Today’s message summary of July 19, 2015 from Pastor Gus Brown:
Most people don’t realize that we are in spiritual warfare because they are just focused on the present–just trying to survive. We should pause to reflect upon this, and even ask ourselves what is the reason behind this approach.
The enemies of Christ are the enemies of the people of God. Satan has blinded the world of the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even though the message is visible, they still do not see it.
When it comes to how man sees things, there will either be the influence of the Holy Spirit or that of a demonic influence.
The first victim to fail in this war was Adam. He was influenced by Satan. Eve was also influenced by Satan. The question you need to ask yourself is this: Who is influencing you?
The word “victim” refers to someone killed, destroyed, injured or otherwise harmed by, or suffering from some act, condition, or circumstance of war. (Websters Dictionary)
Luke 22:31
“Simon, Simon, look out! Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.
2 Timothy 3:12-13
In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.
First, don’t assume that everyone wants to live a godly life. People want to go to heaven and claim to know God, but they don’t really want to live it out. God still has standards of living that must be met in order to receive eternal life. Living a godly life requires a certain amount of training, and in that lifestyle there will be persecution.
Satan doesn’t know everything, including the fullness of time. He reacts to what God has presented about Jesus and has been attempting to thwart it over time.
Genesis 3:15
I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.
The birth of Christ…
Galatians 4:4
When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.
Jesus’ death on the cross brought judgment upon Satan.
1 Corinthians 15:54-58
When this corruptible is clothed
with incorruptibility,
and this mortal is clothed
with immortality,
then the saying that is written will take place:
Death has been swallowed up in victory,
Death, where is your victory?
Death, where is your sting?
Now the sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Hebrews 2:14
Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death–that is, the Devil–and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.
1 John 3:8
The one who commits sin is of the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the Devil’s works.
God will never tempt one to sin. The Devil is the one who makes it possible for you to commit sin.
Satan is continually working on you and I to destroy and ruin your testimony for Jesus Christ.
Romans 16:20
The God of peace will son crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
The ascension of Christ is the proof of Satan’s failure.
Acts 1:9-11
After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.”
Not only did Jesus defeat death, but He proclaims that He is coming back. From this, Satan knows that his time is short. He does not know how long, for no one knows the day or hour of Satan’s return.
In Revelation 12, we pick up at verses 4 and 5. John covers the life of Jesus:
Revelation 12:4-5
His tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth he might devour her child. But she gave birth to a Son–a male who is going to shepherd all nations with an iron scepter–and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
Satan was on the watch for the One who would be born in Israel. Satan was in charge of ruling all of the nations, but the Word declares that Christ would rule all of them. Satan has to watch and see what God is doing and then he would react in order to defeat or destroy, or hinder the work of God–but he can’t stop it.
Daniel 10:12-13
“Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia.
- Abel was killed because he pleased God
- In the Great Flood, all unbelievers perished
- Nimrod, after the Flood, started the first great rebellion against God (Genesis 10:8-10)
- Abraham’s call by God but causes him to mistrust God, resulting in Ishmael (Genesis 16)
- The King wants all of the male children to be killed, Moses still emerged (Exodus 1:15-16)
- In the book of Esther, Haman wanted to kill all of the Jews (Esther 3:8-9)
- Herod made the decree to kill all Jewish children up to two years of age (Matthew 2:16)
- Satan tried to get the people to put Jesus to death, but it was not his appointed time to die (Luke 4:28-30)
- Satan could not keep Jesus in the tomb; guards were no match for Jesus (Matthew 27:62-66)
In Revelation 12:6, we see that God protects Israel for 3 1/2 years. Israel is fleeing from the Antichrist. All of this is taking place between the first coming of Christ and the second coming of Christ.
Revelation 12:6-9
The woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, to be fed there for 1,260 days. Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was thrown out–the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him.
John tells us about the war in heaven (Revelation 12:7).
The dragon (Satan) was hurled down to earth.
Isaiah 14:12-15 reflected Satan’s desire to rule all nations:
Isaiah 14:12-15
Shining morning star,
how you have fallen from the heavens!
You destroyer of nations,
you have been cut down to the ground.
You said to yourself:
“I will ascend to the heavens;
I will set up my throne
above the stars of God.
I will sit on the mount of the gods’ assembly,
in the remotest parts of the North.
I will ascend above the highest clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”
But you will be brought down to Sheol
into the deepest regions of the Pit.
He continues his war on earth against God. Satan attacks the church in an effort to hurt God.
Ephesians 5:23-25
…for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.
Christ loves the church (the saints) and desires to protect them from Satan, who desires to make war against God’s people.
Revelation 12:17
So the dragon was furious with the woman and left to wage war against the rest of her offspring–those who keep God’s commands and have the testimony about Jesus.
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