Invisible War - Spiritual Warfare 101: What is the Invisible War?, Part 2

When you think of Satan. What comes to mind is it a myth that a man little red suit is that some of us are weird forcible power is Satan. What is he like what does he do and what power does he have if you don't know the answer that question, you better stick around.

God wants you know that answer so you can deal with them effectively stay with thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge shipping Living on the Edge features the Bible teaching of the steely discipleship program continues a series.

The invisible war for giving us some insight. Satan is and how we operate.

As you learn. There are some specific tools tries to suck your thoughts torture bill for part two of this message of Ephesians chapter 6 what is the invisible war. Not only is there an invisible world not only orient invisible battle and cosmic conflict, but our foe is formidable and his goal is to destroy us and discredit the cause of Christ. Ephesians 612. Here's the deal. Satan is powerful regional learning just a minute that he was the highest of all the angels classification of cherub will learn that he was the most brilliant and most beautiful, most powerful, and it was actually given to govern the earth is the Prince and the power of the air is heaven over and so you don't want to take it lightly. Notice what Peter says in the midst of persecution.

He writes to the church. First Peter 58 be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour place for keeps. He wants to destroy you. All I want to know is that what we really need to understand that this enemy is formidable and powerful and deceitful and can trick us in full us and and and creating a roaring lion. We had a chance many years ago to to be in Africa and I do know that much about lions but the way they hunt is the one you can hear you there you here were like to 3 miles and dislikes scary so you know, and he walks will guess what, guess what all all all the game goes the other direction and my big daddies roaring over here. There's four or five lionesses that are all waiting over here since his brain on daddy fear is one of the greatest weapons of the many ways I think of him as I do not. A friend who did this to me which I deeply appreciate and almost lost my hearing but he had a gun. Very big gun and he said all have you seen this and put it up like this and then will and I mean that my heart came on my chest and my ear almost came out but had lengthened, but it scared me like it was real. My body responded like it was real, and the enemy will do things in your life to give fear the death of your soul that will paralyze you and keep you from trusting God and doing as well. With that, then here's what I like to do and I rarely give now you're looking at your notes and going.

If working to cover all of this.

I hope the guy falls out of the window soon because this guys got more versus more outlines. Here they will cover here. Here's what I want to know were organized really cover it but little bit differently. I believe that you really learn best when you look at things and you dig them out for yourself and the reason I put all those verses in their is for those who may be a little bit more like me.

Her thinking and I think your little over the top on talking about Satan and demons.

I don't think it's that big a deal. I wanted you to see for yourself how big a deal it is okay lets let me give you an overview so is Satan. For real.

The authority of the Bible, we find them in the very beginning Genesis and Chronicles in the middle and Revelation all the way through the testimony of Christ, we have 25 references of Christ interacting with demons in Matthew chapter 4. If you believe the tax he had a personal encounter with Lucifer himself being tempted with the lust of the flesh. Most of the eyes and the pride of life memo he didn't pull out his I'm God card to defeat. He showed us how to do spiritual battle. It is written, it is written, it is written will talk about it later. Who is Satan is a created spirit, according to Colossians 1 and Job 13.

He's an angel of the highest classification of cherub when I say cherub do not think Hallmark you know cute little cheeks, think, think about of a blazing angel that is so power you would fall flat on your face guy. He's the highest of all the created beings. Ezekiel 28 where did he come come from. He was created perfect. He had a heavenly estate. His job description was to be the guardian of God's glory talk about.

Boy what a job vacation of his sin is power and beauty. The nature of his sin was pride in the cause of his sin was his own free personal choice and let me just give you what I called her the five I will statements I can't develop it, but what the two places. Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14 again.

Often the prophet to be talking about geographical real situation and in the sort to go off and talk about Satan and then come back to that and in Isaiah 1413.

This is the cause of Satan's fall.

This is Satan speaking I will ascend to heaven we already had access to God what he saying is I will ascend and I'm going to occupy the abode of God. I want equal recognition with him in the same chapter says I will raise my throne above the stars of God in the morning stars are all the angels, the God has already created, so he wants to be independent and sort of run his own show.

Third, I will sit on the mount of the assembly. This is where God rules so I want equality with God. Now I want to run the show.

