Fighting the Invisible Enemy - Part 1: Understanding the Context of the War
New Sermon Series: Fighting the Invisible Eney
Part 1: Understanding the "Context" of the War
Pastor Boniface Mgonja - Sunday, April 23rd, 2023
Bethel Pentecostal Church, Barrhead, Alberta, Canada
(The following are Pastor Boniface's sermon notes:)
Scripture:
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (NIV)
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The
weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they
have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every
pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive
every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish
every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (ESV) For though we walk in the flesh, we are not
waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of
the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments
and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every
thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience,
when your obedience is complete.
Key Verse: Ephesians 6:10-12 (NIV)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the
whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the
devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness,
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
CONTEXT:
Corinth’s location made the city a site of great strategic and economic
importance:
large ports (harbors), trade and commercial centre.
major political activities (Roman administrative centre)
Mixed cosmopolitan population and many religious shrines.
Byword for sexual immorality and pride of every kind.
Paul encourages Corinthian believers to be reconciled with him to reject false
prophesies and teachings which create conflict in the church.
Ephesus was also located strategically – It ranked with Corinth, Antioch,
Alexandria among the foremost urban centres of the Roman empire.
For the case of the church in Ephesus, Paul seeks to establish unity in the
church and in other Christian relationships and envisions both salvation and the
church in universal terms.
KEY EMPHASIS:
Spiritual warfare is a vital part of our walk with God – from the time we
were transferred from the dominion of darkness to the Kingdom of the son
he loves (Col 1:13)
There is war going around us that is “invisible” – You can’t see it in the
physical realm, but IT IS REAL.
Two important things when you are in war:
(1) Victory – “In war, there is no substitute for victory” – either you win
or lose the battle.
(2) Target – WHAT your battle is? WHO your enemy/target is? HOW
do you fight the battle/your enemy?
If you don’t have a clear understanding of the CONTEXT of our battle and
the war we are fighting (especially because of the invisible nature of the war
we are fighting), you will end up loosing the target and lose the battle.
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KEY POINTS:
A: TARGET:
1. WHAT is Our War/Battle?
2Cor 10:3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world
does. [ For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the
flesh.
Spiritual warfare is a vital part of our walk with God – from the time we
were transferred from the dominion of darkness to the Kingdom of the
son he loves (Col 1:13)
Once you are born, you automatically have an arch-enemy dedicated to
destroying your destiny both current and eternal.
Your childhood
Your teenage
Your spiritual life, marriage life, career, profession etc.
2. WHO is Our/Your Enemy?
2Cor 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the
contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
================
Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness,
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Our enemy is one and only one, THE DEVIL
He is the enemy of the church, every man, woman and child.
Whether you are a Christian or not, he hates you because God made
you in His own image.
He is accusing us before God, day and night (Rev. 12:10)
A roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1Peter 5:8)
Just like God using his servants, the devil is using his agents (both in
human nature and demonic powers) to fulfill his destructive purpose.
Manifesting himself as an “angel of light” (2 Cor.11:13-15) to destroy
the church, individuals, families etc
3. HOW do we fight the battle?
2Cor 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the
contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish
arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will
be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
================
Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness,
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
B: VICTORY
“In war, there is no substitute for victory” – either you win or lose the
battle.
The Bible does not teach us how to cope with our problems, it teaches us
how to always walk in victory.
The world teaches us how to cope with depression, sickness and
relationship breakdown…BUT God wants us to overcome these
challenges.
BECAUSE…THE BATTLE BELONGS TO GOD---HIS JOY IS
OUR STRENGHTH [James 4:7 Submit yourself then to God, resist
the devil, and he will flee from you]
Rom 8: 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers,
nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
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1John 4:4 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.