23-0716a - Detailed Summary

The speaker greets the audience, indicating that today’s lesson, titled "Spiritual Warfare," deviates from the ongoing "I Am" series. They mention that this subject has been addressed recently, acknowledging a natural convergence of themes among spiritual leaders.

The speaker expresses feeling the world’s pressures and perceives a societal shift away from godliness. They stress the importance of not feeling defeated by these forces, highlighting that God provides tools for spiritual combat.

The discussion shifts to distinguishing spiritual warfare from physical wars, using the example of the conflict in Ukraine to illustrate conventional warfare. The spiritual war, however, is described as an unseen battle between good and evil, with Satan as the aggressor against God’s goodness.

God and Satan are portrayed as the central figures in this conflict, with humanity divided by their alignment to either the kingdom of God or Satan’s. The speaker explains that this division affects all aspects of life, including worldview, behaviors, and affiliations.

The speaker describes the two kingdoms all humans belong to, initially in God’s kingdom but potentially shifting to Satan’s upon sinning. They outline the process of returning to God’s kingdom through faith, repentance, and confession of Jesus Christ.

The sermon touches on the spiritual battle’s impact, claiming an almost universal casualty rate due to sin, with Jesus Christ being the only exception. It explains the dual fronts of this war: one to keep non-believers from faith and another to sway believers away from God.

The speaker reasons that God allows this spiritual warfare to continue out of love, giving humanity time to repent and be saved, referencing 2 Peter 3 for support.

They emphasize that daily actions reflect one’s allegiance in this spiritual war and that Jesus encourages daily commitment to follow Him. The speaker humorously acknowledges their own speaking challenges during the delivery.

Several biblical narratives are cited where God allowed humans to witness the spiritual realm in action:

These accounts build faith, offering hope that God similarly supports believers in their spiritual struggles.

Elijah’s prayer for his servant’s eyes to be opened reveals the presence of God’s army, described as chariots and horses of fire, signifying divine protection during a time of threat from the Syrian army.

The narrative continues with Elijah comforting his servant, highlighting that "those who are with us are more than those who are with them," paralleling the assurance in 1 John 4:4 where it states that the power within believers is greater than the world’s power.

The speaker explains that the unseen forces of good and evil are constantly at war, with God’s forces actively fighting for His people. They clarify that while the servant saw the heavenly hosts, the evil forces might not have been visible, but their presence is acknowledged.

The discussion turns to how angels influence governments, referencing Daniel’s visions where angels are described as princes over nations like Persia and Babylon. The text suggests a similar angelic oversight for America, though not explicitly stated in scripture.

Daniel’s mourning and subsequent vision reveal a detailed interaction between angelic beings. The prince of Persia delays the messenger angel, and Michael, the archangel, aids in this spiritual battle, showcasing the ongoing struggle between divine and demonic forces over human affairs.

The speaker connects Daniel’s visions to the succession of world powers, interpreting these as divine orchestrations through angelic intervention, specifically referencing the prophecy of the statue in Daniel’s earlier visions.

Michael is depicted as a key figure in protecting God’s people during times of trial, particularly noted in Daniel’s prophecy about the end times, where Michael stands for Israel during a time of unprecedented trouble.

The narrative touches on a less-known event where Michael contends with Satan over Moses' body, illustrating respect and protocol among heavenly beings, contrasting with human behavior towards spiritual entities.

Angels are described as servants sent to aid those who will inherit salvation, emphasizing their role in the unseen battle to support believers. This contrasts with human ignorance of these battles, suggesting that God keeps the spiritual warfare unseen for our protection.

The speaker discusses how human encounters with angels often result in fear, particularly among men, with examples from biblical times like the shepherds at Jesus' birth and the guards at His tomb.

The sermon addresses demon possession as a direct manifestation of the spiritual battle, explaining that these events served to demonstrate Jesus' authority over evil. This authority was then passed to the apostles, enabling them to perform miracles like casting out demons, fulfilling the purpose of showing God’s power over evil.

The speaker discusses the devil’s destructive nature but emphasizes that God’s unseen command ensures the devil must flee when resisted. This demonstrates God’s control over spiritual forces, protecting believers from evil influence.

The sermon suggests that the era of miraculous signs has concluded with the completion of the Bible, which now serves as the ultimate authority for believers. The speaker references scriptural passages from Colossians, 1 Corinthians, and Zechariah to argue that the prophetic and miraculous elements were temporary, replaced by the written word, described as the "sword of the Spirit."

The speaker challenges believers to use the Bible as their primary tool in spiritual battles, urging them to stand firm in faith against the forces of evil. They cite Mark’s gospel to stress the importance of enduring faith until the end, either of one’s life or the Christian era, to achieve salvation.

The sermon highlights the significance of faith as the means to overcome the world’s challenges, quoting from 1 John to affirm that faith secures victory. The speaker promises to discuss the "armor of God" in the evening service, indicating further teachings on how believers can equip themselves spiritually.

Concluding, the speaker extends an invitation for those who might have faltered in faith to seek restoration or baptism, emphasizing the church’s role and authority in helping individuals reconnect with their faith and God. This part of the service is opened with a prayer led by Wally.