7 Principles of Spiritual Warfare

what I'd like to do this morning is I'd like to share with you seven principles of spiritual warfare okay seven principles of spiritual warfare number one we need to remember who we are remember who you are are our first parents Adam and Eve when the enemy went after them when he attacked them the first thing he went after was their identity the first thing he went after was who they were we know in Genesis chapter one it says that then God said let us make man in our own image and likeness and in Genesis chapter 1 verse 27 God created man in His image and in the divine image he created him male and female he created them and then two chapters later in Chapter three the ancient serpent serpent slithers in to deceive to attack to corrupt Adam and Eve and what does he say oh we know they're not supposed to eat from the forbidden fruit of the knowledge of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and chapter three verse five the devil says no God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods you will be like gods now what should have been Adams immediate response to the devil he should have said to the devil hey wait a minute I know who I am I know who I am he should have went back two chapters back and quoted the Bible to the devil you see Adam should have known in the word and he had no excuse there was only three chapters by then shoulda went back and said you're telling me that I'm going to be like gods I am like God I'm made in His image and his likeness God breathed his spirit into me but instead Adam and Eve they were they were confused they had forgotten who they were they fell to the temptation they fell to the deception of the enemy and they bit into that Apple thinking that the devil could give them something that was good and as soon as they bet in they realize this fruit is rotten and they lost that breath they lost their immortality they grew old withered and died again the devil can't give us anything good he will offer us things we already have pretending he can give us more of them he'll offer you freedom the devil can't give you freedom he'll offer you peace he can't give peace he'll offer life he can't give life they're not his to give he's a deceiver he's a liar and again he'll begin by going after who you are he doesn't like the fact that we are God's children redeemed in the blood of Jesus made new recreated born again we have the Spirit of God and as the devil doesn't like that and he'll go after that that's the first thing he'll go after another example in Genesis of someone who forgot who he was was Esau do you remember Esau Esau was Jacob's twin brother Esau was born first he was the firstborn and as the firstborn there was a special dignity he had a special dignity as the firstborn there was a special privilege a favor on the firstborn the firstborn got a double portion of his father's inheritance the firstborn in the Old Testament before the oddish meant of the Levitical priesthood the firstborn would become the the priest in the family it was an honor it was it was a privilege in God's eyes to be the firstborn but in Genesis chapter 25 verse 34 were told that Esau cared little little for his birthright he didn't care he didn't probably know who he was this is how the story goes beginning in Genesis 25 verse 29 once when Jacob was cooking a stew Esau came in from the open famished he said to Jacob let me gulped down some of that red stuff he probably didn't have good table manners I'm starving but Jacob replied first give me your birthright in exchange for it look said Esau I'm on the point of dying what good will any birthright do me now I don't think he was on the point of dying you know you go into the kitchen all the sudden you smell the good food you think if I don't eat I'm going to die he wasn't going to die but Jacob insisted swear to me first so he sold Jacob his birthright under oath Jacob then gave him some bread in the lentil stew and Esau ate drank got up and went his way Esau cared little for his birthright what a tragedy to give up your birthright for a bowl of lentil stew foolishness it's like I meet a lot of people they say to me oh yeah I used to be Catholic I used to be Catholic but now I'm not into organized religion I'm just I'm just a spiritual person is that right well let me ask you something what if God so loved the world that He sent His Son that He gave His Son and what if this son the son of God shed his blood so that we could be redeemed and what if this son decided to establish a church would you want to be part of the church that the son of God established I hope so what are you going to say to the Lord sorry Lord I didn't want to be part of the church because I just wanted to be a spiritual person if your spiritual listen to the voice of your father who says this is my son listen to him did Jesus build a church that he established a church of course he did in Matthew chapter 16 verse 18 Jesus says and so I see to you you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it Jesus built a church it's right there in Scripture he says I will build my church now let me tell you something when Jesus built something he builds it to last forever Jesus is the master architect he's the master builder he's the master engineer when Jesus built something he builds it to last forever you know in the time of the Enlightenment the people of the Enlightenment they said the church is outdated the Catholic Church is outdated it's not going to be around much longer then came the modernist modernity they said the Catholic Church is outdated it's not going to be around much longer then came the Communists see they said religion is the opium of the people the Catholic Church is outdated it's not going to be around much longer well let me tell you something the Enlightenment has come