home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- THE:About the Spiritual war by Pastor Don Chapman
-
- 1) The Spiritual War (SW) is a conflict between fallen angels and
- believers. We are all attacked. Eph.6:11-20; II Tim.2:25-26
-
- 2) The SW is part of the Satan-angelic conflict (a war between God
- and the fallen angels).
-
- 3) The local church is the ONLY place a believer can be trained and
- equipped for this war. The drill instructor is the pastor.
-
- 4) The major battlefield in this war is the believer's mind. Demons
- have the ability to place thoughts into the self-consciousness of a
- human soul - either directly or indirectly, both consciously and
- subconsciously. II Cor.11:3; Mt.4; Luke 4; Acts 5:3; Eph.6:16 "flaming
- arrows"
-
- 5) The Word of God and prayer are the ONLY weapons that a believer
- has for protection in this war. These weapons are mentioned in II
- Cor.10:4, Eph.6:17-20 and Col.4:12.
-
- 6) Through using the Word of God and prayer, a believer can resist
- the attacks of fallen angels. James 4:7 The Holy Spirit will help you
- do this - I John 4:4
-
- 7) In addition to fallen angels, there are six other enemies that a
- believer has in this SW. They are:
-
- A) The lust of the flesh (OSN) - I Peter 2:11 B) Relatives who are
- antagonistic to grace - Mt.10:34-36 C) Other believers in reversion -
- Phil.3:18; James 4:4 D) Those who persecute you - Phil.1:28-29 E)
- Darkness (i.e., false doctrine) - Romans 8:6-7; I Tim.1:10 F) The world
- system - James 4:4
-
- 8) Suffering is part of every war. There is also suffering in the
- SW. Believers are commanded to endure these sufferings as a good
- soldier of Jesus Christ. II Tim.2:3
-
- 9) One characteristic of maturing believers is consistent victory in
- this Spiritual Walk. I John 2:13-14
-
- 10) Knowing how your enemy will attack in war will greatly aid in
- combat. Therefore, it is necessary for believers to understand the
- attack plans that Satan uses against them in the SW. I call these SAPs
- (Satan Attack Plans).
-
- The following is a list of some of the SAPs used against believers.
- Each category also has the doctrine to defend oneself with.
-
- SAP #1 Do not believe that the forgiveness of sin comes by
- confession alone. I John 1:8-10
-
- SAP #2 Get believers to add feelings, emotions or works to the
- Gospel. Galatians 1:6-9; 3:1-14; 5:1-13
-
- SAP #3 Get believers to believe that the filling by the Holy Spirit
- is indicated by their emotions or feelings. II Corinthians 6:11-12
-
- SAP #4 Try to get believers to worry. I Peter 5:7-9
-
- SAP #5 Get believers to commit evil so that God will be forced to
- punish them. I Cor.7:5; Eph.4:27-28; I John 5:18; Revelation 2:20-24
-
- SAP #6 Get believers to reject their pastor-teacher by making fun of
- his mistakes, gestures, age, dress, looks, his presentation, and or
- convince believers that they are not growing spiritually because the
- pastor is not teaching something NEW all the time. Hebrews 13:17
-
- SAP #7 Use eloquent false-teachers to get believers away from their
- local church. II Cor.11:13-15; II Tim.4:3,4
-
- SAP #8 Encourage believers to be proud because of their abilities,
- good looks, or talents. James 4:6-7
-
- SAP #9 Encourage believers to be discouraged by emphasizing their
- mistakes. I Cor.15:10
-
- SAP #10 Convince believers to not forgive others. II Cor.2:6-11
-
- SAP #11 Keep pastors from their right-church. I Thess.2:18
-
- SAP #12 Try to get believers to doubt their salvation, or convince
- them that they can do something to lose it. II Tim.2:12-13
-
- SAP #13 Encourage woman's lib. I Tim.5:14-15
-
- SAP #14 Breakdown the believers respect for authority. Romans 13:1
-
- SAP #15 Encourage pastors to take a church before they are ready. I
- Tim.3:6
-
- SAP #16 Try to get believers to argue about some minor point of
- doctrine. I Tim.6:3-5; II Tim.2:23; Titus 3:9 All doctrine is
- important, but not all doctrine is cardinal.
-
- SAP #17 Try to keep believers from praying (privately and in a
- group). Eph.3:13
-
- SAP #18 Keep pastors from studying and teaching the Word of God.
- They can teach anything else, but not Bible doctrine. I Tim. 4:14-16
-
- 11) In the SW, God has made provisions to protect believers
- positionally, physically and mentally.
-
- A) Positionally, we are eternally secure against losing our
- salvation. Fallen angels cannot take your salvation away. I Peter 1:5
-
- B) Physically, God protects us through secret service angels.
- Hebrews 1:13-14; Illustration - II Kings 6:8-23; II Chron.32:7
-
- C) Mentally, believers are protected through the "peace of God" -
- Philippians 4:6-7.
-
- 12) In order to properly protect oneself in the SW, believers are
- commanded to put on the WHOLE armor from God. Ephesians 6:11-18 This
- armor is the Word of God. It is called the "armor of light" in Romans
- 13:12, and is also referred to in I Thess.5:8.
-
- 13) It is not enough to have the whole armor from God, believers
- must also stand guard and be alert. Rev.3:2
-
- Copyright 1989 by Don Chapman You are allowed to reproduce this
- article only in its entirety and without additions or deletions.
-