The Battle in the Soul
We’ve been teaching on the subject of “ABSOLUTE VICTORY.” I want to continue along those lines. We’ve been looking at Joshua and we said there are some characteristics and qualities in his life that enabled him to have such victory.
I) 1st we saw the Joshua was LOYAL, STABLE, AND FAITHFUL to the man of God and to God Himself.
A) 2nd we said that he understood spiritual things and spiritual warfare.
1) 3rd he made sure that he had time to be alone with the Lord.
2) No. 4 Joshua acted boldly on the Word of God.
3) No. 5 he knew that doubt and unbelief would stop the victory. He had to be a man of faith in order to be victorious.
4) No. 6 Joshua lived a holy life.
5) No. 7 he did all that God commanded him to do.
6) No. 8 he was bold to occupy new territory without becoming complacent or stagnant.
7) No. 9 Joshua was confident in God’s faithfulness.
a) He knew that God come through.
8) And No. 10 he had vision for victory and success.
a) We always need to have a vision of victory and success.
b) Without it we’re destined to fail.
c) As (Proverbs 29:18) says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
(i) Have a vision for your family, your home, your life, your job, your finances, your church, and anything else that you’re involved with.
(ii) Get God’s Word on the subject and make that you’re vision.
II) The battles that we face in this natural realm actually begin in the realm of the Spirit. All the man and women in the Bible who did exploits for the kingdom of God and walked in victory HAD A FIRM GRIP ON THE PROMISES OF GOD and THEY WALKED IN THE 10 QUALITIES that I just listed.
A) They had the FAITH TO STAND ON THE WORD of God and the CONFIDENCE TO CONTINUE regardless of opposition.
B) That same Spirit of victory and confidence must be stirred up on the inside of you.
1) You can’t cower down in fear to the attacks of the enemy, but you need to stand up with unwavering faith.
2) Hebrews 6:12.
a) Paul says that he wants us to imitate those who walked in faith and patience because they are the ones that inherited the promises.
b) In (2 Timothy 2:3) Paul said, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
(i) There are going to be those times of hardness, but even though those times will come, we don’t have to go under.
(ii) As we continue to walk in faith and patience we’ll inherit those promises and walk in victory.
C) Through Jesus’ life and His death, burial, and resurrection we have been put into position to defeat all the plans of the enemy.
1) 1 JOHN 3:8.
a) The Word “DESTROY” in this verse means “TO LOOSEN OR BRAKE THE BONDAGES OF THE DEVIL.”
b) Before Jesus came into our life, Satan had us bound, but Jesus came to break those bondages and free as from Satan’s grip.
(i) No longer are we under Satan’s control.
(ii) Now the victory belongs to us.
(iii) We have victory over SIN, victory over POVERTY, victory over SICKNESS AND DISEASE, victory over DEPRESSION, victory over FEAR, victory over LACK, victory over INFERIORITY, victory over MENTAL PROBLEMS, and victory over SATAN AND ALL OF HIS WORKS.
c) Jesus came to make us free from the bondages of Satan. He came so that we could be THE HEAD AND NOT THE TAIL.
2) You might be thinking, “But I’m not walking in that kind of victory yet.”
3) Now a few minutes ago I said that the battles your going through begin in the Spirit, but the BATTLEGROUND is IN YOUR SOUL OR MIND.
a) The Devil wants control of your mind.
4) 1 Peter 2:11.
a) The strength of Satan’s kingdom is sin.
b) Through temptations and sinful desires of your flesh he wars against your mind.
c) If he can control the correction of your thoughts he can prevent you from yielding to the Holy Spirit.
D) Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 10:5.
1) Paul knew that the battleground of our spiritual warfare is done in the mind.
a) If we yield ourselves over to the thoughts that are against the Will of God we can’t walk in victory.
(i) Whatever it is that we fill our minds with that is what were going to fulfill in the flesh.
2) In (Philippians 4:8) Paul said, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
a) Paul is trying to get us to stop thinking on the negative and sinful things and start thinking on the things that are good, pure, and holy.
3) If we start thinking of ourselves in line with the Word of God that’s what we’re going to become.
a) Start thinking of yourself as prosperous, as the head and not the tail. Think of yourself as a success, victorious, and an overcomer.
b) (Proverbs 23:7) says, “For as he (or For as a man) thinketh in his heart so is he.”
(i) Whatever it is that you’re often thinking on is what you are or what you’ll become.
(ii) Given the opportunity you will do whatever you often think upon.
E) Turn with me to Romans 12:2.
1) Paul said we need to renew our minds so we can know the Will of God.
a) The only way we’re going to know the Will of God is to know the Word of God.
(i) But this verse goes a little further. In the Greek it tells us to continuously renew our minds.
(ii) It’s a process that never ends. The more we renew our minds with the Word of God and think on His Word the easier it is for us to walk in victory.
2) Turn to Joshua 1:8.
a) The “Book of the Law” is the Word of God, and he says when we meditate or think on God’s Word and do it we’ll walk in prosperity and success.
III) Now sometimes people will say that faith in God and in his promises is the key to victory and success.
A) Faith is a very important step in order for us to walk in victory, but where does faith come from?
1) It’s based solely upon the Word of God.
2) (Romans 10:17) says, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God.”
a) Faith comes by hearing and thinking upon God’s Word.
B) There’s no way around it, if we want victory and success in our life we have to control our thought life.
1) And we do that by keeping our mind on the Lord and meditating on His Word.
C) Turn with me to Isaiah 26:3.
1) The words “Perfect Peace” in this verse are actually the same word in the Hebrew.
a) In other words he says, “Thou wilt keep Him in SHALOM SHALOM, whose mind is stated on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
b) Notice that “SHALOM” is used twice in this verse. That a double blessing.
2) So often we translate this Hebrew word “SHALOM” as “PEACE,” but it’s more than that.
3) Let me give you the full definition to the word “SHALOM.”
a) It means, “PEACE, WELFARE.”
(i) That doesn’t mean that he’s going to keep us on welfare, but according to the dictionary it means, “The state of doing well especially in respect to GOOD FORTUNE, HAPPINESS, WELL-BEING, and PROSPERITY.”
b) So again “SHALOM” means, “PEACE, WELFARE, COMPLETENESS, SOUNDNESS, SAFETY, HEALTH, PROSPERITY, and IN COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
c) In part our covenant with God means what He has also belongs to us.
D) In other words the Lord says, “If you keep your mind on me and trust me, I will give you absolute and total victory in every area.”
1) According to (Hebrews 12:2-3) if you keep your mind and focus on the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word, he will keep you from failing and cause you to live a victorious life.
WOLCC Sunday, June 07, 1998 half of this message is from Joshua4. Doc 9/11/93 SUN AM and in part from WAR.doc the message that I preached that came before “The Battle in the Soul” is “Vision for Victory.”