Spiritual Warfare

Preached at Reb Bridge Baptist 10/19/2008

Let Me Introduce Our Message
It seemed appropriate this morning to deal with the subject of spiritual warfare. What I mean by spiritual warfare is not the wild and often ludicrous claim of a demon behind every tree or the need to say some incantation to bind Satan. Instead, I am talking about the warfare that every person enters the moment he is born again. Actually this war really begins before a person is born again because the enemy is hard at work trying to keep unbelievers in bondage. Truly the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving (2 Cor.4:4).

Warfare Is a Common Theme in Scripture
Many people are told that the Christian life is all grand and glorious and well it is, but those glorious moments do not come without many trials and difficulties along the way. You should know that I am not talking about physical trials and difficulties. Yes there are those too, but I am referring to spiritual trials—trials that stretch our faith in God. It is in those trials that we come face to face with the enemy. This is where the war is fought.

Therefore, we see that warfare is spoken of quite often. In 2 Cor. 10:4 we see the weapons of our warfare. In 1 Tim 1:18 Paul tells Timothy to fight the good fight. Again, in 2 Tim 2:4 Paul says no one engaged in warfare entangles himself in the affairs of this life. Then there is the O.T. that pictures our struggles so illustratively in Israel’s battles.

Why Must a Christian Fight?
This answer is not difficult to discern. Believers have enemies within and without. Within we fight against the flesh and without we fight against the devil. Paul in Romans 7 explains in some detail how the flesh makes him do things that he doesn’t want to do, and how it keeps him from the doing the things that he wishes to do. In Ephesians 6 he calls believers to put on the armor of God that they might be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the devil. Believers are under constant attack and they must fight or lose.

How Can a Believer Lose?
Well what say the Scriptures? “. . . To be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace.” (Romans 8:6) Clearly the Bible repeatedly warns those who profess to be saved to persevere in their walk. Consider Hebrews 10:26-27. “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.” We must conclude from these passages and others that some who profess Christ do not really know Christ.

A study of theology will confirm that those who truly believe will never fall away. Therefore, those who do fall away never knew the Lord. While the Bible encourages believers with the doctrine of God’s preservation, it never teaches that God’s preservation will be without the believer’s perseverance. If the so-called believer is not persevering then God is not preserving.

Therefore, a true believer cannot lose, but a so-called believer can. Most of you here would call yourselves believers, but it is not what you say you are that makes you what you are, but what’s inside you. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8:13-14)

Therefore, those of you who profess to know Christ please examine yourself in light of today’s subject and make sure you truly do know Him.

OK, make your way to Romans 12:1 and let’s see what we can learn about spiritual warfare.

The Battlefield Is the Mind
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2 NKJV)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The believer is to busy himself in the renewing of the mind. Please notice the world is trying to mold you into its image, but believers are being conformed into the image of Christ (Rom 8:29). That process is what we’re concerned with this morning, and if we are to be successful we need to understand where all this happens. We need to understand how our minds work. To do that let’s look at Paul’s defense of his ministry in 2 Cor. 10: 3-5.

We Need to Examine the Battlefield
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV)

Paul is talking about his ministry and we can see that he understood where he had to attack the enemy. He had to pull down their strongholds. He had to defeat their arguments, and he has to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Clearly he needed to attack the mind for that is where these things exist.

How Does a Stronghold Function in the Mind?
First we need to talk about what a stronghold is. When I think of a stronghold, I think of a fortress, a place of safety, a place into which I might retreat when faced with a threat. What is the threat? In this case, because we are talking about an enemy stronghold, the threat comes from the conscience.

For example a man hears that God will send men to hell for sin. His conscience immediately fires its Howitzer at the mind, and the mind experiences discomfort, anguish. The mind in turn retreats into the nearest stronghold. It might be the stronghold called: I am not as bad as that other guy; or a loving God would never send anyone to hell; or I am young I’ll deal with it later, or maybe even, I go to church so I must be OK.

Certainly these are obviously fortresses of straw. However, when strengthened by the blinding power of unbelief the average person simply dismisses any worries as the seed is devoured by the birds along the wayside.

However, there are more sophisticated strongholds, more deceptive strongholds set up by minds that are not as easily appeased. These strongholds counterfeit themselves.