and gone modernity has come and gone communism has come and gone the Catholic Church is still here why because when Jesus built something he builds it to last forever is the church taking a pounding has the church taken a beating over the centuries yes but it is well built to me it's on the its bordering miraculous that the church is still around today with all of the scandals and hardships and awful things it's still here it's still strong it's still growing because it's the church built by Christ and the truth is is that Jesus wants you to us to be part of that church he doesn't want us to be ashamed of it he wants us to see it as a privilege to be part of the church when paul formerly known as saul was on his way to Damascus he was persecuting Christians putting them in prison and having them put to death and the Lord Jesus appeared to Saul and What did he say to Saul did he say Saul Saul why are you persecuting my Christians know that he say Saul Saul why are you persecuting my church no he said Saul Saul why are you persecuting me because to persecute the church is to persecute Jesus because the church is the body of Christ we are the body of Christ to be part of the churches to be part of the body of Christ to persecute the church is to persecute Jesus to be part of the church is to be part of Jesus and we should see it as an honor to be part of the Lord's Church you know a lot of people you know again they say I don't want to be part of you know an organized religion well I don't have a problem with that because as a matter of fact the Catholic Church in many ways is very disorganized so you can tell people I'm not part of an organized religion either the church which I belong to which was founded by Jesus on a bunch of fishermen it's not very organized so we're in the same boat but I do want to be part of Jesus's body the mystical body of Christ and I'm not going to sell my birthright and my Catholic you better believe I'm Catholic and I'm not going to treat in my Catholicism for a bold lentil soup we need to recognize how great a treasure our Catholic faith is to not be ashamed of it I know who I am I'm a child of God I'm a member of the body of Christ I'm fed with his body and blood do you know who you are when the enemy comes to attack you better be able to say to the enemy I Know Who I am principle number two principle number two is remember that we are at war we have an enemy brothers and sisters who wants to destroy us it's the truth John in John chapter 10 verse 10 the Lord Jesus says a thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy I came that you may have life and have it more abundantly that thief is the devil he's our enemy and we can't say oh I want to remain neutral I don't want to be war what does what this Peter say in 1st Peter chapter 5 verse 8 he says be sober and vigilant your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour again some people say oh I'm a lover not a fighter I just want to be neutral well let me tell you something you go out in a field out in the African you know plains and if you have a pack of lions after you and you think you're going to be able to say to those Lions excuse me excuse me excuse me I'm neutral white flag I'm a lover not a fighter guess what you're going to be Tiger chow you're dead to not ignores the fact that you are in a war that you have an enemy who wants to destroy you is to is to die we're at war brothers and sisters the devil prowls like a lorry roaring lion looking for someone to devour and that's why in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10 Paul says we can begin in verse 11 put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil for our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities with the powers with the world rulers of this present darkness with the evil spirits in the heavens therefore put on the armor of God that you may be able to resist on the day on the evil day and having done everything to hold your ground it's foolish to think that you don't have an enemy who's after know that you know that you're at war principle number three know the tactics of your enemy there's two main tactics of the enemy we find in Scripture first of all in Revelation chapter 12 verse 10 it says the accuser of our brothers is cast out who accuses them before our God day and night that's who the enemy is he's an accuser he accuses us day and night day and night he says to us you're no good I know the bad things you've done you call yourself a Christian I know you're a weak person you can't be forgiven look at the things you've done you're an awful person a accusation accusation accusation and if we don't realize that the enemy is doing this to us we will allow those thoughts into our minds and they will cycle through our minds and they will hold us captive what did Jesus say he said the truth will set you free does the enemy speak truth to us know in John chapter 8 verse 44 and this is the enemy's other tactic or part of it it says he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in truth because there is no truth in him when he tells a lie he speaks in character because he is a liar and the father of lies again the enemy speaks lies to us or he twists the truth we can look at the things you've done you're a bad person are you trying to tell me God is pleased with you how could he be pleased with you and again if we don't guard our minds and second Corinthians chapter 10 verse 5 Paul tells us take every thought captive in obedience to Christ what are your thoughts are your thoughts true are they beautiful are they pure are they holy thoughts or have you allowed your mind to take in the lies of the enemy now good old David you remember King David young King David and Goliath there's a lot of symbolism here First Samuel chapter 17 verse 49 