This is War!

Notes: This Is War!

Ephesians 6:10–13

SPEAKER:

Greg Laurie

WORSHIP TEAM:

Harvest Worship Band

SERIES:

Live, Love, Fight

Thursday, June 25, 2015 — 7:00 p.m.

Most of us would agree that the church is under attack.

The church in South Carolina being attacked.

Marriage being redefined.

If you are living a Godly life then you will be persecuted.

War has been declared on me by satan. What am I going to do?

Spiritual warfare begins when you first believe. Satan and his followers are attacking.

What will our life look life if we don't fight back.

The Christian life is not a playground it is battleground.

We win in the end! I have read the end of the Bible.

1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV

[12] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

You may be facing a lot of temptation right now.

Temptation comes in attractive packages. You still must resist.

What am I doing wrong to be tempted? The real question is if you are being tempted... What are you doing right?

Job was doing things right, not wrong!

We don't have to be a victim.

To be warned is to be forearmed.

The devil doesn't want us to hear this sermon.

Ephesians: is split up into, wealth, walk and warfare. Chapters 1-3 is wealth.

Ephesians 1:5-8 NKJV

[5] having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, [6] to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. [7] In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace [8] which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

God loves you regardless of you.

This is the wealth God has given you.

John 17:22-23 NKJV

[22] And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: [23] I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Ephesians: chapter 4 to 6:9 is the walk part.

Ephesians 6:10 on is the fight part.

Ephesians 6:10-13 NKJV

[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. [13] Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Put on the full armor of God. Meaning once and for all.

The devil doesn't take a minute off, so we must always wear our armor.

The devil is the obvious root of all the problems of our world today.

There is a devil and he is running rampant in our world.

Some people laugh off satan, when he needs to be taken very seriously.

Why would a God of love put a devil in the world?

Satan was once a high ranking angel, Lucifer.

Ezekiel 28:12-18 NKJV

[12] "Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. [13] You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created. [14] "You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. [15] You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. [16] "By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. [17] "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. [18] "You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you.

Satan was once a guardian cherubim.

Satan is also referred to be the "model of perfection"

Lucifer allowed his perfection to be his corruption.

Isaiah 14:12-15 NKJV

[12] "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! [13] For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; [14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' [15] Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.

Lucifer became Satan when he fell to the earth.

Though satan is in a fallen state, he still has access to God in Heaven.

Satan has to ask permission to attack a Christian's life.

Next time Satan knocks at your door. Let God answer for you.

The devil is not God's equal.

God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. The devil is not.

Ephesians 6:11 NKJV

[11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6:11 NKJV

[11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Definition:

Wile:

noun

plural noun: wiles

1.

devious or cunning stratagems employed in manipulating or persuading someone to do what one wants.

synonyms:    tricks, ruses, ploys, schemes, dodges, maneuvers, subterfuges, shenanigans, artifices; More

If you believe in Jesus, then the devil will do what he can to immobilize you.

Matthew 12:24 NKJV

[24] Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

Matthew 25:41 NKJV

[41] "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

1 Thessalonians 2:18 NKJV

[18] Therefore we wanted to come to you-even I, Paul, time and again-but Satan hindered us.

Demons work two fold: they seek to hinder the work of God and to extend the power of Satan.

When God blesses someone, you can be assured that they are under spiritual attack.

The devil can hassle and tempt you, but he can not control you.

The believer has a hedge of protection around them. The nonbeliever has no protection around them.

Satan works with two close allies: the world and the flesh.

1 John 5:19 NKJV

[19] We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

1 John 2:16 NKJV

[16] For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world.

Satan doesn't tempt us with junk.

1. Recognize you are in a spiritual battle and must fight with spiritual weapons.

2. Satan is a super being and is more than I can ever handle.

That is why I must stay close to God.

3. Stand in God's strength, not your own.

Ephesians 6:10 NKJV

[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

In my strength I'm weak, in the Lord's strength I am strong.

God will never give you more than you can handle.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

[13] No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

There is always a way out of every temptation.

James 4:7 NKJV

[7] Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Resist the devil!

Flee temptation and don't leave a forwarding address.

Romans 8:39 NKJV

[39] nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The devil was soundly defeated at the cross.

1 John 3:8 NKJV

[8] He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Colossians 2:14-15 NKJV

[14] having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. [15] Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

I am not looking for victory, I am living in God's victory. I am not fighting for victory, I am responding from God's victory.