BWC DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING SERIES Establishing A Powerful Prayer Life
SPIRITUAL WARFARE SERIES Becoming Grounded Part 2 Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)
CLASS AGENDA In this lesson we are going begin our teaching series on Spiritual Warfare. Tonight we will be discussing: Who is our enemy? The Great Purchase: The Price Jesus Paid
SPIRITUAL WARFARE SERIES: Becoming Grounded Part 2
INTRODUCTION As we saw last week, we must have a solid foundation and an intimate relationship with the Most High God in order to wage spiritual war--effectively. What happens if I m just getting started in this thing? GET SOME HELP! Tonight we are going to gain some insight into the strategies and motivations of our enemy. We talked about some of Satan s strategies last week, so tonight we are going to learn about him a little more, so that we will be fully informed of where we stand and where he stands. More important than anything about Satan, is the Great Purchase for YOU and ME that God made before time began. We are going to look into the depths of God s love for you and me.
Who is the Enemy?
Who is the Enemy? Who is the enemy we are fighting? In order to be successful in any battle, you have to know and understand your enemy. Know their attitude towards you, understand their weaknesses and their limitations. There is the enemy of our souls: Satan. It is his goal to destroy us beyond repair if at all possible and drag us into Hell. He comes to steal and to kill and to destroy. He hates mankind so much he can t see straight.
Who is the Enemy? Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. Our flesh is naturally rebellious against the things of God. Have you ever noticed that you can do a worldly activity all day long and still be pumped, but can t take 2 hours in church without having to take a 2 hour nap? Sometimes we get in trouble because of our own bad decisions and we can t honestly blame Satan for it. So many times we are so easily tempted because we are drawn away because of our own lusts. (James 1:14)
Who is the Enemy? Our Flesh Our flesh fights the things of God, so yes our flesh is the enemy of our spirit-man. We have to put the flesh down. The Apostle Paul said he had to die daily to his flesh. (I Corinthians 15:31) The flesh is going to resist the things of God. The flesh does not want to submit to the mighty hand of God. (Galation 5:17)
Who is the Enemy? Our Flesh The flesh is going to want to sleep instead of getting up at the 4 th prayer watch like the Lord asked us to. The flesh is going to want to watch that romantic comedy because the story is so good. The flesh is ok with the cussing and the sex scenes. The flesh hates fasting. The flesh screams when it has to bow to the will of our spirit-man following God s instructions.
Who is the Enemy? The History of Lucifer (Satan) Satan s current name means the adversary. We all know this to be true! His original God-given name was Lucifer. He was called Lucifer, son of the morning, the day star, the covering cherub. Lucifer was created as an Archangel on the same level as Michael and Gabriel, maybe even a notch above them. The book of Ezekiel has a great description of the fall of Lucifer from heaven. Turn to Ezekiel 28:12-19.
Who is the Enemy? History of Lucifer Lucifer was created by God. Lucifer was created perfectly. Ezekiel 28:12 You are the full measure and pattern of exactness [giving the finishing touch to all that constitutes completeness.] Lucifer was in Eden, the garden of God. Lucifer had every precious stone in his being at the time he was created. Carnelian, Topaz, Jasper, Chysolite, Beryl, Onyx, Sapphire, Carbuncle, and Emerald. Lucifer was wrought intricately in gold (verse 13) On the very day he was created, God prepared all of it.
Who is the Enemy? History of Lucifer Lucifer was created some time in eternity past because Ezekiel 28:13 says that he was in Eden, the garden of God. He had an exalted position in God s kingdom. He was the anointed cherub that covers with overshadowing wings, and I set you so. He was trusted by God. Verse 14 says You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until iniquity and guilt were found in you. He was in an intimate relationship with God. You walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
Who is the Enemy? History of Lucifer Lucifer was in charge of something having to do with commerce and got corrupted in doing it. Through the abundance of your commerce you were filled with lawlessness and violence, and you sinned, therefore I cast you out as a profane thing from the mountain of God and the guardian cherub drove you out from the midst of the stones of fire. (Ezekiel 28:17) The root cause of Lucifer s downfall was PRIDE. Verse 18 says Your heart was proud and lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I lay you before kings, that they might gaze at you.
