Lord, Is It Warfare? Week 1, Day 2
I am continuing from yesterday as we go through the devotional
study guide (study guide is a serious
understatement) by Kay Arthur, Lord Is It
Warfare? I am in much encouragement
of you working with this book and a handwritten journal. At the end of this, I am certain that you
will feel a sense of accomplishment but even more than that you are going to
have developed a sense of understanding of what Scripture has to say about the matter
of spiritual warfare. Furthermore for
those who serve in churches as Sunday School teachers, Bible study group
leaders, and even pastors, you are going to find a wealth of material that will
come to you at the right time as you are teaching.
One quick note of explanation for those who are not
familiar with some of the Greek language that the New Testament was written in. On yesterday’s post you would have noticed
that after the words for flesh, lust, and war from 1 Peter 2:11 in yesterday’s
blog there was a “G” followed by a number.
This is the system that was developed in the original Strong’s
Exhaustive Concordance used by Bible scholars, preachers, and teachers who did
not have a background in the Greek language.
Instead of having to know the language, the student could work with the number
system.
The section on Day 2 begins with some very thought
provoking questions:
·
Have you ever felt like quitting because of the
hassle of Christianity was too much?
·
Do you ever doubt the truth of God’s Word or the
reality of Christianity?
·
Have you ever been tormented by blasphemous
thoughts against God?
·
Have you ever felt captivatingly drawn, almost
magnetized, to the things of the world?
·
Is there anything you feel compelled to do or believe,
and yet you know it is not of God?
·
Are you bombarded with doubts about God’s
goodness—His love toward you?
·
Have you ever been plagued by feelings of
worthlessness and/or inadequacy?
·
Even though you’ve confessed past sins, do you
live under a cloud of condemnation?
·
Have you felt overwhelmed by depression?
·
Have you ever thought about suicide?
·
Have you ever been haunted by some derogatory
remark, thought, memory, desire you couldn’t shake?
·
Or have you heard voices in your mind?
·
Is your mind filled with incessant noise?
·
Are you afraid to tell anyone?
·
Are you filled with anger, bitterness, or
unforgiveness?
·
Even though you realize you are wrong to harbor
these feelings, do you feel powerless to deal with them?
·
Are you physically sick—yet the doctor cannot
find the cause?
·
Have you ever been joyfully serving the Lord and
been suddenly attacked unjustly?
·
Have you remembered the Christian life is
warfare?
These questions are very thought provoking and to some
they may even seem inappropriate. However,
as I was working through the list, multiple examples and Scriptures came to
mind that would address each of these feelings or emotions. Some of these are so far out in left field
that I know that as a child of God they would never even cross our mind except they did not have their origins in
hell! You are in a battle and the
enemy first of all attacks our mind because that is the very seat of the
action. What is worked out in the heart
will be exhibited in behavior. That is
why we must have spiritual boundaries and parameters on our mind that are
godly, holy, and righteous.
Ephesians 6:11
KJV Put on the whole armour of
God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:11
NASB Put on the full armor of
God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 6:11
WNT Put on the complete armour
of God, so as to be able to stand firm against all the stratagems of the Devil.
We are to put on the whole of armor of God. Why?
So that we can stand against the wiles (KJV), schemes (NASB), and
stratagems (Weymouth) of the devil. The
word that Paul used in this was METHODEIA (G3180). It has the idea of cunning arts, the use of
deceit, craft, and trickery. Therefore
when we put on the whole armor of God, our ability to see through, anticipate,
and plan for the attacks we will ensure our own spiritual success. This same word is used in Ephesians 4:14 in the
context of spiritual immaturity as children who are tossed about by storms and
winds of doctrine, deception by men, and the wily, craftiness of the devil who
is behind all of it.
With that in mind, I would like to go back and look at
some of these questions and find some biblical examples of where this kind of
attack took place in the Bible. The
study guide actually wants you to list personal examples of when this kind of
thing may have prevailed in your own life.
Obviously I am not going to air all of that out here but this is why I
recommended to you the personal journal that is for your eyes only. You will be very surprised at what kind of
soul-work goes on when you began to write these kinds of things down. Some may be hesitant to do this sort of thing
and I can understand that. However, I
would point you to the Psalms and get you to read them through this set of
lenses: note the introspective angles
and the tones of self-examination and personal confession that you find there.
·
Have you ever felt like quitting because of
the hassle of Christianity was too much?
You are not the only one who has ever felt like throwing
in the towel. I find that there are
multiple references that are encouraging in tone for us to continue on.
Galatians 6:9 KJV And let us not be weary in well doing: for in
due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Ephesians 6:10 KJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might.
1 Samuel 4:9 KJV Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye
Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to
you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
1 Corinthians 16:13 KJV Watch ye, stand fast in the faith,
quit you like men, be strong.
There are other matters of consideration that we need to
take in here also. It has to do other
areas of life where people have a thought to quit. Quitting the ministry, quitting church,
quitting your marriage, quitting your family, quitting your commitments,
quitting your job, quitting school, and so forth. I am not so foolish as to say that all of these feelings are spiritual
warfare but some of them are.
·
Do you
ever doubt the truth of God’s Word or the reality of Christianity?
Doubting the Truth of God and His Word is an old
trick. It started with the first family
Adam and Eve. The devil came along and
asked, “Has God really said?” (Gen. 3:1).
