Word by Mail

Download PDF file by clicking link above. Disc 107 - Spiritual Warfare - Eph 6:12
 
Like our msg last week - Word-By-Mail has
quite a few msg's on Spiritual Warfare
 
So - like last wk - if the Holy Spirit is convicting you in this area
ASK US for all the msg's (& notes) on this subject - & dive in
 
Because guys - there IS a War going on
 
The War is really between God & Satan
It started w/ Satan’s fall - & it ends with his final judgment
 
& YOU became part of that War - by accepting Jesus Christ
 
By your sin nature you were once on Satan’s side
But NOW - by your faith in Christ - you are on God’s side
 
The only place you cannot be – is in the middle as Jesus says in Mat 12:30 - He who is not with Me is against Me
 
So - The Christian life is not like a war – IT IS A WAR !
 
& as long as we’re in it
we need to understand how to fight it & how to win it
 
 
Your Spiritual Enemy has TWO objectives regarding you
1) To Destroy your life
2) To Use you to Damage other lives
 
Now - If Jesus Christ is your Lord & Savior
then your Eternal Life is secure, & guaranteed
 
But that does not make you off-limits to the enemy's attacks
 
Have you ever seen a Christian whose life has been
absolutely destroyed - even tho they're going to heaven ?
 
& have you ever seen a Christian - radically Damaging other lives
even tho they're going to heaven?
 
That's why we have the Strong Exhortation in 1Pet 5:8-11
 
1Pet 5:8-9 - ESV
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
THAT is a description of the Spiritual War EVERY Christian is in
 
& so - since you are IN that War - it would be very wise
for you to know The Battle Plans of your enemy
 
What WEAKNESS is the Enemy looking to Capitalize on?
What AREA of your life is the Enemy looking to Attack you in?
 
 
If we will understand some basic facts about our Enemy
then it will be easier to see his Battle Plan - to try to destroy us
 
In Isa 14:12 ff & in Eze 28:12 ff - We learn that Satan
was beautiful & powerful, until he became filled with PRIDE
 
& FIVE TIMES in Isa 14 - he proclaimed I WILL
Exerting his own will over God's
& in his rebellion he was thrown out of heaven
 
& then - he began his greatest & most successful tactic
in the Garden of Eden
 
He DECEIVED Adam & Eve into SIN & DESTRUCTION
 
& DECEIVING God's children into SIN
has worked so well for Satan - HE STUCK WITH IT
 
& He's Primarily used that same tactic of DECEIT & TEMPTATION
to bring DESTRUCTION - ever since the Garden
 
The War is Spiritual - But the enemy's tactics are primarily
focused on your FLESH & the WORLD
 
Because these are your Natural WEAKNESSES
 
(again) Your enemy has TWO objectives
1) Destroy your life
2) Use you to Damage other lives
 
& your own FLESH - & your desire for the things of this WORLD
are the easiest ways for him to accomplish those objectives
 
 
Listen to this quote from the Discipleship Workbook
taken from the classic commentary - BARNE'S NOTES
 
Albert Barnes  -  (1798 - 1870)
“...Satan does not carry on an open warfare. He does not meet the Christian soldier face to face. He advances covertly; makes his approaches in darkness; employs cunning rather than power, and seeks rather to delude and betray than to vanquish by mere force...Satan does not openly appear. He approaches us not in repulsive forms, but comes to...lay before us some temptation that shall not immediately repel us. He presents the world in an alluring aspect; invites us to pleasures that seem to be harmless, and leads us in indulgence until we have gone so far that we
cannot retreat.”
 
So - Since this is true - Today we are going to focus
on the enemy's TWO Primary areas of ATTACK
 
1) The Flesh - which takes most of us out
2) The World - which takes most of the rest of us out
 
#1 - the Spiritual War with the FLESH
 
(as we read) your enemy is
Seeking whom he may devour (1Pet 5:8)
 
& the easiest way for him to devour you
is to destroy your life - thru Habitual SIN
 
Conscious Habitual Sin swings the Door Wide open
giving the enemy an EASY FOOTHOLD for destruction
 
 
Jas 1:14-15 - ESV14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
 
The highest percentage of Christians - are defeated right here
which is why your enemy concentrates so much here
 
Jay Adams calls this War with the Flesh – “The War Within”
 
& the vast majority of Christians are taken out right here
in the War with their own Flesh
 
Gal 5:19-21 - ESV
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity (hostility), strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries (selfish ambition), dissensions, divisions,21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do (LIT - Continually Practice) such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
 
