Spiritual Warfare

The first and most important thing about spiritual warfare you need to know is:

The devil is real and demons are real.

They are not minding their own business.  They are not simply ignoring you if you don't mess with them.  They are actively, intentionally, and deliberately seeking you out to destroy you.  They hate God and because you were created in the image of God, they hate you.  They hate everything about you. They just don't simply hate.  They are hate.

Your struggle

People tell me all the time, things like:

• "I struggle with anger."

• "I struggle with pornography."

• "I struggle with finding time to read by Bible or to pray or worship."

• "I just struggle with ...."  I can't help it."

You must know that your struggle is not against people.  It's not against flesh and blood. Eph 6:10-12 

Your struggle is against demons and the dark forces of the evil one.

You have an enemy.

Peter tells us your enemy.  It's not someone else's enemy.  It's yours  (1 Peter 5:8-9). He is actively seeking to destroy you.  God tells us in Genesis 4:7 that sin desires you. It's waiting at the door to pounce on you.  but you must subdue it.

Your enemy has schemes.

The Bible says we are not unaware of his schemes (2 Cor 2:10-11).  The sad matter is, many of us are unaware of his schemes.  He is scheming, plotting, planning to do what ever it takes to prevent you from fulfilling what God has called you to do.

It's time to wake up and get in the fight.

If you're done playing with water guns and toy swards, and you are ready to step into your destiny of being God's answer to this world, then it's time to wake up.

Ephesians 5:14

This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

You Need to Know What You’re Up Against.

You need to be trained.  The Bible calls this discipled. 

Your enemy:

He is Adversary – the AntiChrist .  Remember, AntiChrist is not AntiJesus.  Christ is the messiah - The Christ is the all-powerful one that is annointed and is in authority.  Satan hates that.

• See 2 Cor 11:4 - Pay attention to what can be led astray.

• See 2 Tim 3:5 - having a form of godliness = looking right on outside, but inside, empty and powerless

He is the Counterfeit.  He is not walking around like monopoly money - easy to spot.  He's hidden like a snake in the grass. You can't spot the counterfeit by studying the counterfeit.  You must study the real so much that any counterfeit stands out.

• See Isaiah 14:13-14 

• 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 - The enemy and his demons masquerades around as an angel of light.  That means he looks the part and is craftily hidden in our churches and in leadership.  He looks like the real think seeking every way to corrupt you.

He is the Thief (Steal, Kill, Destroy) – John 10:10

• The Stealer - What does the best thief look like?  You will never see him coming - you will only see the things missing from your life.

  • God’s promise: Where there is a loss, there must be a gain.  See Prov 6:31 (When a thief is caught … 7x)

  • What has the enemy stolen from you?

• The Killer – What does the best killer look like?  Christopher Scott Kyle had a 160 kills documented kills, but he doesn't even come close to this assassin.  The best assassin is the one you never expect and never see coming.

  • God’s Promise: Where there is a death, there must be a resurrection.  

  • Romans 4:17 (This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.)

  • What has the enemy killed in your life?

• The Destroyer – What does the best destroyer look like?  The one who can destroy so much that it is unrecognizable as to what it used to be.  

  • God's promise - where there is destruction, there must be a restoration.

    • Jeremiah 30:17 (I will restore you to health and heal your wounds.) 

    • Psalms 23:3 (He refreshes my soul)

  • What has the enemy destroyed in your life?

He is the Deceiver – Matt 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49

He is the Divider – Matt 12:25-26

He is the Liar – 2 Cor 10:3-5 (see Strongholds)

• What does the best liar look like?

• John 8:44 (father of lies)

He is the Accuser – Rev 12:10

• One of the greatest victories we have had in our marriage is when I realized that when I hear words of accustions come out of my mouth, I stop and I repent.  I refuse to align myself with the enemy.  It's the enemy that accuses us.  In Christ we are set free. 

He is the Tempter – Matt 6:13; James 1:12-15

He is the Author of Confusion – 1 Corinthians 14:33

To take your stand.

You must Submit to God, Resist Devil, then, He’ll flee – James 4:4-10. You need to undestand, that the devil will not flee from you and you cannot resist him UNTIL you have submitted fully to God.  

Submission is the key.

Can’t submit to God if you’re submitting to the enemy.

• No one can serve two masters - Matthew 6:24

• Whoever is not with me is against me - Matthew 12:30

Humility = Having the all the power of the lion but showing the lamb.

You can’t sit at the table with demons and Christ - 1 Corinthians 10:20-22

You must be holy in body and spirit - 2 Corinthians 7:1.

We are in the light as opposed to the darkness - Light vs darkness - 1 John 1:5-7

Jesus modeled this submission: Matthew 4:10

• Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”