Christian Warefare
Notes
Transcript
Battles
Battles
Counseling
Personal
Marriage
I can help reveal the tools that are already at your disposal. I can teach you how to use them.
Let me let you in on a secret: You are caught in the middle of a War.
I like movies!
Nefarious:
Star says: "I didn't know I was in a fight,"
to which the demon responds, "That's why you're losing."
To many Christians are walking around denying the reality, refusing to believe that there is a Spiritual war happening around them. Walking around like Satan is not real, hell is fake, and Jesus only matters on Sunday. It’s no wonder so many people are in the mess they are in!
They don’t know they are in a fight, and that’s why they are losing!
Satan and his demonic forces are skilled at subterfuge and exploiting weaknesses.
So we must OPEN our eyes and acknowledge the reality: brothers and sisters, we are at war!
War is exhausting, so we need strength!
War is exhausting, so we need strength!
Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.
Know your enemy
Know your enemy
Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
People are not our ultimate enemy! The people are the pawns. The tools that Satan uses in his little playground to mess with the plans of God. He cannot in any shape way or form win; the Victory belongs to Jesus, but Satan will do all he can do to hurt those that our Heavenly Father loves. Why? Because Satan’s only goal is to hurt God.
Listen, Satan is more than happy for you to picture him as some guy in a red suit with a pitch fork. He is happy for you to picture him as some minotaur with goat legs. He is happy for you to imagine him as some cartoon character or movie character - terrifying. Because then it makes it easy for you to not think he is real. Satan is very real. His demons are very real. Demons - fallen angels. Those who rebelled.
So we have to know our enemy. Identify the enemy. And God tells exactly who the ultimate enemy is: evil spiritual forces in the heavens. There is that word again: heavens. That supra-natural place that we cannot see; the spiritual realm where angles and demons are - and where God is!
The problems we have here, are ultimately rooted there. But do not forget this:
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.
He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,
You are already blessed in the heavens! Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand in the heavens, far above all those evil spiritual forces! And we are spiritually seated with Him right there!
That means the victory is won! That means that we have nothing to fear!
You just have to believe it! And the only way to believe it, is to to believe the Word of GOD!
And God says that we are in a Spiritual War!
So if you feel like you are constantly losing, perhaps it is because you didn’t know you were in a fight: BUT NOW YOU DO!
Get Equipped for Battle
Get Equipped for Battle
For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.
God says, I have your equipment! See the battle that we are fighting is a Spiritual Battle, so we need Spiritual Equipment! The battle is in the Spirit, so the equipment must be in the Spirit!
When you put on the full armor of God - you can resist in the evil day! The evil day is that day when you are on full frontal satanic attack! Where the world feels like it is crashing down. This is a unique day, and you know it is here when you feel it in your SPIRIT! When your SOUL is hurting! On this day you must have your armor ready!
Having prepared everything! A good soldier maintains his gear. You have to maintain yours! You maintain your gear and when you need it, it does exactly what it is supposed to do! You may pray you never have to use it, and I pray you never have to use it; but when you are in war, you better be prepared!
Take your stand!
Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest,
STAND
STAND
to face and withstand with courage. TO maintain position. To BE IN PLACE. To stand firm!
When it comes, you plant your feet and you don’t move spiritually! You lean in!
The word of God says that we have 3 pieces of equipment ready and with us at all times, always on!
Belt of Truth
Belt of Truth
When a Roman soldier prepared for battle, they wore a belt. They tucked all their clothing into the belt, and they tied their gear to the belt. The belt was central. It held things in place. It kept things in order.
TRUTH is the objective standard! It is the WORD OF GOD! It is the measuring stick, the rubric by which we examine everything. The word of God is absolute TRUTH. And to wear it like a belt is to live with the TRUTH of GOD - the WORD of GOD - wrapped around your entire life. It is to live authentically as a Follower of Christ!
Satan is a liar! So you fight the liar with TRUTH!