Which means - Your enemy wins - You are devoured so easily
by your enemy just feeding your own Sin Nature
 
He doesn’t even have to work that hard - to devour most of us
 
He uses Deception & Temptation to feed our own Flesh
& then - WE simply Destroy Ourselves
 
 
#1 Primary Attack - Spiritual War with the FLESH
 
#2 Primary Attack - Spiritual War with the World
 
The other thing that occurred at the FALL in the Garden
is Satan gained control of this World
 
2 Cor 4:4 calls hm - the god of this world
 
& now he offers the temptations of this world
in a subtle attempt to DEVOUR as many as he can
 
That's why 1Jn 2:15-16 says - ESV
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.
Many Christians are defeated
by the Spiritual Warfare with the World
 
in fact – this is where Satan even tried
to tempt Jesus in the Wilderness
 
& when Satan offered Jesus ALL the things of this World
Jesus NEVER SAID Satan didn’t have the right to offer them
 
DON'T be fooled into thinking that God
wants to give you ALL the things of THIS WORLD
 
That my friends - is a lie - designed by the god of this World
who's intent is to destroy your life
 
Remember - The WAR is Spiritual, But the Primary Battles involve Our FLESH & This WORLD
 
Because your Enemy knows - the easiest way to destroy your life
is by focusing on your Natural Weaknesses
 
The good news is - 1Jn 4:4 says (KJV)
4 . . . greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
 
Jesus Christ has already WON this victory
 
But we still need to count the cost of battle - & be ready
to make sure we don't become an easy target for our enemy
 
 
So - How do we stand against his attacks
his conniving & deceiving - attempting to destroy your life
 
FIRST - we MUST know THIS
 
2Cor 10:4-5 says - ESV
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
 
Our Weapons have DIVINE POWER
to destroy the Strongholds - of our FLESH & of this WORLD
 
& BY THEM - we destroy every ARGUMENT raised against God
& BY THEM - we take every THOUGHT captive to obey Christ
 
 
BUT - This battle CANNOT be fought - in our own strength
 
Our DIVINE POWER comes from the Holy Spirit
overflowing in our lives
 
Since lesson FOUR in this series,
we've talked about the DIRE NEED we have
 
to be FILLED with the Power of the Holy Spirit
in order to live the Christian life
 
To live the Victorious Christian Life
We must be CONTINUALLY ASKING God
for the Power of the Holy Spirit
 
If you try to fight THIS Battle in your own strength
you are taking a BB GUN - to a NUCLEAR WAR
 
Please CONTINUALLY ASK GOD
To be CONTINUALLY FILLED with the Holy Spirit
 
 
& So - WITH the DIVINE POWER of the Holy Spirit
 
What BATTLE PLANS do we see in Scripture
for VICTORY in the Spiritual War
 
I have TWO Favorites
 
The first one is in REV CH 12
 
 
The setting in Rev 12 is - Heaven Rejoicing over
the Devil & his angels being thrown out - FOR GOOD
 
& in v.11 is a reference specifically
to the Martyrs of the Tribulation
 
But in it is a great 3-step Battle Plan for Victory
in our Own Spiritual Warfare
 
Rev 12:11 - ESV
11 And they have conquered him [1] by the blood of the Lamb and [2] by the word of their testimony, [3] for they loved not their lives even unto death.
 
The Martyrs of the Tribulation conquered the enemy
with the same 3-Step battle Plan you & I can use today
 
1) by the Blood of the Lamb - (Salvation in Jesus Christ)2) by the word of their testimony - (Living their Faith)3) by not loving this life - (Even unto death)
 
 
So - Let's apply this 3-step battle plan - to our own lives
 
#1) Get Saved - Commit your life to Jesus Christ
be covered by the Blood of the Lamb
 
Honestly - Until you are Saved & "In Christ"
there's not even any Battle
 
because you are in essence - on the Devils side
& headed for destruction already
 
 
So - if you've never truly Committed your life - to FOLLOW Jesus
 
come up front TODAY
& make that commitment to Follow Jesus (make Him your Lord)
 
 
Now - Once you're saved (& in Christ)
 
#2) Start Living the word of your testimony
which means start living Your FAITH ! (become a disciple)
 
In order to be victorious in the Spiritual War
we've got to actually LIVE OUT our faith
 
Just SAYING we believe, or SAYING we prayed the salvation prayer once in church - honestly, just doesn’t cut it
 
We have to begin actually LIVING for Jesus
 
We've got to DAILY give ourselves to GOD
& NOT give ourselves to the SIN that's destroying us
 
