October 6, 2005
The Red-Letter Day
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
—2 Timothy 2:3
The greatest day of my life was the day that I asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart and forgive me of my sins. That was the day my eternal destiny literally was changed. That was the day I passed from a future in hell to a future in heaven. That was the day my life found new purpose and meaning, the day there was literally a shout that went up in heaven, because the Bible says there is rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents (see Luke 15:10). It was a great day — a red-letter day. It was the most important day of my life.
But there is another dynamic that took place that day. It also was the day the real spiritual war in my life began. It has been said of Christians that conversion makes our hearts a battlefield. On the day we make a commitment to Christ, a war begins. Prior to conversion, we are basically where the devil wants us to be: not walking according to God’s plan. But when we put our faith in Christ and leave the devil’s control, he wants to reel us back in. Thus the spiritual battle begins.
It is important for us to remember that becoming a Christian is not a process whereby we simply have our sins forgiven, our eternal destiny changed, and then merely go on our way. Rather, it is also the time when we are set free to do spiritual battle and to become channels by which others are set free.
This is a war, and you will be either a victim or a victor. Which one will you be? The choice is up to you.
Copyright © 2005 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions,
