Sermon Central
-
Spiritual Protection For The Battlefield
Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 17, 2013 (message contributor)
Summary: We are engaged in a spiritual war. A serious battle. For the Christian, faith is not spelled "F-A-I-T-H" it is spelled "R-I-S-K." If something is not a risk, then it really does not require faith.
For Those not Familiar with an Anglican Service there are 4 Scripture readings before the message is given. Today's Scriptures were Deuteronomy 26:1-11 ; Psalm 91:1,2,9-16 ; Romans 10:8-13 and Luke 4:1-13
One gentleman commented, ... "I wouldn't be tempted ... if temptation .... wasn't ... so tempting".
Oscar Wilde ... an Irish writer from the 1800's ... described it with these words ... "I can resist anything.... but temptation." (Long Pause)
A story about a little boy in a grocery store .... I believe illustrates ... the nature ... of temptation.
The boy was standing near an open box of peanut butter cookies.
"Now then, young man," ... said the grocer as he approached the young boy.
"What are you up to?"
"Nothing," replied the boy:
"Nothing." ... "Well it looks to me ... like you were trying to take a cookie."
"Oh you're so wrong, mister, .... I'm trying not to!" (Pause)
Now Beloved ... that's temptation!! ... I'm trying not to.
How many of us have shrugged our shoulders... and in jest ... may have said: "The Devil made me do it!"
And used that as an excuse ... when caught doing something ... that we should not have been doing ... in the first place?
Granted it is a convenient defense. ... But there is just one problem:
The Devil cannot make you do ... anything.
He may be clever, ... but he is not ... all powerful.
Yet it may feel like Satan is all powerful, .... when we are dangling ... on temptation's hook.
Satan has a tried-and-true strategy for luring each of us .... into his net.
Have you ever thought about the schemes ... of the devil? (Long Pause)
Were you aware ... that all the warnings in the New Testament ... concerning conflicts with Satan and his demons ... are addressed ...only ... to believers?
Why? ... Because Jesus made it very clear .... that he is ... the only way ... to the Father. I am the way....
Since Jesus is the only way, ... the enemy wants to do everything possible ... to keep us from believing ... ... that this reality ... is the truth.
Our enemy is committed to doing everything possible ... to make us ineffective ....in our personal lives ... and in our personal ministries.
If we are ineffective, ... we hurt others; .... we hurt the church ....... and in essence ... we help the enemy!
Satan knows full well ... that he has already been defeated at the Cross .... that his time is limited.
Only eternity will reveal ... the number of Christians ... who have led unproductive lives ... because of their
unwillingness ... to fight evil ... in the spiritual realm.
Only eternity will reveal ... the number of Christians ... who have forsaking their ministries ... due to the attacks .... of the enemy.
Peter informs us BIBLE "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil ... prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him, ... standing firm in the faith..." END (1 Peter 5:8-9,)
Yet ... far too many ... have the wrong idea ... concerning the word ... "Resist".
Somewhere along the way ... resisting Satan ... was changed to ... ignore Satan ... or the belief ... that he does not exist at all!
Where did we ever get the idea ...that the best approach to dealing with the enemy ....is to dismiss and ignore him as nothing more than a fantasy ... or theological myth?
Passive neglect ... is a poor tactic ... to use ... against any adversary.
Standing against the enemy's challenge to combat .... is not a task ... to be taken lightly?
Satan is a cunning .... a relentless adversary.
His mastery of evil ...enables him to fashion lewd temptations .... or fling fiery darts ... with amazing accuracy.
Job, Joshua, Daniel, David ... the apostle Paul ... were men who had real .... and convincing experiences ... that proved that they were not immune ... to the wiles ... of a very real ... Devil.
If these great saints of the Bible were vulnerable to Satan and his demonic army ...why would we think .... that we should expect ... anything less?
Unless we have already forsaken ... the Good Fight.
The greatest example of all ... is the audacity of Satan ... to tempt the son of God .... in the wilderness.
If Satan is brazen enough to get in the face of the Son of God ... why should we expect him or his army to steer, clear ... of us?
The writer of Hebrews lays before us this truth: BIBLE "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but was in all points tempted as we are, ... yet without sin." END (Hebrews 4:15)
