Spiritual Warfare
Notes
Transcript
Opener: A boy had been sent to his room because he had been bad (Let’s just call him Noah haha). A short time later he came out and said to his mother, "I've been thinking about what I did and I said a prayer." "That's fine," she said, "if you ask God to make you good, He will help you." "Oh, I didn't ask Him to help me be good," replied the boy. "I asked Him to help you put up with me."
James 5:16b “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
Unknown: prayer is the world’s greatest wireless connection
Martin Luther: to be a Christian without prayer is no more possible to be alive without breathing
Charles Spurgeon: Prayer pulls the rope below, and the great bell rings in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so lethargically; others give but an occasional pluck at the rope; but he who wins with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continually, with all his might.
3 Key Realities of spiritual warfare…
The Enemy wants to mess up your life!
I Peter 5:8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (NLT)
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (NIV)
When you were a teenager did you ever crush on someone that was no good?
Even yo momma didn’t like them!
Why do we flirt with that which can destroy us?
The enemy is passionate about taking you down!!!
2. Christ has already won the battle.
Colossians 2:15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. (NLT)
I John 3:8b The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (NIV)
Revelation 1:18 “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (NIV)
Illustration: I learned how to drive when I was 9 years old because my 13-year-old sister stole my mom’s car, took me to a party with her and got so drunk she couldn’t drive! We were mobbing deep in that Geo Metro!
Inspire Church, can I ask ya’ll a question?
Why would you walk when you have the keys to your momma’s car?
Why live like a loser when our God has given us victory?
3. God wants you to be strong in Him.
Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (NIV)
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (NKJV)
God wants to “pump, you up”
How can my prayer life become more powerful?
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 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. (NIV)
1. Pray in the name of Jesus
Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (NIV)
John 16:24 “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (NIV)
There is power in the name of Jesus!!!
2. Stand upon the Word of God
Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (NIV)
Matthew 4:7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (NIV)
Matthew 4:10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” (NIV)
The bible is the sword of the spirit! It is our main weapon in spiritual warfare!
3. Increase your faith
Believe God for bigger things in your life!
Matthew 13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. (NIV)
James 5:13-15 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (NIV)
At some point you have to move on from “God is great, God is good
4. Rebuke the work of Satan
Not everything is the devil, but some things are!
Luke 4:38-39 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. (NIV)
Luke 9:42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. (NIV)
Illustration: Sometimes you just gotta look like a crazy person and yell the devil out your house!
5. Choose to fast and pray
Matthew 6:16a “When you fast…” (NIV)
Matthew 6:17a “But when you fast…” (NIV)
Matthew 17:19-21 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”
So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (NKJV) 21 Days of prayer and fasting
6. Pray in the Spirit
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (NIV)
Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (NIV)
Pray in Tongues! Receive all that God has for you!
7. Do not give up praying
Ephesians 6:18a Never stop praying… (CEV)
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