Making the right decision for the right reason doesn’t always feel good.

In fact, sometimes it’s painful. But when the alternative is sin—when the alternative is turning your back on God’s commands, there is no choice.

An easy way to avoid finding oneself in this position is to refuse to get involved—don’t stand for anything and keep focused on the floor.

The problem with that philosophy is supporting it with scripture. If God tells us to make disciples of every nation, we need to get involved—even when engaging the lost means engaging the enemy.

The battlefield is strewn with casualties—that makes doing the right thing a daunting task. But we must not allow that to keep us living lives of comfort and safety while the world perishes around us.

Make no mistake—the battle lines have already been drawn. We just need to determine where we are going to stand.

The toll it takes on us to follow God may be costly. It may take the form of persecution, illness or death. But still, we are commanded to go, spreading the Gospel to a lost world no matter the cost.

Persecution leads to choices—do we allow ourselves to be used? Do we allow God to have a blank check with our lives? Our homes? Our future?

Engaging the enemy also leads to choices. When confronted by sin, do we allow it to take root by turning a blind eye? Or instead, do we stand against it, regardless of how painful the consequences may be?

When we stand before Christ, do we really want to justify why we didn’t go where He told us to go, act when He told us to act, or stand against sin when we were called upon to do so?

It isn’t easy—it’s not supposed to be. This is war.