Who is the Enemy? History of Lucifer Lucifer s judgment from God is pretty bad. Look at this: You have profaned your sanctuary by the multitude of your iniquities and the enormity of your guilt, by the unrighteousness of your trade. Therefore I have brought forth a fire from your midst; it has consumed you and I have reduced you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who looked at you. All who know you among the people are astonished and appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and shall never return to being. (Ezekiel 28:18-19)
Who is the Enemy? History of Lucifer It is a mystery that will only be seen when we get to heaven where all things are made known. How and why Lucifer fell is not as important as what he is doing today and how we can overcome all his evil schemes against us.
Who is the Enemy? Why Satan Hates Mankind Satan is the mortal enemy of mankind. He has been ever since he was aware of our existence. Why does he hate us so? There are a few reasons: We are created in the image of God when he looks at us, he sees God s imprint on us and it infuriates him. We are so loved by God that He actually paid the price for our sins Himself! Satan hates it Our position in the kingdom of God is over him. We have the authority in Jesus Christ!
Who is the Enemy? Satan s Objectives Against Mankind Satan s objectives are simple: To undermine our faith in God through lies and deception. To convince us that God is the author of everything good AND bad. To entrap us in sin and bondage to sin if possible to block the light of Jesus from reaching us. His ultimate goal is to cause every last human being to go to hell for all eternity. Eternal separation from God just like he will be.
Imagine, one third of the entire angelic population in heaven rebelled with him! Every one of these angels daily saw the face of God and they STILL rebelled! No wonder He has such patience with us! Who is the Enemy? Satan s Kingdom Structure Satan has a kingdom if you will. You could call it an organization. He is a rebel. When he fell from heaven he convinced one third of the Host of Heaven angels to follow him to perdition. He s basically a con artist.
Who is the Enemy? Satan s Kingdom Structure Like any kingdom there is a hierarchy of authority. Since Satan doesn t know any other way he imitates everything God does. He just twists and perverts it. Remember this: he is NOT created in the image of God. He does not have God s DNA in him. The structure of Satan s kingdom is found in Ephesians 6:12. Let s look at this.
Who is the Enemy? Satan s Kingdom Structure The next slide will show Satan s org chart if you will.
SATAN SPIRIT FORCES SPIRIT FORCES SPIRIT FORCES MASTER SPIRITS MASTER SPIRITS MASTER SPIRITS MASTER SPIRITS POWERS POWERS POWERS POWERS POWERS Kings Kings Kings Kings Kings Kings EARTH-BOUND NEHPHILIM DEMON SPIRITS
Who is the Enemy? Satan s Current Standing & Power Level After the fall of Adam in the Garden, Satan had Adam s God-given dominion of the Earth and the Second Heavens. He was the legal ruler. He conned Adam and Eve just like he conned the angels that rebelled with him. He had a much easier time in attacking godly men and women as we saw with Job last week. And ungodly people were sitting ducks.
Who is the Enemy? Satan s Current Standing & Power Level We can see the level of his authority over the earth when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Let s look at Matthew 4:1-11.
Who is the Enemy? Satan s Current Standing & Power Level As you can see from the Word, Satan seemed to have it all. The world was literally his oyster. But his pride completely overlooked the eternal plan that would shortly take it all away for all eternity. Jesus spent a large portion of His earthly ministry casting out devils. Why is that? Any ideas?
Who is the Enemy? Satan s Current Standing & Power Level Fast-forward just 3 ½ years later and this same Jesus was hanging crucified on a Roman cross. The most cruel and brutal way to kill a man. Between the wilderness and the Cross Jesus healed a lot of people and He cast a lot of demons out of people. He had made a lot of enemies, not the least of which is Satan. He thought he had Jesus all sown up. He didn t realize the blood flowing from the Cross was divine and sinless not subject to death the wages of sin.
