War 1a
As the Bible says in EPH 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high {places}.” Our battles are waged in the realm of the spirit. The greatest leaders in the Bible who successfully moved God's people through difficult times had a firm grip on the promise of God & the principles that would cause them to conquer.
EPH 6:13-14
“Having girded your waist with truth,” means that you are judging your own life by the Truth in God’s Word. integrity
“Having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” Most commentators agree that this not only means that every believer is clothed with the righteousness of God, but he must also manifest a character and conduct that is upright in his personal life.[1]
Eph 6:15 says, “and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”[2] The word “preparation” has the idea that we are to be prepared to see duty (service or battle).
You don’t just go into battle without being prepared. What weapons are you going to take, who are you taking with you, what are the plans, do you know enough to win. Are you parpared?
It’s going to take the Gospel to prepare you.
Eph 6:16a In verse 16 where he says “Above all” it literally says “In addition.”
In other words, he’s saying, “If you want victory in your life you also need these things.”
V16 (all)The shield is the large oblong shield for full protection. Note it is to be taken. Faith is utter dependence on God, upon His presence and His power.
Faith puts God between you and the enemy. [3]
Eph 6:17a (all) “Take” means receive or accept it from God. It is the assurance of salvation.[4]
You need to know who you are IN HIM or IN CHRIST.
Eph 4:1 says, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,” [5]
2 COR 1:20; COL 2:6-7, 9-10; 1 John 5:14-15 (all IN HIM)
Eph 6:17b “and vthe sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;”[6]
Heb 4:12; Matt 4:4-11 (Isa 55:11 Says, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”[7]
Now look at Eph 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” [8]
I. We have to stand in faith & confidence, regardless of the opposition.
A. That same spirit of victory & confidence must be stirred up on the inside of you.
1. You cannot cower down in fear to the attacks of the enemy, but we need to stand up with unwavering faith.
2. HEB 6:12
a. They had to endure patiently, with faith for the promise.
b. (2 TIM 2:3) Says, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
i. There are going to be those times of hardness, but that doesn't mean that we have to go under. As we continue in faith & patience, we will inherit the promise.
B. Jesus sacrifice for mankind puts everyone who yields to Him in position to defeat all the plans Satan launches against you.
1. 1 JOHN 3:8
a. Through Jesus' death, we have been loosed from Satan grips.
i. We are no longer under Satan's control.
ii. We now have the victory over sin, spiritual death, & Satan.
b. That was the purpose of Jesus' coming, to make us the head & not the tail, to give us victory & not to make us a slave.
2. The battle & spiritual struggle for control in your life is over your soul.
a. The devil wants control of your soul.
3. 1 PET 2:11
a. The strength of Satan's kingdom is sin.
b. Through temptations & strong desires of your flesh he wars against your mind.
c. If he can control the direction of your thoughts, he can prevent you from yielding to the flow of the H. S.
i. That's why we need to cast down imaginations.
4. 2 Cor 10:5
a. The word “arguments” or as the KJV puts it is “imaginations” means, “a reasoning: such as is hostile to the Christian faith.” [9]
C. One of Satan's spiritual warfare strategies is to absorb your energy.
1. Satan can stop (or slow down) the believer if he can redirect their focus of attention.
a. Your focus determines the direction & level of your faith & energy.
b. Jesus said in (LUKE 11:34), “The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when {thine eye} is evil, thy body also {is} full of darkness.”
i. But listen to it from the Wuest translation, “The lamp of the body is the eye. When your eye is in single focus, sound, & fulfilling its function, also your whole body is well lighted.”
c. Distractions come in a variety of forms.
i. They can even be friends, issues, family, other Christians. Even be questions over Bible doctrines can become a distraction from God purpose. (Or work that He has for us)
ii. Many fight over the baptism in the H. S.
iii. I can take scripture out of context & make it say that the Baptists aren't saved. But I stay away from those things.
iv. We need to stay away from differences, if they bring a division, & dwell in unity.
2. But when your eye is focused on God's promise & plan, it will fill you with the direction & strength of His light.
II. In the Martial arts, (focus beyond the wood)...
A. Your point of focus is where your energy will end.
1. In the same way, when you direct your focus & your attention on the promise of God, it will carry you through any obstacle until you fully reach the point of your focus.
a. This is why we must continually reexamine the point of our focus.
b. If we are no longer focusing on God's main issues in our lives, we can find that the light we once walked in is growing dim.
i. Jesus said in (LUKE 11:35 from the Wuest translation) “Be constantly scrutinizing yourself therefore lest the light which is in you is darkness.”
2. Your faith & energy can be stolen when your focus is on things other then what God has given us to do.
a. A man once asked a lion trainer from a circus, “Why do you carry a gun, a whip, & a 4 legged stool in the lion cage with you?” “I can understand the gun & the whip, but why the 4 legged stool?”
b. The lion trainer said that the stool was his most important tool.
i. When he put the stool in front of the lion, the lion tried to focus on all 4 legs of the stool at the same time.
ii. When his attention was so divided, he couldn't make any sudden moves.
c. If Satan can keep you so distracted from the real power source, he can keep you powerless, paralyzed, & predictable.
i. In other word, he doesn't have to worry about you.
B. Look at JAMES 1:22-25
1. Verse 25 from the NASB version says, “But the one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, & abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.”
a. The law of liberty is the Word of God.
b. But, he also says “Looks intently,” That means that your focus is on God's Word & His plan for your live.
i. This is the person that sees themselves in the light of God's Word, & sees themselves as a new creation in Christ Jesus with dominion over every aspect of Satan's kingdom.
c. That's why Jesus said something very important in HEB 12:2a. (Turn there)
i. Why are we to keep our focus on Jesus?
ii. He gives us the answer at the end of V 3.
d. The AMP. translation says, “Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus.”
i. That's telling us to look away from all the cares & distractions of this world & remain focused on Jesus.
III. Those that hear but do not embrace God's Word for victory forget the power & presence of God that is available for them.
A. Look at PSA 78:9-11
1. When they faced the battle they turned back. They forgot the greatness of God.
2. Listen to this (EXODUS 13:17 from the NIV) When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”
a. Many today prefer to remain in captivity rather than face the demands of battle.
i. People are losing to someone who is already defeated.
ii. Jesus has already won the victory. Satan cannot defeat us.
iii. But many quit.
B. There are those times that you feel you're at the end of your strength, you feel like quitting, you feel faint, but look at what God says in ISA 40:29–31.
1. Your strength will increase as you wait on the Lord.
a. As you join yourself closely to Him & focus on His plan for your life, your strength is renewed.
2. James said something very interesting In (JAMES 4:7 from the Wuest translation).
a. He said, “Stand immovable against the onset of the devil & he will flee from you.”
b. Don't cower down to the devil, keep your focus on God & you will have victory.
WOFCC Sun AM 3/8/92 From Joshua4.doc &WOLCC Thursday November 20, 2003
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[1]MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (electronic ed.) (Eph 6:14). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 (Eph 6:15). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[3]KJV Bible commentary. 1997, c1994 (electronic ed.). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[4]KJV Bible commentary. 1997, c1994 (electronic ed.). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[5]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 (Eph 1:4). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
v Is. 49:2; Hos. 6:5; [Heb. 4:12]
[6]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 (Eph 6:17). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[7]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 (Is 55:11). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[8]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 (Eph 6:18). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[9]Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the test of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) (G3053). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.