Invisible War - Spiritual Warfare 201: How to Prepare Yourself for Spiritual Battle, Part 2

Condemnation guilt down where these feelings come from. Is it possible that the enemy of your soul is using these common emotions to keep you from experiencing God's love and God's power you that feeling I have at times. I'm a terrible person. I'm worthless. No one could love me. Those are not from God?

How to get rid of. Let's tackle that one together today bikes for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge Chip Ingram chips or Bible teacher of his international discipleship program early in our series called visible war. Today we pick it up as Chip describes how the armor of God, real life circumstances have a Bible open it out in Ephesians chapter 6 storage part two of his message, how to prepare yourself for spiritual battle. Satan's attacks are merely deception accusation is the accuser of the brethren guilt and condemnation of the believer. This happens when we willfully turn away from what we know is God's will, we open ourselves to sit and we all do this right, but we know it's right to do.

I remember in I really was a great prayer in the tradition that I grew up in. We have a lot of throat prayers and and one of the prayers when something like you know we forgive us for the things we have done for you as those things which we should have done. I don't remember very well, but because there was a lot of ought to have guns and ought not to have done this and I can't remember the old English, but when when I know this is what God wants me to do if the belt of truth is nothing more nothing less of being honest with God and honest with yourself the breastplate of righteousness is the application of the truth to your life.

You know what's right. Are you okay when we don't. It opens you to demonic influence and again is that word demonic includes all that sounds so weird. And after you member remember Saul, you know, he was the first king, and he still felt an adequate for the job and was very humble and then he went way word. He was fearful when he really really cared deeply about what everyone thought, and he was given a very clear command and was to wait on the prophet, and he didn't wait on the prophet and many of you know the story and if you don't.

But here's the point. He knew exactly what to do and he did the opposite and then he was confronted and then he rationalized and then finally he's back in the prophet not to leave but if you track Saul's life from that moment of major disobedience. God says I've set him aside he goes and anoints David and then out of that disobedience.

He blunts information he wants help and he starts consulting mediums and gets involved in demonic affairs know he's deceived and and and notice what was Saul's goal. He wants to protect his turf. He was envious of what might happen with David. He didn't. It's it was the me it was the ego that's that's what the enemy does boy don't don't let anyone else get credit don't know I don't talk about David's 10,000 than just my thousands and the more and more than end. He said in and pretty soon he's being deceived and then comes the condemnation member Peter mean what what a great picture of you know 30 seconds God speaks through you.

30 seconds later, an enemy speaking through you and this isn't some weird guy. This is someone who loves God is left his family. He's all and he'll do whatever God wants you to do and say that I am will. Some say John the Baptist, some say one of the prophets, but who do you say that I am Peter thou art the Christ, the son of the living God, Peter, it's not you. The father is revealed to you give me Phibro he really said that like wow and it says and then Jesus. From that time begin to explain how he must suffer by the chief priest and die for the sake of the nation and pupils in the side basically goes no way what are you thinking you don't get the program we signed up for you to take down Ron Morgan to sit on thrones. For you as I'm totally committed to you but I thought the promise was a crown not across and remember the father just spoke to him and remember Jesus words get behind me Satan was he saying Peter was saying, of course not.

What's he saying this is how men think this is about your agenda. This is about using your walk with me and faith in me not to serve me, not the father Peter. This is all about you, that's Satan. That's his agenda. By the way, I think that's is what destroys the church and destroys Christians want anything else, it's the most sincere of us who want to do God's will, but the subtlety is we want to do God's will with an entitlement expectation of what is can get for us and how people see us and what were to get. I'm taking up my cross to follow you for a crown for what I'll get for how people see me.

The I think some of the most deluded sit panic Lee influence people and all the world are religious people and not just in Christianity most dangerous people in the world is if you actually believe something that such a huge lie, I'm coming. Ponder this is happening all over the world right now little boys in Saudi Arabia little boys and Orion. The boys and parts of Indonesia they're being taught that you know this is this is this is what God wants these infidels are ruining the world. There is another life and your greatest contribution and the great reward is if you kill them if your kids just kids and 11-year-old straps a bomb on himself and ways to the soldiers.

