Spiritual Warfare

I. EXORDIUM:

Are we in a war?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show our enemy has been defeated 2000 years ago, we act in faith and insist on our eternal life.

IV. TEXT:

1 Timothy 6:12 (Amplified Bible)

Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses.

V. THESIS:

Our enemy has been defeated, keep him defeated by our faith and eternal life.

VI. TITLE:

Spiritual warfare

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Apostle Paul

B. Date written: About 64 A.D., but uncertain

C. To whom written: Timothy, Paul's true son in the faith

1 Timothy 1:2 (New International Version)

To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

D. Main themes: Advice and exhortation to a young pastor respecting his personal conduct and ministerial work

E. Keyword: conduct

F. Key verse:

1 Timothy 3:15 (New International Version)

if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Fight the good faith of the faith

"Fight the good fight of the faith;"

It's always the good fight not a good fight. It's you versus yourself, no more devil, he's a defeated foe, but we can still act like the devil in ourselves. But if we can change our mind in line with GOD's Words, it's always a winning, good fight of faith on our favor. All we have to do is faith (believe), every fight must be based on our faith in CHRIST JESUS.

Romans 16:20 (Amplified Bible)

And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) be with you.

1. The only requirement is we believe His Words and His man (men) of GOD.

2 Chronicles 20:20 (Amplified Bible)

And they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established; believe and remain steadfast to His prophets and you shall prosper.

John 6:29 (Amplified Bible)

Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger].

2. No wavering, no doubting or else it's not faith.

James 1:6 (Amplified Bible)

Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.

3. It's our shield of faith, a sure win against the devil's fiery darts. It's a whole body shield, from head to our toe, darts will sure bring pain but we're covered as long as we hold on to the faith.

Ephesians 6:16 (New King James Version)

above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

B. Take hold of the eternal life

"lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses."

It's not really ours when we can't take hold of it, take hold of it by faith: using our hearts and declaration of our mouth.

Romans 10:9-10 (Amplified Bible)

Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.

1. Eternal life is a two-way relationship between us, GOD, the FATHER and GOD, the SON

John 17:3 (Amplified Bible)

And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent.

2. We're after spiritual things not the physical

John 6:27 (Amplified Bible)

Stop toiling and doing and producing for the food that perishes and decomposes [in the using], but strive and work and produce rather for the [lasting] food which endures [continually] unto life eternal; the Son of Man will give (furnish) you that, for God the Father has authorized and certified Him and put His seal of endorsement upon Him.