IT’s TIME FOR WAR

Intro: A man was coming out of church one day, and the pastor was standing at the door, as he always was, to shake hands with the worshippers. As he shook the man’s hand, he pulled him aside and said, “You really need to join the army of the Lord.”

The man replied, “I’m already in the army of the Lord, Pastor.” So, the Pastor enquired, “Then why do I only see you at Christmas and at Easter?” The man whispered back, “I’m in the secret service.” How many of you know that the Kingdom of God, has no need for a secret service? For he has declared,

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1–8

The book of Revelation figuratively depicts the war of Satan against God, against the Lamb of God and the saints of God. It is the struggle of good and evil, right, and wrong, righteousness and unrighteousness. It is the eternal struggle that began in the garden of Eden.

In the Old Testament, we read of Satan’s attack on Job, his work among the heathen nations and terrorist assaults against Israel. The Gospel accounts in the New Testament begin with the Devil tempting Jesus and end with him influencing the minds of the religious leaders to crucify Christ.

Constantly, the Bible writers warn us against the Devil

Peter calls him our “adversary” and “a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8)

John says that Satan seeks to elicit sin in our lives to become like Him (I John 3:8).

The apostle Paul constantly warned of the devil in his writings. He described the devil as crafty, clever, and cunning. (Eph. 6:11). “Resist the devil,” he urged.

Jesus flat-out called the Devil “our enemy” (Matt 13:39).

A DEFINITION What is Spiritual Warfare Spiritual warfare is that conflict being waged in the invisible, spiritual realm that is being manifest in the visible, physical realm. In other words, spiritual warfare is a battle between invisible, angelic forces that affect you and me that sometimes you and I can’t see. But the effects are very visible. It’s hard enough to fight an enemy you can see. It’s much harder to fight someone you can’t see. In his classic statement on spiritual warfare, Paul wrote: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places’ (Eph 6:12)

Often, we make the mistake that people are the real problem. People can be bad, no doubt. But as bad as people can be, they are merely conduits for this greater battle. Satan has been successful in getting us to fight people rather than fighting that which is causing people to be the way they are.

SCRIP: "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Cori 10:3-5

PRAY

So many Christians have become passive and fearful. Some are satisfied just to believe the right things and attend church services and activities each week. This type of lifestyle is quite different from that which Jesus had called believers. Like the apostles (Lk 9:1-2)

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. (2) He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. and the seventy (Lk 10) who were told by Jesus to go out and preach and teach about the kingdom of God, and he also said they were to heal the sick and set the captives free. In Matt. 28:18-20, Jesus commissioned the disciples.

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. and remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

John 14: 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

The Devil is evil.He fills the world with wickedness. He spreads envy, jealousy, and hate. He is a liar. And a murderer. And He has seduced the hearts of corrupt men and women to propagate his wave of destruction on humanity.

The Devil has declared war on us! The Devil through his followers divides nations and creates chaos. But more than that, Satan invades our homes with filthy entertainment. Fills our minds with lustful thoughts. Floods the internet with suggestive and outright lurid solicitations.

The Tempter calls good, evil, and evil, good. He desecrates marriage. Destroys the sanctify of human life. Glorifies perversion. Undermines godly values. Attacks Christianity. And desires to destroy you!

So, isn’t it time we declare war?! War on the Devil! He is the Great Satan. The venomous serpent. The dangerous dragon.

Satan assaults our churches. Our homes. Our marriages, our youth, our very minds.

It’s time for preachers and pastors to declare war! For mothers and fathers to declare war! For young people to declare war!

We’re at war, whether are not you want to believe it or not! Let’s fight for our families our churches, our nation our very souls.

Paul’s battle cry has never been more appropriate. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Eph, 6:10-13)

1 Timothy 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

The church you are sitting in is under attack. The home you live in and the family that you are a part of is under attack.

We are under attack from the very gates of hell, and IT’S TIME TO DECLARE WAR!

A. His Commission­ – This charge I commit unto thee…

We are all commissioned in the army of God.

We have all been charged to take up the banner and stand with the people of God.

2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

B. His Cover – the prophecies which went on before on thee, that thou by them…

· Our main defense is the Word of God. Our only offensive weapon is the Word of God. The primary motivation is the Word of God. Our handbook is the Word of God.

What we believe; what we stand for; what we fight for is found in the Word of God.

Let me begin by saying we live in a generation of weak-kneed Christians.

Nobody is willing to fight.

They won’t fight for their marriage. They won’t fight for their children. They won’t fight for their church. They won’t fight for their freedoms and liberties.

God’s people have been commanded to FIGHT!

We have been charged to declare war! God’s men ought to be warriors. God’s ladies ought to be warriors.

Young people need to develop a warfare mentality. The world we are living in is not a video game.

When God says GAME OVER, it’s game over!! There are no second chances!

The Attacks of the Devil

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Satan declared war on the church thousands of years ago.

The problem is many in the church has never declared war on him!

You can’t play games with the devil. He’s not in the game playing business. He’s in the devouring business. He’s in the damning to hell business. He’s in the destroying business. He came to steal, kill, and destroy.

It’s high time Daddy that you declared war on the Devil! It’s high time Mama that you declared war on the Devil!

Ever since the Garden of Eden, Satan has been committed to undoing everything God has done.

What would it take for you to get up off the couch and declare war?

How much more abuse will you be subjected to? How much more ground are you willing to give up? How many more victories are you willing to hand him?

How much more robbing and stealing and killing will you allow him to get away with before you declare war?

Satan has succeeded in using diversions and distractions to further his attacks.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Our enemy is not flesh and blood.

He would love for us to focus all our attention on Black Lives Matter and Antifa and White Supremacy

He would love it if we got so tunnel visioned that we fought everybody and even each other.

But our enemy – the real villain is Satan himself!

If we declare war on everybody and everything but him, WE WILL LOSE THIS BATTLE!!

The war we are in is a spiritual war. The battle is a battle against demonic and unclean spirits.

We desperately need to declare war against the devil this evening!

God is not asking us to die for Him – He’s asking us to LIVE for him!

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

What Does Victory Look Like And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Make some things in your life NON-NEGOTIABLE.

NO DISCUSSION NECESSARY – THIS IS WHAT I’M GOING TO DO – THIS IS THE WAY IT’S GOING TO BE – PERIOD!!!!

Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

This means first place, second place or third place. If you give him place, he will advance; he will take more ground. Stand firm on the Word of God.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable,

Conclusion: And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”