Who is the Enemy? Satan s Current Standing & Power Level Three days later, to his horror Jesus rises from the grave taking His divine Blood and all the Old Testament saints with Him to heaven where He poured the Precious Blood on the altar for the sins of all mankind. It is finished! The souls of men are redeemed from damnation! The dominion of man is restored! The veil is rent between God and man! The lifeline of salvation is extended if man chooses to take it.
Who is the Enemy? Satan s Current Standing & Power Level During this time, in the spirit-realm Jesus made a complete fool of Satan in front of the entire three worlds heaven, earth, underworld. God disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it the Cross. (Colossians 2:15) Satan was stripped of his rule over the earth and his tyranny over mankind legally ended. Enter the con-artist again.
Who is the Enemy? How Satan Operates Today Today it is all about legalities. That is all that Satan has left after Jesus destroyed his kingdom. He no longer has authority over the earth. He no longer has dominion over mankind the way he used to. However, the key word is LEGALITIES. There are three things that Satan can use to legally attack us and God will allow him to do it.
Who is the Enemy? How Satan Operates Today The three things he can use against us are: Our words if our words are negative, he can legally use them if he wants to. For example, I m a Christian and I say I ll probably get that cold that s going around or I just can t lose this weight because I m 57 years old and it s just stuck there. What is the result? Satan can legally make a case to put that cold on me or keep me fat! Because that is my confession!
Who is the Enemy? How Satan Operates Today Our sins uh oh the S word! Yes, he can legally use our sins against us. What are our sins? Faithlessness, gossip, unforgiveness, bitterness, pride, prayerlessness, lust, greed, lying and the list goes on. Yes Christians do this too All these sins are legal avenues for Satan to make a charge against you in the Court of Heaven. The Bible says he is up there day and night accusing us! That is what he does.
Who is the Enemy? How Satan Operates Today Our Unbelief and/or Fear did you know that the first two sets of people cast into hell are the FEARFUL and the UNBELIEVING? But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and faithless.[all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death. (Revelation 21:8) How does Satan know we don t believe? By our inaction and faithlessness and by the words of our mouth.
Who is the Enemy? How Satan Operates Today How does Satan take these legalities and use them against us? He makes a case against us and takes it to the Court of Heaven and charges us against God s Word. He knows that God is bound by His Word and Satan knows the Word of God very well.
Who is the Enemy? How Satan Operates Today Satan presents his arguments to the Court of Heaven and if there is no repentance of sin from us, then legally Satan can attack us. However, God does set parameters on what he can do to us. God s mercy endures forever. Jesus is our Advocate with the Father, so He is praying for us remember what He told Peter in Luke 22:31. He said that Satan demanded to sift him but Jesus prayed that his fail wouldn t fail. God set the parameters right then.
Who is NOT the Enemy? People are not the enemy they are pawns and tools of Satan against you Looking through the eyes of AGAPE love Becoming like Jesus loving people into the kingdom
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For Most people go through their whole lives never realizing the depth of God s love for them. (John 3:16) God created Adam knowing full-well he would blow it in the Garden. But He still wanted that relationship with man He wanted children. His Father s heart longed for children. Our worth to the Father is great. No matter how unworthy we may think we are to interact with Him He considers us well worth the price He paid for us. Each one of us is an investment of love to the Father. He has a lot invested in us! His love is unfathomable. Our minds cannot fully grasp it we have to take it on FAITH.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For The Eternal Plan A great purchase was made in eternity past. Before the foundation of the world was laid, this purchase was set in the heart of Elohim Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Each member of the Godhead knew the great risk of failure. Each knew that the Son would be forever tied to humanity.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For The Eternal Plan Before man was ever created, this plan was set. Before time, Jesus Christ agreed to die for you and me. Why? Because of the LOVE of the Father. Jesus knew the Father s heart yearned for children. He knew the Father LOVED man so much and because He loved His Father so much, He agreed to leave His former glory and take on the form of a man forever tied to us as humans.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For The Purpose of the Cross What is the purpose of the Cross? Was it just to pay for the sins of man so we can have a ticket to heaven when we die? No, it was way more than that. The purpose of the Cross was to provide a path back to the fellowship with the Father. THAT is what the Father has been working towards all these millenia. The lost fellowship from the Garden of Eden.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For The Purpose of the Cross The Cross got it back. We can now, at any time, call out to our heavenly Father, and know that He will listen, talk to us and help us with all of our problems, no matter how insignificant they may be. It s the lost RELATIONSHIP that Jesus got back for the Father. It was because of LOVE. Love of the Father for us; love of Jesus for His Father s heart s desire Us