David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone he hurled it with the sling and struck the Philistine in the forehead the stone embedded itself in his brow he fell prostrate on the ground and he died and again the scripture scholars they tell us that this this there's imagery this stone going right into the forehead of this Philistine this lawyer this accuser you see David he went right for where the problem was in the thoughts we need to be very aware is my mind filled with thoughts that are true or is my mind filled with lies I remember father Francis Frank image teaching us this years ago as seminarians it was revolutionary for me guard your thoughts what are your thoughts no your thoughts in Romans chapter 12 verse 2 Paul says be transformed by the renewal of your mind as a young seminarian I allowed my mind to be renewed in the truth of Jesus and in his word have you done that what kind of thoughts cycle through your mind are they true if they're not true you need to renounce them you need to speak truth into your mind principle number four principle number four in spiritual battle you always have to keep your peace it's like you know on your kids you know your big brother or your uncle taught you when you get to fight don't lose your cool if you lose your cool in your in a fight you've already lost the fight you don't lose your piece in battle in Colossians chapter 3 verse 15 Paul says and let the peace of Christ control your hearts and other translations let the Peace of Christ rule in your hearts if you fall you get up and you don't lose your peace you keep going if the enemy's attacking you you don't panic you keep going you know Saint Faustina one of my favorite Saints sometimes she would be attacked by you know wolves from you know Devils in a form of wolves and all that and she'd never lose her peace once I know it was a pack of dogs said we're going to tear you apart and she said to them well if that's God's will that's okay and they were furious and they took off she never lost her peace don't lose your peace and battle guard your peace that's what the devil wants to take away he wants to take away our peace don't let him take it away even when you fall get up maintain your peace repent and keep going prynt principle number five principle number five you need to know your weaknesses when an enemy attacks us the first thing he looks for is our weakest line of defense when you want to attack a city you find the weakest wall only a fool doesn't want to know what his weaknesses are do you know what your weaknesses are when the enemy attacks us it's very rare that he'll attack us in the form of a fire-breathing infernal dragon with glowing red eyes the devil knows our weaknesses he knows it's a lot easier to get us than that he knows that our for all of us our weakest line of defense is our fallen passions our fallen passions he knows this person's lazy I just got to make use of his laziness and he and I'll destroy him or he'll think this person this person is lustful easy to get him I just got to go after that I'll destroy him what are the seven deadly sins we should know that's anger gluttony greed pride laziness lust and envy these are the angles that the devil will try to get us he knows hey you want to destroy a family real easy just get one of the members or both of the members of the couple to start spending too much money rack up a lot of debt it'll make them very stressful they won't be able to deal with simple things the family will be destroyed simple as that do you know what your weaknesses are you better know what they're in Romans chapter 8 verse 6 and verse 13 st. Paul says the concern of the flesh is death but the concern of the Spirit is life and peace he goes on to say if you live according to the flesh you will die but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live you've heard my deep theological and philosophical this philosophical description of what the flesh is right the flesh is the interior whiny child the flesh is the one that's when our alarm clock goes off in the morning says oh go to bed it's too early and when we go to have lunch rather than making a healthy sandwich the flesh does not want cookies I want cookies I want cookies we have an internal whiny child and Paul tells us if we live according to the flesh we'll die if we let this interior whiny child control our lives if he sits in the throne on the throne of our kingdom it'll kill us if we listen to his voice and obey his commands and so again what are your weaknesses the devil knows what they are you better know what they are and you better strengthen them principle number six we need to have a holy spirit-inspired specific strategy when you go into battle you don't just run into battle unprepared you need to think you need to plan you need to organize and so to our battle with our weaknesses in our battle against the enemy we need to use our brains a lot of religious people think when you'll go into church you take your brain out and you don't use your brain for a little while that's not true scripture says love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your mind soul and strength Jesus in Luke chapter 14 verse 28 says which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion otherwise after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him I say this one began and say this one began to build but did not have the resources to finish the Lord gave us the gift of an intellect when we pray to the spirit and use our intellects the Lord will give us a strategy to overcome our weaknesses remember is a my first assignment years ago there was a young man he was a welder he made a lot of money welding he was a single man and he had this major conversion a few years earlier he was totally in love with God very faithful very devout but he had this this struggle with