The Most Deceptive Strongholds Masquerade as Repentance

The first one is called legal terror. A man is going along in life and something makes him aware of his dangerous situation. Perhaps a Christian speaks the Gospel truth to him and his conscience says to his mind you are guilty and in danger of Hell’s fire.

The mind searches for a stronghold in which to retreat and finds that none of them will make his anguish go away. Therefore, he does what the Christian tells him to do and he prays for God to save him from the terrible fate that awaits him.

He feels much better because he ignorantly placed his trust in a prayer that has absolutely no power to save him. After time, he returns to his old way of life and cares little of his sin for he has prayed a prayer. If the conscience makes anymore attacks he simply looks back at the fear he was relieved of and concludes he has done all he needs to do. His fear of Hell drove him to pray a prayer, but it did not drive him to repentance.

The next one we will call Resolution against Sin. Again the conscience fires a shot at the mind and mind concludes that his sinful ways are going to send him to Hell. He looks for a stronghold and reconciles that if he resolves to stop sinning he will be OK.

Therefore, he cleans up his life and it looks much different than it did before. The heinous crimes he used to commit he no longer does. Therefore, he concludes because his life has changed considerably he is safe from the wrath of God.

The problem is of course that all our righteousness is as filthy rags before God. Self-reformation is nothing more than works, and we know that no man will be saved by works.
The last one we will look at is called Exchanging Sins. Conviction comes and the person says to himself that these sins are indeed terrible. Therefore, he decides to stop those sins, but his flesh has not been crucified so he seeks new sins, less troublesome sins to satisfy his cravings.

Many sins may be parted with without repentance. Some men might leave sin just for prudence sake. His sin is hurting him or his family so for selfish reasons he stops what he is doing. All of these are counterfeit repentance.

True Repentance Has Many Elements
If you cannot recognize these elements at work in your life, then you have good reason to fear an enemy stronghold in your mind. Let me just give you a list of things that accompany true repentance.

The Ability to See Sin
Do you remember the prodigal son? He went off and spent all of his inheritance on a wild lifestyle, and when he was broke he found himself wanting to eat with the pigs. It was at this point the Scriptures tell us that he came to himself.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, "and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’” (Luke 15:17-19 NKJV)

He saw his sin. He saw how his sin was not only against his father but also how it was against heaven. True repentance crushes all pride and prostrates the believer before God and men.

Sorrow for Sin
I ask you now to think about the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. She had great sorrow for her sins. In fact, Jesus remarks about the connection between the woman’s sorrow and her love for Christ. Luke records the incident.

“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. "And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the [one] whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged." Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped [them] with the hair of her head. "You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. "You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. "Therefore I say to you, her sins, [which are] many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loves little." Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:41-48 NKJV)

I ask you, is your repentance characterized by sorrow? It could be that your love for Christ is shallow because you have never sorrowed over sin. If you have never sorrowed over your sin, then it is unlikely you have truly confessed your sin.

Confession of Sin
A person who is truly sorry for sin must vent that sorrow in confession. In the days of Nehemiah the people stood and confessed their sins for hours. A fourth of the day they read the Scriptures and a fourth of the day they confessed (Neh. 9)

True repentance names particular sins. It does not speak in generalities. It is able to see each of the transgressions and the weight of them floods from the soul like waters rushing from a broken dam. If a preacher must beg you to confess, then you are likely still unrepentant and without shame.

Shame for Sin
The prodigal son was so ashamed of his sin he thought himself unworthy to be called a son anymore. There can hardly be repentance when men seek to justify their sinfulness. Like the rich young ruler who when told to keep the commandments said, “I have kept them all.” That was not true, but he thought it was true. He had no shame for his sin. True shame for sin will generate the next element of true repentance.

Hatred of Sin
This is certainly a chief ingredient in repentance. True hatred of sin disdains the morsel no matter how finely prepared. That which is sinful is utterly sinful to the truly penitent.

How can men say they hate sin and then court her like a giddy beau? I tell you that unless you hate sin you are unrepentant. You cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve God and mammon. You will love the one and hate the other. Do not be deceived unless there is a deep hatred for sin you do not know repentance as you should, and you will not turn from sin as you should. This of course is the next important element of true repentance.

