I. Introduction
The series this year is entitled "The Spirit World." It is about the unseen world, the spiritual forces that act upon this physical world. We will cover:
- Spiritual warfare
- Spiritual gifts
- Spiritual fruit
- Spiritual lamps
- Spiritual guidance
- Spiritual beings (angels)
- Spiritual beings (demons)
- Spiritual prayer
- Spiritual unity
- Spiritual worship
II. We can see three major themes of spiritual warfare in these verses:
Prophecies (WEAPONS): the powerful gifts of the Spirit
Warfare (STRATEGY): the long-term strategic campaign against the forces of darkness
Protection (ARMOUR): holding "faith" and a "good conscience." This includes the entire armor of God.
III. Principles of spiritual warfare
WEAPONS (SPIRITUAL GIFTS)
- WE MUST INTERACT AND CONNECT WITH HEAVEN IN ORDER TO OVERCOME DARKNESS.
- PROPHECY IS GOD'S WORD IN YOUR MOUTH. Your greatest weapon against the enemy is proclaiming what God says to you into the spiritual world.
- 2 Kings 3:15-16 ESV: "But now bring me a musician." And when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him. And he said, "Thus says the Lord, 'I will make this dry streambed full of pools.'"
- ANYTHING THAT CONNECTS WITH HEAVEN WILL OVERCOME EARTH.
WARFARE (Strategy)
- Our strategy is PATIENCE.
- "There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker" (2 Samuel 3:1 ESV).
- Our strategy is DISCERNMENT.
- "We are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV).
PROTECTION (Armour)
OUR PROTECTION IS "FAITH" AND A "GOOD CONSCIENCE."
Faith
"Who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight" (Hebrews 11:33-34 ESV).
Good conscience
A CLEAN CONSCIENCE HELPS TO KEEP YOU FROM BEING CONFLICTED IN YOUR HEART.
"Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him" (1 John 3:21-22 ESV).