Spiritual Warfare

PART A: DARKNESS VS. LIGHT

We have discovered that there are two spirits operating in the world today. The Spirit of God, which is the Holy Ghost, and the spirit of Satan, which is iniquity. These two are contrary one to the other.

The devil is the prince of this world. Jesus referred to him as such. He also at one point called him the god of this world. He is, however, the prince of darkness. He brought the darkness of evil into this world. His character is as the darkest night.

St. John 1:17-18

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Jesus brought the truth into the world. We did not know the truth, therefore we walked in the deception of the lie. We were blinded by our own lusts, lost in the world and alienated from God. The reality of the existence of God was seen in Jesus Christ. He came to declare the Father.

No one had ever seen the Father, except the Son. He came to make known to us the character, nature, will and purpose of the Father. The words He spoke were the words of the Father. The works He did were the works of the Father. In 3 1/2 years, He made known to the world the mind and heart of the Father.

He opened unto us the reality of our situation. He offered us an escape from the kingdom of darkness and the captivity of the devil.

Accepting the finished work of Christ brought us into the kingdom of light. We entered into a spiritual world of truth and light. Though we came in as babes, the Holy Ghost began an effectual work in our development that has brought us to a place of commitment. We want to serve the master. We want to let our lights shine in this dark world, as beacons for the lost to follow.

However, Satan is going to oppose our every effort to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the set-up. The "truth," that is God, can only be manifested to the world through vessels of flesh, (for we have this treasure in earthen vessels). Our lives are to be living epistles that reveal the power of the one true God. Our lifestyle is to be that of godliness and holiness. We are to be a peculiar people. We are the manifestations of the "truth."

Once again, as in the time of Christ, "the truth" is made flesh and dwells among men. Therefore, the only target the enemy has in his efforts to stop the truth is the personage of the sons of God. Our flesh is his target. He will attack us in the flesh to hinder us in our ministries. This is the only place he can bring the opposition.

2 Corinthians 4:1

1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not.

Because the Lord has shown us mercy by saving us, we cannot afford to faint in the work of the ministry. We are the only hope the world has. It is looking for a deliverer. It does not know the truth, therefore it runs after idol gods that have no power to deliver it from the snare of the devil. The sons are the light of the world. This truth within us must flow from us as rivers of living water.

When discouraged we must encourage ourselves in the Lord. We must remain steadfast in purpose. Lives depend on us. The responsibility of ministry is awesome. Sin is a settled issue in the servants of God in that we are not battling with sin in our own lives but we are fighting to free others from the captivity of sin in their lives. This was the disposition of the apostles. This must also be our disposition, if we are going to work for the Lord.

PART B: THE CONSCIENCE JUDGES GOOD AND EVIL

II Corinthians 4:2

2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in sight of God.

The servants of the Lord must be willing to be judged by the conscience of others. The Holy Ghost is the abode of the conscience in the saint. Nevertheless, the sinner recognizes the righteousness of God and is able to identify the good and the evil coming forth in ministry.

He will discern the walk of the servant of God. This is why many who are out of the way are moved to listen to the words of the man or woman of God. They are able, by the conscience, to discern our sincerity and righteous mindset.

THE POWER OF DECEPTION

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 KJVS

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

[4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Notice the explanation Paul gives for being lost after hearing the gospel. Now you must understand the true meaning of unbelief in order to see the power of the deception of the enemy. Those that are lost, in such a situation, have both heard and seen evidence of the gospel of Christ. They hear the truth and see the manifestation of that truth in those lives that have been changed by the truth. This evidence is rejected. Thus they become unbelievers.

The strength of deception is the pleasure it offers the flesh.

This unbelief is due to Satan, the god of this world, blinding them to the truth. How is this accomplished? As I said in the previous lesson, Satan's most powerful weapon against man is DECEPTION.

Let me take a little time here to explain the operation of deception. The body of Christ seems to think deception is a trick of the enemy. It is not really a trick, it is a luring. He uses bait that pleases the flesh to lure man into sin. However, once the truth is revealed the only way deception can operate is that the lust in you belittles the evil of the sin you desire to fulfill. Your fleshy mind must develop a less condemning nature for the sin.

Therefore, it becomes easy to enter into unbelief. The strength of deception is the pleasure it offers the flesh. The pleasure helps to digest the sin. If you continue to walk in the pleasures of sin, you may move to a point where you finally believe the lie, even though you started out believing the truth. The world is now walking in this strong delusion.

