Victors Over Flesh
Victors In Spiritual Warfare • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 3 viewsNotes
Transcript
Deuteronomy 18:9–13 (KJV 1900)
9 When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
13 Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.
What ought to be the attitude of believers toward the practice of boldly confronting demonic powers?
The Lord Jesus and His disciples did on many occasions, confront wicked spirits and boldly demand that they reveal their presence (Mark 5:9 Acts 16). As believers united with the Lord Jesus Christ in all of His person, position, and victory, we have authority over all wicked powers
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
Ephesians 1:21 KJV 1900
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Ephesians 2:6 KJV 1900
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Ephesians 6:10–18 KJV 1900
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
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.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
There may be occasions when a bold confrontation of the enemy is necessary. The hour in which we live may force this work upon us. I sought to touch on some of those occasions and procedures in chapter 9 of The Adversary.
But far greater emphasis should be upon the troubled believer's constant warfare praying the use of sound doctrine in his or her daily walk and the practice of godly living.
Individual believers must know how to exercise their authority over Satan and demons in a commanding way.
Believers must see anew their privilege and responsibility of walking victoriously as men and
No believer who willfully walks in the sins of the flesh can hope to escape Satan's responsibility of walking hurt and bondage
Galatians 5:13–26 KJV 1900
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
what would happen to a soldier who casually strolled into his enemy's territory during the heat of war? If not killed, he would soon be surrounded and taken captive. Sadly, many believers think they can carelessly engage in sin without being vulnerable to Satan's attack.
27 Neither give place to the devil.
warns: "and do not give the devil a foothold"
That's what he is looking for-a foothold to get in the door of the believer's life. He seeks to hurt, bind, and destroy us through our sins. Unless we know our way to victory, we become vulnerable.
1 John 2:15–17 KJV 1900
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Victory over fleshly sin comes first
by admitting our old nature's capacity to be sinful. That's why lists like Galatians 5:19-21
Galatians 5:19–21 KJV 1900
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
The second step in overcoming fleshly
sin is to count ourselves dead to the old nature (Romans 6:5-6
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
God isn't surprised by our old nature. He knows its wickedness, and He wants us to know it too.
Galatians 5:24 KJV 1900
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
With Christ, the "Old man" is put to death.
The third step
is to walk in the Spirit and ask Him to produce within us the fruit of His fullness
Galatians 5:22–23 KJV 1900
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
He will do so as we yield to the truth of His inspired Word. Moment-by-moment application of our victory works wonders in defeating sins of the flesh.
Victory over the flesh, the world, and the devil is all provided for us. Appropriating that victory and walking in it is our responsibility. Willfully doing otherwise will lead to disaster and may require a fierce battle with Satan before freedom returns.