C of C - Lesson 11h Spiritual Warfare
Commands of Christ • Sermon • Submitted
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June 16, 2021 Following Jesus into Battle
Open:
The Battle for our children
Thank God for our children
For children coming to church
For our own children
For our grands
I ask this in light of the following video:
I’m not deliberately trying to raise your blood pressure to cause you to have a stroke, but you need to know this about a video made by Nickelodeon by drag queen Nina West
YouTube Video
Good news (if there is any):
According to the web site: American Announcement —
Nickolodeon and its network targeted at toddlers, Nick Jr., are bleeding viewers quickly. According to the site, Pirates and Princesses – the network’s viewership has dropped from 1.3 million viewers per week in 2017, down to 372,000 currently.
That is a 71% viewership loss in just 4 years. With Nickolodeon pushing out an extreme LGBTQ agenda to America’s youth, the decline in ratings makes sense. The real question is, what are the remaining 372,000 parents thinking?
In one of the most egregious examples, a cartoon version of drag queen Nina West was depicted at a pride parade, singing about all of the LGBTQIA groups, “loving each other so proudly.”
The clip must be watched to fully understand the level of total depravity. This appeared on a show targeted at two to five-year-old children, “Blues Clues and You.”
… (Read it if you can stomach it.)
The religion of LGBTQ is on an almost military like campaign that is specifically targeted at the nation’s children. They appear to be undeterred by monetary losses or even significant losses in popularity.
The only way to stop such a movement is to defeat it completely.
Are the parents and families in America ready to take a stand against this grooming and abuse?
So, according to the Word of God what responsibility do we have towards children?
Since Father’s Day is this weekend: Ephesians 6:4 (NASB95) Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
9 “Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.
6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
8 “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
9 “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
1 Listen, O my people, to my instruction; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, 3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. 4 We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. 5 For He established a testimony in Jacob And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers That they should teach them to their children, 6 That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, That they may arise and tell them to their children, 7 That they should put their confidence in God And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments, 8 And not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not prepare its heart And whose spirit was not faithful to God.
Proverbs 22:6 (NASB95) Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
What should we as a church do?
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. 17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
According to the instruction of the Word, I have encouraged us to be spiritual mothers and fathers to those younger than us.
1 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. 6 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; 7 in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, 8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.
We must go to war on behalf of the younger generation.
There is no pl;ace for sleeping at the switch.
No place for retirement from doing what is right.
17 O God, You have taught me from my youth, And I still declare Your wondrous deeds. 18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.
We WILL give an account:
47 “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, 48 but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
So, the followers of Jesus are at war
Imagine yourself preparing for battle. What three things would you most want to take with you?
Recap:
Commands of Christ
Series Foundational Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20 esp. vs.20 … teaching them [the disciples of all nations] to observe all that I commanded you…
We continue to cover the commands that relate to Christ is Lord:
Deny Yourself | Take Up My Yoke and Learn from Me | Follow Me | You Have Heard It Said … but I Say to You | Pray This Way | Do This in Remembrance of Me | Remember What I Said
The Bible makes it clear that the Christian experience can be like a war (battle?). Powerful spiritual forces are set against us and are determined to defeat or discourage us from following the Lord. We can’t avoid the war but we can take advantage of the spiritual protection God supplies.
Dig:
Read: Ephesians 6:10-20
Summarize: what this passage tells you about the reality and nature of evil forces outside the realm of our sight or touch.
They are mighty and elevated in the order of things.
They ARE outside our sight and touch.
As I said Sunday about the blind and mute man, we cannot defeat evil forces of the enemy in our own ability.
We need a supernatural anointing
We need supernatural strength
We need supernatural discernment (physical, spiritual, consequences?)
We need supernatural wisdom
And we must war against them in humility, depending on Jesus, depending on the Holy Spirit.
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
How have you as a believer experienced this ongoing struggle against “the spiritual forces of evil” in your own life?
If we are active in the Kingdom of God we will encounter them more often.
So, should we back off so we are not a target?
38 “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” 61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
I don’t think the Lord will bless those who refuse to engage the enemy, who try to hide to avoid the enmies fire. Thoughts?
Based on this passage, how strong are Satan and his demons?
Stronger than humans.
What words and phrases reveal this?
Rulers, world forces, heavenly places
How confident do you feel personally about facing Satan and his demons and why?
Four times in verses 10-14 Paul challenges us to stand our ground against Satan’s attacks. What might make a believer vulnerable to the enemy and in danger of falling when attacked?
If the battle is a “spiritual” one, what does that tell you about the nature of the armor God provides?
What is our responsibility in regard to that armor?
What area of life might each piece of God’s armor protect or be used for?
Belt of truth:
Breastplate of righteousness:
Footwear of peace:
Shield of faith:
Helmet of salvation:
Sword of the Spirit:
In what way is prayer a resource in the spiritual battle (v. 18)?
Reflect:
Personal Reflection. Do you ever sense that you are struggling against forces that are not physical? What is the source of that opposition in your life?
Which piece of armor do you need to “put on” more consistently in your life and why?
Ask God to help you be more aware of the spiritual forces standing against you—and more prepared to meet the enemy’s attack.
Think of a friend, Christian leader or missionary who may be under spiritual attack. Pray for God’s protection for that person. If possible, contact them and tell them you are praying specifically for strength against the enemy.
LifeGuide Topical Bible Studies - Following Jesus: 8 Studies for Individuals or Groups.