I want to be in control, and then where God rules. I want to rule instead of him, for I will ascend above the heights of the clouds in the clouds picture here is of God's glory.

I want to be now above God, and number five. I will make myself like the most and that's the occasion of sin, and he knows his destiny in the third of the Angers angels fell at this coup and this rebellion and his goal is to destroy everything that's meaningful to God.

Here's a thought, I'm I'm reading a book right now and it's always you know you be careful of recommending books you have read the whole thing but I read a lot of his other stuff. This is life without lot by Dallas Willard, it's on Psalm 23 but he talks about spiritual warfare here and if you know anything about Dallas Willard. He was in the Department of the University of Southern California. He is the head of the philosophy department for season he taught there for 47 years and multiple degrees translated multiple key texts from German to English, broken man living in an academic world. And this is his perspective for our youth intellectuals part of the problem with our faith today is that we do not truly believe in the reality of the spiritual use of the good side or the evil side in our world. People maintain their sense of respectability by rejecting everything except what they can see in the natural world to accept that there is more than that threatens their self-identity as proper intelligent citizens of the modern world and he talks about obviously's interacting with brilliant people. USC and he says you know I get the smiles of the naivety that I have that I believe in a supernatural being the person of Jesus in spiritual warfare is just some of the best writing I've I've read in a long time about the reality, the reality of a world that we can't see and you know whether it's on Instagram or whether it's a movie or whether it's Netflix or whether it's time on the screen there is a orchestrated global goal to get people distracted and believing that they are the center of the world you and and please, please, don't make applications. I'm not making so I say things may have unintended consequences understand that there's a great role for things like Facebook and understand there's no what is two 3 billion people on it now but but but could we just pause and say so what exactly is Facebook Facebook is where I'm the star of my show and and the reward is how many likes I get in and I'm so the start my show is that you know I have to pull out my phone and take a picture of me and then I post about me and you are probably wondering when I had a latte yesterday weren't you yeah you or would you like to see my picture perfect family and my perfect vacation with me in Hawaii and what were saying is a nosedive of young people. A nosedive that suicidal this depression this anxiety, because now they compare their worst self with these artificial cells and by the way, if you haven't done some of the research about the rewiring of the brain with screen time, start reading this or there's a great Ted talk, by guy who is an unbeliever and someone says you know he goes through all the things that happen with immersed screen time of young people, and so they say will again this is not a recommendation.

It's an illustration. Some of you were literal people getting in trouble so they ask you minister talk so like when's the best time to give someone a phone into a mobile phone that can get everything download everything. All he says is soon as you're ready for them to get suicidal, anxious, totally self focused.

Talk with friends, allow the whole world have access that they can't comprehend get pornography in their minds and have been completely inundated where they can't relate to other people. That's what I would get a one. Is it wrong to have a phone.

Of course not.

But here's here's what we do.

People so stupid and naïve.

We get so's we get so secluded in my little silo in my own little world that we don't realize it's just not messages but it's methodology as well ask you start watching commercials. Just watch commercials forgive me. I do this all the time and my poor kids had to get it all the years growing up.

I watch commercials and I was asked what are they trying to sell how they trying to sell it where the cameras what are they promising. I mean, in the old days it was easy, you know like if you brush yourself, brush yourself with this toothpaste or drink this beer beautiful blondes will jump in your sports car. It is, it's much more sophisticated now watch the movies. Ask yourself just just just record something Doucet do a 7 o'clock and watch three prime times in 8 o'clock and three prime times and ask yourself what are the values then ask yourself what are people laughing at, because when you want to really treat people change their values.

The values of change, 180° in the last 30 or 40 years. But we had to laugh about things that were wrong and evil. And then it got to be well okay with little conflict, and then I got to be normalized and then I got to be you are a narrow bigot, not if you just disagree that did not happen overnight. And that's not human ingenuity. The goal of the enemy is to blind the mines to say instead of this is male and female.

This is beauty and family. This is a community.

This is what we do with their children.