with pornography as much as he tried he couldn't break the habit of looking at pornography now this guy he had a lot of money again a single man he had a one of these specialty welding jobs travelled around he had the four wheel drive truck this could do the four wheeler the motorcycle the bully thought somebody he knew it and one day I remember what years ago he was he was stuck in this habit and a couple years later I met him again and I and he brought it up when he mentioned that at one point he felt the Lord asking him how much are you willing to pay to be set free and he assumed the Lord was speaking symbolically but then he realized the Lord was challenging him to come up with a specific strategy and he decided that what he would do is if he would fall into pornography when he fell into pornography he would give a thousand dollars to charity again the guy had tons of money and also when he travelled and he was he struggled with the TV in hotel rooms if he turned the TV on he would give a thousand dollars to charity well the moment he made this decision when he traveled he never turned the TV on again it's amazing how one one vice can work against another vice he we're not going to give a thousand dollars during a TV on and over a period of time he achieved with the grace of the Holy Spirit freedom he also gave thousands of dollars away but he said that giving money to the poor he members giving an envelope hundreds of dollars to a poor family they don't even know him he said the joy was inebriating one of the most joyful experience no scripture says just more joy in giving than in receiving but he was willing to pay the price he had a strategy was inspired by the holy spirit and he had chained freedom and one of my own life I've inspired by him I've tried a few things lately I've been going to bed too late and you know I like to get up early in the morning you can't get up early in the morning less you go to bed early and I I one of the things I enjoy most of my daily routine is in the morning I read my bravery in my armchair while I'm drinking a tea I love it takes about half an hour's wonderful and I told myself a few days ago if I'm not in bed before 9:30 unless I have duties that require me to be up later if I'm not in bed before 9:30 the next morning I'm not going to have tea with my bravery and I'm going to read it in an upright chair well guess what I'm getting the bed before 9:30 because I love my tea in the morning you know and so again if we're struggling with something hope isn't a strategy hope is good but to say oh I know I gossip too much and I've been gossiping for years and I hope one day all stop will do something about it do you drink coffee the next time you say something negative about someone no coffee the next day Oh have a specific strategy inspired by the holy spirit and finally number seven principle number seven remember who is the example in the Old Testament of a person who fell from such a great height because he forgot it was Solomon you remember Solomon set up her success had his father David's Kingdom the wisest man in the world the most powerful man in the world the richest man in the world he started off with a heart for God then what happened he decided he needed seven hundred wives like can you imagine Solomon's cellphone bills at the end of each month in first Kings chapter 11 verse 4 when Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods and his heart was not entirely with the Lord his God as the heart of his father David had been David forgot his for rather Solomon for God his first love Solomon the great king the wise King the powerful King he lost it all he lost his his union with God because he forgot what was most important a lot of people when life is tough they start to pray they start to go to church they start to do good and then life gets good they start making money things work out what do they do they stop they forget they don't remember the Lord and then they lose what they've gained and maybe even lose eternal life the book of Deuteronomy written after they people the Hebrew people escaped Egypt went through the desert and made it to the promised land the land of milk honey the book of Deuteronomy can be summarized with one word remember I've set you free I've given you a land of milk and honey I worked miracles now don't forget that's why in Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 6 and this is probably one of the greatest scriptures of the Old Testament the Lord says hear o Israel the Lord is our God the Lord alone therefore you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your strength take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today drill them into your children speak of them at home and abroad whether whether you are busy or at rest and get this bind them on your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead again the forehead that some Jewish people have this little pendant with God's Word written on it and it's on their forehead because they know if they forget god's word they'll die to forget is to die what a tragedy if we reached great heights in the spiritual life great union with god just to forget it and to lose it all and so brothers and sisters these are the seven principles remember who you are know you're at war know your enemy's tactics keep your peace know your weaknesses have a specific strategy inspired by the Holy Spirit and don't forget the Lord

Channel: Companions of the Cross

Views: 272,802

Rating: 4.9004126 out of 5

Keywords: Spiritual Warfare, Fr. Mark Goring, Companions of the Cross, Identity, God, Scripture, Know who you are, Catholic, Catholic Church, Jesus, Catholic Faith, Body of Christ, I know who I am, Weakness, Holy Spirit, Strategy, Love, Remember

Id: 0LaembL-KGg

Length: 31min 8sec (1868 seconds)

Published: Wed Oct 24 2012