Warfare has been with us since Cain and Abel. Warfare is still going on today. We read about wars in the newspapers, see footage on TV. A war is being fought today --- NOT thousands of miles away, but right here in ____________________. NOT a war of guns and grenades, NOT a way of land mines and mortors. It IS a SPIRITUAL war being fought in the hearts of everyone here. Let’s look at SPIRITUAL WARFARE: (1) Enemy (2) Training/Weapons (3) Fight the battle (4) Victory/Defeat (Ephesians 6:11-12) “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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.”
A. Principalities and Powers (Ephesians 6:12)
1. Satan is our number 1 enemy
B. Fleshly lusts (1 Peter 2:11) “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.”
1. “Pogo” comic character = “We have seen the enemy and they are us”
C. Anyone trying to pervert righteousness (Acts 13:8-10) “But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul (who is also called Paul), filled with the Holy Spirit, set his eyes on him, and said, ‘O full of all subtility and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?’ “
A. Training should start early (Proverbs 22:6) “Train up a child in the way he should go; and[even] when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (2 Timothy 3:14-15) “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast know the holy scriptures, which are able to make the wise unto salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ.”
B. Training Does NOT stop (2 Timothy 2:15) “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
C. Weapons are NOT physical (2 Corinthians 10:3-4) “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”
D. TYPES of weapons (Ephesians 6:14-17) “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with the truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.” (1 Peter 4:1) “For as much as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.”
A. Fight the Good Fight of Faith (1 Timothy 6:12) “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”
B. Fighting the Good Fight involves….. (2 Timothy 6:11) “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” (2 Peter 1:5-7,10) “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue, and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love……..If ye do these things, ye shall never fall.”
A. Jesus overcame the world (John 16:33) “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.”
B. Christians overcome THROUGH the blood of Christ (Revelation 12:10-11) “…for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb….”
C. We overcome BY God’s Word (1 John 2:14) “…I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”
D. We overcome evil WITH good (Romans 12:18-21)
E. IF we overcome…
1. Jesus will bless us (Revelation 3:5) “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my father and before his angels.”
2. God the Father will bless us (Revelation 21:7) “He that overcometh shall inherit all things: and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”
A. Which side we are on is VOLUNTARY. We must CHOOSE.
1. Same as in Joshua’s day (Joshua 24:14-15) “Now therefore fear the lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose this day whom ye will serve.”
B. No choice is sin, choice for Satan (James 4:17) “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
C. We are ONE SIDE or the other, cannot be IN-BETWEEN (Matthew 12:30) “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”
1. Might say… “I have nothing against Jesus”
2. Might say… “I have nothing against the church” IF WE AREN’T ACTIVELY FOR, THEN WE ARE AGAINST
A. There is a SPIRITUAL WAR going on this very moment!
B. We CANNOT be neutral, we must CHOOSE a side!
C. God is going to win! To be victorious we MUST be on God’s side! Which side are you on today? If you are not on the Lord’s side, now is the time to come to Him!