TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL

“Spiritual Warfare”

Pastor David Hillis | 05.22.2011

“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. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

What are strongholds?

• Beliefs that we put our trust and faith in

• Twisted truth, untrue thoughts that we come to believe about ourselves, about others, or about God that Satan uses to tear us down

• False, unbiblical beliefs become strongholds only we agree with them-when we buy into the lie

• These strongholds hold us in bondage and cause us to think and act contrary to God’s Word

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)

To overcome strongholds, we have to think differently and fight differently.

We think differently by:

1. Abiding in the Word

• “If you abide in My work [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you know the Truth, and the Truth will see you free.” John 8:31-32 (AMP)

2. Reminding ourselves daily of the destructive power of sin

• “This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent. We are wrestling with rules, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world.” Ephesians 6:12 (GWT)

We fight differently by:

1. Taking control of every thought (every lie, every temptation) that the enemy sends and surrender them to Christ

• “We take very thought captive and make it obey Christ.”

2 Corinthians 10:5 (GNT)

• “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (NIV)

2. We resist Satan with the Word of God

• “God means what He says. What He says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it-no matter what.” Hebrews 4:12-13 (MSG)

• Follow Jesus’s example (Luke 4:1-12) by learning and speaking God’s Word back to Satan to make Him flee

What battles are being fought against Satan in your mind? What strongholds is he trying to build against you (temptations, lies about myself, lies about others, lies about God)?