We are involved in a spiritual war with the Evil one. We need all the advice we can get.
SLIDE #: “When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is no longer our friend” (US Marine Corps Journal).
SLIDE #: “If the enemy is in range, so are you” (US Army Infantry Journal).
SLIDE #: “A slipping fear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect
it. That would make you very unpopular with what’s left of your unit” (US Army
Magazine of Preventive Maintenance).
SLIDE #: “It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you’ve just
bombed” (US Air Force Manual).
SLIDE #: Try to look unimportant. The enemy may be low on ammo” (US Army Infantry
Manual).
SLIDE #: Series on closing the gap: think you
Slide #: You Can Do It Alone And Isolated From Others
Slide #: Right Doctrine And Right Living Is Enough
Slide #: You Know What It Is When You Don’t
Slide #: You Can Keep The Streams Of Living Water All To Yourself
Slide #: You Are Living Like An Owner Instead Of Like A Manager
Slide #: You Can Find Intimacy With God Without Following The Principles Of Spiritual
Growth
Slide #: Satan Is Not Deliberately Sabotaging Your Christian Life
Slide #: Corporate Worship Is Optional
SLIDE #: YOU CAN’T CLOSE THE GAP IF YOU THINK THAT: SATAN IS NOT DELIBERATELY SABOTAGING YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE
SLIDE #: Spiritual war on: A.W. Tozer: “That this world is a playground instead of a battle ground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of fundamentalist Christians.”
SLIDE #: STRATEGY
SLIDE #: Satan’s Strategic objective is to keep us from closing the gap to the abundant life God intends for us to enjoy.
He utilizes numerous tactics; but his over all strategy is always the same.
SLIDE #: John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
SLIDE #: Satan is dedicated to blinding people from seeing life in the first place.
SLIDE #: 2 Corinthians 4:4: The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
John 1: Fish in Carlsbad caverns—light of life has come into the world and they are so blind they can’t see the light.
Carlsbad caverns: Where’s the light.
SLIDE #: Satan’s strategy is to kill, steal and destroy the Life after we find it.
SLIDE #: OVERHEAD: DRAW PICTURE OF WHAT TIME LOOKS LIKE.
Really only three tenses of time: Past, Present, Future. That is all to time there is.
I want to put this together with John 10:10. Christ came to give us Christ’s abundance. Where do you experience that? Past? Present? or Future? In the present. We experience the abundance of God in the present. You may have experienced it in the past, but when you experienced it, it was in the present. He promises more in the future. But when you get it, it is in the present.
Remember what the first part of the verses says? “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy.”
Now what if the Evil One can keep you bound up in
Hurt, Anger, Bitterness, Guilt, about the past—
or Worry, Anxiety, And Fear about future,
He will have robbed you from experiencing present what? Present joy and abundance.
How does thief steal God’s abundance?
All he has to do is keep you locked up in the past with Hurt, Anger, Bitterness, Guilt, or keep
you bound up in the future with Worry, Fear, and Anxiety.
I believe Jesus Christ was the only person who ever lived every day in the present.
He never woke up and said, “I can’t believe I did that yesterday!” or “There is no way I am
going to get everything done today.”
Living in the present makes us sensitive how to minister to the needs of others.
How many are here now in the present? Or did we come in this morning with pain of past? Or anxious about the future? This is part of the Satanic Lockup.
I’d like to invent a Holy Spirit infrared camera with which to measure what is in your cup today. What if people in church could see how much was in your cup today?
Why are there not more 30 fold, 60 fold and 100 fold Christians today? Could it be because there are hearts out there filled up with bitterness, anxiety, fear, worry, hurt and anger?
When we counsel, we need to be free enough of our own stuff so that when people walk into the room their stuff is the only stuff in the room.
SLIDE #: WARNING
SLIDE #: John 17:15: My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
SLIDE #: 1 Peter 5:8: Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Possible for a Christian to be trapped; divisions and stirring up strife.
SLIDE #: 1 Timothy 3:7: Elders must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
SLIDE #: DECEPTION
SLIDE #: 2 Corinthians 2:10-11: If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven-if there was anything to forgive-I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Several men in the locker room of a private exercise club were talking when a cell phone lying on the bench rang. One man picked it up without hesitation, and the following conversation ensued:
“Hello?”
“Honey, it’s me.”
“Sugar!”
