you can't have my Father's sheep

 I was thinking about David when he was a young boy. David was given a responsibility. He was sent out to take care of his father's sheep. He was out in the field and at some point a lion came in to take the sheep and David relied on God to help him kill that lion. Another time a bear came to attack the sheep. Again, David relied on God's help to defeat that bear and protect the sheep. He was not going to allow anything to take or destroy those sheep. When David ended up on the battlefield he saw Goliath, the Philistine giant, mocking and laughing at the Israelites. He was appalled by the giant's mockery and the inability of any one to stand up to this giant. Even King Saul was afraid to face that giant. David stood up for God's people, God's sheep. He faced that giant in the name of the Lord and with God's help defeated Goliath and brought victory to the Israelites. 

I think as a parent, I have been given responsibility over my children's souls. I am to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.(Ephesians 6:4) I am to teach them who Jesus is and show them how to live a life in obedience to the Gospel.  I am also to protect their souls. I can do this by praying for them, first and foremost. Prayer will bring about a spiritual effect that nothing I can ever say or do will have in the physical world. Prayer can change the outcome of any situation. I can also guide and at times discipline my own children to help them along life's path. I will fight for their souls. I will not allow the enemy to influence them by being a greater influence on them. I will fight for them in prayer. 

Hebrews 10:24-25

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

As I read this scripture, I am also seeing that we as Christians can consider others and lead them or spur them on toward love and good deeds. We can encourage one another and lift up one another. We are to be a support to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to help one another reach toward the goal. We have the goal of heaven and we have the goal of living our lives in accordance with the will of God. When we see a fellow Christian struggling, we can pray for them and intercede in prayer. (Romans 8:26-27). We can speak words of encouragement and guidance to those who need it. We can bring scriptures to remembrance and share testimonies of God's deliverance and faithfulness. We need one another to strengthen and uplift each other. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

I am not willing to allow the enemy to claim a brother or sister in Christ without giving him a fight. I will fight for them in prayer and in reaching out to them. I will urge them to reach for love and reach for God. I will not allow the enemy to take one of my Father's sheep without a fight. 

Let us fight for one another. Let us come together in unity and encourage one another. Let us come together in love for one another that the world may know that we are his disciples. 

John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.