Gods Battleplan(NIV)
The overall message of this series has been the battle between God and Satan, and our parts in it. War is defined as this-an aggressive struggle or competition between 2 or more powers. Someone once said WAR stood for “WE ARE RIGHT”
Last time we looked at Satans battleplan with lies and deception.
Today we will look at Gods battleplan.
Satans primary goal in his battleplan-keep souls form being saved.
In war there are both victories and defeats. Every soul won by the Devil may only be temporary. But a soul won by God is a permanent victory.
Romans 8:35,39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nobody wants to go back to the darkness once they have stepped into the light of the Kingdom of God.
1 John 3:6,9
6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
Does that mean we will never fall again? No. Its says “seed is in him”. What happens with seeds? They grow, just as Christ grows in you and changes you once he is planted there.
In this war we must face and defeat our enemies and our foes. We cant just sit on the sidelines. Remember that innocent bystanders die in war also.
Who/what are our foes and enemies?
1 Satan
Ephesians 6:12
2 For 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.
Unknowingly we can be on Satan side and assist him. How do we assist the Devil and help his work on Earth? Sin
1 John 3:8
8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
What work of the Devil has Jesus helped to destroy in you life? Debt, Lust, Greed, Adultery, Addiction?
2 Our own flesh
Galatians 5:24
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Our own sinful nature and desires should die if we truly belong to Christ. If we still have sin in our lives we have not reached the point of our crucifixion. If you have picked up your cross you have begun your journey.
ILLUS-”Carry My Cross/Live vs. Die for you”
Your soul and you Spirit will always war against earthly desires. It is impossible for them to agree.
Galatians 5:17
17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
1 Peter 2:11
1PE 2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
“Aliens and strangers” think about that when your non-Christian friends think you are weird because you don’t drink or do drugs, or that you go to church twice a week and not just on the holidays.
3 The World
The world is controlled by the Devil. We are therefore enemies of this world and want no part of what it has to offer. Our reward is not in this world but in the one we go to when we leave this one.
John 16:33
JN 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Jesus knew how hard it would be for his followers to be in this world.
4 Death
Every person and every living thing will eventually die. 10 out of 10 people die. Death is the only certainty in life. “Death and Taxes”. You may not ever have to pay taxes. We may never be born (miscarriage), but we will eventually die. I we are alive in Jesus Christ, we will live forever. We should not fear our time when it comes but be prepared for it when it comes. When Jesus returns or when we return to Jesus, death will no longer hold any power over us.
Hebrews 2:14,15
HEB 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Does the enemy hold fear of death over you or does Jesus hold hope and assurance of eternal life in front of you?
If you do not war against these 4 things, you will not inherit all God has planned for you.
How are we to war against these things and combat the works of the enemy?
The Church
The Church (The Body of Christ) is Stans enemy on Earth. Satans biggest enemy on Earth is a righteous Christian armed with the spirit of salvation and the Word of God. Through the Church, God will educate and train his workers. Through the Church, God will equip his Army.
In N.T. Times, the Pharisees held the keys to the scriptures. They lost the ability for revelation of the scriptures. They became only concerned with maintaining there power and status over the people. They were worried only about keeping the law. By doing this they were hindering the work of the Kingdom on Earth.
Luke 16:15
15 He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.
Luke 11:52
LK 11:52 "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."
As Christians, we are responsible to draw others to Christ and tell them about Christ.
Mark 16:15
MK 16:15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
God will bring a new anointing to his Church. He will his Church out of the Church with a new revival of the spirit. God will bring about the “third day church”.
Hosea 6:1,2
The new church is emerging in power. A new breed of worshiper is walking the land. New song of praise are being sung. New technologies and a new abundance of resources are available to believers. (Radio stations, Internet, new Bible translations).
How is the New Church emerging?
1 Fresh anointing of the Spirit.
It is a new season for the Church. We are driving the enemy out of the Church.
Joel 2:28
JOEL 2:28 "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
2 Raising up Prophets
Bringing forth and announcing Gods vision and word to the people. Without his vision and direction we are blind.
Psalm 107:20
PS 107:20 He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.
3 Anointing and raising up women
Joel 2:29
JOEL 2:29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
Women were created to be mans helper and partner. For far too long the Church has not used the asset of it;s women. Women have been pressed and ignored. It is time for them to rise. The most important role God gave to women is that of the Mother.
Satans biggest fear-Strong Families, good parents, obedient children. If parents take the lead and teach children right from wrong they wouldn’t have to worry about drugs, alcohol, or premarital sex.
Proverbs 22:6
Why does Satan fear a strong family?
1 It is the image of God (Love)
2 It brings order to the home
3 It doesn’t give him a foothold or access.
ILLUS-portal of entry
Mark 3:27
27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house.
Everyone knows some of the greatest turmoil you can have is when your home is disrupted or in chaos.
Mark 3:25
25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Put your house under the covering of God!
Joshua 24:14
15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Make the Devil uncomfortable in your house. Pray, speak the word of God, love and guide your children.
4 Jesus is restoring the Church
1 Peter 2:5
5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
When we die to the flesh, when we are worshiping God, Jesus is blessing our house. When we repent God allows us to move from where we are to where we need to be.
5 Jesus is raising the Church to new levels
Jesus is bestowing a new boldness to this people. New boldness of praise and prayer. We need to pray and plead for people like we have never prayed before.
New churches and ministries are constantly being born. Hollywood is even taking notice of the influence of the Church.
6 God is purifying and preparing his warriors
for every new level that we rise to, there is a new test to pass. God is preparing us for th battle ahead by the battle we face now. In every temptation, in every victory, in every defeat. God is transitioning you into a warrior for his kingdom. By teaching us to be overcomer’s he is preparing us to be conquerors. Will we learn from these tests? Will we be able to pass these test?
Phillipians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
What is the difference between test/temptation?
Temptation comes from the Devil and is meant to draw us away from God.
Testing comes from God and is meant to draw us closer to God. It is meant to see if we are worthy to move onto the next level.
Closing
By overcoming and defeating our foes, by seeing and using the keys given to us by the Church, by not hindering Gods Kingdom on Earth, by standing firm in our faith, the enemy cannot stand against us!