“I’m at the mall two blocks from the club. I saw a beautiful mink coat. It is absolutely gorgeous. Can I
buy it? It’s only $1500.”
“Well, okay, if you like it that much.”
“Thanks! Oh, and I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the new models. I saw one I
really liked. I spoke with the salesman, and he gave me a great price!” “How much?”
“Only $60,000!”
“Okay, but for that price, I want it with all the options.”
“Great! Before we hang up, there’s something else. It might seem like a lot, but, well, I stopped by to
see the real estate agent this morning, and I saw the house we had looked at last year. It’s on
sale! Remember? The beachfront property with the pool and the English garden?” “How much are they asking?”
“Only $450,000, a magnificent price, and we have that much in the bank to cover it.” “Well, then, go ahead and buy it, but put in a bid for only $420,000, okay?”
“Okay, sweetie. Thanks! I’ll see you later! I love you!” “I love you, too.”
The man hung up, closed the phone’s flap, and raised it aloft, asking, “Does anyone know who this cell phone belongs to?”
SLIDE #: 2 Corinthians 11:3-4: But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
If Adam and Eve were deceived, we had best be careful. “Be like God?”
Contest between God and Satan.
Satan: “Job only serves you because you have done so much for you—
SLIDE #: Job 1:12: The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in
your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
SLIDE #: Job 1:20-21: At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then
he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”
Job was deceived about the Satanic work in his life. Never figured it all out until the end of the book.
Paul was not deceived: Knew thorn was a “messenger from Satan”
SLIDE #: 2 Corinthians 12:7-9: To keep me from becoming conceited because of these
surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
SLIDE #: POSSESSION Possessed or Oppressed? SLIDE #: Temple Chart
Spirit is the dwelling place of God Struggle is for control of the mind.
SLIDE #: Acts 5:3: Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
Eve was deceived. Satan captured her mind (knowledge, emotions and will).
SLIDE #: OVERHEAD: Line model: Body Soul /Spirit ` attacks here
SLIDE #: DOORS
God’s glossary of the occult
SLIDE #: Deuteronomy 18:10-13: Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his
son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD,
Inviting Spirits in – spirit guides
spiritualist meetings
Perpetual sin – Eph. 4:27 – “Do not give the devil a foothold.” Drugs and Alcohol
Transference
Dabbling in the Occult – séances, ouija boards –
Believing lies (Rev 12: Accuser of the brethren)
Sexual abuse or early childhood trauma
SLIDE #: VICTORY
SLIDE #: First, Submit To God
SLIDE #: James 4:7: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Romans 6
SLIDE #: Second, Resist The Devil
God’s strength – Jude 9 – Michael said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
SLIDE #: Third, Take Control Of Every Thought. Believe Only The Truth. Refuse To Believe Or Accept Any Lies.
Telling Yourself the Truth
SLIDE #: 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.”
Satan is the father of lies (Ananias and Sapphira – Acts)
SLIDE #: 2 Corinthians 10:4-5: The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Nobody loves me.
I am no good.
God will never forgive me for what I did.
SLIDE #: Fourth, Use The Ephesians Six Spiritual Armor Effectively.
SLIDE #: Ephesians 6:10-12: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
SLIDE #: Ephesians 6:13-15: Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
SLIDE #: Ephesians 6:16-18: In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
SLIDE #: Essentials so as not to be naked Belt of truth
Breastplate of righteousness Shoes of Gospel of Peace
Battle Armor
Shield of faith
Helmet of Salvation
Sword of Spirit – Word of God
SLIDE #: Finally, Every Demonic Attack Is A Prayer Project.
Ephesians 6:10-18: Praying always
SLIDE #: Romans 16:20: “The God of Peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” AFFIRMATIONS
Slide #: I Am God’s Child.
I Am Christ’s Friend.
I Have Been Bought With A Price.
I Have Been Adopted As God’s Child. I Belong To God.
Slide #: I Have Direct Access To God Through The Holy Spirit. I Have Been Redeemed And Forgiven Of All My Sins.
I Am Complete In Christ.
Slide #: I Am Free From Condemnation.
I Cannot Be Separated From The Love Of God. I Am A Citizen Of Heaven.
Slide #: I Have Not Been Given A Spirit Of Fear.
I Have Been Given A Spirit Of Power, Love And Discipline.
Slide #: I Am Seated With Christ In The Heavenly Realm. I May Approach God With Freedom And Confidence.
I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me.
