Today we continue our Heroes of Faith series. In this series, we’re looking at men and women of God who accomplished great things through faith in the power of God. The stories in the Bible are not meant just to entertain children. The stories in the Bible are there to teach us about God and to inspire us to believe God to do great things in our own lives. One of the difficulties that many people have with Bible stories is that they are set in a different time and place. So, it is difficult for people to see how those stories apply to their lives in 2012.
Today, we’re going to look at an account of a battle in the Old Testament. How does that apply to us today in St. Louis? We’re not fighting any battles anymore as the people of God or are we?
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) 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.
We read the Old Testament in light of the New Testament which gives us greater insight into how to apply the Old Testament stories to our lives. In this verse from Ephesians, Paul affirms that believers and the church are no longer engaged in actual physical conflict with a flesh and blood enemy. But we are in a battle, a spiritual battle with the spiritual powers of darkness, which is commonly referred to as spiritual warfare.
When you are tempted by Satan to do something wrong, you are engaged in spiritual warfare. You will either win or lose that battle with temptation. When an unbeliever begins to hear the Word of God and seek after God, there is a tremendous spiritual battle that occurs over his life in the unseen realm. For you see, the enemy has blinded the minds of those who are not believers, which prevents them from understanding the truth.
2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV) The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
That’s why we see such evil and perversion all around us in the world. People’s minds have been blinded and they need to be enlightened and set free to truly see Jesus. That’s the responsibility and privilege of every believer who has seen the light.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5a (NIV) The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, …
So, we don’t fight with physical weapons, we fight with spiritual weapons, which have the power to demolish the strongholds in people’s minds that keep them from a relationship with God. God wants to use you to demolish strongholds, arguments and pretensions in the minds of people you love and care about so that they can see the truth of Jesus and come to Him. So, this morning, think about someone you know who needs to see the truth about Jesus. So, today, my message is entitled “Demolishing Strongholds.”
Our story begins with Joshua leading the nation of Israel, the people of God, into the promised land of Canaan. Joshua’s job was to drive out the wicked who refused to acknowledge God and expand the kingdom of God into the land that God had given them. But standing between Joshua and the promised land was a large fortress city called Jericho surrounded by what were thought to be impenetrable walls.
Listen to or watch my May 20, 2012 message Demolishing Strongholds.
Thanks you Pastor Dan… your message give me strength….. you give me the real bread of life.. thanks you very much….