Bible Text: Revelation 12:12 | Preacher: Pastor Steve | Series: Abiding in the Holy Spirit
Revelation 12:12 …terror will come on the earth and the sea. For the Devil has come down to you in great anger, and he knows that he has little time.
We are in a battle for our lives. We can overcome!
Understand the biblical principles for today’s world
Use all our available biblical resources to overcome
2 Timothy 3:1-7 Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God.
They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people. These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself “truth.” They get exploited every time and never really learn.
There is a power resource given to us by Jesus so we might successfully overcome the battles of life:
1 John 4:4 He that is in us is greater than He that is in the world.
All of salvation’s promises are focused on our “deliverance” from bondage(s)
Acts 2:21 And anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
Deliverance is Past, Present and Future
2 Corinthians 1: 8-11 (NLT) …the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead. And he did deliver us from mortal danger. And we are confident that he will continue to deliver us. He will rescue us because you are helping by praying for us. As a result, many will give thanks to God because so many people’s prayers for our safety have been answered.
Stand Watch and Pray
We are on watch and praying – on duty, looking out for the adversary!
Matthew 26:40-42 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak
Stand using your Weapons
Ephesians 6:10-19
Shield: (of faith) large four by two and a half foot protection against burning arrows (Psalm 7:13) tipped with flammable tar – the burning assault of the devil.
Sword: (word of God) primary weapon. Soldiers carried two types of swords: Dagger or short sword for disarming the enemy and the Long sword for combat.
Luke 4:1-13 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit:
…it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
…For it is written, you shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.
…It has been said, You shall not tempt the LORD your God.
Faith comes by HEARING, DOING and LIVING God’s Word
We are RESPONSIBLE to what we KNOW in the Word
And we are responsible for NOT knowing the Word
We have the POWER of His Word
Stand Strong
Galatians 5:1 Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you (THE MESSAGE)
Spiritual warfare often has to do with our breaking free or overcoming our past bondage(s), events and wounds
God will not only teach and train us but He will help us, transform us, and heal us!
We are learning how to live according THE WAY that is to love as the Lord first loved us!
To love people in front of the Lord and to love the Lord in front of people!
Stand with Resistance
James 4:7-10 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
Cleanse our hands: stop participating in wrong, unhealthy behaviors and hanging out with bad, negative influences.
Purify your hearts: we need to look to God and repent. We need to start a NEW WAY of LIVING.
God opposes the proud: He gives GRACE to the humble! Pride makes us self-centered and leads us to conclude that we deserve all we can see, touch, hear, smell, taste or imagine in our mind
The New Testament teaches that growth in grace toward freedom from sin is a process every Christian works on. We don’t become perfect when we receive Christ; we begin the process of growing up into mature manhood or womanhood (Ephesians 4:13)
Stand Firm
Humility is not weakness, it is strength;
Humility is the only way that believers stand strong and courageous to face temptations and overcome sin
Humility before God, will be followed by, His lifting us up.
1 Peter 5:6-11 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith…