Living Hope Church
26 Oct Sunday Service
  • This Is Amazing Grace
  • You are Worthy of My Praise
  • Draw Me Close
  • How Great Is Our God
  • Nothing Else
  • Moving Forward
  • I Have Decided To Follow Jesus
  • House Of The Lord
  • Defender

  • Summary

    Pastor DJ delivered a sermon on spiritual warfare, emphasizing the importance of being 'battle ready' as Christians. Drawing from Ephesians 6:10-12, he explained that believers face a real spiritual enemy who uses specific tactics including deception, doubt, temptation, fear, and complacency to attack Christians. The pastor stressed that Satan is not a myth but a real adversary with limited power compared to God. He outlined six key areas where the enemy attacks: the reality of the enemy, deception through twisting truth, doubt that undermines faith, temptation appealing to the flesh, fear that paralyzes purpose, and complacency that makes believers spiritually asleep. The sermon connected to the church's upcoming Redemption Fest outreach event on October 31st, emphasizing that Christians must be present and active rather than hiding when spiritual darkness is prevalent in the culture.

    Key Points and Verses

    Point 1: The Reality of the Enemy

    Ephesians 6:10–12 NKJV
    10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
    According to Ephesians 6:12, who is our real enemy? How does understanding this change the way we approach conflicts and challenges in our daily lives?

    Point 2: Deception Twisting Truth

    John 8:44 NKJV
    44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
    Genesis 3:1 NKJV
    1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
    Pastor DJ mentioned that the opposite of truth is not lies, but falsehood, and that the devil can deceive us even while telling us something true. Can you think of an example where this might happen in our culture today?

    Point 3: Doubt: Undermining Faith

    Matthew 4:3 NKJV
    3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
    James 1:6 NKJV
    6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
    Doubt causes us to question our identity, authority, and God’s promises. What might it look like for a Christian to question their identity, authority, or God’s promises?

    Point 4: Temptation: Appealing to the Flesh

    James 1:14 NKJV
    14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
    Matthew 4:3 NKJV
    3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
    What are the three types of temptation mentioned in the sermon (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life)? Which one do you find most challenging to resist and why?

    Point 5: Fear: Paralyzing Purpose

    Isaiah 41:10 NKJV
    10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
    2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
    7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
    Fear was described as something that 'paralyzes purpose.' What fears might be preventing you or other Christians from fulfilling God's calling on their lives?

    Point 6: Complacency: Numbing the Spirit

    Ephesians 5:14 NKJV
    14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
    Revelation 3:16 NKJV
    16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
    1 Peter 5:8 NKJV
    8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
    The sermon described a cycle from conviction to either repentance or rebellion. Why is it dangerous to stay in the 'rebellion' phase when the Holy Spirit convicts us of something?
    What is complacency and how do comfort and entertainment contribute to it? How can we enjoy God's blessings without becoming spiritually lazy?
    Jesus told the church in Laodicea that He was standing outside knocking (Revelation 3:20). What might cause Christians to have Jesus 'outside' of their hearts, and how can we keep Him central?

    Life Application

    This week, identify one area where you may have become complacent in your spiritual life. Choose a specific action to take that will help you 'wake up' in that area - whether it's spending more time in prayer, more time reading Scripture daily, serving others, or sharing your faith. Also, examine your entertainment and comfort-seeking habits to see if they are hindering your spiritual growth and purpose.

    Key Takeaways

    Satan is a real enemy, not a myth, but he has limited power compared to God and cannot be everywhere at once or read our thoughts
    The enemy attacks through six main tactics: deception (twisting truth), doubt (undermining faith), temptation (appealing to flesh), fear (paralyzing purpose), and complacency (spiritual sleepiness)
    Biblical literacy and being led by the Holy Spirit are essential for recognizing and countering the enemy's deceptions
    Christians must stay alert and armed with God's Word, maintaining their relationship with Christ through prayer and obedience
    Victory is already won through Jesus Christ - we don't fight for victory but from victory, standing in what Christ has already accomplished

    Ending Prayer

    Lord Jesus, thank You for opening our eyes to the reality of spiritual warfare and reminding us that You have already won the victory. Help us to be vigilant and battle-ready, not living in fear but in the confidence of who You are and what You have accomplished. Where we have become complacent, wake us up. Where we have been deceived, reveal Your truth. Where we have given in to temptation, grant us repentance and strength. Help us to stay close to You, abiding in Your presence, so that the enemy cannot gain ground in our lives. Use us to be lights in the darkness and to help others find freedom in You. We commit to being active participants in Your kingdom work, knowing that You are with us and that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. In Your mighty name we pray, Amen.

