Introduction to Spiritual Warfare
The Battle
Halifax 1976
It was a dark night in 1976 and I was walking a beat in downtown Halifax. My duties included checking businesses to make sure they were secure. I checked the exterior of the Keith’s brewery. One of the gates was open. It was was usually locked. I called it in and started onto the property to check things out. It was pitch dark with no artificial lighting. With my flashlight in hand I made my way forward
The Attack
Then I heard a sound so I pulled my revolver and continued … my heart beating just a little faster. There was a major swooshing noise to my rear on my right. My adrenaline soared as I whipped around … flashlight and gun pointing at …. A flock of pigeons that I had disturbed
Beginning of Spiritual Warfare
For the next 36 years I would serve as a police officer, in many different roles. Over the next few weeks, I am going to cover the topic of spiritual warfare. What is spiritual warfare and what is asked for those called as warriors?
Today, I want to go right to the beginning. Is there a battle? When did it start ? Who is involved?
No peace in this World
Apparently over the last 3800 years there has only been 268 years of peace. Yet in actual fact, there has been a steady war going on for the last 6000 years.
In the Beginning there was no war
You see, war is as a result of a thing called sin. When God created the heaven and the earth, afterwards He said the creation was “very good” This means there was no war, … no death. The man Adam and his wife Eve, lived in total innocence and in fact walked in close communion with God Himself
disobeying the command of god!
Sometime before Cain was born, both Adam and Eve disobeyed a command of God. This recorded in Genesis 2: 15-17, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
Sin and Death
Humans broke this command. Sin entered the world and with sin came death – and murder and war … including spiritual warfare
Spiritual Death
Now Adam did not die right away … he lived to be 930 years of age. His relationship with God died. He died spiritually and God cast out of the Garden of Eden. Adam’s innocence disappeared and mankind, rather than bowing to and being obedient to the Lord God Almighty, started bowing to created things and demons.
Satan and his role in Spiritual Warfare
It was Satan who led Adam and Eve astray. He went by Lucifer then and was probably an archangel. Pride overcame him. He forgot he was but a created being. Rather, he thought that he and God were equals. Nothing has changed Satan still tries to get mankind to worship him. He doesn’t like the fact that God made humans in His likeness or image. Men has dominion over the earth. Thus Satan hate mankind so he went after them … deceiving Eve …
Start of the Spiritual BAttle
This is when the war started. Satan rebelled against God. Mankind is now in the middle, of the battle. God’s plan is for mankind, men and women, to have and to be in fellowship with Him for all eternity, Satan does all he can to blind the eyes and hearts of people so they never get back into fellowship with God
Fellowship with God
You notice I said “back into fellowship with God” … Adam’s disobedience infected everyone who came after him … man … although created to serve God … has the propensity to rebel … to go his own way … and to separate themselves from God …
Consequence of Rebellion
This has consequences… as we read earlier in Genesis 2 … death was the result of disobedience … and Romans 6:23 reminds us, “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God is not caught off guard
You see, God in His omniscience knew what Adam would do … He knew before the foundations of the earth were even set. God still gave mankind a thing called free will … angel also have free will by the way… so neither Satan’s scheming nor Adam’s betrayal and disobedience caught God off guard … He had a plan of salvation … of reconciliation … and the plan has a name … Jesus or Yeshua …
Consequence of Sin
The consequences of sin … death … is eternal separation from God … Jesus describes it as “where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.“ Matthew 24:51 and in Mark 9:48, “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched”
Spiritual Battle for the souls of men
The battle is raging . It is raging for the souls of men. Those refusing to follow God are choosing to follow Satan. God will throw Satan into the lake of fire. His punishment will be eternal. The same fate awaits those following him.
But … there is another player in the spiritual warfare … it is the children of God … those who have surrendered their lives to God and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord … Act 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Become a Halifax Police Officer
You see … when I became a member of the Halifax Police Force in 1975, I didn’t just walk in from the street and they gave me a uniform and a gun. After seeing an ad I applied. I passed an written and physical exam and they hired me.
Captain of the Army of the Lord
There is a Psalm #24 that is very revealing … “Lift up your heads, you gates be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty— he is the King of glory.“ NIV … but some versions The Lord of Hosts or The Captain of the Army of the Lord
Joining the Army of God
The children of God are led by the Lord of Hosts … Jesus Christ … but again … you don’t join this army any old way … it is only by God’s grace … it is by realizing that you are a sinner … you have been trying to run your life and not only not submitting to God but are actually in outright disobedience …
All have been disobedient
God is holy and in order to be in fellowship with Him … you or I need to be holy … another word is righteous … but unless our righteousness matches God’s then it means nothing … Roman 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and Isaiah 64:6 say, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”
Repenting so you can join God’s Army
So how do you join this army … this army of righteousness … let’s hear what Peter said in Acts 2:38, “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”
You need to repent and be baptized as Paul told the jailer in Ephesus, “They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts. 16:31
And then as Romans 10:9 tells us, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved”
Household of God – Involved in Cosmic Battle
As soon as you do this, you become a member of the household or family of God. Jesus Christ is now your ruler. All believers are in this cosmic battle. Jesus is the Lord of Host … the Captain of the army of the Lord
Israel – Part of the battle
When Israel became a nation on May 14, 1948. Isaiah prophesied this in Isaiah 66:8, “Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.”
some 2600 years ago … the very next day … on May 15 … Egypt and other Arab nations attacked them ….
Who does Satan go after
Satan in his battle against God directs his forces against those who represent God … Israel … His chosen people … and Christians … those washed in the blood of the Lamb … Jesus Christ So, as soon as you repent from your old ways … turn 180 degree and surrender to Christ … you now become one of the enemy. You will be open to attacks in this spiritual warfare
Need for basic training
You need to become grounded. Or as I had to do when I joined the police force, you need to go through basic training . The Bible calls it being made into a disciple. It is important you know your authority Know who you are in Christ.
On my first day I went to the quartermaster and received my issued uniform. Holy Spirit is your quartermaster. Receive your battle gear from Him … which we will cover in another talk …
Involved Whether You Want to be or Not
All the wars we see on tv … the arguments between neighbors … between spouses … all the evil … all the heartaches … they are the physical manifestation of a spiritual war that is raging around us. That war directly involves us … whether we want to be or not …
I will refer to the following passage a number of times over the course of these teachings. We, you and I, need to understand who we are fighting against first of all. Secondly as I’ve stated already … that we are directly involved
Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10-12, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
No Opting Out!
Involvement in this war probably scares you. You want to opt out. You might see yourself as a wimp … first God sees you as a warrior but secondly … the verses we just read says … to be strong in the Lord … and in His mighty power
Holy Spirit in You
When you accept Jesus the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in you … so you are not alone … but we can also experience the Baptism of the Holy Spirit … and the Holy Spirit in us is the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians ) and greater is He who is in you than he (Satan) who is in the world (1 John)
So welcome Child of God to the Army of the Lord … next week we will start with Basic Training
This is the script I used on my YouTube channel is you want to view it rather than read.