In Sermon Illustrations: "Cultural Warfare"

Soldier For Life

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jul 2, 2021

While I am honored and privileged to have served in my country's military, my desire now is to serve honorably in the army of Jesus Christ. I want to be able to serve on the battlefield, I want to live the life of a warrior. I am too old to serve my country, but I pray for many years to do ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Tags: Obedience, Victory, Warfare, Weapons

Denomination: Baptist

The Courage Of Civil War Leader Stonewall Jackson ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2005

The courage of Civil War leader Stonewall Jackson in the midst of conflict can be a lesson for the believer. Historian Mark Brimsley wrote, “A battlefield is a deadly place, even for generals; and it would be naive to suppose Jackson never felt the animal fear of all beings exposed to wounds and ...read more

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Warfare, Peace, Examples Of Faith, Confidence, Assurance, Battle  (view more)  (view less)

Henry Ward Beecher Was One Of The Great ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Erickson on Nov 20, 2000

Henry Ward Beecher was one of the great preachers of the 19th Century. He was ill one Sunday, so a substitute pastor walked up to the pulpit as the worship service began. Seeing that Dr. Beecher would not be speaking that day, a number of people got up and headed for the door. The substitute ...read more

Tags: Church Practices, Messenger, Idolatry, Preaching, Pride, Spiritual Warfare, Story, Warfare  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Hunting Mice

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2014

HUNTING MICE It is amazing how we can focus on things that don’t matter and neglect the most important things in life. We need to learn how to choose our battles better. Leonard Ravenhill said it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:32-33

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Priorities, Little Things

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Satan's Three-Fold Attack

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 9, 2020

Satan tempts us in three separate ways according to I John 2:15-16: "The lust of the flesh is the desire to DO something apart from the will of God. The lust of the eyes is the desire to HAVE something apart from the will of God. The pride of life is the desire to BE something apart from ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, 1 John 2:15-16

Tags: Lust, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If Ii Were Satan...

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 14, 2021

IF I WERE SATAN… I would delude their minds into thinking that they had come from man's effort, instead of God's blessings; I would promote an attitude of loving things and using people, instead of the other way around; I would convince people that character is not an issue when it comes ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7-9

Tags: America, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, The Devil

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In New York City, There Are Eight Million Cats ...  PRO

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Aug 6, 2003

In New York City, there are eight million cats and eleven million dogs. New York City is basically just concrete and steel, so when your pet dies, you can’t just go out in the back yard and bury it. The city would dispose of your dead pet, but charged $50 So one lady had this great thought: I can ...read more

Tags: Culture, Commandments Steal, Repentance, Sin

Denomination: Baptist

The Spirit Of Fear

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

There was a lady who died in 1916 named Hetty Green. She has been called “America’s greatest miser.” When she died in 1916, her estate was valued at $100 million. But she was so miserly that she ate cold oatmeal in order to save the expense of heating the water. When her son had a severe leg ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-7

Tags: Fear, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Spirit Of Fear

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Gang Member's Turf

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 9, 2024

We learned that the belt of truth is a belt of truthfulness. It is “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). It is avoiding all forms of lies, hypocrisy, deception, and manipulation because that is the devil’s turf. Gang members in these big cities understand the value of staying on your own turf. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18, Ephesians 4:15

Tags: Safety, Spiritual Warfare, Truthfulness, Lies, Turf  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Popular Ideas Of Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 5, 2009

POPULAR IDEAS OF JESUS As we consider the risk of following Jesus, we must acknowledge the same thing; we must acknowledge that Jesus is THE Christ, not some popularized version we hear about today. In a posting just this last June, Kevin DeYoung, in his Restless and Reformed blog, describes ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:27-29

Tags: Faith, Christ, Jesus, Culture, Jesus Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Callous, Cold And Conniving Or Restored, Revived And Redeemed?

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 23, 2021

(Presented on weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day before the invitation hymn, hymn of decision) Unlike Jesus, David was not sinless on his way to the wilderness or in the wilderness but he is described as a man after God’s own heart. Something David did that was good is that he attended a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19

Tags: Culture, Racism, Civil Rights, Prophetic Zeal

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Preaching, Power And Persecution

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 20, 2022

John Hus: 1369-1415 John Hus of Prague was burned at the stake at age 46. His crime was an uncompromising preaching of the gospel and calling for church reform in pre-reformation Europe. His Sunday pulpit was the Bethlehem Chapel adjacent to the University of Prague. Czech nobles had built the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, 2 Timothy 4:1-4, Romans 1:16-17, Galatians 1:1-10

Tags: Culture, Gospel, Persecution, Power, Preaching, Renewal  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Remember The Duck! (Stop Living In Bondage To Satan)

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2022

A little boy visiting his grandparents was given his first slingshot made by his grandfather. He practiced trying to hit a tin can, but he could never hit it. As he walked across the yard, he saw Grandma’s pet duck. On an impulse he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck fell dead. The ...read more

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Confession, Covering Sin, Delieverance, Forgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Let The Devil Hang A Nail On Your Door!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 8, 2022

A Haitian pastor illustrated to his congregation the need for total commitment to Christ by sharing this parable: A certain man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn't afford the full price. After much bargaining, ...read more

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Prayer, Commitment To Christ, Strongholds, Satah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Is Your Biggest Spiritual Challenge??

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 14, 2023

Discipleship Journal asked its readers to rank the areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them. The results came back in this order: 1. Materialism 2. Pride 3. Self-centeredness 4. Laziness 5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness and Sexual lust 6. Envy 7. Gluttony 8. Lying The respondents also noted ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Tags: Trials, Spiritual Warfare, Tests, Temptations, Satan, Lust  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Angel Of Music

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 14, 2023

In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera, a young chorus girl named Christine Daae receives voice training from a mysterious musician she calls the “Angel of Music.” Christine believes this is the angel her dying father had promised to send to complete her musical training. As ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:8, 1 John 4:4

Tags: Satan, Temptation, Spiritual Warfare, Evil, Armor Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Achilles' Heel

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2024

The ancient Greeks told a story of a warrior named Achilles. His mother had been warned that he would die of a wound, so she dipped him as an infant in the river Styx. That was supposed to make him invincible. THERE WAS ONE PROBLEM -- she held him by one heel which the protective waters did not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:9-15

Tags: Lust, Satan, Temptation, Spiritual Warfare, Trials, Evil  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Boxer Illustration For Spiritual Battles

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 9, 2024

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:26: “I do not fight like a man beating the air (NIV).The NLT says, “I am not like a boxer who misses his punches.” A boxer can throw a lot of punches, but if none of them hit the opponent, he will lose the fight. This is one reason a boxer trains so that he punches with ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:26, Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: Devil, Spiritual Warfare, Opposition, Overcoming, Boxing, Battles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Prayer As Our Heavy Artillery

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 9, 2024

In Ephesians 6:18, Paul has completed the metaphor of Roman armor. But he is not finished teaching about spiritual warfare. In fact, he has come to the most important weapon in our spiritual arsenal. Prayer is the heavy artillery. Through prayer we call down the bombardment of God against our ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:18

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Prayer, Intercession, Victory, Armor, Battles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

From East To West

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 12, 2024

How far is the east from the west? Where does the east end and the west begin? A certain state once had this slogan: "Where the west begins and the tall corn grows." The last part of the slogan is true; the first is not. No one knows where the west begins or where it ends. It's all a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:12, Matthew 6:9-15

Tags: Forgiveness, Satan, Devil, Spiritual Warfare, Guilt, Condemnation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational