S piritual battle victory in Jesus!

1. Living water fall series Spiritual battle victory in Jesus! Putting on the Armor of Light Slide 55

2. 1Co 15:57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. If you find yourself in a battle this morning, I have Great News for you!

3. 2 Timothy 2:1-4 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2) The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (3) Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (4) No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

4. How goes the battle? We are in a battle, and failing to recognize the seriousness of this battle will result in your complete and utter defeat, in this life and for eternity.

5. The most often used analogy for Christians in the Bible is of soldiers. The words that are often used to describe the Christian life are war terms – fight, conquer, strive, battle, overcome, victory. We are living in enemy territory when we live in the world.

6. Jesus' first statement about the church viewed it as a great army that would be under attack from Satan's fortress (Matt. 16:18). • “The gates of hell will not overpower the Church” • Listen saints, gates only move toward you if that territory is expanding! Stop worrying about the world! It is going to get worse…

7. Remember what God tells us the last days will be like… “When I return, will I find faith in the earth?” “Difficult times will come” “Haters of Good” “Women burning in desire for women and men for men” “You will be hated by all nations on account of my Name” “The love of many(most) will grow cold”

8. Mat 24:9 "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. • Mat 24:10 "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. • Mat 24:11 "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. • Mat 24:12 "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. • Mat 24:13 "But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. • Mat 24:14 "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

9. We need to learn how to keep our armor on and fight the good fight! ENDURE TO THE END • 1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. • 1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. • 1Jn 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. • 1Jn 5:5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

10. 1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. • All four of these imperatives "have a military background and are like a commander's orders to his soldiers."[1] • This is one of over twenty passages in the New Testament which picture the church as an ARMY AT WAR. • [1]William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975), p. 106)

11. Our greatest weapon is simply LOVE!

12. Rom 13:10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Rom 13:11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. Rom 13:12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Rom 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

13. It’s time to fight saints of God! The true Church is engaged in one of the most challenging periods in its history. Christians are, and will be for the near future, continuously engaged against the enemy, whose goal is the destruction of your family, the Church, and you as a Child of God!

14. It’s time to stand strong (1Co 16:13) Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. (Eph 6:10) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. We need to fight the good fight, but first, who is our enemy?

15. Eph 6:12-20 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (13) Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

16. There is a battle raging all around us, and it is fought by Angels and Demons. • If God opened your eyes to see, you would be AMAZED…

17. 2 Kings 6:13-17 13 (NIV) "Go, find out where [Elisha] is," the king ordered, "so I can send men and capture him." The report came back: "He is in Dothan." 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. 16 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

18. There are those who fear the enemy, who fear secular humanism,who fear terrorists,who fear human authorities,who fear disease,who fear________________

19. When I was a child….. In the middle of the night, when I was deathly afraid, All I had to do is run into my parents bedroom and all fear was gone! Pro 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.

20. Our standing orders… • Mat 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, • Mat 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

21. Isa 35:4 Say to those with anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you." Mat 10:28 "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

22. Do not fear anything but God Himself! Psa 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them. Psa 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Psa 34:9 O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want.

23. The Church today is filled with timid children, not seasoned warriors who are ready to stand up for Biblical Truth and the testimony of the Gospel! 2Ti 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Some translations use “a sound mind” – in the Greek it means – a disciplined mind. What’s a disciplined mind? (2 Corinthians 10:5) We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing (thought) raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

24. Our strength comes from the Lord, and it’s a good thing! • 1Pe 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. • 1Pe 5:9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

25. Living water fall series Spiritual battle victory in Jesus! Putting on the Armor of Light Part II

26. John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. • What does he steal – your money? • Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil

27. Our enemies schemes – Rob you of the fruit of the Spirit Remove your armor Deceive you • Gen 3:13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate.“ • Joh 8:44 “…the devil, ... He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

28. He Steals, Kills, and destroys…. Luk 11:21 "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. Luk 11:22 "But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder. Luk 11:23 "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.

29. Has the enemy robbed you of the fruit of the Spirit? • Have you been stripped of your armor? • In order to fight this battle, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit! • Matt. 25 – we must be the wise ones who have the ‘extra oil’.

30. Jam 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. • Jam 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded • ἀνθίστημι - anthistēmi • Thayer Definition: • 1) to set one’s self against, to withstand, resist, oppose • 2) to set against – a military term

31. Eph 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. • Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. • 1Jn 4:4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

32. Phi 4:11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. Phi 4:12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. Phi 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

33. We need to be soldiers dressed for battle!

34. Eph 6:13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. • Eph 6:14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, • Eph 6:15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; • Eph 6:16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. • Eph 6:17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. • Eph 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

35. Salvation • We need to be soldiers dressed for battle! Righteousness Faith Truth Word of God Prayer and Perseverance Gospel

36. We will not go over all the armor – I want you to do that this week in your devotional time. Today, I want to quickly examine two pieces of armor and the key to keeping it on…

37. The Belt Of Truth • “V. 14a. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth”

38. Truth – Worth fighting for! 1Ti 3:15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the Truth.

39. John 3:21. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.

40. 2 Corinthians 2:17. We don't sell the word of God for a profit like many other people do. No! But in Christ we speak in Truth before God. We speak like men sent from God.

41. 1Th 2:4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.

42. The belt of truth holds everything else together. Satan attempts to get you to compromise on Truth.

43. Many are confused about our breastplate… “V. 14b. And having put on the breastplate of righteousness”

44. Proverbs 4:18. But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.

45. Righteousness = Being good or works? • (Isa 59:17) He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. • (Eph 6:14) Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS • There is one verse that clarifies what the breastplate is, and thus what righteousness is…..

46. Righteousness = FAITH & LOVE • (1Th 5:8) But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

47. One thing about fruit…. • Gen 1:11 Then God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them"; and it was so. • Gen 1:12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.

48. The Fruit of Righteousness… • Php 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, • Php 1:10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; • Php 1:11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

49. Fruit of Righteousness produces: • Knowledge • Discernment • Only giving approval to excellent, God pleasing activities and lifestyles • Sincerity • Walking blameless • Doing all through Christ’s power • All For God’s Glory

50. Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. • Jas 3:18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.