The home becomes binding pushes a button and he's convinced and the parents may even get a little payoff and be esteemed in the community because of what your son has done. This isn't just delusions in Christianity and wickedness and lies that this is this is this is very very very serious. That's why truth matters and that's why if there's not truth in my heart in your heart if there's not truth in your small group and in your family is not truth in your church is not truth in America.

Wow, you can see where were going and why.

And so here's the application. Therefore, to the one who knows what's right to do and doesn't do it to him it is sin. Now I want to clarify something. As I lease in my experience I think Christians get confused between the difference between conviction and condemnation, and we have many different personality types in the room. There's my kind of personality and many others in there's personalities like my wife but we are on opposite ends of the continuum and most of you are in between. I'm sort of the big picture and can kinda justify the means. The rules were primarily made for other people it's the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law no and in some people is when you talk about being honest in scrutiny. They they literally I mean my wife is the other end of this world that is like she may live more purely than most people.

And she will just agonize over some little things she said in some way at some time and so so I want you to know is if you don't know the Dems twin condemnation and conviction to get very very confused. Conviction is very specific in the goal is to restore you to your heavenly father. Condemnation is vague and it makes you feel worthless and makes you want to go away from your heavenly father you and and they can both be around the same issue your man and something pops up on the screen or a very beautiful young woman who doesn't have many close on and you can control the first look at the next three looks. You could've controlled in your mind went somewhere else or it could be you know a woman and you walk in someone else's house and even thinking about it warning about it, talking about your husband isn't quite onboard but you know you want to remodel the kitchen. They remodeled their kitchen. Not only that they landscape the backyard look at the little fountain in your heart is starting to grow with envy and resentment toward your husband all at the same time and that that's floating around in the enemy always working with the heart can say to man your worthless self Christian, you know, how could you have thought, how could you it's it's one thing but look at how you log on. Look at how you acted. You are. You're a terrible person you think I can listen to you. You think your kids or your wife out of respect you want to lose her unit that makes a man feel like the whole ice impossible.

I can do this and you start believing that by the way you believe you become what you believe.

It's really interesting to me when people tell me all I believe this or I believe that I believe that it's it's a bunch of baloney you want to know what you believe. Just look at your behavior, that's what you believe what you actually believe is how you act alive-I believe I believe everything that I have belongs to God really so do you give first and foremost off the top.

Are you creating a heart of generosity. Are you.

I think the most important person in the world is God, but I don't have time to read his word don't have time to be with other people. I don't have enough words, what I actually believe that's where the deception is especially a world where we intellectualizing I overhear. I actually think I believe this if your life doesn't tell the same story as your thoughts. There's a word for that we don't like hypocrite. The Greek word comes from wearing a mask in the Greek theater and that's why Paul says in Romans 12. Let love be without hypocrisy never to take off your mask, love can only happen when the real you shows up, but the real you can't show up if you feel condemned if you feel worthless.

You'll hide it you pose and away. I love the way you guys are looking at me were really having fun together.

The issue is not if you do this is just how much and when you're human will pose. We all project we love more that were more holy were more this were more that but the more we can be honest and realize you have the most beautiful person in the whole world is the real you, not who I can for Johnny. I want to project the dynamic really good husband. I'm a good pastor and I'm a good grandfather and I really love God and and I'm trying and all those things but I know there's a presentation even unconscious that I just want to be a little bit better than it is.

And so do you. But what I do know is I spend time with God and even as I'm walking when he brings those to my mind into my heart if I can learn to pause and in real time. All you know that was a lot of chip not too much. You then it restores that connectedness you understand what I'm saying and so condemnation is you're a bad person. Conviction is you long Don you looked at this, you knew it was wrong to continue to do it.

That put a division between you and me you sat there and you smiled and you told her you love her kitchen and down deep, you hated that she had it and you don't and condemnation is what kind of terrible person would not be happy for my best friend who has a good kitchen. I feel terrible I drive home, I drive home, and I feel like a terrible person. I can't believe I thought things like it why don't human sin. Are you human you to sin, but it is condemnation.

You know what I there's only one thing to do. Off like a triple latte six shots all have to the chocolate cakes will feel better know what you do, then you feel guilty for what you ate right when you look in the mirror. God, the difference is, God will say that was envy. Can you rejoice for what I've given her and recognize that I'm a good God will take care of you and the moment you agree with God about that.

Not hi did not deny the moment you agree unit is wrong. I am cool like a magnet into these naked bodies and then I feel dirty afterwards that condemnation, God, you understand.

