Spiritual Warfare: Understanding the Battle continuation..

 

Part I: The Spiritual Battle

How do we know that there is a spiritual realm? If we cannot see it, should we believe in it? Many believers and unbelievers today do not want to “deal” with a world we cannot see when the world we do see is hard enough to “deal” with. Before we can discuss the spiritual battle, we have to believe in the spiritual realm. We have a tendency to act like a two-year-old child who closes her eyes and places a blanket over her head, really believing that no one can see her because she cannot see them. Just because we cannot see the spiritual realm does not mean it is not there.

Keith Green, a Christian song writer, wrote, “I [Satan] used to have to sneak around. But now they just open their doors. No one’s looking for my tricks because no one believes in me any more.” However, if we choose to ignore or not believe in the spiritual realm, we will find ourselves confused, frustrated, and quenching the peace that God has promised to each of us. The best defense is a strong offense. Just educating ourselves about the spiritual realm is half the fight and God gives us everything else we need to be victorious with the other half.

Question 1: What words used in the verses below describe the spiritual realm and its invisible components?

Nehemiah 9:6
Luke 2:13-15

Ephesians 6:12

collosians 1:15-16

According to Hebrew 11:13 what is required for us to believe?

What does that mean to you?

We all have an innate sense that there is more than what the eye can see. However, since we do not see it, we often fail to believe in it. If we do not believe in it, then we cannot  be aware of all that is going on, for and against us. Whether we choose to believe in the existence of spiritual beings and places does not change the fact of their existence and their activities. Let’s step back a minute to assess what we do believe. As Christians, it took faith to believe in Jesus Christ. We cannot see Him but we believe that He died on the cross for our sins. We believe that God raised Him from the dead and we believe that He alone is the source of our eternal salvation.

All those beliefs are not physically seen by us today. We believe Jesus accomplished these things in the spiritual realm when He lived in the physical realm on earth. We know that we, too, need to believe in this physical realm to be welcomed into His spiritual realm. Thus, it is faith that confirms to our hearts that we will be going to a very real place called heaven some day. The Bible is filled with references to the heavenly realm or a place that is invisible to our eyes physically today, yet very real in its existence. We believe with the eyes of our heart, instead of with the eyes in our head. There have been others who were able to see with their physical eyes into the spiritual realm.

Question 2: From the following Biblical examples, describe the scene. What is taking place in each situation?

2 kings 6: 11-20
Daniel 10 : 7-17

Part II: The Worldly Battle

The Strong’s Greek and Hebrew dictionary defines the “world” as the “earth (as moist and therefore inhabited); by extensive the globe; by implication its inhabitants; specifically a participle land, as Babylonia, Palestine :- habitable part, world.” The world is where people dwell. So the pattern of this world (Romans 12:2) refers to how the people collectively choose to live on the earth. We, as believers, are told to not conform to the norms of how others live but to live to please God, who is not of this world. Jesus said in John 17: 14-16 “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” So, we are called to live in the world but not be a part of the world. Let’s study this passage more closely to understand what the Lord desires from us.

Question 4: In John 17, Jesus gives a clear message through His prayer to the Father about the seriousness of our lives in this "world." From the text below, circle the word "world" and underline (or highlight) every reference to Jesus or God the Father.

Part III: The Spiritual Battle Within Us

For some of us, the hardest battles of spiritual warfare are fought within ourselves. We can understand the circumstances and situations that the enemy uses to destroy us. We can accept the truth of how the world lures and tempts us. We can understand to some degree that the battle in the spiritual realm is ongoing and real, even though we cannot see it. But, to get a grasp on what is going on within our own hearts and minds can be the hardest, most exhausting, battle of them all.

In this section, we are going to explore what the Bible teaches about the war within us, the constant struggle between flesh and spirit. Our battle with sin “wars” within our members.

Question 7: To begin to examine the battle within us we must first understand its nature. The desires of the flesh are part of our human nature and its history goes back to the beginning of time, as we know it.

Describe the setting in which the word "sin" is first used in the Bible. See Genesis 4:3-7

What was God's warning to Cain?

Have you ever felt that overwhelming desire within you to let sin master over you? We make decisions according to how we think, feel and want. So, at times, we find ourselves struggling with anger, bitterness and hatred leading us into areas of temptation. But God tells us to fight against those sinful feelings. We must learn to fight against the very nature within us. Paul tells us to put off the old nature and put on the new man (Collosians 3:8-13). The Lord has given us His Spirit who will empower us to overcome but we must be willing to allow Him the authority to be in control of our emotions and behaviors.

Question 8: From the following verses, describe the battle of flesh versus spirit.

Matthew 26:41
Romans 7:14-20

Galatians 5:16-17

How do these examples reflect similar situations in your life?

We suffer in our flesh, whether we feed its desires or deny its pleasures. We are constantly battling between what we want to do versus what we know the Lord wants us to do. "All have sinned and fall short" but the blood of Christ has saved us from destruction. The battle is waged because we are given the power to overcome sin's grasps. There is no battle when there is no opposing side. It takes two to fight. When we are dead in our trespasses, there is no spiritual battle within us because there is no spiritual life. The Spirit of God brings us to life spiritually, yet we live in these bodies of flesh that still have a sinful nature. Thus, the battle rages in the lives of believers but the victory is assured because we are in Christ.

Question 9: From 1 Peter 4:1-6 answer the following questions:

What is the advantage of suffering in the flesh?

Describe the sins of the past (of the Gentiles).

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