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For The Price Jesus Paid for Us The price for our redemption was very, very high. It started in eternity past. The Eternal Plan was finally ready to be fulfilled with Jesus climbing up on that Cross. It sounds so noble and honorable and it is, but the reality of it is horrific and we tend to shrink away from how really terrible it was. It s much nicer to think of it cleanly. But it wasn t clean. It was bloody. Very bloody.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For The Garden of Agony The real victory was in the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus began to take on Himself our mental and emotional disorders. It really all started in the Garden. Most everyone focuses on the terrible physical Jesus suffered while not fully realizing the equally terrible suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For It Started in the Garden They had just finished dinner. Jesus knew that Judas was off to betray Him at that very moment. He knew that Peter would deny Him not once but three times. He knew that ALL of His friends would leave Him to face it alone. Still He asked His closest friends, Peter, James and John to watch and pray while He went off to pray. Of course they promptly fell asleep.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For It Started in the Garden Gethsemane is a very old olive garden. It has to this day, olive trees that were there the night Jesus was there. They are over 2000 years old. Gethsemane means oil press. The flesh of the olives is pressed and broken down to extract all the oil they contain. It wasn t by accident that Jesus came here to pray before His death.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For It Started in the Garden At the very gate of the garden Satan unleashed all the mental disorders and anguish he had. Grief is overwhelming sorrow. A broken heart, a broken spirit. Totally devoid of joy. To the point of death as in wanting to die. Jesus can relate to this level of grief. Mental Anguish is extreme emotional torment and suffering. So extreme that great drops of sweat and blood flowed from His head. Yes it started in the Garden. Deep Depression feels like the whole world is pressing on you. Jesus started taking the sins of the whole world in the Garden mental and emotional.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For It Started in the Garden At the very gate of the garden Satan unleashed all the mental disorders and anguish he had. Terror (Paralyzing Fear) Satan sent out the big guns with paralyzing fear. We have all had times when we were paralyzed with fear. It is a terrifying experience. Jesus took it for us. Deeply Troubled He was experiencing the loss of His peace and calm by the overwhelming attack of the enemy against His mind and soul. Overwhelming Sadness The sadness when He fully experiences the depth of human misery due to Satan s tyranny.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For It Started in the Garden At the very gate of the garden Satan unleashed all the mental disorders and anguish he had. Mental Agony He kept pressing through the mental torment by going back to pray to the Father two more times. Repeating His words to the Father NOT My will but Yours! He persevered until He broke through the wall of resistance erected by Satan. Victorious Intercession for US He was victorious in the Garden just as He was victorious on the Cross! He broke through and did not look at Himself, but He looked at you and me! Jesus, our Intercessor, prayed for us right there in the Garden that we would be strong, that we would be victorious too in our gardens. What kind of LOVE is this?
He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows And pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom Men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His Worth or have any esteem for Him. (Isaiah 53:3)
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For At The Cross Jesus was victorious in the Garden and now the next payment for our redemption was all of the physical torments and diseases Satan tyrannized mankind with. He endured the punches in His face, He endured the untold lashes to His back and legs, He endured the flesh torn from His face when they tore His beard out, He endured the nails driven deep in His feet and hands and He endured being naked on a cross in front of His mother.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For At The Cross And now He is hanging on a tree a curse for all of us. (Galatians 3:13) We were all on His mind when He said Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. (Luke 23:34) While He was on the Cross, dying as a heretic, a blasphemer, a liar and false prophet, WE WERE ON HIS MIND. What kind of love is this?
