Spiritual Warfare: Victory

VICTORY: HOW TO LOSE A BATTLE AND WIN THE WAR

Over the past few weeks, we have studied what the Bible tells us about the spiritual realm, from understanding the characteristics of angels and demons, to discussing ways we apply spiritual protection (like being sober minded, knowing who we belong to, aligning our thoughts and actions with the Word of God, put on the Armor of God, and Prayer). We talked about traps and breaking free and three rules of freedom:

Believing Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Stay Connected with the Church

If you stumble, stand back up, confess, renounce, resist the devil, and move forward.

And we discussed the necessity of using and developing Spiritual Discernment.

This week, we will be discussing Victory - specifically focusing on: How to Lose a Battle and Win the War. As I did last week, I will be drawing from a great resource I found - this time it is Harvestime International Institute’s Manual on Spiritual Warfare.

Our Key Verse will be 2 Tim 4:7

2 Timothy 4:7 ESV

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Paul wrote those words to his young protege Timothy as he was sitting chained up in a Roman jail - believing his life would soon be over.

Consider our key verse and tell me: What does Victory look like on this side of the grave?

(staying the course, keeping the faith)

As our focus today suggest - we may lose some battles along the way, but if we keep the faith, we will win the war.

I’ve shared with at least some of you before the challenges I faced in one of my prior appointments. I faced battles on multiple fronts: a colleague undermining my ministry behind my back for a long period of time, a small group of antagonists seeking to protect their power hold on the church by running me out, and a newly appointed supervisor looking to elevate himself. It was a perfect storm. All this while the church was thriving - new ministries launched, increased membership engagement in the life of the Church, greater financial and operational stability, stronger community engagement. Yet every success was met with an onslaught of new problems and fires to put out. It was in this period of ministry that I became acutely aware of the spiritual war that was being waged within the church. It was spiritually, emotionally, physically draining. There was a heaviness in church - you could feel it. By the time the behind the scenes stuff came to light - it was too late to turn it around.

Yet near the end of that appointment, when the perfect storm came together and the church was deeply divided, as all hell seemed to be breaking loose - I can tell you that I have never felt more closer to the Lord. Krista and I went to a conference in the middle of this mess, one that we had gone to for years, and I remember walking in that first night and the worship band was playing a song I hadn’t heard before - Another in the Fire by Hillsong United. These lyrics hit me hard:

There’ll be another in the fire Standing next to me There’ll be another in the waters Holding back the seas And should I ever need reminding How good You’ve been to me I’ll count the joy come every battle ‘Cause I know that’s where You’ll be

Victory is found when we walk with Jesus. I can look back at that period of time and vividly remember the battles I lost - but Victory is still mine as long as I walking with Jesus.

As I shared earlier, in this course we have studied some of the strategies for spiritual warfare. As you apply this knowledge you will advance in your ability to fight in the strength and power of the Lord Jesus Christ. But despite your knowledge of these strategies, from time to time you may face failure. Do not be discouraged...some of the greatest men of God faced similar situations.

In this lesson you will study about four great men who lost battles but went on to win the war. You will learn steps for recovering from defeat and going on to victory despite failure. You will also learn how to deal with the condemnation of the enemy. Failure can teach important spiritual lessons... and remember... it is possible to lose a battle and still win the war. Some of what we will hear will be a similar to what has already been shared in prior sessions - but it is good to have it ingrained in us.

LOSING A BATTLE There are several examples in Scripture of men of God who lost battles with the enemy:

JOSHUA: Joshua was a great military commander who assumed leadership of the nation of Israel after the death of Moses. One of the challenges God gave Joshua was to lead Israel across the Jordan River to claim their promised land. One of the warriors of Israel sinned by taking spoil (property) from the enemy, something God had forbidden. Because there was "sin in the camp," Israel lost the battle at Ai (Joshua 7). KING DAVID: King David lost an important battle when the evil Amalekites invaded the southern portion of his kingdom and burned the city of Ziklag. They took the women captive, including David's wives. David's friends and soldiers were so upset with him that they threatened to stone him to death. David was greatly distressed and discouraged (Read I Samuel 30:1-6).

King David also lost a great battle in the spiritual world at one point in his life. He committed adultery with a woman named Bathsheba who was another man's wife. When this resulted in Bathsheba becoming pregnant, he had her husband killed to try to cover his sin (II Samuel 11 and 12).

THE PROPHET ELIJAH: A wicked queen named Jezebel sent a messenger to the prophet Elijah informing him she was planning to kill him. Here is how Elijah responded...

1 Kings 19:4 ESV

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Here was the great man of God who had healed the sick, raised the dead, and commanded the elements of nature in the name of the Lord. Now he was hiding, fearful, despondent, and wanting to die.

THE APOSTLE PAUL: The Apostle Paul also faced defeat. He wrote once that due to experiences in Asia he was "pressed out of measure" and "despaired even of life"

2 Corinthians 1:8 ESV

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

He had times when he was troubled, perplexed, persecuted, fearful, and cast down (II Corinthians 4:8-11; 7:5-6).

WINNING THE WAR Each of the great leaders mentioned lost battles with the enemy. As you engage in spiritual warfare, you too may experience a loss. But although you lose a battle with the enemy, it does not mean you have lost the war. A war is made up of many battles. Just because you lose one battle does not mean you have lost the war.

Each of these men lost a battle, but recovered to win the war. The spiritual strategies they used will help you when you have lost a battle. It is possible to recover from the snare of the enemy when you lose a battle:

2 Timothy 2:26 ESV

and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

"they may come to their senses” (some versions say ‘to recover”) means to awake or arouse yourself. A snare is a hidden trap. (Remember our study on traps). To “come to our senses" indicates that YOU must take steps to recovery after losing a spiritual battle. Here are the steps to take to recover from the snare of the enemy:

STEP ONE: RECOGNIZE YOUR FAILURE:

Joshua recognized and admitted the failure at Ai. He said:

Joshua 7:8 (NIV)

Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies?

It was not hard for David to admit failure in the incident at Ziklag. The loss was apparent to the natural eye. The city was burned and the women taken captive. But it was more difficult for David to admit failure in the incident with Bathsheba. No one knew of his sin except himself, Bathsheba, and the prophet of God. But David admitted, "I have sinned against the Lord" (II Samuel 12:13).

Elijah admitted failure. He said:

1 Kings 19:4 ESV

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Paul recognized his failures. He said he had been "troubled, perplexed, persecuted, cast down, and even despaired of life" (II Corinthians 4:8-9; II Corinthians 1:8).

Do not let pride prevent you from admitting you have lost a battle. In order to recover from the snare of the enemy, you must first acknowledge you are in his snare:

1 John 1:8 ESV

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

STEP TWO: REPENT: It is not just enough to admit your failure. You must also ask God to forgive you:

1 John 1:9 ESV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

-David repented of his sin with Bathsheba. Read his great prayer of repentance in Psalms 52. This is a good Psalm to use as a prayer when you have failed.

Read Psalm 52 -Joshua searched until he found the cause of the failure at Ai. He discovered that a military leader among the people had disobeyed God and caused the army to lose the battle. He and the people repented before God (Joshua 7). -Elijah repented. He admitted he was no better than his sinful ancestors (I Kings 19:4). -Paul indicated that although he had a great battle with the flesh (Romans 7:21-24) he was able to gain victory through "repentance from dead works" (Romans 8; Hebrews 6:1).

Romans 7:21–24 ESV

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Romans 8:1–2 ESV

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Hebrews 6:1–2 ESV

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

STEP THREE: REBUILD YOUR SPIRITUAL STRENGTH:

In the natural world when an army has experienced a military loss, time is taken to rebuild combat forces before returning to the battlefield. Commanders analyze the problems, take corrective action, and strengthen and encourage the troops. This is an important principle in the spiritual world also. When you have experienced failure in spiritual warfare you must rebuild your spiritual strength. -

Joshua waited before the Lord in prayer to regain spiritual strength before returning to the battlefield. He prayed to discover the reason for failure and receive guidance for corrective actions (Joshua 7:6-15).

-David fasted and prayed after his failure with Bathsheba. Later he received physical food after the death of his child by Bathsheba. In the Ziklag incident David "encouraged himself in the Lord" and reorganized his forces before returning to the battlefield.

1 Samuel 30:6 ESV

And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

-Elijah rested, was ministered to by an angel, and waited on a mountain until receiving strength through a special manifestation of God's power.

1 Kings 19:5–9 ESV

And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

-Paul encouraged himself in the Lord. He reminded himself that nothing, not even his failure, could separate him from God: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... Nay, in all these things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39 )

Question: What are some ways you can rebuild your spiritual strength?

-Study the greatest handbook on spiritual warfare ever written...The Word of God. Spend time in prayer and fasting.

-Ask God to reveal causes for the failure you experienced and what to do to correct the situation.

-Review the strategies of spiritual warfare in this course. Ask God to renew your strength and help you put these strategies into practice.

-Rest physically. Man is body, soul, and spirit. When your physical body is exhausted, Satan can take advantage and affect your soul and spirit.