Once he lodged some doubt against the Truth, Eve began to waffle on
it. Perhaps the best place to go with
this question is to one of the most crucial parables the Lord taught in Matthew
13.
Matthew 13:18-19 KJV Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. [19] When any one heareth the word of the kingdom,
and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that
which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Mark 4:15 KJV And these are they by the way side, where the
word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh
away the word that was sown in their hearts.
Luke 8:12 KJV Those by the way side are they that hear;
then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they
should believe and be saved.
I can’t even began to tell you how many times this has
happened to me as I would preach. I
would toss the seed and before the Word could even get a foothold, the devil
would work with doubt and snatch it away.
I can also sadly tell you that there were things that God had placed in
my personal life that were snatched away with doubt. . . We are in a war! This is not a
picnic where you will have your best life now!
·
Have you
ever been tormented by blasphemous thoughts against God?
This can began to gain a foothold in our hearts when we
are in situations that feel out of control to us. Sometimes there are people around us who
unwittingly will be used by the enemy to cause us to doubt the prevailing power
of God.
Job 2:9 KJV Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still
retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
Pressurized situations can cause you to be literally tormented
by the circumstances around you. I am
also willing to believe that because of advice that Paul provided gives us
insight to know that he too knew what it was like to be attacked in such a
way. Consider:
Philippians 4:7-8 KJV And the peace of God, which passeth all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. [8] Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are
true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things.
2 Timothy 4:18 KJV And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil
work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever
and ever. Amen.
In a day where almost any kind of separation from the world
is mocked, decried, and scorned, we must take the advice (commandment?) of
John.
1 John 2:15-17 KJV Love not the world, neither the things that
are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in
him. [16] For all that is in the
world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.
[17] And the world passeth away, and the lust
thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
When we feel the magnetism and the drawing of this world,
we must set our sights on heaven! One of
the reasons that heaven does not have enough of a hold on the saints of the
Lord is because our hold on the world is almost that of a death-grip. This thing
is a spiritual war!
·
Are you
bombarded with doubts about God’s goodness—His love toward you?
The devil would greatly desire to bombard our minds with
the idea that God cannot and will not love us.
This is one of his wiles, his strategies, his methods, as Paul warned us
of in Ephesians 6:11. We combat those matters
just like Jesus did at His temptation in the wilderness, with the Word.
Jeremiah 31:3 KJV The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying,
Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness
have I drawn thee.
Ephesians 2:4-8 KJV But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great
love wherewith he loved us, [5] Even
when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye
are saved;) [6] And hath raised us up
together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [7] That in the ages to come he might shew the
exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ
Jesus. [8] For by grace are ye
saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Titus 3:3-6 KJV For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish,
disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and
envy, hateful, and hating one another. [4]
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man
appeared, [5] Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by
the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [6] Which he shed on us abundantly through
Jesus Christ our Saviour;
I hope you are beginning to see why the Bible is called a
sword. It has great power to overcome
every wicked thought the enemy throws in our direction.
·
Even
though you’ve confessed past sins, do you live under a cloud of condemnation?
This is another powerful trick of the devil. He wants to minimize the power of the blood
of Jesus Christ. Note this, Paul lists
some of the darkest sins of humanity when he was addressing the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 KJV Know ye not that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of
themselves with mankind, [10]
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
But he did not stop there. . . He goes on. . .
1 Corinthians 6:11 KJV And such were some of you: but ye are washed,
but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and
by the Spirit of our God.
You could go on and on with this theme through
Scripture. However, occasionally I like
to re-visit old songs that I heard when I was a kid. . . This is one of them
that says it just about right when we are attacked by that nasty beast of
condemnation.
·
Have you
felt overwhelmed by depression? Have you
ever thought about suicide?
If you have ever felt that dark beast of depression seize
on your soul, you are not alone. It is a
taboo subject that many do not like to address but some of God’s greatest men
battled with it. Moses, Elijah, and
Jeremiah all felt the darkness of it.
But one day I ran across this passage:
2 Corinthians 1:8-9 KJV For we would not, brethren, have
you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out
of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: [9] But we had the sentence of death in
ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the
dead:
What shall we do with Paul? Will we give him a pill? I think not!
He said that he had the sentence of death that was in him but the key to
overcoming it was that he could not trust in himself or his own efforts but
rather in the Lord! That is the answer!
·
Is your
mind filled with incessant noise?
Our world is full of noise and somewhere we need relief
from all the racket!
Psalms 46:10 KJV Be still, and know that I am God: I will be
exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
I have skipped a number of the questions that the book
recommended. But on a closing note, I
want you to consider some of the ramblings that I wrote in my journal. When we remember past criticism, we build a
prison we cannot get out of. This prison
will turn into a seething anger and bitterness that will pull every bit of the joy
of serving the Lord out of your soul. It
can lead to physical sickness. I have
seen this countless times over a 25 year career in medicine. In fact one physician told me one time, “Philip,
if we could fix their mind, we could fix their sickness!” I believe that is how powerful the mind is
and therefore we can only imagine what kind of attack the devil would like to
lodge against the mind of a godly saint!
I am sorry that I have overloaded this (again)!
More tomorrow. . .
Thanks for reading. . . .
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