Our Spiritual Warfare
Introduction: We are in a war. All of you may not be hearing the gunfire and seeing the smoke rise as the enemy attacks but that does not mean that the war has ceased. There are other people and other times perhaps even now where the sky is filled with smoke and gunshots are going off left and right. What should we do in such times? What should we be looking for? Why is the enemy attacking so strong? Who will help us?
- The Nature of Our Warfare
- Spiritual in Nature (Ephesians 6:12For 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.
See All...) - The war is not with your spouse
- The war is not with your children
- The war is not with your boss
- The war is not with your brothers and sisters in Christ
- It is spiritual and the enemy is spiritual
- Physical in Manifestation
- Job
- Oxen and Asses taken away and servants killed (Job 1:14-15 [14] And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
[15] And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
See All...) - Fire came down and burnt up the sheep and the servants (Job 1:16While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
See All...) - The camels have been taken and the servants killed (Job 1:17While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
See All...) - The sons and daughters are dead. The wind blew the house down while they were inside. (Job 1:18-19 [18] While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
[19] And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
See All...) - Job was smitten with boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. (Job 2:7-8 [7] So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
[8] And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
See All...) - Paul
- 39 stripes from the Jews (5 times) (2 Corinthians 11:24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
See All...) - 3 times beaten with rods (2 Corinthians 11:25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
See All...) - stoned (2 Corinthians 11:25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
See All...) - 3 times suffered shipwreck (2 Corinthians 11:25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
See All...) - In troubles by all different groups (2 Corinthians 11:26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
See All...) - In weariness and painfulness (2 Corinthians 11:27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
See All...) - In hunger and thirst (2 Corinthians 11:27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
See All...) - In cold and nakedness (2 Corinthians 11:27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
See All...) - The Purpose of Our Warfare
- Satan
- 1 Peter 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
See All... Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: - God
- To strengthen us
- To drive us to prayer (Ephesians 6:18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
See All...) - To conquer more territory for the Lord’s sake
- The Armor of Our Warfare
- Our Weapons of Defense
- Loins girt about with truth (Ephesians 6:14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
See All...) - Breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
See All...) - Feet shod with preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
See All...) - Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
See All...) - Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
See All...) - Our Weapons of Offense
- Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
See All...) - Prayer (Ephesians 6:18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
See All...) - Our Captain
- His Experience
- He led the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage
- He was the captain of the Lord’s host that appeared to Joshua just before Jericho (Joshua 5:13-15 [13] And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
[14] And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?
[15] And the captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
See All...) - He took Gideon’s 300 men and defeated the much larger Midianite army (Judges 7:19-22 [19] So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
[20] And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
[21] And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
[22] And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.
See All...) - He defeated Sennacherib and the Assyrians when He single handedly wiped out 185,000 in one night (Isaiah 37:36Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
See All...) - He overcame the temptation of Satan to forego the cross (Matthew 4:1-11 [1] Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
[2] And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
[3] And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
[4] But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
[5] Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
[6] And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
[7] Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
[8] Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
[9] And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
[10] Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
[11] Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
See All...) - He conquered death, hell and the grave
- His Completion
- He’s coming again to finish off all of His enemies (Revelation 19:11-21 [11] And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
[12] His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
[13] And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
[14] And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
[15] And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
[16] And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
[17] And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
[18] That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
[19] And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
[20] And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
[21] And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
See All...; 20:9-14
See All...)
Conclusion: When the fog rolls back and the smoke vanishes from the battle scene, will you be standing? Better yet, will your brothers and sisters in Christ be standing? Has the enemy attacked your home? If so, don’t quit. Stand. Call for backup from your brothers and sisters and ask them for prayer. Endure the present battle, but when it’s over, realize that the war is not over until the trumpet sounds.