Our Spiritual War
The battle is in the mind; the devil gives you thoughts, trying to get you to follow
it; (Romans 6:16), “know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to
obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of
obedience to righteousness”; but Jesus said “don’t take a bad thought saying
it”. Remember Proverbs 23:7 says “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. The
same way that the devil tricked Eve and Adam, he is trying to trick men today;
however Paul writes in II Corinthians 10:3-5, “for though we walk in the flesh, we
do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down
imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of
God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”.
Remember that the Bible warns us of the devil (I Peter 5:8-9), says “be sober,
be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about;
seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that
the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world”.
Jesus confirms this in John 10:10, which says “the thief comes not but for to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that
they might have it more abundantly”. However, many people don’t believe that
there is a real devil. The problem with this is that you can not fight what you
think don’t exits.
The Bible says that we have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness
(Colossians 1:12-14), “giving thanks to the Father, which has made us meet to
be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Who has delivered us from
the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.
In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins”.
The devil has been fighting for a long time to bring about what he declared,
however in Isaiah 14:12-15 God says “how are you fallen from heaven, O
Lucifer son of the morning, how are you cut down to the ground, which did
weaken the nations. For you have said in your heart, I will ascent into heaven, I
will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will sit also upon the mount of the
congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascent above the heights of the
clouds, I will be like the Most High. Yet you shall be brought down to hell to the
sides of the pit”; the devil is fighting for the souls of mankind (II Corinthians 4:3-
4), “but if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the god of
this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, les the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them”.
Once a person believes and comes to Christ, they are drafted into the army of
the Lord. Jesus commissioned us to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-
20). Discipleship is not as hard as many people think, but it does take a level of
commitment. Yielding yourself totally and completely to following Jesus, and
telling others the good news. Many people think that all they are supposed to
do is to accept Jesus and then hang on in this world until they die and go to
heaven, but we are in the army of the Lord and are assigned to make disciples
of all nations, teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded us.
If every one would make a disciple and then they also would make disciples the
whole world would be saved, and that is the will of God (II Peter 3:9), says “the
Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is
longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should
come to repentance”. Also in I Timothy 2:1-4 which says “I exhort therefore,
that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercession and giving of thanks, be
made for all men. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a
quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. Who will have all men to be saved,
and to come to the knowledge of the truth”.
God equips us to win, remember He calls us “more than conquerors”. In
Ephesians 6:10-18 the Bible lists our equipment, it is the armor of God; the
Bible says “finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His
might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take to you the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having
done all to stand. Stand therefore, having your lions girt about with truth, and
having ton the breastplate of righteousness. And your feet shod with the
preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take
the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching
thereto with all perseverance; and supplication for all saints”.
Paul tells Timothy in I Timothy 1:18-19, “this charge I commit to you, son
Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on you, that you by
them might war a good warfare. Holding faith, and a good conscience, which
some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck”.
Paul gives us the same advice, and we see that he followed the same advice
that he gave us (II Timothy 4:5-8), “but watch you in all things, endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry. For I
am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand. I have
fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Hereafter
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only but to all them also that love
His appearing”.
Peter gives us good battle strategies (II Peter 1:1-10), “Simon Peter, a servant
and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith
with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Grace
and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and Jesus our
Lord. According as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life
and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and
virtue. Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that
by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lusts,
and beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue
knowledge. And to knowledge temperance, and to temperance; patience, and
to patience godliness. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that
you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has
forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren,
give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things,
you shall never fall”.
If you do stumble and fall, get up (Micah 7:8), says “rejoice not against me, O
my enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord Yahweh
shall be a light to me”. Also Proverbs 24:15-18, tells us “lay not wait; O wicked
man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place. For a just
man falls seven times, and rise up again; but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he
stumbles. Less the Lord Yahweh see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away
His wrath from him”.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: May 26, 2009
The battle is in the mind; the devil gives you thoughts, trying to get you to follow
it; (Romans 6:16), “know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to
obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of
obedience to righteousness”; but Jesus said “don’t take a bad thought saying
it”. Remember Proverbs 23:7 says “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. The
same way that the devil tricked Eve and Adam, he is trying to trick men today;
however Paul writes in II Corinthians 10:3-5, “for though we walk in the flesh, we
do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down
imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of
God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”.
Remember that the Bible warns us of the devil (I Peter 5:8-9), says “be sober,
be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about;
seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that
the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world”.
Jesus confirms this in John 10:10, which says “the thief comes not but for to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that
they might have it more abundantly”. However, many people don’t believe that
there is a real devil. The problem with this is that you can not fight what you
think don’t exits.
The Bible says that we have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness
(Colossians 1:12-14), “giving thanks to the Father, which has made us meet to
be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Who has delivered us from
the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.
In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins”.
The devil has been fighting for a long time to bring about what he declared,
however in Isaiah 14:12-15 God says “how are you fallen from heaven, O
Lucifer son of the morning, how are you cut down to the ground, which did
weaken the nations. For you have said in your heart, I will ascent into heaven, I
will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will sit also upon the mount of the
congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascent above the heights of the
clouds, I will be like the Most High. Yet you shall be brought down to hell to the
sides of the pit”; the devil is fighting for the souls of mankind (II Corinthians 4:3-
4), “but if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the god of
this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, les the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them”.
Once a person believes and comes to Christ, they are drafted into the army of
the Lord. Jesus commissioned us to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-
20). Discipleship is not as hard as many people think, but it does take a level of
commitment. Yielding yourself totally and completely to following Jesus, and
telling others the good news. Many people think that all they are supposed to
do is to accept Jesus and then hang on in this world until they die and go to
heaven, but we are in the army of the Lord and are assigned to make disciples
of all nations, teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded us.
If every one would make a disciple and then they also would make disciples the
whole world would be saved, and that is the will of God (II Peter 3:9), says “the
Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is
longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should
come to repentance”. Also in I Timothy 2:1-4 which says “I exhort therefore,
that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercession and giving of thanks, be
made for all men. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a
quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. Who will have all men to be saved,
and to come to the knowledge of the truth”.
God equips us to win, remember He calls us “more than conquerors”. In
Ephesians 6:10-18 the Bible lists our equipment, it is the armor of God; the
Bible says “finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His
might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take to you the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having
done all to stand. Stand therefore, having your lions girt about with truth, and
having ton the breastplate of righteousness. And your feet shod with the
preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take
the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching
thereto with all perseverance; and supplication for all saints”.
Paul tells Timothy in I Timothy 1:18-19, “this charge I commit to you, son
Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on you, that you by
them might war a good warfare. Holding faith, and a good conscience, which
some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck”.
Paul gives us the same advice, and we see that he followed the same advice
that he gave us (II Timothy 4:5-8), “but watch you in all things, endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry. For I
am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand. I have
fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Hereafter
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only but to all them also that love
His appearing”.
Peter gives us good battle strategies (II Peter 1:1-10), “Simon Peter, a servant
and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith
with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Grace
and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and Jesus our
Lord. According as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life
and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and
virtue. Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that
by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lusts,
and beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue
knowledge. And to knowledge temperance, and to temperance; patience, and
to patience godliness. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that
you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has
forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren,
give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things,
you shall never fall”.
If you do stumble and fall, get up (Micah 7:8), says “rejoice not against me, O
my enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord Yahweh
shall be a light to me”. Also Proverbs 24:15-18, tells us “lay not wait; O wicked
man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place. For a just
man falls seven times, and rise up again; but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he
stumbles. Less the Lord Yahweh see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away
His wrath from him”.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: May 26, 2009
