Jan22, 2023 Sunday Message: Taking A Closer Look At Spiritual Warfare -By Pastor Chuck Kennedy

Jan22, 2023 Sunday Message: Taking A Closer Look At Spiritual Warfare -By Pastor Chuck Kennedy
Matt 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Born-again Christians have been enlisted in God’s Army
You are at war with unseen forces
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The devil is out for blood
He wants you dead
You have a target on you now, time to wake up and train for battle
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
There are two battles in our lives once saved
The first is to believe
The second is to deny the flesh and be led by the Spirit
Both are serious warfare
1Tim 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
So on one hand you are warring to believe
And on the other you are fighting to deny yourself and follow the Lord
2Cor 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Cor 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Cor 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2Cor 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
2Cor 10:7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
It is an unseen battle
You must train and equip with the knowledge of God to overcome
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
This is not for lazy Christians
This is not for the faint-hearted or weak
We are bold as lions
Absent of all fear
We believe the promises of God are ours and absolute truth
He cannot lie
Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
We exercise our faith in God who does the miraculous
2Thess 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Thess 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Thess 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Thess 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Thess 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Thess 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Thess 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Thess 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Thess 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Thess 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
We have the Lord so we win
Ps 18:29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
Ps 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
Ps 18:31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
Ps 18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Ps 18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
Ps 18:34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
Ps 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Ps 18:36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
Ps 18:37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
Ps 18:38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
Ps 18:39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
When will we learn
Prov 21:30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
Prov 21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.
Ps 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Ps 20:8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
Spiritual warfare is not always instant or quick
Remember Daniel
Dan 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
Dan 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
Dan 10:14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.
I remember the testimony of Tery Mize who raised a young girl in Guatemala but he labored in prayer for her all night before she came back to life
Elisha and the King who stopped at 3 strikes
2Kgs 13:14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.
2Kgs 13:15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.
2Kgs 13:16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.
2Kgs 13:17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD'S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
2Kgs 13:18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.
2Kgs 13:19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
How about Jacob wrestled with God and became Israel
What about the all night prayer sessions of Jesus
Why do we think it is just a one time prayer and its over
It is time to get serious and put the devil in his place
Caution not to take this as a works mentality
The victory is the Lords
We are fighting to believe and obey
Some get what they call a word from God and believe it
But be sure because if it is wrong and you believe it you will get wrong results
This is war and the devils does not play fair
Wake up
Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Heb 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Heb 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Heb 4:5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Heb 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Heb 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Heb 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.