 Deliverance, Satan, Demons (7 views) Subscribe   
   From:  David (DavidABrown)    6/5/2002 3:09 pm  
To:  ALL   (8 of 8)  
 
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Source: www.Pastors.com
Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox 
Issue #54

How Do You Fight Spiritual Warfare?
by Rick Warren


Every Sunday when I get in my car and drive the twenty minutes it takes me to get to the church, I put on the whole armor of God. I do this every Sunday. I then do it before every service. 

I say, "Lord, I know eternity hangs on what Im talking about today. There may be somebody whos in the worship service who will never come to church again." 

I recognize that I am in a spiritual battle, and so I use four biblical principles in the fight:

1. I ACKNOWLEDGE THE ADVERSARY
Satan is real. (1 Peter 5:8-9) 

When youre being attacked, welcome to the club. Its proof that youre a believer. The fact is, the more you make an impact for God, the more the devil is going to fight you. You never outgrow it. It just gets more intense. 

If there were no devil, why would God send His Son to fight what does not exist?

 
The Bible says God sent Jesus Christ to defeat the works of Satan. The Bible says that Satan is the prince of this world. Jesus said so. He never disputed Satans right to work all across the world. The Bible says in 1 John 3:8,  "Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil."

2. I ACCEPT GOD-GIVEN AUTHORITY
Most believers are very ignorant about the authority that they have to use against the devil. Matthew 28:18-19 says we have all authority in heaven and earth. Then Jesus says, "Therefore go and make disciples." He transfers the authority to you and me. 

He does that because hes given us a specific mission (2 Corinthians 5:20). When you send an ambassador to another country, the ambassador has the full authority to represent that country. The Bible says that you - as a believer in ministry - are Christs ambassador. 


3. I PUT ON THE ARMOR
Take a look at the famous passage on spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:11-17. When Paul wrote this, he was in prison. He was chained 24-hours a day to a Roman guard. Sitting there chained to this man, Paul looked at centurian and used the Roman centurion as a model for spiritual armor. 

The Roman had on a breastplate - a piece of metal to protect his chest from spear attack. He had on a strong, leather girdle around his mid-waste to protect him. He had on boots, a shield, a helmet, and a sword. Paul says just as the Roman soldier goes out to do battle, when youre in ministry youll need to be dressed for battle. 

You put it on - before you teach that Bible study, before you teach that Sunday school class, before you play that note in worship in all these things, you need to put on your armor of God. 

I do this every time I speak. I mentally run through this list. I put on the armor. 

I say, for instance, "Lord, I put on the helmet of salvation that will protect me from the thoughts the devil will try to give me. I don't want to think the devils thoughts. I dont want to think my thoughts. I want to think Your thoughts, that I may be a voice for You.  I put on the belt of truth. Lord, I want to share the truth, not falsehood. I want to lead people into righteousness."

I mentally put on all of the armor as I prepare for spiritual battle in order to minister. 

4. I AIM THE ARTILLERY
Not only do we have some armor, but also we have some weapons to use when were involved in ministry. Remember were not fighting against physical people. Were fighting against spiritual forces.

The battlefield for spiritual warfare is primarily in the thought life, in your mind (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Notice what Paul says the weapons do: they demolish arguments - thats the way people think. They pull down pretension - thats the way people think. We take every thought captive.  

In this battle for thoughts, what are our weapons? You have four weapons: humility, faith, truth and praise. I use them every day, but especially as Im preparing to give a message. 

Until next week, 

Rick
     
  Article by Rick Warren 
Saddleback Church
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA., a congregation that now averages 16,000 in attendance each weekend. Rick is also author of "The Purpose Driven Church," and founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for those in ministry. You may reprint this article in your publication with the following attribution: From Rick Warren's Ministry ToolBox, a free weekly e-newsletter for those in ministry, www.pastors.com. 




David A. Brown
Basic Christian: Forum
 
  
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