Spiritual Warfare?

(Ephesians 6:10-13) 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. 

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

In the Heavenly Realms

(Ephesians 5:11) Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

The devil is real.

(Revelation 12:7-9) And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

The devil is at war with us.

(1 Peter 5:8-9) Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith...

The devil has power (as much as you will give him).

(Ephesians 4:26-27) “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

The devil is subject to God.

(1 John 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.

Our Spiritual Weapons...

(2 Corinthians 10:3-4) For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

1. The Name of Jesus.

A stronghold is a lie that Satan uses to get us out of God's will. 

(Philippians 2:9-11) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

(Romans 10:13) “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

2. The Word of God, the Bible.

Find a Bible verse to claim for every situation.

(Hebrews 4:12) For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword...

(Ephesians 6:14-17) Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

3.The Power of the Cross (the ultimate defeat of Satan).

(Revelation 1:18 NKJV) I (Jesus) am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

(Revelation 12:11 NLT) And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.

In all these things we are...

more than conquerors.

~Romans 8:37

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

Video

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/what-about-spiritual-warfare

Discussion Guide

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/files/groups/guides/10-02-2016.pdf

All scripture is from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.