All Nations Community Church
This Is War
Deuteronomy 1:6-8
Locations & Times
All Nations Community Church
18620 Kedzie Ave, Homewood, IL 60430, USA
Sunday 9:45 AM
1 Kings 15:11-15 introduces the reader to a reoccurring pattern… in their history, a new king would be selected some good, others not so much.
· Evil kings walked in evil ways; in many cases just like their predecessor
· Many of the good kings walked in the ways of God and removed idols, prostitutes, evil practices, etc.
· Some made the mistake of leaving the “High Places” intact
"High Places" were, for a time, a good place for worship
· Temporary place not meant to be permanent
· Last week, a good thing if not a God thing can be a bad thing!
· Evil kings walked in evil ways; in many cases just like their predecessor
· Many of the good kings walked in the ways of God and removed idols, prostitutes, evil practices, etc.
· Some made the mistake of leaving the “High Places” intact
"High Places" were, for a time, a good place for worship
· Temporary place not meant to be permanent
· Last week, a good thing if not a God thing can be a bad thing!
3 Enemies in this warfare:
1. Satan (accuser, father of lies, ruler of this world, tempter, ruler of demons, the evil one, murderer, adversary, ruler of the authority of the air, roaring lion, the angel of the abyss, god of this age, old serpent, dragon, deceiver of the whole world)
Gregory Koukl writes in the Story of Reality:
[The devil] gains ground by craftiness and secrecy, and he destroys by lies, accusation, enticement, and subterfuge. If you doubt him, beware. Stealth is his weapon. Satan happily stays in the shadows where he can do his dark business undetected.
2. Secular World (corrupted by sin, world would love their own, filled with difficulties, antithetical to the Kingdom of God)
3. Self (corrupted by sin, instructed to put off the old man, and put on the new man -- Eph. 4:22-24 -- many are captive by our own dysfunction and justify it in many ways!!!)
1. Satan (accuser, father of lies, ruler of this world, tempter, ruler of demons, the evil one, murderer, adversary, ruler of the authority of the air, roaring lion, the angel of the abyss, god of this age, old serpent, dragon, deceiver of the whole world)
Gregory Koukl writes in the Story of Reality:
[The devil] gains ground by craftiness and secrecy, and he destroys by lies, accusation, enticement, and subterfuge. If you doubt him, beware. Stealth is his weapon. Satan happily stays in the shadows where he can do his dark business undetected.
2. Secular World (corrupted by sin, world would love their own, filled with difficulties, antithetical to the Kingdom of God)
3. Self (corrupted by sin, instructed to put off the old man, and put on the new man -- Eph. 4:22-24 -- many are captive by our own dysfunction and justify it in many ways!!!)
How do fight in this spiritual war?
1. See the unseen
In 2 Kings 6:15-17, the prophet Elisha’s attendant saw something in the visible realm that overwhelmed him—the Syrian army encircling their city with horses and chariots. “Alas, my master!” he said. “What shall we do?”
Elisha, though, was not shaken. He saw a deeper reality in the unseen realm.
2. Engage the unseen
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Do not use the wrong weapons… (carnal weapons)
· Carnal weapons of manipulation, deception, accusations, self-aggrandizement, etc. reflect the ruler of this world…
· These weapons will not overcome in this spiritual battle
Do use the right weapons (spiritual weapons)
· Why? They are mighty
· When the world uses manipulation, deceit, and lies, we choose the truth
· When we fight with the right weapons, there's no power or principality that can stand against us!
o Note: Strongholds are expressed in arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
o Only the power of God can break the strongholds that appear in this life!
1. See the unseen
In 2 Kings 6:15-17, the prophet Elisha’s attendant saw something in the visible realm that overwhelmed him—the Syrian army encircling their city with horses and chariots. “Alas, my master!” he said. “What shall we do?”
Elisha, though, was not shaken. He saw a deeper reality in the unseen realm.
2. Engage the unseen
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Do not use the wrong weapons… (carnal weapons)
· Carnal weapons of manipulation, deception, accusations, self-aggrandizement, etc. reflect the ruler of this world…
· These weapons will not overcome in this spiritual battle
Do use the right weapons (spiritual weapons)
· Why? They are mighty
· When the world uses manipulation, deceit, and lies, we choose the truth
· When we fight with the right weapons, there's no power or principality that can stand against us!
o Note: Strongholds are expressed in arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
o Only the power of God can break the strongholds that appear in this life!