Most of us remember the drugstore product which swept the country like wildfire years ago and netted one man more than $3,000,000.00Β in one year. It was called Hadacol. Whatever was wrong with you, Hadacol could cure it! Radio commercials and newspaper advertisements acclaimed its healing powers. Some small drugstores displayed signs over their doors reading, βMAIN ENTRANCE FOR HADACOL.β
One humorous story was told at that time about a woman who was supposed to have testified over the radio: βBefore I began taking Hadacol I couldnβt read nor write; now Iβm teaching high school!β
Some people seem to think that Christianity is like Hadacol was supposed to be. In fact, some evangelists give the erroneous impression that if one accepts Christ everything will suddenly go right. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The Christian life is a battle, and we cannot win this battle without much diligent, earnest Bible study and prayer. In fact, it is this battle that makes the Christian life rewarding. Formerly we were βtaken captive by [the devil] at his willβ (II Tim.Β 2:26), but now God provides us with complete armor, including βthe sword of the Spiritβ and βthe shield of faithβ (Eph.Β 6:16,17), and says, βStand fast.β Indeed, James 4:7 says: βResist the devil, and he will flee from you.β
God has enlisted every true believer in His βarmed forces,β as it were, and He encourages us each one to be βa good soldier of Jesus Christβ (II Tim. 2:3). Indeed, He expects this of each corporate assembly of believers as well, for Paul, by divine inspiration, wrote to the Philippian saints:
βOnly let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospelβ (Phil.Β 1:27). source