You confess it in your cleansed from all unrighteousness. Now getting help and overcoming things will talk about little bit later, but can I ask you, just for a moment.

Is there any personal issues you need to address the goal here is not that we dislike.

Well, let's learn about this, so let me give you a list of areas that I find that we tend to struggle with and just lately back. This is not like I gotta get this down note you need to get this down to get this in just leaned back pencils down. Is there is there anyone you need to forgive any unresolved relationship God show me my life. It's Royal Bank of immediate you don't have to trying conjure up sin. The Holy Spirit like really active chloride is Lucy or how about what about someone that's not with us anymore and there still resentment in your heart and you know they still exert power over your life. I've I've actually had to write letters to people that have died to to get out of me. This is what happened and this was wrong and this was hurt and I forgive you, wasn't for their benefit was from a any any issues with purity in your thoughts and your speech. Any any any issues in your finances are they where God wants him to be saving is a good thing but it does become a security retirement funds are really important, but you drawn some blind God can't touch this because I'm just not sure they had all those rules in ages past is your is your generosity and your giving where you think God wants it to be. I don't know Jesus is not asking these questions so you can look as guilty as you look at me, much less try this one. How I need to address that. Okay my monies messed up.

I probably should be giving way different than I am great.

Here's Jesus wonderful that we got that on the table. Would you like to which you want more guilt, more condemnation would keep living with this because you're afraid and Satan getting fear is if you given this will happen. This will happen or just want to confess it when we get on the new plan together and want you to experience the joy of what I have and remember, it's not yours it's mine, and together we knew some really great stuff and here's the thing I promised always take care of you and it doesn't make you more holy if you give more than other people.

Here's what why don't you give what I want you to give will. How would I know will speak to you think were having way too much fun in this very convicting time are your priorities were you thinking, I don't mean a legalistic but time with God. Are you taking care of your body the way that you believe God wants you to take care your body and I'm not looking for people to be in muscle magazine or on the front of us sore, but it is his temple. Are there any habits that you just so tired of feeling like you're condemned, and whether it's media over food or all those different things we do when were tired when were hungry when were depressed and were discouraged right we have patterns and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

It's would you come and let me help you. Are you beginning to see. I'm sure we were all have talk about demons or are this is demonic influence. Some of you are neutralize in your faith and trust in God that's over stuff like food it's over the spiritist. Talk to you and talk to you and talk to you and others it's it's media you know and it's not even bad media, but just when it's time to get up and do what you need to do you just were lazy anytime. I'm sorry it is not one we use anymore. It's like one of the seven deadly sins. So it's like still in the game. Laziness isn't like eating chocolates and watching TV in you know binging on Netflix for three days. Laziness is not doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done and we and we get soft, especially as we get older self discipline is what it's a fruit of the spirit is what God produces in our life and so living with low-grade guilt and low-grade condemnation.

It gives you the sense that you don't measure up. The sense of depression and then you you and I have patterns that we live with and we do it with food and media, and hopefully I call them the more righteous sins. I don't think there's righteous sins but there's just one to don't have quite as much impact negatively.

I mean like going to the refrigerator is a lot better than having an affair only because of the consequences. So, I'm putting on my armor and so you're really saying like the real Army against these evil spirits that are trying to destroy deceiver about what being honest with God being in his word and responding to what he already showed me yes you protecting your heart a love one, one commentator he he puts it this way he says words are a weak defense against condemnation, but a good life is the third thing is having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

And here's the metaphor, and it's got a Roman soldiers they they were sandals but they were there was a there is a bottom and a bit of a top and they would wrap you note wrap around and tie all way up to the knee and they would either have little knobs were in some cases actually have nails out the bottom. Historians say that it was invented by Alexander the great in many of his great accomplishments you felt like it was his army's ability because they were stable. I mean if you ever seen a wide receiver right he makes his cut. If he slips what happens you know you don't get the ball, the other team does or a defense of back I'm going to go and go and he loses his footing, so having sure established footing in your faith is critical of the Romans then adapted this and that preparation means establishment firm foundation conveys the idea of readiness to share the gospel in its it's an idea of understanding and living out. I'm I am a man or woman saved by the gospel of grace.

You understand the gospel. Understand this, Satan always attacks grace always attacks grace so much of call.