Armor of Righteousness
Armor of Righteousness
Now we, you and I, are not righteous on our own.
Righteousness is a status of legal rectitude that satisfies the moral requirements of God’s Character.
He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The righteousness we get to wear is the the righteousness written upon us by Jesus! You see when Jesus died on the cross for you, it was enough to cover you. God took YOU into consideration. And when you asked Jesus to be your savior, you instantly received reconciliation with the Father. Your legal status of guilty became rectified. So you have a proper status with God!
ON YOUR CHEST
When Satan comes, he will accuse you. He will try to wear you down with false thoughts. He knows your weaknesses, because he has done recon. He will try to exploit your unrighteous living. Unrighteous living is an open door for the Devil’s schemes. So we have to live righteous lives. That does not mean perfect, throw the perfect life mentality out the window! Jesus not one time demands perfection from His disciples! He demands obedience!
So when the devil comes accusing, and you are living like you should: you get to stand tall, take a deep breath, and know that your heart is protected by the truth of your right standing in Christ!
You have your belt, you have your breastplate:
Sandals of Readiness
Sandals of Readiness
and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.
Roman soldiers sandals had cleats on the bottom. These cleats added traction in battle so they could withstand pushing, and push forward! It helped them to have a sure footing.
Readiness is the state of being prepared for action! We never know when we will be pushed into spiritual warfare. You need to be standing on the Gospel of peace. Always be ready, and know that your footing is secure in Christ!
TAKE
TAKE
In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
The first three items were STNAD. Now we turn to TAKE. Different action. You always are wearing the belt, the breastplate and the sandals. These next items must be picked up! You have to get them out! And they take skill to use! You take these out when you need them!
Shield of Faith
Shield of Faith
Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.
Faith is acting like God is telling the truth!
Satan is going to fire a volley of flaming arrows! They could be lies or temptations. Whatever he fires, if you will stand under the shield of faith, they won’t harm you.
When you stand under an umbrella, the rain is still falling, you are just not getting wet. The same applies here. Satan will still fire his volley, you just won’t get stuck. Because you believe God, not satan.
Helmet of Salvation
Helmet of Salvation
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.
Where does a helmet go?
It goes on your head. Your head is your mind, it is your control center. You want to win the battle, then you must protect your mind! You have to put the Word of GOD in your mind! Your mind should be so full of the Word of God, that when Satan tries to attack there is no room for his lies!
You need to know the Gospel is the power of Salvation for YOU and everyone!
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
And when you grasp that, you will have peace! You will have an assurance! You will have protection!
You need to go back and read, and then re-read, what God says about you in Eph chapter 1!
You have to protect your mind!
Sword of the Spirit
Sword of the Spirit
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.
The only offensive weapon listed is the sword of the Spirit - the WORD of GOD!
Swords are fascinating. The way fencers can move those rapiers is interesting. The different techniques require practice to master. An experienced Jouster can demonstrate a variety of skills.
Fleche - a running attack
Flunge - lung with a fleche
Feint - a false attack, pretend to attack here, then switch.
Parry - a defensive action that can lead to an attack
That attack would be called a Riposte
It is quite interesting to watch a fencing match.
The word of God is our Sword of Spirit. Just as it takes practice to master the use of a rapier, or for Romans, the Gladius; it takes practice to master the use of the Word.
Practice: study, read it! Not a devotional! Read the WORD!
When Satan attacked Jesus while in the wilderness, how did Jesus respond?
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:
He will give his angels orders concerning you,
and they will support you with their hands
so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.”
Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.”
Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”
Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.
IT IS WRITTEN! Over and Over again! IT IS WRITTEN!
Jesus used the Sword of the Spirit - the WORD OF GOD!
GO TO THE Armory
GO TO THE Armory
Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.
When you pray, it is like going to the armory!
Your spiritual resources come from reading the Word of God and PRAYER! Spending time with the Father.
Pray at all times!
Call in Reinforcements
Call in Reinforcements
Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.
Paul knew the importance of asking for prayers!