Choosing the right relationships is crucial as we navigate our spiritual journeys, and today’s episode emphasizes the importance of selecting partners who are willing to fight alongside us for the Kingdom of God. I discuss key scripture passages that highlight the necessity of companionship in our spiritual warfare, reminding us that we are not meant to walk alone. As we explore the concept of choosing someone you can "go to war with," we delve into what it means to share a common understanding of spiritual battles and to prioritize our commitments to one another in faith. I encourage you to evaluate your current relationships through important questions about shared values, strategies, and the willingness to engage in prayer and action together. Ultimately, it’s about forming partnerships that are not only meaningful but also effective in advancing our shared mission.

Takeaways:

• In relationships, choose partners who understand the reality of spiritual warfare and its challenges.
• It's crucial that both partners share the same spiritual strategy and priorities for effectiveness.
• Prayer is fundamental; evaluate how well you and your partner engage in prayer together.
• The most significant relationships should be those that support the fight for the Kingdom of God.
• Evaluate your relationships based on whether both parties are committed to serving God together.
• True partnerships involve shared priorities in time, finances, and friendships during different life stages.

Links referenced in this episode:

• bible805.com
• amazon.com -- search for Yvon Prehn books, Tetslestai, if the battle is finished, why is life so hard, the book mentioned in this podcast

Welcome to the Hobo Soul Podcast of Road advised from the Bible and from me, Yvon Prehn, someone who's a little further down the road of life. I'll talk to you every Tuesday and Thursday for about 10 minutes.

And if you'd like more in depth information on walking with Jesus, you can find that at my www.bible805.com website. For now, let's get started on our topic for today, which is

Episode number 60. Choose someone you can go to war with

I've actually got three verses that all tie together for this podcast.

The first One is Genesis 2:18 where it says, "the Lord God said, it's not good for man to be alone. I'll make a helper suitable for him."

And in Amos 3:3 it says, "Can two walk together except they be agreed?"

And then Second Corinthians 6, 14 and 15 it says, "Don't be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wicked have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?"

Now I know these verses are often cited especially for younger hobo souls as advice that they don't marry a non Christian. Now that's good advice, but I got some new insight to this topic that really applies to all of us at any age.

As I was scrolling through Christian video shorts, YouTube and one of the speakers and I'm sorry I didn't write down who it was, forgive me, if you're listening to this, let me know. But anyway, one of the speakers advised, in the context of choosing a partner, he said, choose someone you can go to war with. Wow, what a challenge.

Now think about it. Yes, think about it in the context of a marriage partner, as this is the most important partnership of your life.

But there are many other relationships, relationships you can and will choose to be part of.

These might be a business partnership, a close friendship, a church that you're going to, many things that we tie ourselves to and for them to be the most meaningful to you, to be helpful to your life and to be productive for the kingdom of God. This is really invaluable advice. So let's dig into it a little bit more deeply.

Now here's how I would break down what it means for that person, that organization, that group, whatever, to be someone you can go to war with. First of all, they have to have a true view of the reality of spiritual warfare.

The Bible is very clear that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against spiritual forces of evil. And it doesn't say that that war ever takes time off.

Not only are we fighting spiritual battles in our soul, but we are literally called to wage war for the soul of the people around us. As the Apostle Paul neared the end of his life, he said, I fought the good fight.

He realized that for his entire Christian life he was in a battle for the kingdom of God. And he often used images of warfare in his work, because that is what it truly is. Yes, the victory is ours when Christ rose from the dead.

But we're like the resistance fighters in Europe who had to fight. After D Day, the outcome of World War II was really no longer in doubt. But there were many battles to still be fought until the peace came.

We live in a similar time and situation.

Our king has won the decisive battle on the cross, but he's not yet taken possession of the land that he will when he returns to Earth to set up his kingdom. I wrote a little book on this Tetelestai. If the battle is finished, why is life so Hard?

In fact, it was just released and it's available on Amazon.com I'll have links to it on the website. Check it out. But for now, just know that we are in a war. The outcome is assured, but we still have to fight.

And to fight effectively, you need the partnerships in your life to be ones to go to war with again, whether it's a marriage partner, a close friendship, a business partner, a church you go to, or a small group you're committed to.

If the Kingdom of God and the battles for it are the most important priorities of your life, it's worth taking some time to evaluate your relationships or potential relationships by asking these questions. And the first one is, do they even realize they're in a war? Many Christians don't.

They don't realize that when they trusted Jesus as Savior, they were not signing up for a carefree life. It was more like enlistment into an army with a brutal, unrelenting enemy who most likely ignored you in the past because you're on his side now.

You're an enemy of Satan's, and he will tempt you with more leisure, goodies, affluence and self absorption than maybe you ever even had before. He won't tempt you very often with direct attacks. You'll get busy. You'll be blessed with money and family.

And though you keep away from blatant sins, you also never seem to have time to participate in any offensive actions like active evangelism or self denying service to the poor or committed involvement in the really hard work in your church, working in the nursery, cleaning up, working with middle schools, serving the poor, going on mission trips that are to maybe dangerous areas, not just attending the fun stuff. The battles aren't hidden, they're all around you and they need recruits.

Second question do you have the same spiritual strategy and know how to use the same weapons?

Ephesians 6 outlines the spiritual armor of the Christian and putting it on involves more than simply reading over the passage as a prayer each morning.

Do you and your partner actively work in the same ways and place the same priority on making sure the armor of truth and and righteousness are in the best condition they can be in your life? Your primary weapon of attack According to Ephesians 6 is the word of God. How proficient are you in its use?

Do you know the entire story of the Bible so you can spot foolish quoting of verses out of context? Do you know the character of God well because you've read him in all of his word, read about him in all of His Word?

Bible 805 has many resources that can help you do that. The listing of the armor ends with the with this command and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

So how's your prayer life? How is your joint prayer life? Do you pray on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests? Really?

Do you not simply polite little God bless this, God bless that. Please help my partner have a good day. But do you pray fervent prayers asking God to do great things in your partnership, in your lives now?

Do you pray for the healing for people and neighborhoods and nations? Are you willing to be an active agent, a special forces soldier, you might say, in prayer battles together?

Question number three Are you willing to let fighting together for the kingdom spill into your joint priorities of time, finances and friendships at various stages of life these will change.

And your friends outside the kingdom or those sitting on the sidelines of battle who who may of course be really fine people, but they will have an agenda for you of what they think you deserve rather than how your king wants you to serve. Having a partner who wants to fight with you can make all the difference. So choose wisely the most important relationships of your life.

Choose someone you can go to war with for the Kingdom and the King.

That's all for this podcast, for transcripts, links to related material and much more to help you learn to know, trust, apply and teach the Bible, go to www.bible805.com for now, let me end with this benediction and prayer.

May you walk each day surrounded by the gracious love of the Father, guided by the gentle wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and conscious of the astoundingly real presence of Jesus, who will walk with you until you're no more a hobo soul, no more a transient, wandering heart, but at home in the kingdom prepared for you with your God forever. Amen.