Introduction: I have been talking about foundations for the entire year. Today I am going to share with you another foundational truth about warfare.
When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, it is much like enlisting in the army. You become a solider whether you want to admit it or not. If you are not a warrior, then the enemy certainly sees you that way because he sees that you have chosen a side. You have chosen to serve the living God who he is opposed to in every way.
There are many principles of warfare, more than I could talk about in one message, but the one thing I do want to focus on is “What do you do after you win the victory?”
This is where I believe many Christians give up and never posses the land or place that God has for them
I want you to look at 1 Samuel 17:48-55.
Here is the very familiar story of David and Goliath. I don’t think I have to go into details about the actual battle between the two of them. It is right simple. David by faith took a small stone, slung it into the forehead of the giant, and he fell. David then proceeded to kill him.
There are many principals that we can learn from this, but the part that I am interested in is what happened next!
The title of this message is: “Plundering The Enemies Camp”.
The very simple question I want to ask you today is…what have you taken back from the enemy that he has taken from you?
I. Jesus Has Already Slew Our Giant
1. Just as David slew the Giant, Jesus defeated Satan on the cross of Calvary. He did not do it with a stone, but with the cross.
2. Jesus won the victory for us, but just as when David killed Goliath, the battle was not completely over.
i. 1 Samuel 17:51b-52 (NIV) When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 52 Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.
3. Verse 52 says that the men of Israel, the same ones that were afraid to face the Philistines and Goliath their giant now surged forward with a “Shout” and pursued the Philistines all the way to the gates of Ekron.
4. Jesus has chased the enemy away from us so that he has no power over us but only what we allow him.
i. Matthew 16:18 (KJV) And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
5. The gates of hell shall not prevail against whom…the church!
6. Folks we are on the winning team. Jesus scored the winning blow to Satan when he died on the cross.
7. He has provided for us freedom from the penalty of sin and has commanded us to advance into the enemy’s territory.
II. If We Have The Victory, Why Does It Seem We Are The Ones Always On The Run?
1. I guarantee if I were to ask anyone here today if we have the victory in Jesus, the answer would be unanimously yes.
2. Later in private, many of you would confess to me that although you know that you have the victory; it sure does not seem like it in your life based on your current circumstances.
3. What is wrong? Has something failed? Has Jesus given up on you? The answer is, yes something is wrong, no nothing or no one has failed, and No Jesus has not given up on you!
4. You know the story of David and Goliath and the victory that David had, but do you know what was going on before David slew the giant?
5. Earlier in Chapter 17, we see that Goliath would come out every day and shout to the ranks of Israel to send out someone to fight him. Look what verses 10-11 say.
i. 1 Samuel 17:10-11 (NIV) 10 Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other." 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
6. Notice here that all of Israel was terrified! Fear has its way of keeping us from what God has for us. Fear is the opposite of Faith. Were not these the Children of God? Wasn’t God on their side? YES, YES, YES!
7. This went on for 40 days, with the giant coming out and defying Israel.
i. 1 Samuel 17:16 (NIV) For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.
8. How many of you are doing the same thing living in fear?
i. You come to church, get refreshed, but are still terrified of the enemy for what he is doing to you!
ii. You pray, but you still feel like nothing gets through.
iii. You read study and seek God, but nothing seems to change your circumstances.
9. The same God of David was with all the army of Israel….Think about this for a while. What was different about David? Maybe it is found in 1 Samuel 16:13
i. 1 Samuel 16:13 (NIV) So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.
10. If you don’t have power, then you need it. Jesus wants us to have the power if we will just ask for it. Holy Ghost Power!
11. One of the reasons that many of God’s people are always on the run is because they fail to understand this very important principal:
i. Although you are free from the penalty of sin, you may still be in bondage to the power of darkness.
ii. It is really hard to chase the enemy when you are in bondage to him!
iii. It’s really hard to take anything back from him if you are in agreement with him.
iv. You must break free!
III. Have You Plundered The Enemies Camp?
1. In order to plunder the enemies camp, you must first realize who you are in Jesus Christ.
2. David knew who he was and knew that his God was fully able to give him the victory.
3. After David slew Goliath, Israel chased the Philistines and then turned and plundered their camp.
4. What does plunder mean? It means to rob of goods by force, especially in time of war. It means to pillage, to seize by force.
5. The enemy has been stealing from you for a long time. What are you doing about it?
i. John 10:10 (NIV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
6. What do you suppose the enemy has been stealing from you? Here’s a list…
i. Truth. You have been lied too that you are not victorious.
ii. Joy
iii. Peace
iv. Love
v. Gifts
vi. Calling
vii. Health
viii. Destiny
ix. Finances
x. Time
xi. Job
xii. Self Worth
xiii. Whatever you can think of, the enemy has stolen from you if it is valuable. Remember this is a spiritual battle that is conducted in your mind. That is where the real battle takes place!
7. Do something different than what you are used to doing. Witness to your neighbor, share Jesus with stranger, or your boss! The enemy has you figured out, so do something that will catch him off guard.
8. We must plunder the enemies camp! Talk back what belongs to us.
9. It is a principal of war found throughout the Bible in over 27 verses with just the word “plundered”, 97 times with the word “plunder”.
i. Exodus 12:36 (NIV) The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.
ii. Judges 2:14 (NIV) In his anger against Israel the Lord handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.
iii. 2 Kings 7:16 (NIV) Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the Lord had said.
iv. Jeremiah 30:16 (NIV) “’But all who devour you will be devoured; all your enemies will go into exile. Those who plunder you will be plundered; all who make spoil of you I will despoil.
10. Isn’t it time you began to plunder the enemies camp!
IV. Whose Son Are You?
1. One final thing I want to encourage you with. Notice what happened to David after he and Israel came back to Jerusalem.
i. 1 Samuel 17:55 (NIV) As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is that young man?" Abner replied, "As surely as you live, O king, I don’t know."
2. Saul wanted to know whose son this young man was. I want each one of you today to know whose son or daughter you are. You are the son or daughter of the Most High God!
3. You were purchased with a price…the precious blood of God’s only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
4. Our God is just waiting for us to plunder the enemy’s camp. He wants us to take back what the enemy has stolen from us.
5. If the enemy knows that God has a plan for your life, then you can be sure that he has been busy trying to steal from you.
6. He has given us the victory and all we have to do is BY FAITH take it and posses it!
7. You are an overcomer!
i. 1 John 4:4 (NIV) You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
ii. 1 John 5:5 (NIV) Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
iii. 1 John 3:8 (NIV) He 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.
CONCLUSION: Today I want you to reflect on what the enemy has been stealing from you.
• If you are in bondage to the enemy, then you need freedom.
• If you don’t know who Jesus Christ is, then you need salvation.
• If you don’t have power, then you need the Holy Ghost to Baptist you with fire and with power!
• If you have not plundered the enemy’s camp, then we need to “Go to the enemy camp and Take Back what he has stole from you"!
