Introduction

Good morning, Church! Today, we're going to dive into the heart of a battle. Not a physical battle, but a spiritual one. We're going to talk about recognizing our real enemy, the spiritual weapons we've been given to fight, and the amazing power of the Gospel. As we prepare to open God's Word, I want to share a quote from Charles Spurgeon, a man often referred to as the "Prince of Preachers." He said, “Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly intercourse than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.”

That's the enemy we're dealing with, church. He wants to divide us, but we know better. Let's read from 2 Corinthians 10: 3-8: "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do."

Recognizing the Enemy

Recognizing the enemy is the first step in any battle, and the spiritual warfare we face as Christians is no different. The enemy we face is not of flesh and blood, but a spiritual one. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12 that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. This enemy is Satan, the deceiver, the father of lies, and the one who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. He is the one who tempts us, accuses us, and seeks to separate us from God and each other.

A. Recognizing the enemy means understanding his tactics. Satan is a master deceiver. He often disguises himself as an angel of light, making his temptations seem attractive and his lies seem like truth. He uses doubt, fear, and confusion to lead us astray. He seeks to distract us from God's truth and purpose for our lives. He wants us to question God's goodness, His love for us, and His plan for our lives. He wants us to feel alone, isolated, and defeated.

B. Recognizing the enemy also means acknowledging his presence in our world. We see evidence of his work in the division, strife, and suffering around us. We see it in the brokenness of our world, in the pain and injustice that so many experience. We see it in the way he twists God's truth, leading people away from God and into sin and destruction.

C. But recognizing the enemy is not about living in fear. It's about understanding who we're up against so we can stand firm against his attacks. It's about being aware of his tactics so we can resist his temptations. It's about knowing our enemy so we can better know our God - His power, His truth, and His victory over sin and death.

D. Recognizing the enemy also means knowing that he is a defeated foe. Jesus has already won the victory on the cross. Satan may still be at work in our world, but his power is limited and his time is short. He is a roaring lion, but he is also a chained lion. He can roar and intimidate, but he cannot separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our Spiritual Weapons

As we delve into the second point of our sermon today, it's crucial to understand that our spiritual weapons are not like the weapons of this world ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO