VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY

VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY

1 Peter 5:7-11 [NRSV]

7 Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. 8 Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. 10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

Introduction.

The first step on the way to victory is to recognize the enemy.

In the book titled by Sun Tzu “The Art of War”

Sun Tzu was a military strategist and advisor to a king in China around 500BC.

We should read The Art of War as a guide on how to deal with potential conflicts in our lives. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the business world or personal world, we can all learn something.

there a qoute, “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”

If you doubt yourself then how do you expect to win ?

The key is being proactive and mental preparation. It’s better to make yourself fireproof than to see whether or not you can put fires out.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57 KJV

In the first part of chapter five, Peter focused on the portrait of the pastor, the under-shepherd of the church. As he continues through this chapter, the focus shifts to the flock in the church. What he gives to us in this portion of Scripture are the demands or disciplines in dealing with the Devil. We are in a spiritual war and he gives us insights that will help us to fight that war.

Three things,

• The Adversary Is The Devil

v8 Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.

HIS IDENTITY. Here we are told he is the Devil.

You will notice here that Peter referred to the devil as the adversary of his readers. This was a word of warning to them to not believe that the devil would do anything for their spiritual or eternal good. The word “adversary” has reference to an opponent or enemy.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

John 10:10 (NRSV)

Peter added another demand in dealing with the Devil. He said “Be vigilant.” The word “vigilant” mean “to watch, to give strict attention to a matter; to be cautious; to take heed lest a destructive calamity, suddenly overtake you through your negligence.”

If we are to deal with the Devil, we need to be on our guard and attentive to Satanic traps and temptations that may ensnare us.

The Adversary Is The Devil

His Aim Is To Devour

v8 Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.

'And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou?

Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down

Job 1:7 (KJV)

The Devil is like a roaring lion that prowls for prey to devour. Lions roar for a variety of reasons. They roar when they are about to leap upon their victims. They roar to communicate with other lions, to identify a kill, or to declare their territory and warn off any other lions that might invade it. Satan desires to control you and claim your testimony, even though you are a Christian. If he cannot lay claim to your soul, he will try to claim your life.

Satan and his forces roam this world to see which Christians are weak and prime targets for temptation and destruction. He targets those believers that are independent of God and have isolated themselves from other Christians.

The Adversary Is The Devil

His Aim Is To Devour

He's Able To Be Defeated

The Devil Can Be Defeated

Be steadfast in your faith, knowing that the Lord has already defeated the devil and that victory for the child of God is found in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, Revelation 12:9 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1 John 4:4 (KJV)

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Paul said, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it”

VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY

I.We Need A Faith That's Steadfast

v9a Resist him, steadfast in your faith,

STEADFAST

Peter said that our resistance should be steadfast in the faith. The word “steadfast” forms our English word “steroid” or “stereo.” It is from the word stereos which means “strong, firm, rigid, solid, immovable, or balanced at both ends.”

We are to resist the Devil firmly in our faith in the Lord.

There is three kind of Faith:

• Dead Faith

So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

James 2:17 (NRSV)

Demonic Faith

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder.

James 2:19 (NRSV)

Dead Faith

Demonic Faith

Delicate Faith

Jesus said to him,"If you are able!--All things can be

done for the one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out, "I believe; help my unbelief!"

Mark 9:24 (NRSV)

There was once a little girl who listened attentively as her father read the family devotions. She seemed awed by her parents’ talk of God’s limitless power and mercy. “Daddy,” she asked, “how big is God?” Her father thought for a moment and answered, “Honey, I do not know how big God is, but I do know he is always bigger than your needs.”

I. We Need A Faith That's Steadfast

II. We Need To Fellowship With Sufferers

v9b for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing. the same kinds of suffering

..You're not the only one plunged into these hard times, it's the same with Christians all over the world."

1 Peter 5:9b [Message]

• The Devil Doesn't Want Us Uniting With Other Saints Who Are Suffering.

• The Devil Wants Us To Suffer In Silence.

“Whom resist stedfast in the faith.” The picture here is of an army standing against an enemy. We should stand with other believers. I do not think you can resist the Devil by yourself. You not only need the armor of God, but you will also need other believers to stand with you. That is the reason that whenever I have need. I want them to stand with me in prayer—we need to do that. “Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

God Builds Our Strength Through Our Surroundings.

Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus' feet and begged him to come to his house,

Luke 8:41 (NRSV)

for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying. As he went, the crowds pressed in on him.

Luke 8:42 (NRSV)

Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her.

Luke 8:43 (NRSV

'And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

Revelation 12:7 (KJV)

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Revelation 12:11 (KJV)

I. We Need A Faith That's Steadfast

Il. We Need To Fellowship With Sufferers

Ill. We Need Favor From The Sovereign

"And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you.

1 Peter 5:10 (NRSV)

4 - Fold Favor Of God

Restoration From God

Reinforcement From God

"And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you.

1 Peter 5:10 (NRSV)

Restoration From God

Reinforcement From God

Renewal From God

Reestablishment From God