For many the Servant of God became an object of horror; many were Astonished at Him. His face and His whole appearance were marred More than any man s, and His form beyond that of the sons of men just As many were astonished at Him. (Isaiah 52:14)
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For Jesus Went to Hell for Us Did you know that Jesus went to Hell after He died on the Cross? He was there to set the Old Testament captives free from Abraham s Bosom in the heart of the earth. (Ephesians 4:9-10 & I Peter 3:19-20) Death, Hell and the grave could not hold Jesus because He was without sin. (Acts 2:24) Jesus had to complete our life cycle in order to fully save us. To fulfill the requirements for our redemption, He had to take the full brunt of our punishment and that is going to Hell. (Hebrews 2:14-18)
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For Jesus Our High Priest Jesus rose from the grave after 3 days in the heart of the earth. On the first day of the week, the stone rolled away and many of the old testament saints resurrected too! He ascended to heaven with the old testament saints going through the second heavens where Satan and all his hordes were red-faced at the full extent of their defeat! He made a complete spectacle of Satan in front of all his armies!
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For Jesus Our High Priest But Jesus wasn t finished yet. He still had to complete the work of redemption. One final task and all of mankind has the opportunity to come into the Kingdom! He took His Blood into the heavenly temple and poured it on the altar that once and for all eternity paid for sin. All it takes to receive it is repentance and confession!
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For Jesus Our High Priest Jesus is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. He alone is worthy to pay the price the high price for the souls of men. For it is witnessed of Him, You are a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 7:17) But He holds His priesthood unchangeably, because He lives on forever. (Hebrews 7:24)
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For Jesus Our High Priest Jesus is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. He alone is worthy to pay the price the high price for the souls of men. Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For Know Your Benefits: Consume It All The entire journey that Jesus made from the glory of heaven to a woman s womb, to a manger in a smelly stable. To walking the earth for 33 ½ years without sinning in word or thought or deed. To the garden and the cross, to Hell and back and to the heavenly temple to pour out the Precious Blood for man. The price for the souls of men. What kind of love is this?
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For Know Your Benefits: Consume It All The Bible says in Psalm 23 that the Lord has prepared a table before us in the presence of our enemies. Guess what that table is? The Communion Table. On this table is arrayed for all God s children the vast purchases Jesus Christ paid for on the Cross. These purchases include our healing, our deliverance, our peace, our provisions, our purpose and our families salvation.
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For Know Your Benefits: Consume It All All of these great purchases require us to consume it all. We should consume the WHOLE sacrifice! Like the Lord commanded the Israelites in Exodus, don t leave anything! Eat it all! Likewise, we should take everything and I mean everything that Jesus has paid for! How would you feel if you paid a lot of money for a dinner party and slaved over everything only to have a few people show up and then they only want to drink water? It s hurtful.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. (Psalm 23:5)
The Great Purchase: What Jesus Paid For The Importance of Understanding It Why is it important to understand this? We ve heard all this before right? It is important to understand the depth of the Father s love for you. It is important to understand what Jesus did so that you and I can have everything on that table. It is important to understand this because THIS is what gives you and I the authority to wage spiritual war and WIN!
CONCLUSION The teachings in this series are for each of us to move into a powerful prayer life for these last days before the trumpet sounds and we go in to the wedding feast. A powerful prayer life includes spiritual warfare, especially in these times. We must be grounded so deep in Jesus that we cannot be moved off of our position through Satan s attacks. It is important to know who the enemy is, but it is even more important is to know how GREAT and BIG and GLORIOUS our GOD is!
NEXT WEEK: Spiritual Warfare: Our Weapons Next week we are going to continue our Spiritual Warfare Series. We will be looking at the weapons that God has provided, that Jesus paid for and that are at our disposal anytime He leads us to use them.
NEXT WEEK: Spiritual Warfare: Our Weapons Next week s lesson will include teachings on: The Purpose of Our Weapons Offensive and Defensive Weapons Other Weapons Honing Your Skills