We all have times in our lives that are painful. Separations from loved ones, difficult relationships, challenging marriages, divorces, job losses, financial ruin, and even loss of a loved one.

No one in this world is immune from suffering.

Yet, as Christians, we are called to participate in Christ’s sufferings. Many of us aren’t taught that side of Christianity. So many have been led astray by false teaching that you can have everything in life you ask for if you just believe. They leave out the little, but important, part that faith isn’t to enrich yourself.

See, your salvation and baptism aren’t just to save you from hell. That’s the small part. Instead those things are an enlistment in God’s army. You are joining in the battle against the spiritual forces of darkness in the heavenly places.

The fast we learn this, the better equipped we’ll be to put on the full armor of God.

Today, I want to share part of my story in the following video:

I want to take you through my journey since my ordination on December 17, 2023, through today. I will candidly share my first-hand experiences of spiritual warfare and my unwavering faith through struggles and trials, drawing insightful parallels from 1 Peter 1. I will explain the essence of spiritual warfare in the Orthodox Church, emphasizing that the fight is not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and wickedness in the heavenly places. Ideal for those looking to deepen their understanding of biblical trials, faith-building, and spiritual warfare.

I will also share how personal trials and spiritual attacks on my family led to a profound shift affecting some of my family members.

It’s my hope this message will resonate with everyone dealing with with problems, providing a fresh perspective on what these experiences mean to a Christian. I’ll talk about the war that Christians are thrust into after their baptism, declaratively stating that trials are an integral part of spiritual growth and inseparable from the Christian journey.

I will explain how the Apostle Peter prescribes faith exercise and the living hope through Jesus Christ’s resurrection as the way to endure trials. I will share how trials are part of the discovery process of refining our faith and understanding salvation and how spiritual warfare is an ongoing thing, likening the struggle to refining gold through fire; a painful yet purifying process leading to salvation.

Furthermore, I hope to bring comforting insights on dealing with trials, validating the feelings of anguish and the temptation to return to worldly convenience. You are not alone in these battles and I urge you to keep your faith anchored on Jesus, in spite of the persecutions, trials, and temptations.

I encourage all Christians to seek God’s help through prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving in keeping the faith and facing trials head-on.