SERMON: GOOD WARFARE
INTRODUCTION:In the last 4000 years of history, we have had less than 300 years of peace! The Attack on the U.S. is par for the course in the History of a fallen planet! Lately, I’ve heard/read many mentioning pastors should be readying comfort sermons; perhaps more so in the U.S.? But God inspired me a different way...The president of the U.S. said that no longer is this going to be seen as an act of terrorsim. This is now seen as an act of WAR!! Now the Devil has been doing similar things for Ages! He has been doing acts of Terrorism, and the Church has reacted similar. “Well, we cannot find this enemy, don’t know when he’ll attack or how, so we’’ll call it acts of terrorism and hope God will come.” Is this to be our response to the devil? To the U.S. Attack? What should be our response? Mourn? Yes. For sin and loss. Anger? Yes. For the devil’s tactics and his pawns. Fear? Yes. Of God’s Judgement - For a dying world & for the lack of Christian salt & zeal to a fallen world. But what is our greatest response to be? . . . FAITH! To see God’s Reality over the lies of Satan. To GO as commissioned by our Lord Jesus and preach the gospel to a shocked, hopeless world. To GO and pick a fight and LET GOD conquer!! (Like the president) To no longer call what the devil does as acts of terrorism, but as what they are. To GO up to the devil and say THIS . .MEANS. .WAR!! No longer huddling and waiting. But uniting and attacking! - - TRANSITIONAL-STATEMENT: I want to point out just how far God will go to both conquer the enemy and save even one lost soul! How God does, and we should,wage a good warfare! CONTEXT: Joshua 2:1-24 + 6:1-27 - 1.WALLS-FALL-DOWN! - HER NAME WAS RAHAB AND HER OCCUPATION WAS “HOSTESS.”- Lonely travelers could find a hot meal and a warm bed at her “Bed & Breakfast.” But they could find even more – if her guests longed for companionship she would provide that too. She was a prostitute, and also of a nation that was an enemy of God’s people. HER NAME WAS RAHAB AND HER PEOPLE WERE AFRAID.- People haven’t changed much in the thousands of years that separate us from Rahab. Even without CNN and the Internet, news traveled fast – bad news even faster. And Rahab and her people had heard some very scary news. An army of desert wanderers was just across the Jordan River preparing to invade their land. This enemy had already defeated two great nations.Rahab had heard many stories from the men who stayed with her. Rahab knew the invading army would crush her hometown. Why? We’ll get to that later. . ! HER NAME WAS RAHAB AND SHE WAS READY FOR A CHANGE. - Rahab was worn out with the life she was leading. She was tired of feeling trapped behind the walls of fear and guilt. Rahab was tired of worshipping things that could not fill the empty hole in her soul. Rahab had heard that the God of the Israelites was alive, that He lived with them, talked with them fought battles for them and best of all -- forgave their sins. Rahab wanted to worship their God. She was ready for a big change. Perhaps in the walls of the Trade Centre, similar soul searching happened?! Like the thief on the cross - people repented under Christ! - HER NAME WAS RAHAB AND SHE SAVED JOSHUA’S SPIES. -Joshua selected two spies to check out the land and the city of Jericho. When they entered the city they looked for a place to stay and found Rahab’s “Bed and Breakfast.” It seemed like a good place to overhear all kinds of information. Shortly after they arrived at Rahab’s home, a squad of soldiers surrounded the place and demanded that she turn the spies over to them. She told them the men had already left and she had no idea where they were. The soldiers believed her and ran off in al directions to find the spies. But Rahab had hidden the spies on the flat roof of her home. She saved the spies by keeping them hidden until the search for them was called off. HER NAME WAS RAHAB AND SHE BELIEVED THE PROMISE OF GOD’S MESSENGERS. - Before the spies departed Rahab asked them to promise that her family would be spared when Jericho was attacked. She said, “Please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will save us from death." - The spies told her to hang a scarlet cord from her window and to gather her family into her home. If she would simply do those two things all of her loved ones would be saved. Apparently Rahab believed them. Later as God’s people marched around Jericho they could all see a deep red rope hanging out of Rahab’s window. The two spies had told them about her and about the promise God had made through them. “No one in that home is to die. She saved us and God will save her family.” -Seven days later after Joshua and the people had walked around the city seven times, the priests blew their trumpets. The people shouted – and God knocked the walls down. Everything collapsed except Rahab’s home. She believed God’s promise and she and all her loved ones were saved.Perhaps, now because of seeing the WALLS FALL DOWN they are realizing the need for change. Many were killed by walls collapsing in the U.S. earlier this week. Many more were destroyed when the walls came down in Jericho 4000 years ago! God’s promise to one was not shaken by this, and Rahab’s family was saved...eternally! Many now are looking to see if God’s promise is still unshakeable! Who will give them the answer? HER NAME WAS RAHAB AND SHE JOINED GOD’S PEOPLE – IN A PLACE OF HONOR! Why spend time talking about Rahab? The answer is in “the rest of the story.” God completely saved Rahab from Jericho. She did not die when the city was destroyed and she did not go on living as a prostitute. Rahab became the mother of a man called Boaz, who became the grandfather of David -- Israel’s finest king. Jesus the Messiah, God’s Only Son was his descendant. In other words, when you research His Family Tree you’ll find Rahab’s name recorded in that place of honor (Matthew 1:5). The BOTTEM-LINE: God fought the battle of Jericho -- in order to SAVE Rahab – and the WALLS CAME DOWN on the Devil! 1Ti 1:15 This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Jesus came for save sinners amidst a war with the devil for souls! In the midst of an act of war, God still came through with salvation! Every time God knocks down walls - There is both pain of change & healing ofvictory! / Salvation & Destruction - (Repeat) Choose one! Now, We are saved, like Rahab from the walls of our life collapsing around us. Do you want your name written in honor of your savior? What walls still need to come down in your life? Will you continue the battle? Will you Wage a Good Warfare? 1Tim1:18 This charge I commit to you,... according to the prophecies which went before on you, that you by them might war a good warfare; 2.A-GOOD-OFFENCE! EPH 6:13-15 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. We are engaged in a spiritual battle. It is as if the school bully has called us outside to fight. Like it or not, we must deal with the situation. Why must we have a drastic / traumatic event to wake up people and cause Christians to take their Call seriously! Do we need 20,000 people to die each week to stay awake!! Every wording relating to Battle in the N.T. is OFFENCIVE!!!!! Even intercession has a meaning of War! “PROS” - greek, from where we get pro - as in better, above, in front of. We take offencive stance and when the devil rears his head, we take it off! But Spiritual warfare needs spiritual weapons (like intercession.) 2COR 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) How To Know If Your Ready for Battle? 1COR14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? Clear communication- The Battle Cry/Ttumpet!! 1.Will be dressed for Battle - The whole armor of God- Eph 6:14-18 - 2.Will know the battle plans - Study the Word of God - 2 Tim 2:15, Ps 119:105 - 3.Will Know what the enemy wants - Sift as wheat - Luke 22:31 - 4.Are Always ready at a moments notice - Mt 24:44 - 5.Will not be associating with the enemy - Be Seperate - 2 Cor 6:17 - 6.Are Always recruiting for the Lord’s army - Soul winner -Pr 11:30 - 7.Will have a direct line with the commander - Prayer/Intercession - Eph 6:18 -- Let me repeat - Every wording relating to Battle in the N.T. is OFFENCIVE!!!!! Remember me mentioning that: Rahab knew the invading army would crush her hometown. Why? Jos 5:13 ¶ And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, [Art] thou for us, or for our adversaries? 14 And he said, Nay; but [as] captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? 15 And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy. And Joshua did so. Joshua 6:1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. Because before the army even marched, they Prayed! And the Lord bound principalities and powers! EHP6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Let me say it another way- Our best defence is a good offence! 3.BATTLE-CRY! MATT 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, THOU ART THE CHRIST THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD, blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. If Christ is buiding His Kingdom, He is warring for territory- from the devil -and that means we wage war with this principle - Using the same battle cry as Peter and in His authority we bind and loose what is needed!! Rehearsal Time: Battle Cry - If Peter got it right, we’d better follow! MATT 16:16 . . .Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Say it with me. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Shout it with me! Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. PSALM 34:2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear [thereof], and be glad. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD Say it with me. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD Shout it with me! My soul shall make its boast in the LORD!! ROM 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; - “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ!” Say it with me. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ!” Shout it with me! “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ!” And the WALLS FALL DOWN!! This is Good Warfare! Results of shame: Many perish FOREVER. Life without abundance. Perhaps loss of all!!Your greatest battle cry is this Gospel!! 1Tim1:18 This charge I commit to you,... according to the prophecies which went before on you, that you by them might war a good warfare; In our text, Paul refers to specific prophecies that confirmed how Timothy should wage war. This is not just for Timothy - Each of us are charged to wage a good warfare, each of will have some specific gifts or prophecies that we need to find to encourage us. So do that! Prophecy over one another - encourage, edify and comfort one another in the context of warring! God is calling this church to be ARMED, Mobile ARMED Soul Hospital. He Arming us, if we will take the weopens and armor and be willing to wage a good warfare! Are you? CONCLUSION: In respect and response for those many lives lost in the U.S., we mourn, in honor of our Living God, we fear, in the face of the real enemy - Satan, we are angry. But the ultimate response is Faith = Love! Like Joshua - when the walls fall, we need to wage the good warfare. We need to bring the Gospel’s battle cry to every ear. Bring the Cross to today! “He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God!!” - “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes” Because. . . 1) Two thousand years ago, God waged the war for your soul when Jesus died on the cross. Then he he knocked the walls of hell down and defeated death, hell and the grave by raising Jesus from the dead on a Sunday morning like this. God fought the battle of the Cross – in order to save YOU – and every wall that can keep you from being like Jesus must come tumbling down! 2) Are there any walls God needs to knock down in your life? a) Is there a habit that you simply cannot break? Give it to Jesus and He can set you free. b) Are there relationships you need to mend but your pride keeps blocking the way? Humbly surrender that pride to Jesus and He can help you apologize and make things right. c) Have you been putting off committing your life to Jesus Christ? There is no better time or place then here and now – simply admit you need God’s forgiveness and receive it. d) Are you going to wage the Good Warfare? Are you gonna trust God is willing to go to the same extents for you as He did for Rahab? Are you gonna wage war and knock the devils walls down? Are you gonna go and save others from the wall falling down?1Tim1:18 This charge I commit to you,. . .that you. . .war a good warfare!
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