So much of performance driven Christianity. It's all about what you do instead of what God is done and God loves me. I look.

I can still remember this was so legalistic in my early years in the group that I grew up with. They did not intend this.

They never said this, but my personality my workaholism it was like you really got rewarded. If you spent time with God. So I did. If you had man-to-man times I did it with five people.

If you were in a Bible study, so I was in a Bible study and I lead a Bible study. If you would memorize Scripture. So they did one or two men I started chapters I have diverse and I got a lot of a lot of you know that a voice and what I did is I just took my same desperate insecurities that I had as a young man growing up in the matter what you did. It never really measured up but were corporate workable report of the workaholic outcome is 12 in the first few months I was a Christian. Some nights I just the resist chewing this freedom and pretty soon I took those same old patterns just because you're out of the kingdom of darkness in the kingdom of light, it doesn't mean that everything just changes overnight. It means your new person just like a baby is born.

It has to learn to walk. It has to learn to take steps it has to grow and has a responsibility and not II became this person was completely deceived. I remembered it was 2 1/2 years into my faith and I was walking we had a imagine that like campus and all these beautiful brick buildings with ivy and sidewalks at all in the center because the quadrangle. I remember walking the quadrangle and the sun was coming that way. There was a coed that I that I knew not a girlfriend at the coed river, friends, and sorted loss site and we pause and talk for a minute and God really used this this coed and we got into a serious discussion quickly. She does not ship. I remember when you first came here as a freshman and you you were just a really neat guy just so happy and fun to be around them. But what you really changed and and and just I don't care what the subject is just it's a verse pops out of your mouth. All I know is whenever I'm around you I feel bad about myself and I don't know if I'd ever want to be a Christian did it being a committed Christian is what you are.

I can tell you one thing and never be one know what my first response was.

I turned around first Corinthians 212 those not have the spirit of God do not understand the things of given by the Spirit of God completely defensive and went back to my dorm room and the Holy Spirit said that was not her that was me you have an external righteousness. Your joy is gone. You think because you pray every day. Have a quiet time memorize verses in the doing all the stuff you're pleasing to me. You are a jerk and a Pharisee.

Here's how I measure growth do you love me and you love people and this girl whom I love and I want to reach is repelled by you boys talk about tears and I like to say that was a really big moment. I've had one of those I've had a lot of those. A lot of those over the years and I thought of doing such a good thing in the right thing and for the right reason, deception, condemnation, it's grace. But what he does. He wants to cast doubt second Corinthians chapter 11 versus three forces Paul is praying says I don't want you to be deceived like Eve was, and he then gives us the gospel.

In fact, I want to take just a moment and and you all know this and you don't even need to turn there, but I can I read the gospel, just so we understand it is not going to church trying hard being a shade more moral and trying to be a nice person. Those are some of the results. First Corinthians 15. Now I make it known to you brother and the gospel literally the word just means good news which I preach to you which you also received an which also you stand by which you were also saved, if you hold faster literally since you will pass the word which I preach to you unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you of first importance what I also received Christ died for our sins literally in our place. According to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, that's Peter, then to the 12 and then he appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time, most of whom remain alive until now, but some are fallen asleep and then he appeared to James and then to all the apostles and last of all, as it were, to one untimely born, he appeared also a historical event. 500 eyewitnesses in space-time history, God the son came, lived a perfect life, died upon the cross to pay for your sin, my sin and the sins of all people of all time and it is a gift to be received and to turn from our sins and receive this gift. The gospel is good news.

It's not a program to become more moral when Jesus Cummins to your life and his grace begins to work your life changes from the inside out and you become more moral in your thinking in your speech in your attitudes, but it's a relationship. Quick question.

Do you know and understand the content of the gospel. If you don't, he will bombard you with doubts second, do you know the basis for your eternal security and assurance of your salvation, eternal security assurance that he was writing. First John is writing to the church there and he says this is the record or this is the testimony or this is the truth that God has given us eternal life that are it's a gift, and this life is in his son.

