Why has the enemy been able to gain ground in the battle?
We don’t know he’s there
We don’t know our authority
We don’t fight back
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FIGHTING BACK
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The Four Battlegrounds
The world
The flesh
The demonic
The mind
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The World
1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
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The antidote: Growing in love for Christ
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The Flesh
Ephesians 4:25–32 “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
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Romans 6:11-14 “…count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”
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The antidote: Put to death the “old you”
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The Demonic
How the enemy influences:
* Brings people & situations to tempt you
* Attacks you with difficult life circumstances
* Whispers lies about yourself, God, & others
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1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
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1 John 3:7-9 “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.”
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James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
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The antidote: Submit to God & Fight back the enemy
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The Mind
“You cannot prevent the birds from flying in the air over your head, but you can certainly prevent them from building a nest in your hair!” ~Martin Luther
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Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
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Think about what you’re thinking about!
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2 Cor 10:5 “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.”
The antidote: Renew your mind
“Captives are not necessarily bound by legal proceedings, while prisoners are.”
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“Footholds” & “Strongholds”
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Ephesians 4:27 “…and do not give the devil a foothold.”
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2 Corinthians 10:4 “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
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How intruders get access:
1) Habitual, unrepentant sin
2) Practicing false religions
3) Generational strongholds & curses
4) Trauma
How do we fight back by closing the open doors?
Identify the vulnerability
Repent if needed
Break agreement with the enemy
Kick him out of your “house”
Slam the door shut!
Questions for the Road:
Of the four battlegrounds mentioned, is there one in particular that you find yourself most often?
When you “think about what you’re thinking about,” what do you notice is going on in your mind?
When you’re fighting spiritual battles, do you tend to isolate or reach out for help and support? What is dangerous about trying to do it alone?
Did you identify any “open doors” in your life that may have created a vulnerability to attack? What can you do about it?