Winning the Victory

A. Have you put on Christ?

1. Are you killing the flesh?

B. Are you constantly being filled with the Spirit or did you just have a one-time experience?

C. Are you putting on the whole armor of God?

D. Are you resisting the devil?

E. Do you need prayer?

VIII.Altar

August 5, 2007 PM

Clothed With Christ

Subject: Christian

Subject 2: Spiritual Warfare

Synopsis: We must put on Christ and deny (kill) the flesh.

Text: Romans 13:8-14

I. Introduction

A. This morning I spoke of the fact that we are in a war.

B. I emphasized

1. Matthew 11:12(NIV) From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

C. I mentioned that Jack Hayford says:

1. The way to moral excellence is twofold.

2. Positively, we must put on the Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to His lordship, accepting His moral standards, living in constant fellowship with Him, and depending upon His strength.

3. Negatively, we are to make no provision for the flesh, doing nothing to foster its sensual desires and appetites.

D. As we look closer at the path to:

1. freedom in Christ

2. victory in our battles with the devil

3. we need to figure a practical way to be clothed with Christ

4. and we need to follow it.

II. Make No Provision

A. Let’ start with the negative side of things — the flesh.

B. We need to come to a place of complete honesty.

1. The flesh and its passions is not easy to defeat.

C. As we look at Romans 7:13-25:

1. We read about Paul situation.

Romans 7:18–19 (NASB95) For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.

2. He was a mature Christian at this point.

3. Yet he still battled the flesh with its lusts.

D. Galatians 5:16-17(NKJV) I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

E. 1 Peter 2:11(NKJV) Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

F. Paul spoke of it.

1. Peter spoke of it.

2. There is a war within our inner being.

3. The flesh against the Holy Spirit.

G. If we would gain the victory,

1. If we would be more than a conqueror through Christ who loves us

2. then we will have to gain victory over the flesh.

H. Victory over the flesh begins with being honest.

1. We have to admit that there is a problem.

2. That we need deliverance from the passions — the lusts — of the flesh.

I. Maybe our first thought about the flesh is that it is just about sexual things.

1. It’s about pornography

2. It’s about adultery

J. But battling the flesh is more than that. Sins of the flesh are listed in

1. Galatians 5:19-21(NKJV) Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

2. It’s anything we want that God doesn’t want us to have.

K. Before we can move to the positive we have to deal with the negative.

1. Before we can be clothed with the nature and character of Christ we have to be cleansed.

L. Before the priests would clothe themselves in their special priestly garments, their bodies first had to be cleansed.

M. To be cleansed from the flesh starts with dying to the flesh:

1. Galatians 5:24(NKJV)  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

2. Romans 6:6(NKJV) knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

3. Galatians 2:20(NKJV) I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh [body] I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

N. Being clothed with Christ starts with being clean and that starts with dying to the desires of the flesh.

1. After that we make sure that we deny the things that would resurrect the passions of the flesh.

O. 1 John 1:5-9(NKJV) This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

III. Put on Christ

A. Once we have been cleansed we put on Christ.

B. Galatians 3:27(NKJV) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

C. Ephesians 4:20-24(NKJV) But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

D. Colossians 3:9-11(NKJV) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

E. After we are cleansed from sin we put on the new man, the Christ-like man.

1. We do that by making a choice and then sticking to that choice.

F. We put on the new man by submitting to His lordship.

1. That means spending time with Him.

2. Spending time in His word

3. Learning His commands

4. Doing what He tells us to do — even if it isn’t easy.

G. It means leaning on His strength and His wisdom:

1. Matthew 11:28-30(NKJV)  Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

2. Proverbs 3:5-6(NKJV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Kingdom Warfare

Subject: Spiritual Warfare

Subject 2: Obedience

Synopsis: Only as we obey God will we win the victory.

Text: Matthew 11:1-15  esp. Vs.12

A. There is a war going on.

1. I’m not just talking about in the Middle East.

2. I’m not really talking about geopolitical wars at all.

3. I’m talking this morning about spiritual warfare.

B. In Matthew 11:1-15, Jesus is telling His disciples that there is a war going on.

1. The kingdom of satan and darkness

2. vs.

3. the Kingdom of God and light

C. John the Baptist is one casualty of that war.

1. In our text he is imprisoned,

2. We are told later about how he dies a martyr’s death.

3. And yet he dies more than a conqueror.

D. John served his purpose in the Kingdom of God:

1. Ushering out the old age of prophets

2. Ushering in the new age of salvation through Jesus Christ.

3. John accomplished his God-ordained purpose in life — as hard as it is to accept that anyone would have to go through such a hard thing.

E. As John did what God had called him to do, he did it voluntarily.

F. You can see that in John 3:30-31where John says:

1. John 3:30-31(NKJV) He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

2. We would do well to understand this principle.

3. Everything in this world does not revolve around us.

4. I know this concept flies in the face of the me-centeredness of this world, but it is true nevertheless.

G. If you have been associated with Christianity for any length of time, you know that there is a war going on and as we know, the battles of the kingdoms are violent and bloody.

1. They involve forces that are beyond our comprehension.

H. But just as John was involved in that war, so we too are involved.

1. No one sits on the sidelines.

2. All are involved.

3. We choose to be a victim or a victor.

4. As I have already said, John chose to obey God’s plan and he died a victor.

I. For those who have chosen or who will choose the side of Jesus Christ, hear how the New International Version of the Bible renders verse 12 of our text:

1. Matthew 11:12(NIV) From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

2. The Amplified says at the end of the verse “...a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion.”

J. If we are to possess that share of the Kingdom of God

1. it will take a choice on our part

2. we will have to seek for it will with ardent zeal

3. possession of the Kingdom of God and its salvation will come as we exert ourselves.

