The Weapons of Our Warfare

2Corinthians 10:3-4

Introduction…

Consider these scriptures:

1.     Eph.6:12 (NIV) – For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

2.     1Tim.6:12 (KJV) – Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession.

3.     2Tim.2:4 (Amp) – No solider when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of civilian life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him to be a solider.

4.     1Pet.2:1 (Amp) – Beloved, I implore you as sojourners, strangers and exiles in this world, to abstain from the sensual urges – the evil desires, the passions of the flesh (your lower nature) – that wage war against the soul.

5.     Mat.10:28 (NIV) – Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

6.     1Pet.5:8 (Amp) – Be well-balanced – temperate, sober-minded; be vigilant and cautious at all times, for that enemy of your soul, the devil, roams like a lion in fierce hunger, seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

We’re in a BATTLE and we have an ENEMY!  But God has some weapons in His arsenal that He’s made available that we might win the war!

2Cor.10:3-4

Two other translations:

1.     Amp – For though we walk and live in the flesh, we’re not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.  For the weapons of our warfare are not physical (weapons of flesh and blood), but they’re mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds.

2.     NIV – For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Notice:

1.     Our weapons aren’t carnal!

They’re not human ingenuity, talent, wealth, ability, eloquence, charisma, personality!

Because we’re in a “spiritual battle” and fighting “spiritual forces”, nothing but “spiritual weapons” will defeat the enemy.

2.     They’re mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds!

Stronghold:

1.     Any destructive system or way of thinking that preoccupies the mind and brings a person under its control.

2.     Something we struggle with that we can’t seem to overcome.

The devil weapons – deception, sin, condemnation, fear, discouragement, doubt!

But for every weapon he has God has some “weapons” He’s made available that are greater than the weapons of the enemy!

There’s no reason to live in defeat!

If we’ll take the weapons God has given we can face the enemy head, etc.!

I. The Weapon Of The Word…

It directly attacks “deception”!

The devil is a liar and father of it and he uses lies to bring deception!

1.     Mk.13:6 – For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

2.     Gal.1:7 – There will be those who would pervert (distort, corrupt) the gospel of Christ.

3.     Eph.4:14 – We’re not be like children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

4.     Col.2:4 – There would be those who would beguile (mislead, deceive) you with enticing words.

5.     Tit.3:13 – Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

The way we attack “deception” is by the weapon of the Word!

When Satan attacked Jesus in the wilderness (Mat.4) Jesus said, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone but by every word, etc.”

The Word is a

1.     Life giving force

2.     Saving power

3.     Probing instrument

4.     A mirror to behold and reflect

5.     A lamp to guide and direct

6.     Bread to nourish and sustain

7.     Milk to grow and develop

8.     Honey to soften and sweeten

9.     Seed to regenerate and make fruitful

10.                        A hammer to smash and break

11.                        A sword to fight and divide

“For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of heart” (Heb.4:12).

 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow – the deepest parts of our nature – exposing, sifting, analyzing, and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart”

“Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Ps.119:11).

II. The Weapon Of The Name…

It attacks the very “seat” and “authority” of the devil!

The name “Jesus” is so powerful because it encompasses all the names of God!

All the glory and greatness of “Elohim”; the uniqueness of “Yahweh”; the power of El Shaddai; lordship of Adonai are wrapped up in the name “Jesus”!

When you speak the name “Jesus” you’re speaking about:

1.     Jehovah-Jireh – my provider!

2.     Jehovah-Raphah – my healer!

3.     Jehovah-Nissi – my protection!

4.     Jehovah-Kaddesh – my sanctifier!

5.     Jehovah-Shalom – my peace!

6.     Jehovah-Tisdkenu – my righteousness!

7.     Jehovah-Rohi – my shepherd!

8.     Jehovah-Shammah – my ever-present companion!

Philippians 2:9-11

There’s so much POWER and AUTHORITY in the Name that demons tremble!

In Matthew 28 & Mark 16 Jesus declared that “all authority” was given unto Him, and then commissioned them to go in that power.

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my NAME shall they cast out devils; speak with new tongues; lay hands on the sick and they shall recover” (Mk.16:17-18).

Jesus granted power of attorney to His disciples to go in His Name – He’s delegated His Name as the “authority of God” to the church!

As delegates of the Name we’re responsible for it!  If we don’t use it nothing will happen.  He’s literally waiting for us to do something about it!

