The Real Battle
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3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
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.
Do you remember a time when there were only a few brands of cereal, when milk came from cows?
Life is filled with options
Life is filled with options
We can choose
++What we eat
++What we put on
++Where we live
++How we live
Today I want to speak about
The Real Battle
The Real Battle
Throughout the scripture we are reminded we are in a battle.
Throughout the scripture we are reminded we are in a battle.
The battle is not
++For property
++For power
++For position
It is the battle of an idea
It is the battle of an idea
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
This is our compelling judgement
++Christ died for all people
++All people were dead
++We no longer live for ourselves
Because He died for us
++Our past doesn’t define us
++We can remove the labels
++We can live for him
Because He lives in us and through us
++We are made new
++The old has gone
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
All of our lives we are driven by what we see.
All of our lives we are driven by what we see.
What we see has influence
++On what we say
++What we do
++How we respond to life
What we see is limited
What we see is limited
9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
What we see only tells a part of the story
What we see only tells a part of the story
6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
What does it mean to walk by faith?
What does it mean to walk by faith?
Some believe that
++Faith dispels reality
++The natural ream is not reality
++Faith exist as an alternative reality
Faith
++Is not blind to the realities of life
++Reveals the true nature of God
++Shows us our position and authority in Him
++Helps us to know what we have
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
What makes a container valuable?
++It’s beauty?
++It’s craftsmanship?
The true value of a container is the contents.
The true value of a container is the contents.
2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
The Real Battle will require us to
Know What We Have
Know What We Have
6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
Knowing what you have brings clarity
Knowing what you have brings clarity
Paul knew
++The man’s condition
++The man’s purpose for being there
Paul saw
++Beyond the apparent
++Beyond the request
++Beyond the mask
Paul responded
++Because of a deposit made in him
++With what God had given him
++By something that he had
What do you have in you?
What do you have in you?
This is not the time
++To hold back
++To step back
We must stand our ground and be
We must stand our ground and be
Knowing what you have Brings trust
Knowing what you have Brings trust
7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
It was more than a word
It was more than a word
Paul
++Took Him by the right hand
++Lifted Him up
++Trusted the deposit in him
We must trust in what God has given
We must trust in what God has given
Knowing what you have Brings Confidence
Knowing what you have Brings Confidence
15 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
Elisha’s servant saw
++An Army
++Horses and chariots
++Them surround the city
No Way Out
No Way Out
Elisha saw
++The same army
++The same horses and chariots
++He saw more
16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Elisha saw what his servant could not
Elisha saw what his servant could not
We see
++Something for the servant to do
++Something that was already done
++Something for God to do
To fight The Real Battle
++We must face our fears
++Believe in God’s provision
++Asks God to help us see His work
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
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.