The Lord Will Have War

The Application

5. “The Lord will have war” Be Vigilant against evil

• You must remain vigilant against sin and spiritual complacency.

• • The Amalekites’ surprise attacks serve as a metaphor for how sin can unexpectedly strike, particularly if you are not spiritually prepared or in a weakened state.
  • There are battles that come into your life that if you do not eradicate, will come back and continue to try and destroy you. You cannot take a week off and expect to walk in victory
  • 1 Cor 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall
  • One of the worst things that people do is think that it couldn’t happen to them. 
  • I pity sinners. I really do. I can understand the deceitfulness of sin and its continual enticing to try to lure the believer back to its unending grasp. Could happen to anyone in complacency. 
  • It’s relentless. It comes through the phones, TV, advertisements, music, books, magazines etc. 
  • If you’re not careful, it will entice you with its lures. Satan does not take a day off. 
  • No one wakes up in the morning and says- I think I’m going to go ruin my life today. 
  • Noooo it starts with a thought, that goes into a fantasy that ends up with a plan
  • Every Tuesday- Same routine. Wake up, bible study, pray, run, shower, drive to Bible study, go to church, grab Jeremy, get car wash, pick up supplies, go back to church, meetings until staff. 
  • Usually on way to BS, start thinking about fritters. Just drive by. Just smell. Forget it. Do it. 
  • It’s not about the donuts, but its always there in the mind. Want to go back. 

• How do we stay vigilant?

• • Appropriate the cross- You must grasp, internalize and focus on Christ’s finished work on the cross. What Jesus did for us on the cross forgave us of our sins and gives us victory over sinning

• Colossians 2:13-15 READ

• • You were dead, forgave all, wiped out all, taken it out of the way, nailed it to the cross, disarmed
  • This is not human centered power over our sin, this is human interaction with the cross of Christ
  • I have this friend, said he’d help with my sprinklers, called him, he came over. I had to call!
  • Here’s some practical ways to stay vigilant-
  • Watch and Pray- Matt 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
  • Keep your eyes open and learn to identify the things that entice you and avoid them
  • Avoid watching, walking, thinking, looking, listening and fantasizing- don’t slip up!
  • Pray- ask the Lord to reveal to you where you’re allowing it into your life. Ask for help 
  • 1 Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant;
  • It’s like this- I don’t think everything is a sin and I don’t think everyone is steeped in sin
  • But if you’re constantly living a life of reflection and honesty, you allow the word in you
  • Ps Kevin- teaching on Idolatry- ‘what do you think about too much’. That moment- the Lord said to me that I was thinking about my retirement income too much- become an idol. 
  • I’m not going to hell for thinking and planning about retirement income, not a sin, just too focused on it- something I was, focusing on, consuming me. Thinking too much about it
  • Be VIGILANT. Not demons under every rock. Not looking for sin in other people. Watching over yourself. Mirror time not microscope time. Why? Because he’s worthy and Amalek!
  • Israel had just been delivered, just came through the sea, manna and water and ATTACK
  • It’s when you least expect it. You think its over, and boom. Again. Israel didn’t die, but wouldn’t it have been better to be ready for the attack and not have to go through it?
  • Jas 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

• That’s how it works- enticed- wanting something more than God- trusting something more than him. Your own desires are what will pull you away.  Pro 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence 

• You keep your heart. No one else. Just YOU

6. “The Lord will have war” We must have Complete Rejection of Evil:

• • Just as Israel was commanded to remember Amalek and what they represented, and ultimately to blot out their memory, and we should completely reject and remove sin from our lives.
  • When we bought our house- mouse problem. Still some in traps in storage room. 
  • “not a big deal- just see them once in a while”. What? Noooo. Clean out, sealed up, cats etc. 
  • We are getting all of them out. Not one is acceptable. Don’t want to see any ever. 
  • Us and evil? A little bit wont hurt. Its just one time, a little bit here and there. 
  • Exodus 17 Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua,
  • God wanted Israel to remember the Amalekites. There would be a battle with them. Destroy them. The process of ridding the Amalekites took time. It wasn’t one and done. 
  • We have an ongoing process of sanctification- strive to live according to God’s standards, and reject worldly temptations. Israel was still Israel as they fought. You are still saved in the fight
  • Maybe you’re there. Perhaps I’m just up here preaching to myself. I haven’t eradicated all sinful desires and actions from my life. There are still things I struggle with from time to time. 
  • I need reminders! I need correction and encouragement to destroy the evil around me!
  • I’m not perfect. I can’t Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 
  • But I’m in the fight. FWIW- I’m not steeped, I’m just aware of the lack of my perfection. 

• How do you reject evil?

• Do good- Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
• Do good. Be a do gooder. Everywhere all the time even when no one is watching
• The greatest destruction against evil is righteousness. The Dark hates the light. 
• Speak well at work. Have ethical business practices. Don’t cause problems in life. 
• Have no Fellowship– Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
• Do not go places, or with people or do activities that entice evil in you or others. 
• Many years ago, guy had been attending church for a over a year- “how was your birthday?”
• We went to the strip club. Huh? What was he missing, more over, what was I missing?
• There are places and people that Christians have no business doing business with. 
• Get Spiritual 2 Cor 10:4-5 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
• The Israelites did not win because they were more mighty, they won because they were relying on God. Moses did not win the battle- God did because Moses relied on God (hands in air)
• You cannot win the battle against sin on your own. You must call out to God, depend on the Holy Spirit and depend on him. Focus on the finished work- Why am I fighting this?
• Cast down– speak and pray against evil. I speak out against evil- You were on the cross! 
• Take captive every thought- Don’t allow yourself to go down the mind road- Put on the cross!
• Submit to God James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
• “Lord I’m submitting to your will and your plan for my life- I do not want to do evil”
• Submit to one another- Talk to a trusted brother or sister for accountability
• Psalm 97:10 You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.” 1 Thes 5:22 Abstain from every form of evil.
• We must Rely on God for Victory: Victory was as long as Moses held up his hands, on God’s power and not human strength (Ex 17:11-12). This is word picture of our own lives! (I think this in worship) God was Israels deliverer, provider and now protector! HE WILL DO IT> 
• We must depend on God for all  victory in spiritual battles, without His help, we are powerless.

7. We must have Community Support in Spiritual Warfare:

• • Aaron and Hur supported Moses’ arms during the battle
  • Moses and the armies of Israel couldn’t win on their own. Moses needed God, army needed Moses, Aaron and Hur needed moses. Aaron and Hur needed each other. 
  • We are not meant to fight our battles alone but are supported by the body of Christ.
  • Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens
  • 1 Thes 5:11 therefore comfort each other and edify one another 
  • Ephesians 4:15-16 But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
  • We are the Body of Christ and we need each other. I want to be part of a strong Christian Army of believers that live life with one another, defend one another and lift one another up
  • But we need to be there for each other- on plane explaining ability to have 30 men in 30 min  
  • But that takes intention- You need to look for weak arms, you need to hold others up. 

• Stay united. 1 Corinthians 12:25-27 READ