There is a battle going on over your life.

There is God, on the one hand, beckoning on you, knocking on the door of your heart and the devil on the other hand constantly seeking to dominate your mind and your will. Ultimately, your actions, inactions, thought pattern and behavioural tendencies determine who you approve of in your life.

In the race of life, there is no middle ground. You are either for God or for the devil. Even as a professing Christian, it is imperative that you pause occasionally to reassess your spiritual state. The Apostle, Paul, said, "Examine yourself as to whether you are in the faith." (2Corrinthians 13:5)

At every stage, you should assess yourself to know if you're still on the side of the Truth. The reason is that in these last days, the devil is intensifying his efforts of keeping people as far away from the truth as possible by twisting Scriptural facts and presenting falsehood as the truth so that even those who know God intimately may be deceived.

In Paul's second letter to Timothy, he admonished Timothy to; "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." (2Timothy 4:2). 

Why did Paul emphasize the need for Timothy to Preach the truth he had received with all amount of seriousness and commitment? The next verse answers this question.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables."

2Timothy 4:3-4 

Paul was preparing Timothy for the time - and I believe that time is now - when men will turn their ears from the truth, listening instead to seductive teachings and doctrines of the devil. People want to be deceived and the devil is taking full advantage of the popular disdain for the truth to propagate teachings that are clearly at variance with the message of Christ.

In the end, Paul said to Timothy, "But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,  fulfill your ministry." (2Timothy 4:5).

Don't be deceived. Stay vigilant and focused. Hold on to the truth of God's word till the end because when Christ returns, only those who are on God's side will spend eternity with Him in heaven.

1. LIEUTENANT SHITU KYOM LEO.

Lieutenant Shitu Kyom Leo was from Kaduna State and he was killed two weeks to his wedding by Boko Haram. According to newsmen, "he was a former student of ECWA Staff School in Jos, Plateau State, he left the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria when he was a second year student of history to attend the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA)."

Friends and family wrote a tributes to him.

Miss Nkechi Afamu wrote: “RIP LEO, My Childhood friend. I can’t believe you are gone, what happens to Tida and Wyari your lovely sisters. I can’t question God but its hard to say Goodbye. REST ON KY. we will all miss you.”

“Rest in peace gentleman Officer. Lieutenant You died as a hero, doing what we have signed for."

2. CAPTAIN KENNETH ONUBAH.

Report has it that, "Captain Onubah was from Ifite-Oraifite in Anambra State. He was killed in an ambushed by Boko Haram."

The late Captain Onubah was buried with his late colleagues.

3. LANCE CORPORAL DAVID USMAN.

Usman David was also killed by Boko Haram terrorists at the Nigeria-Chad border. Newsmen disclosed that, "his mother, 55-year-old cried out that the Nigerian Federal Government has neglected them. In an interview with Punch, she narrated her experience. The late Usman was aged 37 when he was killed and he left two children and a wife as at the time he was killed." 

4. MAJOR SAMUEL JEGA KANADY DALAKY.

The late Major Dalaky was killed in Yobe State. According to newsmen, "he was popularly known as Major Dalaky amongst his friends and colleagues he hailed from Gombe State. An old boy of the Nigerian Military School, NMS, Zaria, he was a member of the 50th Regular Course at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna State. He was survived by two children and his wife. His family spoke out against any amnesty offer to the Boko Haram terrorists."

5. COLONEL KABIRU SALISU.

"The late Colonel Kabiru was killed when his armoured personnel carrier (APC) was attacked by Boko Haram militants. A respected troop commander, his vehicle came under a barrage of artillery fire, burst into flames killing him and others in the vehicle." His death raised concerns over the safety of the equipment supplied to Nigerian soldiers to fight Boko Haram. A report was stated that, "about the same time, over 200 wives of Nigerian soldiers of the 103 Battalion in Enugu took to the streets to protest the posting of their husbands to Borno and Yobe states." May his soul rest in peace.

6. CAPTAIN BENJAMIN TOYIRING SULE.

Captain Benjamin Toyiring Sule was a gallant Soldier killed during an ambushed by Boko Haram in the battle field in Bama, Borno State. He got married newly then after one month he was posted to Borno. Benjamin Sule is survived by parents, siblings and his wife.

All these men died for serving their father's land. Their families and friends are in pain. Let's continue to pray for God's comfort and grace.

Please share to others for prayers.