Good morning,
Spiritual warfare is little discussed, but effects every believer’s life.
Satan does not want believer’s reading their Bibles, attending church, fellow-shipping with other believers who are want to grow in their relationship to God. He encourages believers to compromise their testimonies. He makes it easy for believers to sin.
God on the other hand has given us victory over Satan, sin, and death.
This is the topic of today’s message.
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Luke 10:17-19, Colossians 2:13-15, Revelation 12:11
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10:17-19)
Introduction:
First Adam had dominion over the Garden of Eden. Gen 1-2 (Read 1:26, 28)
First Adam gave up dominion when he sinned. Gen 3
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)
Second Adam (Jesus Christ) bought back sinful man through His blood. (Read John 3:16)
1. HOW KINGDOM AUTHORITY SOVEREIGNLY ESTABLISHED
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 [And] having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:13-15)
V13 Jesus set us free from spiritual death.
Situation dire: DEATH We deserve DEATH. Quickened=made alive Forgiving ALL our trespasses
V14 Jesus set us free from our staggering debt for our sin.
Heaven has sued us for damages. We are GUILTY before God.
In olden times criminals accused of a crime were given a handwriting of ordinances which stated the charges against him. This was taken to the judge, a trial held and if the person was found guilty, the crime and sentence would be written on the handwriting of ordinances. This would be then posted to the door of his jail cell for all to see. When the sentence was completed and all time served and all debt paid, the handwriting of ordinances would be taken back to the judge. The judge would ask, Has all the sentence been carried out? The jailer would say YES. The judge then writes one word on the handwriting of ordinances:
TETILESTI=It is paid or paid in full. This was same word Jesus used on the cross.
Imagine God writing out handwriting of ordinances on each of us detailing all our sins. The trial is held and the verdict is read GUILTY. Then HE nailed each handwriting of ordinances to the cross. Jesus paid the debt for our sin on the cross. When Satan comes to God to accuse the believer, our attorney the Lord Jesus Christ will show the judge, God, the handwriting of ordinances which has written upon it PAID IN FULL!
V15 Jesus set us free from Satanic dominion.
Principalities and powers are Satan’s dark kingdom.
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. (Ephesians 6:12)
Spoiled=stripped When Jesus Christ died on the cross, shedding His blood for our sins, He stripped Satan of his dominion of this world and shamed Satan openly and made Satan a laughing stock. A king with no clothes, no kingdom.
Triumphing=subdued Satan was subdued by mighty Calvary. The blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ.
SATAN IS A DEFEATED FOE!!!! He does not want you to know this!!!
2. THIS KINGDOM AUTHORITY THAT HAS BEEN SOVEREIGNLY ESTABLISHED MUST BE STRONGLY ENFORCED
Satan does not give up without a fight. He uses deception to win.
SATAN ONLY HAS POWER ON THOSE WHO ALLOW HIM TO HAVE THAT POWER.
HE DOES NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIM.
We must appropriate what God has given us. Claim His promises.
OUR DOMINION OVER SATAN
Has Satan’s back been broken? YES
Has his kingdom been ruined? YES
Do you have authority? YES
You must appropriate and enforce your authority.
Satan is holding people captive.
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (Luke 4:17-18)
Jesus said: As my Father has sent me, so send I you. We are being sent to the rescue/ to set the captives free.
We have the authority to tell Satan to be gone. Our debt of sin has been forgiven, Jesus defeated Satan at Calvary and stripped him of all power he has over man.
BUT WE MUST EXERCISE THAT AUTHORITY!! WE HAVE AUTHORITY OVER SATAN!!!
3. AUTHORITY MUST BE STRATEGICALLY EXERCISED
a. Person must be right with the Lord. No unconfessed sin. You can not fight spiritual battles if you are not under God’s authority.
b. Right position. We are praying from earth to heaven instead of Heaven to earth.
And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6) Our position is seated with God.
c. Right power is in Calvary.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Use your testimony against Satan. Be willing to serve Jesus even unto death.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001
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