Spiritual Warfare

Robert D. PattonMissionary to SurinameBaptist World Mission

Sin is not unavoidable Sin is a temporary aberration of the

universe. It is not permanent, although we find it virtually everywhere

Adam did not have sin in his life at first Jesus never sins So sin is not necessary, but at this time

it is overall

Furthermore we do not need sin to experience grace

More sin does not mean more grace. God’s grace is adequate, but remember that Paul asked “should we sin that grace might abound? God forbid”

But sin is rebellion against the holy God of the universe, and deserves to be punished

Sin separates us from God

To overcome sin

Simple regret is not adequate An offering is necessary, but one

which God Himself chooses That offering is the death of Jesus in

our place, which can undo the negative effects of sin

Remember – sin is also in our thought-life and emotions

When we sin

We become a slave to sin Our emotions and will are set against

God, and we become rebels Jesus death paid the penalty of our

sin, but also broke the power of sin in our lives

Sin makes us unclean inside and outside

Our spiritual growth begins at the cross

A holy life comes out of that position

The cross is adequate for Salvation – cleansing and pardon Sanctification

Our spiritual life in Christ is the key

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death

My life in the Spirit can take the trials and troubles of life to make me grow

This would take away the ground given to Satan if I respond correctly – victory over sin, death and the devil

I am now in Christ

By birth, I am in Adam, who fell into sin. God does not say: Well, try again. Maybe you will succeed where Adam failed

By the new birth, I am in Christ, who was victorious over sin and satan and death: Rom 8:1 There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus

Christ died to make me free

He died to defeat sin – Now we must remain in our

position in Christ Jesus In our fleshly life, we come under

condemnation, but in the Spirit we have life and peace

Those in the fleshly life

They work in the flesh, think in the flesh, and react emotionally in the flesh

They can be A new believer A backslidden older believer A believer who has never grown

proper spiritually

Three things enter into my freedom in Christ

Substitution: Romans 5 Christ died for my sins

Identification: Romans 6 I am crucified with Christ – identified in His death and resurrection

Union: Romans 7: We are dead to the law and married to Christ

My power comes strictly from Jesus Christ

We cannot pay for our sins apart from Christ

We cannot become free from the power of sin apart from Christ

We cannot serve God acceptably apart from Christ

Before salvation

My spirit was “dead” – non-functional I could not respond to God But as I am now saved, God is busy

changing me, especially as I look on Jesus Christ: 2 Cor. 3: [18] But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Changed to resemble Christ

Eventually I will be transformed truly into His likeness: I Jn. 3:[1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is

After salvation

I am to think like Christ so that I can understand the spiritual blessings I have in Christ Phil. 2:[5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Then I am free to do His will, which is true freedom

As I show the fruit of the Spirit… Love, joy peace – my emotions Patience, long-suffering,

gentleness - my life among others

Faith, meekness and self-control - my character

True freedom

My thoughts will be free as I accept and stay in the truth

My conscience will be free as I realize that I do not have to pay for my sins, and that I have been cleansed by the blood of Christ

Faith and love

Faith makes everything possible But true love makes everything

easier, because I will to do His will. And this love comes from God too.

Then we will find the truth of I Jn. 5:3, where we find that His commands are not burdensome – He carries them…

As we look to Jesus We are transformed into His image Remember that we have everything we need

for our Christian life given to us – His nature, which meets every need

II Peter 1:[4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Characteristics of true surrender

We no longer argue with and fight against God

We no longer hold out on God or hold things back from Him

We no longer work in our own power

God puts is into Christ

Wwe are in Him through God’s power and not our own. And Jesus Christ is not only our wisdom and righteousness; He is also our sanctification and our redemption I Cor. 1:[30] But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

The work of the Holy Spirit

He puts Christ in our life to live there

He brings forth the fruit of the Spirit

We can change our outside, but we cannot change our inside

We make fruit for Him as well – but only as we stay in Him

Thus in Christ we have

Power for the Christian life Sanctification Fruit

What hold us back from this victory?

If we lack faith. Remember that Jesus could not do many miracles in Nazareth because of their lack of faith

Remember that life comes out of death. As we are one in His death, then we are one in His victorious life as well.

The cross

Where we lose our old fleshly life

Where we find our new spiritual life in Christ Jesus

Take up the cross daily

Keep our old life in the position of death to sin

We are separated from the kingdom of darkness

We are separated from our old self-life

We are in Christ

And He has all power and authority

We have all things in Him We are complete in Him

Power for a good life Power for a holy life Power to serve God as is

appropriate

How can our power increase? How can we do greater works?

Our power is limited by our faith As our faith increases, so our

power increases too God wants to work through us –

and show His strength in our lives

We must yield moment by moment to His desires for us

A clean heart to do His will

We must not try to hide things from God (though that is really impossible) but desire that He search our hearts

We must want Jesus Christ to be king of our whole lives

Total surrender is needed

God shows Himself powerful in our weakness

He is glorified in this way – and He will not give His glory to another!

What about fighting spiritually

Give yourself totally to the Lord We are 100% safe in Christ We are 100% in danger outside of Christ

Then stand against the devil using your spiritual armor

Remember that you cannot win the flesh in your own strength = Flesh does not cast out flesh

Winning spiritually

We need to be filled with the Spirit and then walk in the Spirit

Cast all our troubles and cares on the Lord

Seek His will for us at all times Thirst for the filling of the Spirit

Filling with the Spirit

It is not us getting more of the Spirit, but emptying ourselves of self so that He can have all of us

As we stay in this condition, we will be attacked by the Evil One, but we will be in a position of victory