Turning from Sin
True repentance cannot stay the course of wickedness. It must turn away from the iniquity and turn to God. It clings to God for deliverance from the leprosy that has eaten away its soul.

It is not like the counterfeits, but hates all sin, and forsakes all sin.  If any of these elements are missing in your repentance, do not retreat into deception, into a stronghold, but fall before God and cry out for mercy while there is still time.

How Do We Win the War?
Looking again at 2 Cor. 10 and noting that our weapons are not carnal but mighty in God, and that the weapons must be able to affect the mind because that is the battlefield, we can surmise at least three of those weapons.

The first and most obvious weapon is Scripture.
This is true because Scripture gives the mind a base from which a new stronghold, a faith-based stronghold might be built. David said, Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee (Ps 119:11).

Now, understand, I would never suggest that you could educate a person into heaven. Salvation comes by grace through faith. If a man memorized the entire Bible, it would do nothing to save him without the quickening of the Holy Spirit.

However, it is also true that the Holy Spirit uses the Scriptures. Thus faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

Therefore, the Word of God is indispensible in tearing down strongholds. In 2 Tim. 3:16-17 we see that it is the foundation for renewal.

“All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV)

Not only is it the foundation for renewal, it also has the power to renew. Look at how the Bible personifies the Word in Heb. 12:4.

“For the word of God [is] living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things [are] naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we [must give] account.” (Hebrews 4:12-13 NKJV)

When we read the Word of God it has the power to expose the core of our hearts just as Jesus will when we see Him face to face. Therefore, we need to immerse ourselves into the Word. However, the Bible also says we need to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. So it is not enough just to read the Bible we must use the next weapon to cast down those arguments that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God.

The Next Weapon is Meditation
Do you realize that the Bible often refers to the mind when it uses the term heart? For example Gen 6.5 says, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every intent of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually.” Clearly the heart is not the organ that thinks.

However, the term heart is used to express the thoughts that are so ingrained on the mind that they become us. The heart governs actions. “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.” (Proverbs 16:23 NKJV)
This level of change comes by meditation. To meditate means to muse, study, or contemplate. This weapon not only tears down strongholds, but also builds new faith-based strongholds.

However, even if you have the Word and Meditate on the Word it will not yield fruit without the power of God behind it. This brings us to the last weapon and that is prayer.

Prayer Binds Faith to the Word
Remember the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God. Reading the Bible and studying the Bible can be mere academics. Many wolves have gutted the church with their higher criticisms.

When the Scriptures say, “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].” You must have faith to look for that way of escape.

When the Bible says the soul that sins shall die (Ezk. 18:4) faith says true, true and prays for deliverance from sin.

So What Have We Seen?
Every believer is in a war. It’s a war for control of the mind. It’s a war that if lost will cost you an eternity of peace. The enemy is within us and outside of us. We fight against the flesh and the devil.

Strongholds are established by the enemy to appease the conscience and keep you in sin. Many of those strongholds are very deceptive requiring the believer to immerse himself into the Word of God. We must flood our minds with truth to tear down the strongholds and build faith-based strongholds.

We must begin the battle with the truth of true repentance. The ability to see sin, sorrow for sin, confession of sin, shame for sin, hatred of sin, and of course turning from sin.

Then we must continue to ingrain truth on the mind with meditation and walk in that truth by faith through prayer.

Let me make an appeal to you
Strongholds are very real and very dangerous. We have seen in recent history more than one person confess to you that they were not who they thought they were. It could be that some portion of today’s message caused your conscience to fire a shot to your mind. I want to encourage you to listen carefully to it. Do not ignore it. To that end I will leave you with the words of John Owen.

When God stirs your heart about the guilt of your sin, considering either its root and indwelling, or its breaking out, be careful you do not speak peace to yourself before God speaks it. Listen closely to what He says to your soul. Without careful observation of this direction, your heart will be very exposed to the deceitfulness of sin.

This is a business of great importance. It is a sad thing for a man to deceive his own soul in this way. All the warnings God gives us, in tenderness to our souls, to examine ourselves, are to prevent this great evil of speaking peace to ourselves without due warrant. This is to bless ourselves, without the blessing of God.

Prayer