This is a community of people that sacrifice for one another and it's twisted in, and my life in this passage teaches don't get so mad at the people that are getting deceived the whole passage said the battle is not against flesh and blood. You know, so will the government is the media words that group is this group that that's group they are being titillated what they need is love by us in ways with a lifestyle with a goat, but you live at first in our day and then we get to tell. So I just I just want to tell you.

Satan is real and and and so I want my wife is anyone vaguely remember what the temptation was in the garden. What was the promisee just, oh yes, that's right, you can be God. Don't you understand okay what I am in control my desires.

My personal fulfillment. My self-esteem does any of this sound familiar and welcome to the NFL people but it's not just the culture. It's not Hollywood is not. This is not that there is an orchestrated plan and Paul would say stop fighting spiritual battles with fleshly means and start warring with supernatural weapons. Number one, were living in this world.

There's visible and invisible, number two, there's a cosmic conflict.

Number three. Our foe is his formidable he's real is a lot of verses that talk about number four. We must respect our foe but not fear him.

Become acutely aware of his methods but not be preoccupied by them get you respect him.

You don't fear him. Paul is agreeing to forgive this brother and then he goes in order that no advantage may be taken of us by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes circle the word schemes again strategies. Here's the question I have for you.

Are you ignorant of his strategies.

If so, you getting duped.

You can work as hard as you want. Try as hard as what want to be a good person. If you are ignorant of the strategies you are being taken all the time. If you're on the staff of an NFL team. In fact and in our day college, high school, you know what you do all week. Watch don't why you have to understand the schemes of the other team you will watch the last three games. What did they do's third short was 67% of the time they went off tackle right with what they do in the red zone. I'm telling you they they watch the film. They know the percentages.

What formations, what the possibility in this formation, who's going to do what to win the game to win a game. I mean, literally I got I got a buddy that's a pretty high-profile football coach and during football season, I think you're up 20 hours and I mean. And then they break down that every person hears all the film the seizure areas when you see this, this is your key when he takes first step to the right is can be accountable.

I mean, we need to study the film if you want to know Satan strategies. Here's the film study his names. His name reveals his strategies. Here's some of his names.

He's anointed cherub. He's the prince of this world, like I said he's orchestrating things. His name is Satan.

That means adversary, the Prince and the power of the air. He has authority over member Jesus talked about the God of this world are the god of this age, he's the Prince and the power of demons, so he has a host of angels working form.

He's Lucifer that means son of the morning, or validity of the light we get the idea that evil is always can be packaged and you know weird stuff and ugly stuff.

Some of the most amazing evil in the world. Beautiful attractive luring. It's amazing if you look at places where there is great satanic activity go to Boulder Colorado go to Sedona go to Santa Cruz New Age places. It's the most beautiful places in the world and and they take that beauty and that the talk about. Here's where the energy cells are where we lived in Santa Cruz more satanic bookstores and like any placement, Boulder, Colorado, and the offers are not ugly and bad. He promises beautiful things he think of think what he promised Jesus, Jesus, here's all the kingdoms of all the world. I'll get the motor you think of this, he had the authority to do it. Is that how you see Satan do you think of an angel has the authority to give all the kingdoms of ever thought of that nations are being influenced it governments that economies the laws mean this is this is amazing he's the evil one very interesting word hello Pune russet means intrinsically wicked and corrupt it. If it's the it's the hecklers of the world that were inspired, the level of ruthlessness, the wiping out of children companies that would purposely knowingly pour toxins into the water stream because we can make millions of dollars rather than clean it up. It's evil the abuse of little children, the taking of of of of the women and children in Thailand in the Philippines and selling them and abusing them. This is wickedness and this is what he does. These are his names goes on to say he's a tempter. He's the one who promises things all you kick a shortcut you have to look the other way no one will ever find out he's the accuser condemnation. I did a presentation for some of the Living on the Edge family and I got really really excited and I really had a good time and I looked up at the clock and I went like way too long. No no no I mean like way too long and all afternoon, all I could think of was, I was preparing for this and was like you blew it. I was terrible as people drove here.

They came early. You talked and talked and talked and talked condemnation. Condemnation cannot now no one got up and said you talk to me that like you were interested and I can be deluding myself because I really thought they were kinetic look what's happening.

We were having a ball.

