingdom of darkness and the reason the Bible calls this war a good fight of faith is because the victory has already been assured before the battle even began. We are to be effective instruments in the hands of God.

Responsible believers and Christians

Our above text, Jeremiah 51: 20 – 23, the Bible says, “You are my battle axe.” This is not a suggestion by God but a statement of fact. Battle-axes were used in the past during wars, because it could pierce through shields and cut any thing in its path. Also, in all our text, God keeps saying, I am using the phrase “with you,” this is because God wants to use you and I to accomplish His purpose. He desires to use us greatly if we partner with him.

God also wants to use man, woman, to tackle kingdoms. The enemy is out for our families and God wants to use us to rectify relationships between man and woman, parents and children. The enemy is raging against the family more than ever before. However, God wants to use us as weapons of warfare to create order in our families. In verse 31 of our text, the Bible says, “I will break in pieces the old and the young.”

This is the battle for the youths. There seems to be a generational conflict between the older generation on one hand and the younger generation on the other. The older generation has been through it all and they do have experiences and ideas that go with it. They know how these things should be and may not be patient enough to pass on this truth, because truth given must be presented in a way to be very firm so that it can be received

A senior friend of mine gave this as an illustration: If I ask you to take something, with an outstretched hand or I say take the same thing by flinging it at you, it can never mean the same thing?  This sent home a lesson to me that I would never forget. It goes to show that in spite of the fact that both statements asked one to take, the way and manner it is said, goes a long way in passing across the context of the word “take.”

The young ones claim to know it all, but it had to be said, we do not know it all. We need to be humble and let go of our ego to be able to learn truth, timeless principles from people who have gone before us. To be God’s weapon of war is all about God and His purpose, the reason why we are all here on earth. When all is said and done, what will matter is if you served the purposes of God in your generation.

God does use any kind of weapon. He is an excellent God; He will only use those who have been prepared. Teenagers you are God’s weapon of warfare against the kingdom of darkness and in this battle, you are not supposed to look like the kingdom of the world. You are not to emulate the world. The Kingdom of God and light has a mode of operation in the way we talk, dress and act. We have principles we live by – Ecclesiastes 10: 10.

To be ready battle-axes in the hand of God, you must do the following:

1. Total surrender – John 12: 24 – 26, Matthew 16: 24 – 26. Jesus says, if anyone would want to follow Him, such an individual must deny himself take up his cross and follow Him. In these days and times, people want to follow Jesus without denying themselves. Just like the rich young ruler in the Bible, who left Jesus sad because despite his obedience to the laws of God, Jesus’ instruction that he had to sell his property and give them to the poor made him sad, because his wealth still had a hold over his life. Following Jesus requires total surrender, not part of our lives. God wants to be Lord over your entire life – Act 2:36.
2. Alignment with God and His purposes. You cannot follow God and have your own agenda. You align with God by imbibing His word, which is powerful and can transform your life [Romans 2, Hebrews 4: 12, 2 Corinthians 3: 18] and by praying. In the place of prayer, you are being transformed and your faith is rejuvenated.
3. Becoming a responsible Christian [James 1: 22]. It is all up to God and it is also all up to you. God needs a responsible vessel to work through. We have been called not just hear God’s word but to do it. God cannot be mocked whatever we sow that is what we shall reap. Be responsible.

When you do the above the Lord God will use you to subdue kingdoms and establish His kingdom here on earth.

QUOTES:

“The young ones claim to know it all, but it had to be said, we do not know it all.”

“The enemy is out for our families and God wants to use us to rectify relationships between man and woman, parents and children.”

“We are in warfare. This war has a commander and this commander is the Lord of host. He is the Lord strong and mighty in battle.”