The Battlefield Of Life

The Battle Ground of Life…

Am service November 18th 2007

1 John 4:1-6

Introduction

Many Christians, don’t realize they are living on a BATTLEFIELD and not a PLAYGROUND!

Do you remember the hymn, ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS?

It goes like this…

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before. Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe; forward into battle see his banners go!

At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee; on then, Christian soldiers, on to victory! Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise; brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.

Like a mighty army moves the church of God; brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod. We are not divided, all one body we, one in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

One thing is for sure: We are SOLDIERS in the Army of Jesus Christ.

The ENEMY? Well, there’s a 3-fold assault going on against us.

The WORLD, the FLESH, and the DEVIL.

We have our own FLESH wanting our old life back.

We have the WORLD trying to drag us back.

And we have the DEVIL making sure it all goes according to plan!

This life that we are living is indeed a battleground, satan’s plan is to steal, kill, and destroy. (Intro. borrowed from Sermon Central.com)

Today from this passage of scripture, the apostle John is going to layout a battle plan for us to fight satan on every front.

Read Scriptures: 1 John 4:1-6

I. In the battleground of life, satan will make every attempt to lead you astray.

Vs. 1 “1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

If you remember the passage in Luke chapter 4 when Jesus was tempted by satan, he didn’t just tempt Him one time and leave Him alone the bible say in Luke 4:2 “where for forty days he was tempted by the devil…”

I really want you to see this with your spiritual eyes, Luke 4:13 “13When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.”

Satan’s battle with Jesus, didn’t end with this passage, it says he left Him, but the also was going to wait and comeback at an “opportune time.” Satan continued his all out assault on Jesus, culminating at the Garden Gethsemane.

This passage explains to us that many false prophets are involved in the war, satan has his army trained and ready to attack us on all fronts, he will attack our weaknesses until the end, and make no mistake he knows your weakness.

II. In the battleground of life, we must be able to discern the truth of God and the lies of satan.

Vs. 2-3 “2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”

Satan will lie to you, he wants you to believe that he is the way, the truth, and the life, but we must remember what Jesus said of satan in John 8:44 “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

How do you discern in today’s culture the truth of God and the lies of satan? In verse 2 John tells us “every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,”. This means more than just a simple acknowledgement or head knowledge of Jesus, but a heart knowledge knowing and believing and trusting that Jesus is the Christ or the Savior, and he was sent from God the father. Upon accepting Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit who will help us to discern the truth of God and the lies of satan

III. In the Battleground of life, as followers of Christ, we can live victoriously.

Vs. 4 “4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

We don’t have to live our lives as being defeated, satan will do all that he can to knock you down, to drag you through the mud, to slap you in the face with your inadequacies and your failures.

However, Jesus says in John 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.”