Now listen carefully, he that has the son has life he that does not have the son of God does not have life. I grew up thinking. If you go to church if your moral person. If your good deeds laid out your Band-Aids, then God would come to let you in. It's not based on that. If you have the sun it's relational you have life. Verse 13 first John five these things I've written to you ready that you might know that you have eternal life, and that this been believing life in his son just want to tell you not having doubts about the same faith is based on facts, not feelings. There's times where your feelings right if any of you been married for very long or had a close relationship with a friend. Don't you have days where you don't feel so good about this digital field is days I don't feel so close to God that doesn't change the fact that this is what happened. I've trusted in him. The feelings there, the caboose finally sharing your faith is one of most powerful faith builders available and often the best defense is a good offense and I'll close with just a great story where I learned this upright bass on college and I got invited to play on the team throughout South America is called venture for victory or sports ambassadors of the sort of the precursor of athletes in action. We played every lobby team in every South American country safe Uruguay and we do the law like a clinic in the morning and writing player smaller schools.

It was and then we would share the gospel half time and for about an hour and 1/2 or two hours. People would come down and we would talk and share our faith. I would I would share the gospel.

Probably 15, 20 times a day and about you, but I'd never done that before and I saw all these people come to Christ. It was it was like Paul says, bro.

Not ashamed to gospel, for it is the power of God in salvation to the Jew first and also to the Greek. What I realized was the power is not in the messenger. The powers in the message and not to share this because when when you can understand that this is a done deal because of who Jesus is and what is done, we were in Puntarenas. It's the southernmost city in the world. It was really cold wheat we did warm-ups you noted to have a heated Jim. We did warm-ups with our sweats on the condensation on the floor. We've been traveling we did every major city in Chile and I was super super tired and we played a bunch of games we had about 40 games. We did about 30 days and just emotionally. It was like forget it, but we had a really good team for Lotta major in we went.

We went 717 foot 611, 610 from Oregon point guards New Mexico State and he was a great team. How this little NAIA got on the team.

I don't know what I was out of there as it is a player you want give me more time coaching me more time on this trip was like eight. Anybody else want to command like I am so exhausted and so I just got mad and I just said you know I am not I'm not sharing Christ afterwards. I'm tired I'm done, I'm discouraged that some depressed. You want someone to hear about you bringing me to me that was not how you private. I was telling us our brain is not. I was like a child and from bad to son.

So get the games over and people coming down in all the players to talk with people and sit right here some kickboxing and I'd memorize my testimony in Spanish and you know I knew enough to get along and this kid comes up, but being a kid you know so so that it happened and so that a group of people came down and they wanted to talk nasty questions, and God the my heart heart sort is often that I got up and started talking to people and everything like that and I gave the gospel clearly and inwardly repented of my sin.

And then I said, has anyone ever had that experience for you trusted in Christ slow could I have.

I looked over what now and then he explained it to me you couldn't share the gospel worse with the bad worse after the powers not now I'm not saying that's how you do it, but that day reminded me. You know something the power of God is in the word of God himself. The more you share it and you see its power. The more you recognize the grace of God for yourself, the farther today's program. I just have this strong sense that some of you listening to my voice were struck with the thought that you doubt you wonder about your salvation you wonder about your standing today is the day to resolve it. It's not by works which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us right now. Today you can settle the issue based on Jesus work on the cross is payment for your sin, his resurrection, he offers you right now a free gift right now where ever you are going to ask you to bow your heart even if you can't shut your eyes and say, dear Jesus, I want to settle this issue. I want to be your son. I want to be your daughter. I want my sins forgiven.

I want protection from the enemy of Satan and demons, and right now in Jesus name I ask you please forgive my sins father come into my life make me your son or your daughter.

I believe that your payment at the cross was all that I need and I want to be in your family. Forgive me, cleanse me and give me the power now in the armor to live this new life in Jesus name we want to help you in your new life.

We want your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. You can know for sure, your standing is clear it's not about you and what you've done.

It's about Christ and what he's done. If you prayed with Chip. I hope you'll take a minute and call us a 8883336003.

We love to talk with you and get a free resource in your hands that'll help you understand what you just did and where to go from here if you'd rather go to our website LivingontheEdge.org Special offers on the app we'll find that same resource on the new believers tab. We just want to help you get started on your new journey of faith is a great way to stay engaged and connected to chip and Living on the Edge is with the Chip Ingram map I just mentioned, you get free access to all of Chip's recent messages is message notes and much more.

And not only that, but it couldn't be easier to call or email directly from the yeah you're back here again next time. This trip continues a series. The invisible war. Until then, this is Dave brewing saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge