Each story, like every story we love, has a villain, a bad guy. There is an enemy and we are called to resist him. They don’t need to fear spiritual warfare. The whole point of spiritual warfare is to free us to love Jesus more. Jesus remains front and center and is our focus! Not every hard aspect of their life is the result of spiritual warfare. There are still our wounds that need deeper healing, relational issues that need addressing, and physical illness remains a reality. We are not living in Eden any longer, and we are not Home yet either! However, spiritual warfare makes everything worse.
But remember…. Jesus came to set the captives free. Isaiah 61
Maybe this topic of spiritual warfare is new to you. Perhaps it makes you feel nervous or uncomfortable.
Think about your group time or during your study time. In the video, the women share that they have come under accusation that they are talking too much, talking too little, don’t fit in, never will. Any of that sound familiar? How have you been attacked during this study?
Do you see that you personally have an enemy? If there is no enemy then everything is either God’s fault or your own. (As in, I’m blowing it and God’s holding out on me.) What if there is another character on the scene?
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:8-9
Peter is telling us that spiritual warfare a normal part of every Christian’s life and that God calls us to resist. We want to learn what it means to resist and get better at it!
Read:
Colossians 2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
1 John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Colossians 1:13–14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption,the forgiveness of sins.
Romans 8:15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,[b] Father.”
James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Ephesians 6:10–18 THE ARMOR OF GOD 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor ofGod, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 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.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
In these scriptures we see that yes, we are in the midst of daily warfare. But we are not fighting for victory but fight from victory…..fully equipped and empowered by our Father, His Son, and Their Holy Spirit!!
Satan has a “special hatred” for us women because we are beautiful and Satan fell because of his pride in his beauty. He can never be beautiful again. We women are life givers. We bring life and his is a kingdom of death!
Jesus came that we might have life and life to the full. In order to have the life God wants for you, you must rise up and take your stand in him. There is a fierceness that God placed in women and this is what it is for. Men aren’t our enemy. People are not the enemy. But you have one. There is no reason to fear him, but you must not close your eyes, plug your ears and hope he just goes away. He won’t. You must Resist! Take a stand against the enemy in the name of Jesus Christ, out loud. Pray to bring the cross of Christ and the blood of Jesus to bear against all spirits of (whatever ways your enemy attacks you—accusation, shame, depression), and send it to the throne of Jesus Christ for judgment. Announce that you belong to God and greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Ask God to continue teaching you and strengthening you to stand firm against the devil. In Jesus’ name!
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