The Unseen War

Introduction:

it seems that I talk about this here once a year. the reason is because we have an enemy and he wants to move us from loving God and loving people.

There are two extremes when it comes to spiritual warfare- both are wrong.

We are going to find that the weapons of our warfare look nothing like the world.

Finally, we find that Jesus has won the victory.

Text:

1 Peter 5:8 NKJV

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

1. Spiritual Warfare is real.

Concerning Spiritual warfare there are two camps:

1. The first camp are those who don’t believe that spiritual warfare is real. (this is the first extreme.)

2. Then there are those who believe that every single thing is spiritual warfare. (This is the second extreme.)

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In the first place, the Devil wants nothing more than for you to believe that He does not exist.

If you believe that He is not, then he can move with anonymity.

When we ignore the liar his lies move in and out like it is truth.

In-doing so, we give him more power than he would get otherwise.

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In the verse we are given to commands:

1. Be Sober.

Lemma

νήφω  nēphō  be sober; be self-controlled

Louw-Nida to be sober-minded, to be well composed in mind

DBL Greek be sober-minded; be restrained

IGEL to drink no wine; to be sober; dispassionate

LXGRCANLEX be sober; be self-controlled; to be self-controlled; to be self controlled

2. Be Vigilant.

γρηγορέω  grēgoreō  be on the alert; be awake; watch

Louw-Nida to be alert, to be watchful, to be vigilant

DBL Greek stay awake; be alert; be alive

IGEL to be awake; wakeful

Sober- Self-controlled, well composed in mind, restrained, dispassionate, (balanced).

Vigilant- Be on the alert, be awake, watch, stay awake, be alive, be wakeful. this is why it is so sad that certain political people have high jacked woke.

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The enemy is seeking to devour us not going to devour us!

Satan has limited power.

Job 1:9–11 NKJV

9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”

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2. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal.

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 NKJV

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Spiritual warfare according to the verse is seen in obedience.

Spiritual warfare occurs in the mind.

casting down arguments.

Everything that seems high that exalts itself against the knowledge of God

Bringing every thought captive.

3. In Christ we have the victory.

Colossians 2:15 NKJV

15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

In Jesus we have the victory.

We know that our fight is not with people.

Ephesians 6:12 NKJV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Don’t get over engaged with people. (Fight for them not with them.)

We fight these battles in prayer.

Ephesians 6:18–20 NKJV

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Conclusion:

not everything going on in your life is a result of something you did or did not do or something that someone did to you somethings are a set up from the enemy.

Tonight we learned that spiritual warfare is real.

We also learned that satan has limits! since he has limits we should not give him any extra power by agreeing with him.

Our problems don’t have as much to do with people as with powers of this dark age.