Spiritual Warfare Part 2
Basic training is essential in order to become a warrior in the spiritual battle raging around us.
new eyes to see
Immediately after you truly accept Christ as your Lord, a number of things happen. You immediately become a member of the family of God. Your home is no longer this earth but heaven. Adam did not suffer physical death immediately after he disobeyed God. He did suffer spiritual death. You accepted Christ as your Lord so you have new eyes. Spiritual eyes. You can see and understand things that happen in the spiritual realm now. Things not visible in the physical realm.
Our new spiritual makeup
You have to understand that you are a spiritual being who has a soul and lives in a body. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 states, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.“
seated with christ
We sit in the heavenly places with Christ. Not only was the righteousness of God imputed to you but God has justified you … just as if the disobedience didn’t happen … He sees you as sanctified … holy … and glorified. Yet, you need to continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Sanctification belongs to you but at the same time you are being sanctified. You are becoming holy which is a continuous process. The process is completed when you get to heaven
planting seeds – the parable
How far along the pathway to holiness you get depends on you. I want to go over a parable Jesus gave about planting seed …. Matthew 13:1-23 “Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” …
planting seeds – the meaning
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Basic Training Parallels
The first three examples are of people who did “ask Jesus in” but for some it didn’t come from the heart and for others distractions and worries became their focus.
not completing or not enrolling in basic training
Part of the reason is that they never finished basic training or … maybe didn’t enroll.
being disciplined
In the Christian world, basic training requires discipline. Matthew 28 which is called the Great Commission say “Go into all the world making disciples of all nations
” Did you notice in the parable of the sower that the last line says they produced a crop The church has been slack in making disciples. Oh, they see a lot of souls make a commitment but many fall away. Those who stay never engage in the spiritual warfare. Certain there is no engagement to the extent they are suppose to engage. They think it is someone else’s job!
West Nova Scotia Regiment – Basic Training
I joined the West Nova Scotia Regiment, a Canadian Armed Forces militia regiment when I was 16. We spent the winter doing GMT training ,General Militiamen Training. In the summer we took the LI course, Leading Infantry training. This is the same training the regular army took, just over a longer time.
Halifax Police Department and RCMP
When I joined the Halifax Police I had to take their recruit training. There, I learned the skills needed to be a police officer. Later when I joined the RCMP I had to take a modified aspect of their cadet training. With Halifax, we did about six weeks in the classroom and then a week riding with a senior officer. This opportunity let us witness first hand the practical application of the skills we learned. The RCMP taught in the classroom at Depot. Upon graduating our detachment assigned a trainer to us. We put the practical application of the skills we learned into practice.
The Criminal Code, Provincial statues, powers of arrest, driving skills, self defense and firearm strategies became part of our basic training.
Basic Training for Christians
As a Christian we have to learn a new way of life. Understanding who we are in the Lord, our duties, our authority, how to deal with the enemy’s strategies and more
washed in the blood
We have been washed in the blood of the Lamb – Jesus Christ, giving us our greatest strength. His name carries the authority of heaven. Jesus’ name is more highly exalted than any other name. He has been given all authority in heaven and earth.
holy spiirit and basic training
When Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection, He didn’t just leave us to fend for ourselves. Upon His request, the Father sent the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit trains us in our basic training. As a Christian, we operate in the power of the Holy Spirit. The power comes by using the name of Jesus.
The Bible in recruit Training
Beside this, God has given us other tools. One is the Bible. God reveals who He is in the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16 says says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God, may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Notice the NIV says God – breathed . So one thing that we need to do is to read and meditate on what God is saying. The Bible is the written word of God. We need to know it. When Satan confronted him in the desert, He rebuked all Satan said by quoting the Scriptures. The written Word is called the Logos.
Rhema Word
There is also something called the Rhema Word. This is the spoken Word. The Holy Spirit illuminates a portion of the Scripture making it “Alive” and pertinent for the situation you are in.
The Bible is the inspired and authoritative Word. All our actions need to tested against it. You and I need to know what the Bible says. Psalm 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you”. The Word of God needs to become a part of you. This is not head knowledge but heart knowledge. It affects all you do.
