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ATTAINING VICTORY OVER STRONGHOLDS IN OUR LIVES--PART 3

VARIOUS SCRIPTURES

Introduction

In the last two weeks we began to give you some principles that are necessary for attaining victory over strongholds in our lives. We have given you seven total thus far. We have three more to look at tonight. Let’s review the first seven briefly.

I.         WE MUST TAKE GOD’S ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN.

            (i.e. If God is against it, so are we.)

            A.        We Are To Abhor And Hate Evil

             B.        We Are To Depart From Evil.

II.        WE MUST KNOW WHERE SIN ORIGINATES.

            (i.e. Every sin has its origin in the heart.)

            Satan’s Sin Originated In His Heart.

            Mankind’s Sin Originates In His Heart.

            A.        The Bible Says That Our Hearts Are Deceitful And Desperately Wicked. 

            B.        The Bible Says That Our Hearts Are To Be Guarded With Diligence. 

            C.        The Bible Says That Our Hearts Are To Be Guided In The Way.

III.       WE MUST KNOW THAT IT IS EASIER TO KEEP THE HEART CLEAN THAN IT IS TO CLEAN IT AFTER IT HAS BEEN DEFILED.

            Allowing sin a foothold in our life brings consequences along with it.

IV.      WE MUST KNOW THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO FIGHT A FLESHLY APPETITE BY INDULGING IN IT.

V.        WE MUST KNOW THAT SMALL COMPROMISES CAN LEAD TO GREAT DISASTERS. (And with that, “Little sins can lead to big sins.”)

VI.      WE MUST KNOW THAT THOSE WHO DO NOT LOVE THE LORD WILL NOT HELP US SERVE THE LORD. 

VII.     WE MUST KNOW THAT OUR SINFUL HABITS HURT THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING US. 

VIII.   WE MUST KNOW THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO FIGHT A FLESHLY TEMPTATION WITH FLESHLY WEAPONS.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

            That is why we need to have God in our lives if we expect to get victory over strongholds.

            We are no match for the enemy.

            We become like Saddam’s forces trying to fight with inferior weapons.

All the twelve-step programs in the world are not going to help us gain victory over a spiritual battle. We need spiritual help.

             A.        We Need Spiritual Life.

                        That only comes through establishing a relationship with Jesus Christ.

                        Being born again into the Family of God.

            B.        We Need Spiritual Power.

The Gospel of Christ gives us that Power for every aspect of Salvation–Past Present, and Future. (Romans 1:16)

When we get saved we have the indwelling Holy Spirit of God taking up residence in our bodies.

            C.        We Need Spiritual Armor.

Ephesians 6:10–“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We recently studied the pieces of the Christian’s armor in Ephesians 6.

                        There are several things I would like to point out about armor:

                        1.         The Armor Must Be Adequate For The Battle.

                                    Our armor has been prescribed by the Commander-In-Chief.

                                    a.         He knows what battles we will face.

                                    b.         He knows the weapons of the enemy.

                                    c.         He knows how best to repel the enemy.

                        2.         The Armor Must Be Taken Up Every Day Of The Battle.

                                    When is the battle? Every day that we live on planet earth!

                        3.         The Armor Must Be Taken Up In Its Entirety.

                                    What happens when we fail to appropriate a piece of armor?

                                    We leave ourselves vulnerable to attack.

                                    Every piece is important!

            D.        We Need Spiritual Weapons.

                        These are part of our armor.

                        1.         The Word of God.

It would be nice if we could take out a gun and shoot our strongholds. We can’t.

However we have been given a Sword, the Word of God, to cut the problem out of our lives with.

Hebrews 4:12–“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

                        2.         Prayer.

Hebrews 4:16–“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

                                    Don’t forget to maintain communications with the High Command.

IX.      WE MUST KNOW THAT WE LOSE SOME OF OUR FREEDOM OF CHOICE AFTER WE HAVE CHOSEN OUR ACTIONS.

Proverbs 5:22–“His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.”

Proverbs 20:17–“Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.”

Proverbs 9:17-18–“Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. 18But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.”

            A.        The Consequences Of Our Choices Are Inevitable.

                        Sin always has consequences. No one sins with impunity.

            B.        The Consequences Of Our Choices Are Incalculable.

                        We can’t know, going in, what all the consequences of our sin might be.

            C.        The Consequences Of Our Choices Are Up To God.

                        We don’t get to choose the consequences of our actions. God determines them.

David’s sin in numbering the people is the only exception to the rule that I see in Scripture. In 2 Samuel 24:10-15, we see where David was given a choice between three different punishments. (Seven years of famine, fleeing three months before the enemy, or three days of pestilence in the land.) He chose three days pestilence and 70,000 of his men lost their lives.

                        Even at that, God is the one who determined what the three choices would be.