There is danger in hearing the truth and rejecting it. God may turn you over to a reprobate mind, in which you cannot distinguish between the truth or the lie.

Those that are lost, after hearing the gospel, are rejecters of the truth. They refuse to consider the evidence placed before them and go on in their pernicious ways. Jesus said, "Men love darkness." This is true. We can see this truth manifested in their refusal to accept the way of God. This way is an offense to the flesh. It is a way evil spoken of by the world.

Nevertheless, there are those who will hear. Therefore, we must be instant in season and out of season to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:5-7

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

THE POWER OF MINISTRY IS OF GOD. The gifts set in the church are in the Holy Ghost. This is the season of the Holy Ghost. This is His time. He is the One who brought to us the power of God. He is the One working the works of Faith.

The Holy Ghost has chosen earthen vessels to operate through. We are the chosen of God. We have been purged and cleansed and are ready for the Master's use. I say this as I am writing to those who have been in the purging of the Bible Teachers International Ministries for the last few years. We have spent much time in the wilderness. We have discerned the will of the Father and have come into agreement with Him.

Right now the Lord is preparing our minds to deal with the next level of the call. Our minds are being prepared to suffer the attack of the enemy on the disposition of the flesh. We have endured the chastening. Now we are preparing to serve. However, the mind must be ready to accept the fact that Satan is going to do all that is in his power to hinder the ministry that the Lord has entrusted to us.

I thank God for the knowledge of the truth, for it is that knowledge that is forming Christ in us and bringing us into commitment. We are not blind. We know what the opposition is likely to be, but we are being prepared to face whatever the Lord deems necessary to bring the world to Christ.

THE APOSTLES AND THE PROPHETS ARE OUR EXAMPLES OF THE SUFFERING THAT MIGHT HAVE TO BE ENDURED BY THE LATTER DAY LEADERS.

PART C: ENTERING SPIRITUAL WARFARE

First of all, you must understand that the devil is a spiritual creature. You are no match for him without the Holy Ghost. Because he is spirit, the battle must be fought by the Spirit. This is the work that the Holy Ghost came to do. He came to prove the overcoming work of Christ. He is our helper in procuring sons for the kingdom of light.

Ephesians 6:12-18

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against power, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

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.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints...

Our battle is with Satan and his angels. They are the rulers of the darkness of this world. Our purpose for existence is to loose men and women from his kingdom and bind them to the kingdom of light. He is not going to allow us to do this without a fight. He is an adversary that knows how to fight.

Though we have been purged and made ready for the battle, the devil is going to continue to attack the mind with temptations of the world. But, he will find that the sin issue is a closed one with us. We must, however, gird ourselves with the truth and always pray for the supplicant ( this word is being used from a previous chapter that means to ask or beg humbly or earnestly. Please confirm that it is being used the right way) to pour out more grace as we preserve in the ministry.

We will enter into territories that the devil has maintained control of for years. These are his dominionships. Our invasion will not be welcomed. Once Satan realizes we are not vulnerable to sin in his spiritual attack, he will attack the only place that is left exposed to him, our flesh.

2 Corinthians 4:8

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;

Though we experience trouble of all kind, we will not become exhausted from our labor or tired from the toil, nor will we experience anguish from the lack of material things.

2 Corinthians 4:8

8 We are perplexed, but not in despair;

There are times when we cannot see our way out of certain situations or circumstances, which the ministry has dictated, nevertheless, we are not without a resource. We have no anxiety as to the results or outcome of our situations, for we know whom we serve. He is the master and our footsteps are ordered by God.

2 Corinthians 4:9

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken

We know that God is working with us. He will never leave nor forsake us in the battle.

2 Corinthians 4:9

9 Cast down, but not destroyed;

There may be times when we are shamefully entreated, but the enemy cannot destroy that which is in us. We have a course to finish and the devil cannot stop us from finishing that course. It is the Lord who will call us home when our course is finished. We know the power the enemy has over our personage it was given to him by God, and it is the Lord who is trying our hearts.

2 Corinthians 4:10-120

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

We must die to the flesh daily, but someone will benefit from our torment. Our life is to be given for our fellow brothers and sisters that know not the Lord. We must be willing to die in the service of the Lord. The Lord has made us like Him. We are his offspring. The crippling fear of death has fled. WE ARE THE CHOSEN. WE ARE WILLING LAMBS. It was for this purpose that we were raised by the Father.

Hold fast to your profession of Faith. The Lord is working with us. Stay in the race, don’t give up. You can make it to the end. Help me to bring GLORY TO OUR ETERNAL FATHER.