13/08/2025
BIBLE STUDY WEDNESDAY
TOPIC: The Real Battlefield
The greatest spiritual warfare is not what many people think. It is not just about demonic attacks, car accidents, strange dreams, or emotional oppression. Those are real, yes, but they are not the greatest battles. The fiercest and most critical warfare is for the souls of men. That is where the true war rages.
Every time a soul turns to Jesus, hell suffers a massive loss. Satan's kingdom is shaken. You see, the devil, his fallen angels, and all demonic agents know their final destination is the lake of fire. They are fully aware that their time is short, so they work relentlessly to drag as many people as possible into eternal destruction.
But there is one thing that causes them irreversible damage: soul winning. When a believer shares the Gospel and someone responds in repentance and faith, the power of darkness is broken in that person's life. A prisoner is set free. A soul is transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of God's dear Son.
That is why evangelism is not optional. If we stay silent, Satan wins souls. But if we rise up, open our mouths, and proclaim Christ, we bring the fight directly to the gates of hell. This is what Jesus meant when He said in Matthew 11:12,
"The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" (NKJV).
Now, let us pause a bit and try to understand what this verse really means. Notice, a clearer way to understand this would be to take a look at the verse from the original Greek language. The key Greek words reveal something powerful. Here is the original Greek. Do not worry if you do not understand it; you do not have to:
“ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν.”
Let me translate three important words by word here to help us understand what the writer is talking about:
1. βιάζεται (biazetai) means to force, to seize, or to press into with effort.
2. βιασταί (biastai) means those who are forceful, aggressive, or eager.
3. ἁρπάζουσιν (harpazousin) means to sn**ch, seize, or take by force.
The NIV translates Matthew 11:12 this way:
"From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." (NIV)
Please Notice that, this verse is not really describing violent people attacking the Kingdom. Rather, it describes spiritually intentional people, those who are desperate, hungry, and bold pressing into the Kingdom of God and taking others with them. The "violent" here are not rebels or enemies. They are passionate soul winners. These are the ones who refuse to let souls perish without hearing the Gospel.
Thus, the meaning of the verse can be summarized as: "The Kingdom of God is advancing forcefully, and it is the intentional, the bold, and the spiritually aggressive who lay hold of it."
Being forceful means being intentional about souls. It means refusing to be passive while people around you go to hell. It means refusing to let fear, shame, or busyness silence your witness. It means opening your mouth for Christ. It means choosing to share Jesus with someone even when it is inconvenient, uncomfortable, or awkward.
It means seeing every conversation as a potential Gospel opportunity. It means carrying Gospel tracts. It means being ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you. It means praying for boldness and then acting on it.
Matthew 11:12 has nothing to do with earthly prosperity and has everything to do with advancing the Kingdom forcefully. Remember, the Kingdom of God does not advance through wishful thinking, church programs, or comfortable Christianity. It advances when believers rise with urgency and go after souls. This means that evangelism is not just part of the Christian life; it is how the Kingdom breaks into the enemy's territory.
Please understand this: Every time you share the Gospel, you are launching an assault on Satan's kingdom. You are rescuing prisoners from the enemy's camp. You are advancing God's Kingdom into dark places. You are fulfilling the Great Commission. You are participating in the greatest battle ever fought.
And make no mistake, the enemy resists it fiercely. This is why soul winning is spiritual warfare. It is not just a conversation. It is a confrontation with the powers of darkness. It is storming the gates of hell with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Listen and pay attention. The Kingdom is advancing, and it is the intentional, those who are spiritually awake and willing to act, who will lay hold of it. But here is my question for you:
Are you one of the violent ones? Are you forcefully advancing the Kingdom through evangelism? Are you intentionally seeking to win souls? Or are you sitting back, comfortable and silent, while souls slip into eternity without Christ?
If you claim to be born again and have no burden for soul winning, if you claim to be saved yet you do not care if people go to hell or not most probably, you too are on your way to hell. It is impossible to be touched by God and fail to have a burden for soul winning. It is impossible.