K. As Jack Hayford puts it:

1. We must enter the kingdom of God by “violent” determination and be aggressive about serving Christ.

L. He goes on to say:

1. Jesus asserts the “violence” of the kingdom.

2. Jesus’ references to the nonreligious style of John and the confrontive, miraculous ministry of Elijah teach that the kingdom of God makes its penetration by a kind of violent entry opposing the human status quo.

3. It transcends the “softness” (v. 8) of staid religious formalism and exceeds the pretension of child’s play (vv. 16, 17).

4. It refuses to “dance to the music” of society’s expectation that the religious community provide either entertainment (“We played the flute”) or dead traditionalism (“We mourned”).

5. The upheaval caused by the kingdom of God is not caused by political provocation or armed advance.

6. It is the result of God’s order shaking relationships, households, cities, and nations by the entry of the Holy Spirit’s power working in people.

M. So today we have to decide if we will become powerful people entering the Kingdom of God powerfully or if we are going to float through our lives and live in defeat.

N. We have to choose.

O. We will only possess the Kingdom as we choose to:

1. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ

2. Be filled with the Holy Spirit

3. Put on the whole armor of God

4. Resist the devil

P. These are voluntary actions.

1. We can choose to do them and experience powerful, forceful victory.

2. Or we can choose not to do them, experience defeat and be a victim in the spiritual war that rages around us.

Q. It all comes down to choice.

I. For those who have chosen or who will choose the side of Jesus Christ, hear how the New International Version of the Bible renders verse 12 of our text:

1. Matthew 11:12(NIV) From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

2. The Amplified says at the end of the verse “...a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion.”

J. If we are to possess that share of the Kingdom of God

1. it will take a choice on our part

2. we will have to seek for it will with ardent zeal

3. possession of the Kingdom of God and its salvation will come as we exert ourselves.

K. As Jack Hayford puts it:

1. We must enter the kingdom of God by “violent” determination and be aggressive about serving Christ.

L. He goes on to say:

1. Jesus asserts the “violence” of the kingdom.

2. Jesus’ references to the nonreligious style of John and the confrontive, miraculous ministry of Elijah teach that the kingdom of God makes its penetration by a kind of violent entry opposing the human status quo.

3. It transcends the “softness” (v. 8) of staid religious formalism and exceeds the pretension of child’s play (vv. 16, 17).

4. It refuses to “dance to the music” of society’s expectation that the religious community provide either entertainment (“We played the flute”) or dead traditionalism (“We mourned”).

5. The upheaval caused by the kingdom of God is not caused by political provocation or armed advance.

6. It is the result of God’s order shaking relationships, households, cities, and nations by the entry of the Holy Spirit’s power working in people.

M. So today we have to decide if we will become powerful people entering the Kingdom of God powerfully or if we are going to float through our lives and live in defeat.

N. We have to choose.

O. We will only possess the Kingdom as we choose to:

1. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ

2. Be filled with the Holy Spirit

3. Put on the whole armor of God

4. Resist the devil

P. These are voluntary actions.

1. We can choose to do them and experience powerful, forceful victory.

2. Or we can choose not to do them, experience defeat and be a victim in the spiritual war that rages around us.

Q. It all comes down to choice.

III. Be Filled With The Spirit

A. SLIDE

B. And, since this is a spiritual war, we will have to not only be helped by, but filled with the Holy Spirit if we have any expectation of winning.

C. Ephesians 5:15-18(NKJV) See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

D. Be filled and keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit.

E. As we put on Christ we will become thirsty for the things of God.

1. A thirst that can only be satisfied by the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

F. We also recognize in our walk with Jesus that we have to have the power of the Spirit to win the war that is constantly raging...

1. I’m talking about the war that rages inside of us — as well as the war all around us.

2. In Romans 7the Apostle Paul talks about the battle between doing what he doesn’t want to do

i. And not doing what he knows he should do.

3. He declares victory through the Holy Spirit when he says in:

4. Romans 8:1-2(NKJV) There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

IV.Put on the armor of God

A. SLIDE

B. To win the war we must not only:

1. Put on Christ

2. Actively deny the flesh

3. Be filled with the Holy Spirit

C. But, since we are engaged in a spiritual war we have to have supernatural enablement and equipment.

D. Ephesians 6:10-13(NKJV) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

E. We must put on the whole armor of God.

1. The whole armor

2. We need every piece

F. Ephesians 6:14-18(NKJV) Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 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, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

V. Resist The Devil

A. SLIDE

B. When we have:

1. Put on Christ

2. Denied the flesh

3. Been filled and keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit.

4. Put on the whole armor of God

C. Then we will have to choose to resist the devil.

D. James 4:7(NKJV)  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

1. 1 Peter 5:8-9(NKJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, ...

E. Even at this point we have a choice.

1. We have to choose to resist him or to give into his lies and deceit.

F. We realize that what the devil says is smooth and appealing.

1. Look at how he beguiled Eve in the Garden of Eden.

2. He got her to doubt God’s Word.

3. He appealed to her willingness to disobey.

4. He lied to her.

5. And she chose to give in rather than resist.

G. And Eve’s was not the last capitulation.

1. She wasn’t the last to listen and give in.

2. Many down through history — even great men and women of God — have given in instead of resisting.

H. But if we will win the war

1. If we will be more than conquerors.

I. We will have to fight the enemy of our souls.

1. We will have to resist him with everything within us and with all the help that God pours into our lives.