STEP FOUR: RETURN TO THE BATTLEFIELD: One of the main strategies of the enemy is to tempt you to give up when you have lost a spiritual battle. While it is true that the Holy Spirit will sometimes convict you when you fail, there is a difference between the condemnation of the enemy and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit always singles out a specific sin while the condemnation of Satan is generalized.

Satan will speak generalized words of defeat to you:

"You might as well give up.

Everyone has lost confidence in you.

God does not care, or He would have helped you.

You are so weak and good for nothing.

You will never be able to make it as a Christian.

You are no good."

Do not listen to the condemnation of the enemy. Acknowledge your failure, repent before God, and recognize that...

Romans 8:1 ESV

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Use this verse to defeat the condemning strategies of Satan and then... return to the battlefield!

-Joshua continued military campaigns in the Promised Land with great success. He returned to Ai and conquered the same military forces which had caused his defeat. When you return to the spiritual battlefield after failure, you can not only recover all the enemy has taken from you, but you can also go on to win new victories. -After the loss at Ziklag, David returned to the battlefield to great military victory. He recovered all the enemy had taken from him: And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away... 1 Sam 30:18-19

1 Samuel 30:18–19 ESV

David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all.

-Elijah recovered from his despondency, returned to spiritual battle, and performed some of the greatest miracles in the history of his ministry. -And as for Paul...read the remaining portion of a passage we previously mentioned: 2 Cor 4:8-9

2 Corinthians 4:8–9 ESV

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

Here is a spiritual warrior who overcame.

Question: What evidence of victory to we find in 2 Cor. 4:8-9? Troubled.....BUT NOT DISTRESSED. Perplexed....BUT NOT IN DESPAIR. Persecuted...BUT NOT FORSAKEN. Cast down....BUT NOT DESTROYED!

Remember, Proverbs 24:16

Proverbs 24:16 ESV

for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

LEARNING FROM FAILURE Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth:

2 Corinthians 1:8–10 ESV

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

Paul explained that problems in Asia had taught him an important lesson. The lesson was that "we should not trust in ourselves, but in God." This is a great lesson to learn from failure. You cannot trust in yourself in spiritual warfare. Your power, your authority, your victory is assured only in Christ Jesus.

Paul looked beyond the natural world to see the spiritual benefits of problems, temptations, trials, and failures: 2 Cor 4:16-18

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 ESV

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Paul had learned that even though the outward man perished, the inward man was being renewed. The light afflictions of battle were resulting in spiritual growth. It was not what was visible that was important, it was what was happening in the spirit world. Instead of giving up the battle, Paul learned from failure and went on to victory.

ON TO VICTORY Despite all the perplexities, persecution, trouble, and despair, Paul was able to say in the closing days of his life:

2 Timothy 4:7 ESV

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

If you learn how to win the war with the enemy despite temporary failure from a lost battle, you too will be able to echo... "I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT!"

Have you been defeated in a battle with Satan? Follow the four steps given in this lesson to overcome this defeat: -Recognize your failure. -Repent. -Renew your spiritual strength.

-Return to the battle field.

The Bible declares that God is your deliverer in spiritual warfare: II Samuel 22:2; I Chronicles 11:14; Psalms 18:2; 40:17; 70:5; 144:2; Daniel 6:16 -He delivers your enemies into your hand: Judges 3:28 -Jesus is called the Deliverer: Romans 11:26 -Jesus came to preach deliverance: Luke 4:18 -You are not delivered through the strength of man: Psalms 33:16 -God delivers: The poor: Job 36:15 Them that fear Him: Psalms 34:7 The righteous: Proverbs 11:8,21 Those who walk wisely: Proverbs 28:26 The godly: II Peter 2:9 -He delivers you from: Violent men: II Samuel 22:49 The enemy: II Samuel 22:18; Psalms 18:48; 78:42 Strivings of people: II Samuel 22:44; Psalms 18:43 All fear: Psalms 34:4 Fear of death: Hebrews 2:15 Your troubles: Psalms 34:17; 54:7; 81:7 Afflictions and persecutions: Psalms 34:19; Acts 7:10; II Timothy 3:11 Evil rulers and evil people: Acts 12:11 The law: Romans 7:6 Corruption into glorious liberty: Romans 8:21 The second death: II Corinthians 1:10 The power of darkness: Colossians 1:13 The wrath to come: I Thessalonians 1:10 Unreasonable men: II Thessalonians 3:2 Battle: Psalms 55:18 Falling and your soul from death: Psalms 56:13; 116:8 Those who hate you: Psalms 69:14 Hell: Psalms 86:13 Distress: Psalms 107:6 Destruction: Psalms 107:20