What Wars Are You Fighting That Don't Exist?

Introduction

Happy Father’s Day to all the Fathers in the room.

We are so appreciative of fathers, and the role God has designed you to fulfill, regardless of the demasculanizing and relative unimportance our culture wants to place on that role.

We value you! We support what God has called you to.

Shoutout to my dad, who has played a major role in shaping me into the person I am today

I’m sure some of you are wondering why I’m the one giving the Father’s Day sermon this year.

So I figured I would spare my wife of any questions later on and satisfy any curiosities at the getgo and let you know, I am speaking today simply because I was asked to....no need to read into it!

Don’t approach my wife and say “SO.....?”

Transition - The message today flows well with what Pastor Ross talked about last week. The title of my sermon is “Blessings To Be Welcomed, Not Battles To Be Won”

Pray

Last Battle of 1812

Awhile back I read a sobering story about the last battle of 1812. The war of 1812 was fought primarily between the United States and Great Britain over the period of almost 3 years

During that time period there were upwards of 23,000 casualites.

But there was something specific about the last battle that took place that was interesting.

The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815, in which hundreds were killed, and over two thousand wounded.

But here is the catch:

Two weeks prior to this battle, 5000 miles away in Belgium, the United States and Great Britain signed a peace treaty, officially declaring the war as over.

The problem was that the fastest modes of communication during that time was by ship and horseback, so it took weeks for this news to reach the men at the frontlines.

Here’s what this meant, and what made it so unfortunate: Hundreds of men died fighting a war that didn’t exist.

When I read that, I felt God ask me this question: Josiah, what are some imaginary battles you fight?

Ask yourself that question?

I think we do this a lot in little ways

Married couples, have you ever woken up and your spouse just has some attitude. They tell you they were mad or annoyed at you because of something you did in their dreams? “Fighting with them”

They are left with an emotion that stemmed from a battle that didn’t exist.

Someone did something to annoy you, and you’re not the confrontational type, so instead of dealing with it up front, you tell them off in your head.

The problem being that it always escalates to levels in the head that would never happen in person.

You get yourself all worked up fighting a battle that doesn’t exist.

Or for some it might be a little more deep rooted, and we find ourselves always trying to prove ourselves to the people around us because we lacked that kind of affirmation as a child.

People don’t need you to prove yourself and your worth, but you take it upon yourself to fight that battle.

Well why does it matter if you engage in a nonexistent battle.

The Dilemma is this: The battle you are fighting may not exist, but the consequences for believing it exists do.

Craig Groeschel said it this way, “A lie believed as truth will affect your life as if it were true.

So the consequences might be minimal when it was a bad dream and you woke up annoyed at your spouse, because by the end of the day you won’t care anymore.

But it can be very consequential in other areas of our lives, specifically spiritually, and that’s what I want to highlight this morning.

Specifically this reality of spiritual sonship.

I’ll explain what spiritual sonship is in a moment.

But let me just address the fathers for a moment.

Often, Father’s day sermons are about how the man needs to step up, and lead his family, to put off laziness and apathy, be the spiritual leader of his household etc...

In other words, its a lot about the role you play as Father....its’ steps you need to take...things you need to do.

And all that is good and true, but I want to come at it from a little bit different angle.

I believe that one of the greatest impacts you can have as a Christian Father, is how you model spiritual Sonship.

So on Father’s Day which typically has its focus on your role as a Father and what you need to do, I want to talk about your role as spiritual Son, and who are to be.

Of course this message isn’t just applicable to Fathers, but to everyone here today as well.

Sonship

Let me define Sonship for you quick.

This is a very simple definition, but it lays the framework for everything we are going to talk about from here on out.

Spiritual sonship is a postion and inheritance that we get to enjoy in Christ, that is initiated by God and based in the repentance of our sin, and the acceptance of the grace of God through faith that was extended to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

All christians male and female are “sons” in the sense of being heirs who are given a spiritual position and who will inhertit blessings from their Father.

Ephesians 1:3-6

Ephesians 1:3–6 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Romans 8:14–15

Romans 8:14–15 (ESV)

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Sonship comes with a host of spiritual blessings that we as Chrstians not only can have, but have a right to.

Now here is where the battle part comes in....

The enemy wants to take your blessings and turn them into battles.

In other words, he’ll tell you that the things that Christ has freely given you, actually need to be fought for…need to be won.

If he can convince you that these blessings need to be fought for, he’ll take away your ability to live in the freedom of them.

Now there are a lot of things we need to fight for as Christians

We go to battle in spiritual warfare through prayer

The Bible says that we are to strive for righteousness, and pursue holiness, run this race with endurance

So the idea is not that the Christian never fights or doesn’t have battles, because we do!

But there are certain blessings that have been freely given to us, that the more we fight for them (in the sense of trying to earn them), the less we can live in the reality of them.

Quick Sand

Let me highlight three of these blessings that are to be welcomed, and not battles to be won.

Blessings to Be Welcomed

Accetpance - Ephesians 1:3-5

Ephesians 1:3–5 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

There is this incredible blessing we have of being accepted by God, and it is such an important one.

As Christians, of all the things that you tend to worry about and stress about, and question and struggle with....one thing you never have worry about is whether God has accepted you.

But I have a lot of messed up things in my life

I keep messing up…as much as I try and do the right thing.

I’m not where I should be, or who I should be.

This is the blessing of acceptance. God has accepted us in Christ before we get all our mess together.