He’s already done all He’s going to do about the Devil and his works – it’s now up to us to use the NAME. 

The WEAPON has been placed in our hand – what are we going to do with it?

It’s time to start speaking in the Name! 

You can cry and talk about it all you want but until you open your mouth and begin to rebuke the adversary in the name of Jesus:

1.     I speak healing in my body in the Name!

2.     I speak deliverance in my spirit in the Name!

3.     I speak peace in my mind in the Name!

When you speak the Name in FAITH you have mountain moving, miracle working, devil defeating, disease dissolving, sin remitting power!

III. The Weapon Of The Blood…

It attacks “sin” and “condemnation”!

The only way to deal with SIN is through the blood!

That happens through baptism in Jesus Name (Acts 2:38).

John said, “The blood of Jesus CLEANSES us from all sin” (1Jn.1:7).

After that initial CLEANSING happens we rely on the blood to deal with “condemnation”!

The devil is not only the TEMPTER but the ACCUSER!

We’ve all failed in this walk, and that’s why the BLOOD is such a powerful weapon – it deals with “guilt” and “condemnation”!

“There is therefore NOW no condemnation to them which are in the Christ Jesus” (Rom.8:1).

When the devil comes “accusing” I take Him back to the blood!

Jesus did say, “Agree with thine adversary quickly” (Mat.5:25), but THEN remind him that it’s UNDER THE BLOOD.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Ps.103:12).

IV. The Weapon Of Prayer…

It attacks our “carnal nature”!

All of us deal with the “old man”!

Prayer isn’t something we do just to get God to do what we want – it’s what aligns our “carnality”(flesh) with God’s purpose that His will may be done in our life!

Prayer is what:

1.     Keeps us focused!

2.     Allows us to walk in the Spirit!

3.     Keeps our old man crucified!

4.     Brings death to our carnal nature when he seeks to rise up from the dead.

Paul said, “I die daily” (1Cor.15:31) – how?  Through prayer!

Because I die daily, “I’m “crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet no I but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal.2:20).

I’m not saying that we don’t get things through prayer, but that we gain the advantage over the enemy in our life when we use the weapon of prayer everyday!

Prayer gives the advantage!

“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2Cor.2:11).

It’s through prayer that our spiritual perception begins to operate and we see the workings of the enemy and are able to realign our heart with God’s will.

V. The Weapon Of Praise…

It attacks “weariness” and “discouragement”!

Isaiah said we’ve been given the “garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isa.61:3).

There’s power, deliverance, victory in praising God!

Some of you need to take the weapon of praise and begin to use it against the enemy!

Don’t wait till the battle is over, shout NOW!

You don’t need WEAPONS when the enemy has already been defeated – you need em when you’re in the throes of the battle!

That’s when your praise is the most powerful – there’s nothing more powerful than praise than when the enemy is attacking!

If you want to be a VICTORIOUS Christian then be a PRAISING Christian!

Bless the Lord at ALL TIMES, etc.!

Psalm 149:1-9

Praise is a “privilege” (weapon) afforded to all the saints (vs.9).

Closing…

“Blessed be the Lord my strength, who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight” (Ps.144:1).

All through the scripture God was engaged in the battle against God’s people:

1.     Deut.1:30 – The Lord your God that goeth before you, he shall fight for you.

2.     Deut.3:22 – Ye shall not fear them for the Lord your God shall fight for you.

3.     Deut.20:4 – For the Lord your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for your against your enemy to save you.

4.     Josh.10:25 – Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage, for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom you fight.

5.     2Chro.32:8 – With him is the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles.

It’s not US against the DEVIL – it’s US and the LORD           !

We involve Him in the battle when we use the WEAPONS He’s made available.

We’re in a battle, but it’s not one you have to loose – pick up the weapons God’s given and wade into the battle and God will be with you!

The Weapons of Our Warfare

2Corinthians 10:3-4

Intro…

Back to back:

1.     Eph.6:12

2.     1Tim.6:2

3.     2Tim.2:4

4.     1Pet.2:1

5.     Mat.10:28

6.     1Pet.5:8

2Cor.10:3-4

I. The Weapon Of The Word…

Heb.4:12

II. The Weapon Of The Name…

Phil.2:9-11

III. The Weapon Of The Blood…

Rom.8:1

IV. The Weapon Of Prayer…

Gal.2:20

V. The Weapon Of Praise…

Ps.149 (just follow me if you can)

Close…

Ps.144:1