Or so I thought and I think God really worth it, but but he wants to take me out. He doesn't want you to hear what I'm teaching you about an hour and 1/2 went back up the room, you know, reviewed all my notes and I just had to say Lord you know, get behind me Satan, the condemnation there's some of you that have lives with you don't measure up in Satan used a teacher or a mom or a dad or coach to tell you you're a loser you don't measure up.

And you believed it.

What may have come through human person that's from the enemy. That's a lie you are worth the very blood the life of the son of God, how precious you are to him and I know ultimately he's a deceiver. This is his middle name when his lips are moving his line. Jesus called them the father of lies. He's the accuser of the brethren. Notice he represents himself as a servant. So he's crafted a Dragon, fearful, powerful, terrifying as an angel of light is the father of lies, notices, programs, and when you look at this all all these verses and if you want a Bible study like like tomorrow morning. Just just take these notes out and just look up all these verses.

Every one of them will have satanic demonic influence false philosophies, false religions, both ministers.

In Paul's disciples. Paul's morals he attacks governments deceiving men, destroying life, persecuting the Saints preventing service, promoting schisms, planting doubt and and you know we have to own our choices but were getting a lot of help.

We have our flesh. He provokes sin and anger, pride, worry, self-reliance, discouragement, worldliness, lying, immorality, and then he produces sex and calls according to first Timothy 41. For those of you that we were about how long this was to be how they do resume right so I just want you to stare just to stare at the page from and if you were over. And while I'm glad were talked about Satan and demons because now I'm really aware of all that stuff for you may be a little bit more like I am. None of the Bible teaches it that you know to be careful that we don't go off. Here's what I want to know is what the Bible says doesn't verses this is what the Bible says this is what Jesus says this is a big deal look at the sheer amount of material. Can we afford to be ignorant of his schemes. Could it be I mean currently churches in decline among Christians morals or decline among Christians. The giving financial giving across the board in churches today is less per capita than during the Great Depression. It's us right by the way at a time.

Despite our corporate national debt. The most affluence and history of the world resides in nine states marriages are fractured like never before. Mean could could anyone think maybe there's something going on the sexual confusion, the attack on people's identity. Here's the good news. Satan's power is limited, he's created, and therefore not omniscient or or infinite. Second, he can be resisted by the Christian for some of you is like enough of this season. But hey, honey. You give light on tonight. He's formidable but we don't have to be afraid. James 47. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. He goes on, he says, God places limitations on when he wanted to attack Job. He has access before God is crazy. He only he only can ever do anything in some arena that God would allow in your life and there are certain times were got actually allow Satan to do things to believers to fulfill his purposes.

He did to the apostle Paul.

Paul had such revelation that he allowed some messenger of Satan to do something physical. We don't know what it is to give him a sense of dependency.

The sovereign God the application here is balance and wisdom are crucial in our assessment of spiritual opposition to assigned too much or too little credit to the reality demonic activity is to err greatly. Here's the last one and maybe the most important as believers in Christ, we do not write for victory.

We fight from victory in Christ power we are invincible to me say that again I'm not trying to be cute as believers in Christ, we do not fight for victory you not going against him to try and when you fight from victory you've already won. Here's the promises from God over Satan that if you find yourself struggling or thinking your where some things and will talk very specifically about how to do this in our times together, but here's some passages that if you've never read or memorize any passages. These would be good ones.

First John four for you are from God, little children, and overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. First John 54 and five for whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory to overcome the world. Our faith and who is the one whose overcome the world.

But Hugh believes that Jesus is the son of God. Romans 1211. It's talking about Satan and they overcame him. Satan how by the blood of the Lamb by the word of the testimony, and they did not love their life even unto death, and then finally James 478. Submit therefore to God.

Resist the devil and he will flee from I'm in a talk a little bit later I'm gonna give you all, hope I'm to tell you a story of a 10-year-old boy that because he lived in my house and when we lived in Santa Cruz.

We went from the mind and the heart and the general deception to overt wacky weird I mean satanic stuff that I thought only happened overseas or with missionaries or someone else and I will tell you that a 10-year-old boy armed with those verses got out of his bed on his knees quoted them out loud told the demons where to go. And damn, I talk to him at breakfast the next morning because I heard what was going on in this happen much in our house and will parcel a bit more about it.

