OVERCOMING INEFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE
I. WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR? WHAT IS THE PRIZE?
A. Kingdom Power released in this age through our hands and through our words
1. Anointed preaching validated by signs and wonders resulting in the saving of souls.
2. Peter (Acts 2:37) and Steven (Acts 7:54)
B. God’s praise resulting in a “better resurrection”.
1. Every word and deed done in this life will count forever. The Greek word for the “judgment seat” of Christ is “bema
seat” or place for reward.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the
things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
1 Corinthians 4:5 The Lord comes who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the
counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God.
2. God greatly values and rewards our works. All of our obedience is forever remembered by God. Our lives have
great dignity even in the midst of the mundane and routine of life. He dignifies every righteous act in our life. What we do
with each hour has significance for eternity.
3. There are varying levels of glory we will posses in the resurrection. These are levels or capacities of feeling,
comprehending, reflecting, and teaching the knowledge and glory of God.
1 Corinthians 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars;
for one star differs from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown
in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.
Hebrews 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting
deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being
transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
4. Paul contended for the fullness of his reward and resurrection right up to the end of his life. He wanted to obtain
the greatest capacity of experiencing the glory of God and the highest level of partnership with God that was possible in
his resurrection.
Philippians 3:10-14 That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His
sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for
which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but
one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are
ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
5. One important dynamic that will motivate us to fight a good fight now is the fact heaven and earth will be joined into
one reality forever.
Ephesians 1:10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
Revelation 21:2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be
with them and be their God
6. We will have real jobs with real responsibilities in resurrected material bodies. We will dream, build, lead, create, and
manage in the eternal kingdom.
7. Jesus has a global empire of righteousness and glory that He will lead as a human. He is recruiting a leadership team
to help him run the global empire. We’re in the job application process now. We are being tried and tested to see if we
will qualify for His leadership team (government).
8. Reigning the eternal kingdom near Jesus
Revelation 3:21 - To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat
down with My Father on His throne.
Revelation 2:26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations
I Corinthians 6:2-3 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by
you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How
much more, things that pertain to this life?
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
II. WHO ARE WE FIGHTING?
A. Day in and day out we are fighting an outward battle with spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places and an inward
war with our flesh.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so
that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
1. Daniel lived a lifestyle of prayer and fasting that overcame the demonic principality called the “Prince of Persia” and
even moved the archangel Michael.
Daniel 10:2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine
came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled … Dan. 10:5 I looked
up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist 6 His body
was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like
burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude. ... 12 Then he said to
me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself
before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the
kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help
me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand
what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”
2. The saints in the last generation will pull down the entire demonic realm through the blood of Jesus, the word of their
testimony (preaching, prayers, songs), and their willingness to lay down their lives for Jesus.
Revelation 12:7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon
and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So
the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world;
he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in
heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come,
for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love
their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants
of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he
has a short time.”
3. Revelation 12:7-12 is not referring to Christ’s work on the cross. Paul called Satan the “prince of the power of the
air” and the “god of this age” after the cross.
Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of
the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience
2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel
of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
a. The weapons of our warfare
Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of
righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all,
taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And
take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with
all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance …
(1) Faith (looking to God as our reward)
(2) Righteousness – happy, holy, meek living (maturity) - breastplate of righteousness
(3) Prayer – both spoken and sung, in a known language and in tongues.
(4) An aggressive application of the work of the cross to our own lives - helmet of salvation.
(5) Preaching the gospel – the shoes of peace, belt of truth, sword of the Spirit
(6) Fasting
(7) Martyrdom - shield of faith, breastplate of righteousness
2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down
strongholds,
4. Paul waged a war with his flesh throughout his entire life and ministry. He viewed it, not as a distraction from the
real battle, but as the primary war he had to win.
Romans 7:21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my
inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war
against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What
a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to
others, I myself should become disqualified.
III. WHAT KIND OF LIFESTYLE WINS THE WAR AND RECEIVES THE PRIZE?
A. A self-controlled (temperate) and disciplined lifestyle
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run
in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate (self-controlled) in
all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run
thus: not with uncertainty (lack of vision or focus). Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I
discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become
disqualified.
B. What hinders our fight?
1. Sins and Weights
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us,
a. Sin is anything we do that looks to something other than God as our source of provision or pleasure.
b. The writer of Hebrews says “the sin” that so easily ensnares us. For each of us there is a particular sin that we easily
get ensnared in. This is our battleground. This is the field upon which we can demonstrate our love for God.
John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me
c. Weights are things that are lawful but not profitable. Things that do not spur our hearts into faithfulness, spiritual
urgency, or the pleasures of God.
1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me,
but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Ephesians 6:16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one.
d. Many times the Holy Spirit is speaking to us about laying aside weights but our flesh, the devil, and our friends will
provide Bible verses to prove that the weight is not sin thereby justifying it and removing the conviction. We will greatly
benefit if we yield to the Spirit in these areas and resist contrary arguments. We should be careful of justifying someone
else when their conscience is pricked.
2. The two main areas of battle within are with our eyes and with our words.
1 John 2:16 For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of
what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world.
3. We must wage war by faith (looking to God as our reward). Faith is only complete if accompanied by the
corresponding actions.
James 2:22 You see that his (Abraham’s) faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was
made complete by what he did.
Matthew 5:19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the
same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands
will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
4. Ungodly speech allows poison into our spirits that robs us of life and strength in God and steals our reward.
James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious (a worshipper of God), and does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion (worship) is useless.
James 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man,
able to bridle the whole body as well.
Proverbs 10:19 When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips
s wise.
a. Ungodly speech includes foolish talk, vulgar joking, gossip, slander, and lying.
Ephesians 5:4 neither filthiness, nor foolish (without judgment, understanding or discretion) talking, nor
coarse (vulgar) jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
Matthew 5:21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders
will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause
shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, “Raca!’ shall be in danger of the
council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
1 Peter 3:7 You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone
weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers
will not be hindered.
5. Lustful eyes will rob us and release deadly poison into our spirits that will bring death.
1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the
soul,
James 4:1 … Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
Galatians 6:8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will
of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
a. We spend time in the word, worship, and prayer trying to cultivate a heart connection with God and then we go out
and lust with our eyes and gossip or engage in foolish speech and we not only drain some of the life we’ve gained but we
put a target upon our hearts for demons to come and spew poison into our spirits. Then we wonder why the battle is so
hard.
b. We need to get our eyes fixed on God as our reward. (Mt 19:27)
Matthew 5:27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to
you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If
your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of
your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
c. Jesus is urging us as the great physician to be radical about avoiding deadly poison that will destroy us. Even if it
hurts as much as cutting out your very own eye, get rid of any object or relationship that stirs up lust in you, and stay away
from places that cause ungodly desires to be awakened.
Job 31:1, 9 I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman? 9 If my
heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door...
Psalm 101:2-3 I will behave wisely in a perfect (spiritually mature) way ...I will walk within my house with a
perfect heart. 3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes…
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual
immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and
defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you
and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does
not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
d. When we look with lustful eyes we are rejecting God. We’re saying, “God, right now I don’t want your Spirit at
home, resting in me with pleasure and power, I want to open the door to demons and let them stir up the raging desires of
my flesh and bring me into bondage.
C. We are going to die. We only have two choices, either we die voluntarily to the lust of our flesh or we die
involuntarily because we yielded to it and now reap its shame and painful consequences. If we die voluntarily to sin by
denying it then we receive a great reward (Matthew 16:24-27; John 12:24)
24 If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25…
whoever loses his life for My sake will find it… (Matthew 16:24-25)
D. Three prayers to pray when resisting temptation
1. God , I will resist this temporary pleasure so reward me in a way I can connect to in the near future.
2. I will not reject God and invite demons to breathe death upon my spirit.
3. I will suffer death now in my flesh so that I can reap life in my spirit because I’m going to die anyway.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive
the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.