Sermon Central
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Dressed For The Battle Series
Contributed by Vera Hughes on Feb 21, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: Part III of this series further helps you to understand the Kingdom of God and the weapons we have to use against the enemy.
The Church is the only MATCH for satan upon the earth. He is on the earth today raising havoc.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
We have been given weapons to defeat the enemy.
How will satan finally be condemned to hell? When God has the two witnesses.
God only has one witnesses and that is Jesus Christ and the Church is the second.
Where is satan’s seat? In the church.
When will the WARFARE end?
When everything is restored to the Church. Every area must be fought. Wherever you are the Kingdom of God must be established there.
Just before Paul left this earth, his last words were “I have fought a good fight”. There were times in the life of Paul, when the battle raged hard and when he had a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better.
Phil. 1:23
But Paul as he looked upon the Church and establishment of God’s Kingdom it was better to remain.
Many times in our lives, the battle gets hard.
Even our Lord living the life as a man upon the earth – his battle got hard. He was faced with the greatest of all battles – the powers of darkness came upon Him in Garden of Gethsemane. But Christ corrected Himself and said not My will but thine will be done.
Christianity is not for weaklings.
Christians should be the most important people in a country; not political parties. They do not know how to build “nations”. Nations are people and politics cannot build people.
Only the CHURCH has been assigned with knowledge of God in building people.
Immediately when Satan was cast down, God’s intention is revealed.
Satan is an accuser of the brethren.
What are the weapons of our warfare?
Wherefore – because of the wrestling match we are in; because the enemy constantly attacks us, take on the whole armour of God.
Ephesians 6:11 – Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Whole armour – panoplia (Greek); refers to a Roman solider who is fully dressed in his armor from head to toe.
Able – dunamis – dynamic ability working on your behalf
Stand – stenai – to maintain a critical and strategic military position over a battlefield; main battlefield is our mind.
Against – pro – face to face encounter; eye ball to eyeball; more than a match for the enemy
Wiles of devil – devices and deception. It actually means a lie that travels on one road to get to your mind so you can believe the lie and make it a reality. This is completed deception.
The Roman solider had seven pieces of armor, both offensive and defensive.
Loins girded with Truth:
Breastplate of righteousness:
Feet Shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace
Shield of Faith:
Helmet of Salvation:
Sword of the Spirit:
Put on: Enduo – putting on a new set of clothes
How do you put on the whole armor of God?
Your unbroken, ongoing relationship with God is your absolute guarantee that you are constantly and habitually dress in “the whole armor of God”.
The armour is to be placed one for the purpose of praying.
We have additional weapons we can use that are not found in Ephesians 6, found in the counsel of God’s Word.
WEAPON OF OUR WARFARE: PRAYER AND FASTING!
No Church will ever survive without prayer and fasting.
Fasting should be a ministry, not a misery.
Why did it take Daniel, 21 days to get an answer from God?
v. 10 - 13
Prince of Kingdom of Persia withheld 21 days; Gabriel (Minister of Communication) could not function in the deliverance of the people upon the earth.
Prince of Persia – Satan’s prince (bears title of man he was assigned to stay with)
When Jesus was on earth, He entered into WARFARE – prayer and fasting. Very sensitive in this and to this.
Luke 4:1; 14
Jesus being filled of the Holy Ghost – not just JESUS (naked humanity). Jesus was full of the Holy Ghost.
THE CHIEF WEAPON OF OUR WARFARE IS: THE HOLY GHOST.
Heaven opened by PRAYER! But Jesus had to learn to keep it open!
So Jesus had a life of prayer – He did nothing without praying; He did lots of things after prayer.
Prayer Language:
1) Communication with God
2) WARFARE
When you pray in the morning; you see the Kingdom for the day.
Fasting and prayer energizes FAITH.
Fasting is not optional!
