The Mother Of All Battles

In light of the chaos we are faced with from day to day, we find comfort in knowing we serve a God that turns chaos into order. [EXCITINGLY HUM] God takes that chaos and restores order in the family. God takes that chaos and restores order in the community. God takes that chaos and restores order in the Church. Aren't you glad we serve a God that turns chaos into order? [PAUSE]

[SLOW] So the war in heaven directly affects what is happening on earth. Now that we know who is in this war, you may want to know why we're fighting this war. This cosmic battle is about glory. Satan says to God, You cannot have all the glory in creation. I want some of the glory for myself. God's response, according to Isaiah 48:11 is "My glory I will not give to another." Paul tells us, Whatever we do, do all to the glory of God. And Jesus teaches us to pray for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory.

Satan wants God's glory. Satan doesn't give up. Satan has a plan. It's a plan to launch the mother of all wars. Ephesians 6:11 tells us how to defend ourselves. Paul alerts us that Satan has been at his plan for countless years and he is good at it. And not only is Satan good at what he does, he gives us a good time while he is deceiving us. We interfere in marriages, and it feels good to us. We prostitute ourselves, and it feels good to us. We lie, cheat and steal, and it feels good to us. We drink alcohol, and smoke crack, and it feels good to us, so good that we sell our bodies, we sell our babies in order to do all the things that feel good to us. Often times we put ourselves in the unnecessary position of fighting a war that isn't ours. We allow the devil to creep up on us like a thief in the night. Our ungodly actions open up a window of opportunity for the devil to come in and wreak havoc in our lives. [WORDABUS] If it feels good to us, we do it regard!

less of the consequences. [EXCITINGLY HUM] We live in a feel good society, in a feel good generation. We learn later through our tears that, what feels good to us is not always good for us. Satan is Mr. Feel Good. Jesus is Mr. Do Good; Jesus is Mr. Live Good; Jesus is Mr. Act Good. [PAUSE]

The consequences of sin are devastating, and the penalty is high. The penalty carries a death sentence. The wages of sin, is death.

But I have some good news for you this morning. The good news is God has a plan. Regardless of the sins you have committed, anyone who comes to Jesus Christ for salvation is delivered from the domain of the devil. [HUM] When you receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior, God sets you free.

Some of us consider ourselves veterans of Christianity and you're saying to yourself. "Preacher, preacher, I hear what you're saying, but I'm still broke, I'm still having major challenges with my health, and my family is torn apart. Preacher, I'm not so sure that's true - Preacher, I'm not sure God has set me free. If God sets me free, why am I still in bondage to the devil in my daily life? If I'm on the winning side, why am I losing so often." The truth of the matter is, many believers are loosing the battle against spiritual warfare, because they are trying to fight Satan in their own strength.