Importance of Acceptance:

Peer Pressure has it’s power in our desire to be accepted

We’ll do what it takes to fit in

We’ll change who we are, so that others will accept us, but maintaing something that we are not is exhausting.

Sometimes we treat God like a form of Cosmic Peer Pressure

I have to act, look, or be a certain way before God will accept me.

Now, God does call us to a standard. He does call us to forsake certain things that feel like they are a part of us, because they stem from our sinful nature.

But his acceptance precedes his call to a standard, because it’s not based on what we have done, it is based on our faith in what Jesus has done.

Timothy Keller said, God sees us as we are, loves us as we are, and accepts us as we are. But by His grace, He does not leave us where we are.

No, when you come to God in repentance, He accepts you, and then He starts working within you to change you.

Understanding that order is so important because the freedom you have in your heart as you pursue holiness in God, will be determined by whether you view acceptance by God as coming before or after you get things together.

As Christians we don’t strive for acceptance, we strive from acceptance.

Romans 5:1 (ESV)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Stop battling for acceptance, when God has freed you to live in the blessing of it

Forgiveness - Ephesians 1:7-10

Ephesians 1:7–10 (ESV)

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Christians are freed from the slavery to sin, but also from the shame and guilt that comes as a result of sin.

You don’t understand:

I had an abortion

I said and did hurtful things to the ones I should have loved most

I fell into addiction, and my whole life became about this one thing

I fell into fornication or adultery

I looked at pornography this week

And you might say, and I’m living in the consequences of my sin today

And that interprets in our minds as if I have to live with the consequences of my sins, I also have to live with the shame of it!

We all have consequences for our sin…if you hold your hand to the fire, you are going to get burnt.

There is a difference between living with the consequences of your sin, and living with the condemnation of your sin.

You might have consequences, but God has freed you from the condemnation of it.

1 John 1:9

1 John 1:9 (ESV)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 8:1 (ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Stop battling for freedom from your guilt and shame when God has freed you to live in the blessing of forgivness

But what do I do when those tormenting thoughts and emotions start to rise up, condemning me for my past?

You don’t listen to those negative emotions and thougths, you speak to them.

Speak from your Faith as a Son, and not your feelings as a sinner.

Empowerment - Ephesians 1:16-23

Ephesians 1:16–23 (ESV)

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

He is talking about divine dynamic, eternal energy, available to us!

That means power to walk in His purpose for our lives!

Ephesians 3:7

Ephesians 3:7 (ESV)

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power.

God is the one who equipped Paul with the power and strength necessary to fulfill His calling.

It means strength to keep going forward with God in a world that is filled with demonic powers that are working to instill the opposite of Godly values into culture.

Ephesians 3:20

Ephesians 3:20 ESV

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

You’ve been accepted, you’ve been forgiven, you are a son and daughter of God, God loves you, God has equipped you, God is strengthening you, now get up and walk in the power of God!! Walk in the freedom of his spiritual blessings.

Cast of the shame and guilt and fear that want to cripple you

Rise up in Jesus name and live bold

There is something to be said of a person who lives in the security of acceptance, the freedom of forgiveness, and the power of God living and woking inside of them!

It frees us up to loved by God, and to love others the way God calls us to be loved.

That is a Christian the world will take note of!

Conclusion

It’s my prayer, that as Paul prayed that....Ephesians 1:16-19

Ephesians 1:16–19 (ESV)

having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might

Pray

God we welcome these blessings that you’ve given us in your Son. I pray that we wouldn’t live as if we are void of them, and strive to attain something that can’t be won.

Conclusion

Perhaps there is someone here on online that says, I’m not a Christian, what do I have to do to become a son or daughter of God, and to walk in these blessings.

The reality is that even if you are not a Christ follower, you are most likely fighting these same imaginery battles.

For the Christian the battle for acceptance, forgiveness, and empowerment doesn’t exist because God has made peace with us through his Son, and we have inherited these blessings.

For the non Christian the battle doesn’t exist because there is nothing you can do to acheive, win, or earn the acceptance, forgiveness God.

Maybe you realize today, that you’ve been fighting for acceptance and forgiveness from God by tyring to measure up, do the right things, go to church, hoping that the good at the end of your life outweighs the bad…but acceptance and forgiveness aren’t prizes to be won by you.

They are simply applied to us by grace, through faith.

So what do you need to do accept this free gift of grace, and to live in the blessings of God.

Jesus said it like this….you must be born again

Sin is not just a dysfunction, or inconvenience…it is a death.

We don’t just need to be healed....we need new life.

And that can be done as simply as ABC

ABC’s of salvation

Admit - We are sinners in need of Savior…that I can’t fight my way to forgiveness.

Believe - That Jesus died for your salvation and forgiveness.

Confess - Confess him as Lord of your life. “I’m not perfect, but I give God the permission to change me and my desires” “I submit myself to the life God wants me to live.

Prayer....lets all pray this together

Dear Lord Jesus I believe you're the son of God. I believe that on the cross you took my sin, my shame, and my guilt, and you died for it. You faced hell for me so I wouldn't have to go. You rose from the dead to give me a place in heaven, a purpose on earth, and a relationship with your father. Today Lord Jesus I turn from my sin to be born again. God is my father, Jesus is my savior, the Holy Spirit is my helper, and heaven is my home. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For those listening online, Text DECIDED to 51000

Get up and walk with purpose today!!!