Look at how Rom 6:12-13 puts it - NLT
12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
 
This is a choice you must make - Every Day
 
 
& Your Enemy KNOWS - ALL he’s got to do
is just the opposite of these Vs’s tell US to do
Get you TO LET SIN control the way you live Get you TO GIVE IN to sinful desires Get you LET YOUR BODY become an instrument to serve sin
 
& then - he will WIN the Spiritual War in your life
 
See - God wants your Heart
& ultimately that will transform your Behavior
 
Satan wants your Behavior
& ultimately that will destroy your Heart
 
 
But again - - You DON’T have the Power in yourself to do this
There's not enough TRY in you
 
This takes the Supernatural POWER that comes from
being Continually Filled with the Holy Spirit
 
So Pls - come up front afterward & ask
for prayer to be FILLED with His Power of The Holy Spirit
 
 
 
So - the 3-step Battle Plan of Rev 12:11
 
#1) Get Saved - (Commit your life to Jesus)
#2) Start living your Faith - (become a disciple)
 
#3) Do NOT love this life - even unto death
 
Jas 4:4 - ESV
4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
 
The Ruler of this world - is Satan
 
& if you are chasing after the things of this world
you are playing right into his hands
 
We must Be careful where our Treasure is
because where our Treasure is - There our heart is also
 
We CANNOT love the things of THIS WORLD
& LOVE GOD at the same time
 
 
#1) Get Saved - Commit your life to Jesus
#2) Start living your Faith - become a disciple
#3) Do NOT love this life - even unto death
 
That's the overall VICTORY PLAN
 
Now I want to give you a DAILY BATTLE-PLAN
 
How do we get up every morning & fight this good fight?
 
Let's turn over to Eph CH 6
 
Starting In Eph 6:10 we have possibly
the greatest call to Spiritual Warfare in the Bible
 
Eph 6:10-13 - ESV
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. [that makes it pretty clear]13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
 
THIS - is a call to DAILY Spiritual Warfare
 
To TAKE UP the whole armor of God
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day
 
& Then - Vs's 14 to 17 list SIX Character Traits of Jesus Christ
 
That we are called to PUT ON in our lives
In order to STAND against the enemy
 
This text is often taught by describing
a Roman soldier preparing for battle
 
But really - This text is about You “Putting On” Jesus Christ every day - LIKE you would “Put On” Armor
 
 
every piece of this armor - is a part of Jesus Christ
that we either “Put On” or “Take Up” - for the Spiritual battle
 
 
Eph 6:14A14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, . . .
 
We must “Put On” truth Every Day – LIVE IN IT
 
Eph 6:14B. . . and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
 
We must “Put On” righteousness Every Day – LIVE IN IT
 
Eph 6:1515 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
 
We must “Walk Ready" to Give the Gospel (good news) of Peace
 
Eph 6:1616 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
 
We must TAKE UP FAITH - LIVE IN our Faith Every day
so we can extinguish the Flaming Darts of the evil one
 
Eph 6:17A17 And take the helmet of salvation . . .
 
We've got to allow our salvation to protect our mind
we must filter everything in our mind - thru our salvation
 
 
Eph 6:17B. . . and [take] the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
 
TAKE UP The Sword of the Spirit - which is the Word of God
The most powerful Weapon
 
However - The MOST Important place to use the WORD is on ourselves
 
Remember - the enemy's primary attack
is to deceive you & tempt you - appealing to your own sin nature
 
& so - using the Word of God on our own hearts FIRST
is the most successful use of the ONLY Offensive Weapon listed
 
 
If we will DAILY Put On in our Lives - LIKE ARMOR;
Truth
Righteousness
Peace
Faith
Salvation
The Word
 
Then we will DAILY be ready - to Walk in Victory
in the Spiritual War
 
& finally - Eph 6:18 gives us the Final Preparation
for the Battle that's waiting out there for us
 
 
Our Final & Critical Preparation for this Battle - is PRAYER
 
Eph 6:18 - ESV
18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
 
 
There is coming a day when Satan's time
to Steal - Kill - & Destroy - - will be over !
 
But until then
we've got to Walk Victorious in the Spiritual Battle
 
Because - Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour
 
Don’t let it be you !!
 
#1) Get Saved - Commit your life to Jesus
#2) Start living your Faith - become a disciple
#3) Do NOT love this life - even unto death
 
& then - DAILY - Put on the Spiritual Armor
& PRAY at all times - in the Spirit
 
Let's Pray NOW