Relationship and basic training
The Christian life is a life of being in relation to God . We are in communion with Him. Jesus Christ is who we go through in the power of the Holy Spirit. Confessing your sin is not a one time thing. It is not a “get out of jail free ” card. We don’t keep loving as we did. our lives need to show the fruit of the change in us. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us what the fruit is …. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
John 3:16 – Continuous belief
This is a famous verse and says, “whosoever believes in Him … Jesus … shall have eternal life. The verb for believes is in the present continuous tense. We believe now and to continue to believe!
training sheep
his voice
Jesus calls His believers sheep. He is the Shepherd. We know His sheep obey Him and recognize His voice . How do we hear His voice? We hear by reading and meditating on what we are reading. This means allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Word to us.
prayer
Prayer is another skill that has to be learned in basic training. This prayer is communion with God! We build a relationship with Him This takes time. It means we need to listen. In prayer, we learn to hear the voice of Jesus.
Holy Spirit Talking
Holy Spirit will “talk” with us. He will use many different methods. It may even be a silent voice. Distinguishing between the Lord’s voice and the voice of the enemy or our own thoughts and imaginations is an important skill to learn.
One Way to Hear
One good way to start hearing the Lord’s voice is by reading Scripture. A certain passage will grab your attention. Stop! Ask Holy Spirit to clarify why this passage grabs your attention. Read through the Psalms and allow Holy Spirit to lead you. You will find you are actual praying through them.
Praise and Worship
Praise and worship are two aspects of basic training that we need to understand and master. You no longer are in control . You surrendered your life to Jesus. He is in control. The Holy Spirit’s role is to lead us. He hears and sees what Jesus, the head of the church is saying and doing . Before we start asking prayers of “gimme … gimme”, we need to turn our attention to God the Father and to His Son, Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s Prayer in Basic training
The Lord’s Prayer is an example of how to approach God. It starts off with worship and praise … Our Father who art in heaven. Recognize who The Father is.
The Greatest Commandment
Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, when asked what the greatest command was. “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.“
A Holy God
The second part of the Lord’s Prayer says “hallowed be your name”. Holy … God alone is holy! Isaiah saw a vision of Jesus. Jesus is high and lifted up, His train fills the temple. The angels around the throne were then and are still crying, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty”
Basic Training – Tearing down walls
Praise and worship are powerful weapons. This is what caused the walls of Jericho to collapse. They will cause the walls binding or trying to bind you to collapse
From recruit training to the streets
The day I graduated from recruit training is still fresh in my mind. I was now a full police officer. I was issued badge #157. Eleven bullets for 11 bullets for my revolver were in my hand. I understood to a small degree my role. It was only by going out on the street ,away from the classroom that I understood what a police officer was. I needed to learn how to properly use my authority and how to deal with all the different situations I would face. Controlling my fear and managing the adrenaline rush were new tasks for me.
From new Christian to Warrior
One of the most important things to learn after becoming a Christian is who you truly are and what being a Christian entails. To illuminate the Word you are reading, read the Word and listen to Holy Spirit. You will understand who Jesus is. Why He came into the world. Understanding why He died on the cross . The resurrection is especially important to understand. You do start learning by reading the gospel accounts, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Recruit training will show you how to live a Christian life. You will know what is expected and who you are as a believer . Reading the epistles will solidify these skills.
Jesus – the true trainer
Jesus came into the world to reconcile us to God by taking on our sin. He also came to destroy the work of Satan. This in what He did! John the Baptist while discouraged in prison, sent his followers to ask if Jesus was the Expected One – the Messiah. Jesus told him, in Luke 7:21-23, “At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
The works Jesus did pointed to His divinity. He told the Jewish people that if they didn’t want to accept His words then instead to look at the miracles
Doing His work
Jesus also told his disciples what was expected of them. They are to be His witnesses and to do the works He did. In fact He said they would do greater works because He was going away . What were the works … heal the sick … casting out demonic spirits … setting people free … raising the dead … proclaiming the Good News
He mentioned why they would do greater works. It wasn’t because of their human ability but because the Holy Spirit would be given to them
We need to understand The work of the Holy Spirit, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. They need to be understood as an important part of the basic training of a Christian.
So … Holy Spirit … who He is and His work will be the topic of the next discussion
Blessings