It was just like his terrifying first two years with their and a member I'm gone that I'm just sick and tired of the stuff that happened in the middle of the night was 10 years old to what he disbelieves greater means and in my believe you know that I just you know usually I wake you up and we pray in all that I just got tired of this, I get down on my knees not go to those verses and I told him the leak that when you go back to bed and they did is. Here's the thing you need understand the power is not in your great faith, the power is your God's child, you're his sons you're his daughters.

And when Jesus says it is written or you say it is written, the authority of Scripture is over demonic forces there's nothing to be afraid of. Here's a summary that I want you to get because I want to plant these truths. Satan is a defeated foe.

John 1231 Jesus destroyed the works of the devil. Colossians 2 1450. We are victors in Christ. First Corinthians 1555, 58, and we have the power and resources to resist Satan and demonic attacks. First John four for we must learn how to put on the full armor of God to experience in daily living. Victory underlined this last phrase already possess is the invisible war for this series. The invisible war. What every believer needs to know about demons and spiritual warfare is a cosmic conflict exploding all around us, its dangerous, destructive, evil, and while we see heartbreaking consequences in the here and now it has sobering eternal consequences as well. Learning about the invisible war allows you to engage the way Jesus did with truth and grace. We know the truth.

We don't have to be afraid. We speak with grace we have power to persuade. This series is available in multiple formats, a book small group video with study guide CDs and as always, the MP3s are free however you like to study. We've got the perfect resource to fit your style for all the details, visit us@livingontheedge.org Special offers on the app or give us a call at 888-333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003 will trip with everything that's going on near you in California very nationally, even globally, a lot of people are wondering what's happening with the ministry or what limitations that you have during this crazy season. Dave thankfully I have an office center video and audio studio that I can keep doing work and I don't think I've ever been busier in my life and it's happened in ways that we never dreamed one we've been able to do things very specifically to help people one on one through something called the daily discipleship with chip where I literally got to one-on-one coaching with people of how to meet with God and how to mentor people and I literally how to experience who you are in Christ, so that's been a lot of energy and the impact has literally been probably greater than any single thing we've done is we read the emails and talk to people and then to our delight, we have seen our friends in China take the resources that I'm not at liberty tell a lot about the true spirituality how to become a Romans 12 Christian in numbers that would just absolutely shock you in the midst of all of this doing training in 18 different cities and so we are so grateful for those who have given faithfully through this time that have allowed us to do what were doing and now the demands are even greater. So if you have never given to Living on the Edge now is a really great time and if you have thank you so much. You allowed us to do some things globally and nationally that we never dreamed could happen thank you very much. Love partnering with Living on the Edge is an idea that makes sense to you. We'd love to have you join us helping Christians live like Christians will change the world we live in, to give a gift, just go to LivingontheEdge.org Donate on the app or give us a call at 8883336003. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Well here. Strip with a final thought about today's message. There is a danger when you hear a teaching like today and the danger is that when you hear so many verses in so much information about Satan and demons. You can get thinking unconsciously that this is overwhelming despite the promises that we've heard here's what I want you to take away number one there are lots of passages I mean tons of passages about Satan and demons so it's real.

Number two, you do not have to be afraid this passage. This Ephesians 6 about the armor that we do have. Satan is a defeated foe Jesus did destroy the works of the devil.

We are victors in Christ, but you need to know how to put on the full armor of God, here's what you've got to do go to the web it LivingontheEdge.org and download the notes for free the outline and every verse I cited is on that website. Do it today download these for the entire series I think of all the series that I've taught it will be most important that you have something to look at as you listen. God bless you, because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. You don't have to be afraid you are more than a conqueror through Christ will strip just mentioned one of the best ways to get the most out of her series is to download his message notes and use them as you listen chips message notes containers outline Scripture references and more that will help you get the most out of every program.

Best of all chips message notes are free. Just Fill in notes or go to LivingontheEdge.org and click on the broadcasts tab for this free download with you. Use the notes for your personal study or for your small group will make a big difference will be sure to be with us again next time, Mr. continues to series the invisible war.

Tell them this is the same.

Thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge