Part III

“How to win”

Synopsis of Bible Study 09/21/16

Delivered by Bishop Walker III

When we talk about winning, our minds usually go back to something like competing in a game. In this lesson, we will be coming from the perspective of winning spiritual warfare.

In Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) it says ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,^[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.– We here this scripture a lot and we often associate it with some mystical spirit of warfare in the spiritual realm. Think about this: There were spirits from the beginning of time were under Satan. These spirits need willing vessels to go into so that they can leave collateral damage. The idea behind this is, if they can infect a willing vessel (especially one that is doing God’s work), then they can affect many.

Know that there is no collateral damage in low places. If you are already low and running with Satan, then there is no reason for Satan and his demons to enter you. Satan as a serpent tempted Eve (who was in a high place) which resulted in damage to mankind. Satan is looking to use you and me to cause collateral damage, because he is too cowardly to cause the pain and destruction himself. Therefore, he sends spirits to deal with people in high places.

You have to be trained in warfare

There are moments in battles that you will have to strengthen your weaknesses and your strengths. There will also come a time where you have to sharpen your sills. Know that you are not training for your current battle. You are instead preparing for the battle up the road.

This is no play thing. This is real warfare! Usually our warfare starts whenever elevation takes place. When you are elevated or promoted, this is when the attacks start. Matthew 4:1 (NKJV) says 4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  – Notice that the word “Spirit” is capitalized here. This means God. So God allowed Jesus to go through warfare, because He was preparing him in his human condition, for battling demons up the road.

The question then becomes; why are we subjects? It is because the devil knows what our up the road is going to be like. He knows what God has desired for our destination.

1. Understanding spiritual warfare

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NKJV) says  ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ 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 weapons of our warfare are not carnal.  Carnal refers to the things that you and I have a hard time dealing with, such as generational curses for example. When you get truth (the word of God), your imaginations cast down arguments to go against that truth that you have received. One example of this would be the doctor telling you that you are sick, and you start preparing for your funeral. Satan knows that if he can make you argue against the truth, you will be unstable.

1. We must put every thought under arrest. We have to own our thoughts and not let our thoughts own us.
2. We have to learn to use our weaponry. Spiritual warfare manifests like this: Some you see and some you don’t. Some is obvious and some is not.
3. If you had a genuine conversation with someone that has been attacked by the devil, and you would learn their life story, you will find that the devil found an access point during their pain. When we avoid dealing with our pain, then we cause the devil to have an access point within us.
4. Don’t underestimate the threat of the enemy – The enemy hates God. His beef isn’t really with you, it is with God. Since you got on Gods side, he now has beef with you. The best way for him to get at God, is to get at what God loves and that is
5. The enemy is defeated and he knows it, but he wants to disconnect you from God. This ain’t no game! There is a real devil! We don’t negotiate, we don’t meet with the devil, and we don’t just anyone lay hands on us, because we know spirits can transfer. Ex- If somebody has the flu at your church and you knew it, you would probably change your pews if they sat down next to you. If you got sense enough to know the flu is contagious, then you got to know that you can also attract demonic spirits.
6. The devil tries to use fear to get you. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) says ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. – God didn’t give us fear, instead he gave us This means authority. This authority means we must not be scared of spirits. Love can beat out fear! Example: A mom can be terrified of a snake, but let her baby be cornered by a snake, and you will see that mom try and kill that snake!
   1. Sound mind – Every battle you face in your life, begins in the battle ground of your mind. Lot’s of people don’t realize that the stuff that travels in your mind can come back and effect you later. It can affect your perspective, your self-esteem, and even your perception.
   2. You got power over the enemy, but you must still watch yourself! Don’t get caught slipping! Stay on your guard, stay vigilant, and stay 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV) says ⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because^[a] your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. – In researching lions, we find out the female lions do the hunting. When they hunt, they get into the brush that looks like them, because their primary weapon is camouflage. They go low and study a herd looking for someone weak or someone that isn’t focused. This is an access point. They will wait hours, stalking. They want it so bad, they are willing to wait on it.

The gazelle on the other hand has seen their cousins or brothers eaten up before, so they are careful. They eat and look, eat and look. The gazelle is vigilant, always looking. There is, however, always that one gazelle so overcome by its hunger (it’s flesh), it forgets momentarily about the danger.

The lion knows he can’t run too far. He knows he has to get close enough to attack. He waits on the one gazelle that is slipping, overcome by his flesh, losing sight of his danger. We have to be like the careful gazelle. It’s not that we are anxious, we are just careful. You have to be vigilant. Ex – When Bishop Walker first became a Bishop, had lunch with Full Gospel’s Founder, Bishop Paul Morton. At the lunch, he asked him If had one statement he could make to Bishop Walker, that would contribute to his success, what would it be? Bishop Morton told him simply, “Treat everything like a threat!” In other words, we have to always be on guard for demonic attacks!

1. You got to understand the right tools you have to battle with

Ephesians 6:13-18 (NKJV) ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.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 and supplication for all the saints— This scripture reveals the tools we need to use in our spiritual warfare. They are:

1. Belt of truth – This represents the soldier’s belt (vs 14.) If you don’t understand God’s word you can’t win this battle.
2. Breastplate of righteousness – This is armor made by God. It is Jesus that makes us righteous, not ourselves. Romans 3:10-12 (NKJV) says ¹⁰ As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; ¹¹ There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
   ¹² They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”^[a]
3. Shoes of peace (vs 15). You got to take the gospel with you everywhere you go. God chose you, because He knew you would take him with you.
4. Shield of faith. This is the Covering for your entire body (Vs 16). It represents your faith. The larger your faith, the larger your shield!
5. Helmet of salvation – This protects your mentality or the attacks of your mind. You can’t under estimate the power of mental health. The devil attacks people’s mind. We must know that it is ok to talk to a clinical psychiatrist that is saved to help us get over our mental issues. As Christians, we often shun therapy, because we think something is wrong with us if we can’t handle it on our own. Know that God isn’t offended if you get the help that you need. He needs you healthy!
   1. Jesus used therapy in one instance in the bible. When the Father brings his son who was demon possessed to Jesus, the first thing Jesus asked is, “how long has he been like this?” If you will notice, he asked what he did and for how long he had been that way. Jesus had to get to the root of the problem. This is some of the same questioning that a therapist would use if you came to them with a problem.
6. The sword of the spirit. This is your offensive weapon. It is the word of God. It means that you don’t react, you act. We speak the word over our lives and over our family’s life in order to cover them. When you know the word of God you will triumph over the enemy. Matthew 18:18 (NKJV) says ¹⁸ “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

• Additional tools you can use to handle spiritual warfare

1. Pray in the spirit. Jude 20 (NKJV) says ²⁰ But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, – Praying in the spirit is important. It is a level of focus and worship. This is something you can’t be taught. This comes with a deep relationship and communion with the Lord.
2. Time for worship. Hebrews 10:25 (NKJV) says ²⁵ not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.- You’ve got to come to church. Some people have to work, but if you are not working, you need to come to church. This is how you deal with warfare. When you come to church, you can get encouragement from the saints, you can get a tailor made word from God, and you experience the presence of God through worship.
3. Corporate prayer – This means that you understand the power of numbers. Matthew 18:19 (NKJV) says ¹⁹ “Again I say^[a] to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. – When you read acts 12, you will discover that when the saints came together and prayed, Peter was released from prison. When you come together and pray, something happens. Jeremiah 1:10 (NKJV) says ¹⁰ See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.” – You have to root some stuff out. You got to go to the source of stuff and root it out! Go to a private place at home and write down 3 -5 things that you feel are your greatest attacks and root them out of your life. If you do this, you will find that you will gain authority over them.
4. Take authority over satanic attachments –Acts 16:16 (NKJV) says ¹⁶ Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. – Demons were inside of this girl though it seemed she had a spiritual gift. These particular demons had masked themselves as something of Lord. Peter was annoyed at this, because of his anointing. When you are anointed enough, demonic spirits will annoy you. He took authority over these demons and cast them out of the girl which angered her masters greatly.
5. Learn to stand above the attacks of the enemy. Colossians 2:15 (NKJV) says ¹⁵ Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. Ephesians 1:22 (NKJV) ²² And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

Conclusion:

The Devil is real. He looks for access, so that he can enter inside of you. Knowing this, we must stay vigilant. We must put on the whole armor of God. We can’t leave the house without our house being fully covered. God gave us not only the ability to run from the devil; he gave us also the ability to stand against him.  Things have happened in the world that makes us mad, but know that scripture reminds us that if we humble ourselves and pray, He will heal the land. This is a spiritual battle, and know that in the end, we will win!