      • Ephesians 6:10–12NKJV

      • John 8:44NKJV

      • Genesis 3:1NKJV

      • Matthew 4:3NKJV

      • James 1:6NKJV

      • James 1:14NKJV

      • Matthew 4:3NKJV

      • Isaiah 41:10NKJV

      • 2 Timothy 1:7NKJV

      • Ephesians 5:14NKJV

      • Revelation 3:16NKJV

      • 1 Peter 5:8NKJV

  • Recap:
    1. The Reality of the Enemy - A very real deception in our world today is to believe that the devil is not real.
    2. Deception: Twisting Truth - A great example of the twisting of the truth is in our terminology today. I had a friend talk about “conversion therapy”. I thought about the term and realized that the name itself is twisted because, while it is therapy, it creates the idea that the person was born homosexual and is being converted to liking the opposite sex. Do you see how truth is twisted using words we would not catch right away.
    reverse racism - racism
    polyamorous - adultery
    gender fluid - confused
    “God is working on this with me” to excuse sinful behavior
    “But All things are Permissible, Right?”
    3. Doubt: Undermining Faith - Causing you to question your faith and God’s voice
    4. Temptation: Appealing to Flesh - Your sinful and rebellious desires are easy for the devil to exploit and turn against you.
    5. Fear: Paralyzing Purpose - If the devil can make you afraid, he can keep you from obedience and victory.
    6. Complacency: Numbing the Spirit - Apathy is when we just don’t care anymore. Complacency in our lives causes us to grow insensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
    Final Charge: Stay Alert & Armed - This is the area we are going to dig deeper in today.

    Three Kinds of Attacks:

    1. Attack of Opportunity

    The devil is an opportunist. He looks for areas to attack you.
    1 Peter 5:8 NKJV
    8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
    If you are not battle ready, he will wait for hardships to come. He can be patient.
    If you ARE battle ready, he will look for an opportunity in your marriage, your flesh, your kids, you mother in law, ANY OPEN OPPORTUNITY.
    Response:
    Pray
    Call out Soft Targets in your life
    Surrender them to God
    Surround yourself with God’s people

    2. Attack of Retaliation

    Ephesians 6:11–13 NKJV
    11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
    **I hope you are not tired of this passage yet. I hope you have memorized it.
    The devil has no need to attack those who pose no threat.
    If you are complacent, confused, conceited, comfortable, conforming, and compliant, you are where the devil wants you.
    You are no threat when you are not in the fight. But the purpose God has for you involves you rejecting your flesh and relying on God to fight these battles for you. When you are following God, you will see
    Temptation to sin before big spiritual victories to minimize the affect
    Attacks during your walk of obedience to distract and discourage you
    Attacks after victories to hurl accusations and condemnation at you
    But you are called to stand. You are called to keep your eyes on Jesus.
    He fights the battles and will carry you through them.
    Surrender to Him and He will lead you to victory - just don’t get complacent.

    3. Attack of Sifting

    Luke 22:31–32 NKJV
    31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
    Our first example is Jesus speaking to Peter.
    He tells Peter Satan asked to sift Peter.
    This is a picture of separating the wheat (the good part), from the chaff (the weeds).
    What is so encouraging, is the hope Jesus gives by telling Peter that He has prayed for him - that his faith should not fail. That is so encouraging!
    Then we see the next line, which should give us equal hope.
    Jesus tells Peter that when he returns to Jesus, to strengthen his brethren.
    This suggests that Peter would at some point fail in this sifting process, but that he would return to Jesus.
    Do you feel like you are being sifted? Do you feel like you have failed? There is hope in returning to Jesus.
    Jesus was also sifted in preparation for His ministry. This was, in part to fulfill prophecy, but also to
    Matthew 4:1–17 NKJV
    1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. 12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
    Deuteronomy 8:3 NKJV
    3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
    Deuteronomy 6:16 NKJV
    16 “You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in Massah.
    Deuteronomy 6:13 NKJV
    13 You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name.

      • 1 Peter 5:8NKJV

      • Ephesians 6:11–13NKJV

      • Luke 22:31–32NKJV

      • Matthew 4:1–17NKJV

      • Deuteronomy 8:3NKJV

      • Deuteronomy 6:16NKJV

      • Deuteronomy 6:13NKJV

Living Hope Church
pastor@livinghopecogop.org
325-500-4763
http://livinghopecogop.org
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