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Series Contents
 Series Theme:  Spiritual Warfare
Contents:

Title:   12. Fighting:  a) Our Position

        

Introduction

We now move on to 4 pages about how we actually go about fighting in the spiritual world.  These four pages will cover Our Position, Our Protection, our Weapons, and Spirit-led Prayer.

On this page we start by considering Our Position.

 

1. Our Position Stated

        Christian maturity is knowing about

  •  Who you are
  •  What Jesus has done for you

        We need to realise our position!

Eph 6:10-18 is all about how to conduct warfare

Eph 6:11

Question: Why are we to put on the armour?
Answer: To take your stand against the enemies tactics.

Eph 6:13b

Question: Why again are we told to put on the armour?
Answer: To stand your ground.
 i.e. we are to hold the ground we've been given.   Satan tries to push us off it

Eph 2:6

Question: Where are we?
Answer: Seated with Christ in a place of rulership.

Eph 1:22

Question: What has God placed where?
Answer: Everything under Christ's feet.
 If we are “in Christ”, as the Bible tells us again and again, it means all things are under our feet as well!

Get the picture clear: it is as if we have been placed on a mountain top and Satan wants to get us off. Our first act of fighting is to hold onto the truth of where we are!

 

  

2. Specific Truths to Hold Onto

The “mountain top” involves a number of Christian truths. Satan, who is a liar, will try to get us to stop believing them, and believe a lie instead. Here are some of those things:

2.1 Accepted

Truth : Jesus loves you and accepts you as you are (Rom 5:8)

Lie : Jesus only accepts you when you do good.

Effect : You constantly strive, looking at your behaviour.

Needed : To joy in the truth, you ARE accepted TOTALLY.

2.2 All Sins Punished

Truth : Jesus has died for ALL our sins (1 Jn 2:1)

Lie : Jesus only died for my sins before I was saved.

Effect : You constantly feel guilty.

Needed : Simply to declare this truth.

2.3 Present Sins Forgiven

Truth : When we sin and confess it we ARE forgiven (1 Jn 1:9)

Lie : You don't feel forgiven so you aren't.

Effect : You constantly strive to win God's approval again.

Needed : To confess and then thank for being forgiven and act as such.

2.4 Grace, a free gift

Truth : We cannot earn God's blessing, it is a free gift (Eph 2:8)

Lie : We have to earn God's blessing by spiritual acts.

Effect : You constantly strive to pray more, read Bible more, impress God.

Needed : To thank God for the truth and live in the enjoyment of it.

2.5 God's Purpose for us

Truth : God only purposes blessing for us (Rom 8:31/ Gal 3:13,14)

Lie : You have to earn God's approval and blessing.

Effect : You struggle to get good enough, never do, and feel a constant failure.

Needed : To be thankful for God's love coming freely.

2.6 Freedom

Truth : God purposes good for you & nothing is impossible (Phil 4:13 / 2 Cor 9:8)

Lie : There are some bad things I just have to tolerate.

Effect : You tolerate second best in your life & circumstances.

Needed : To understand the whole counsel of God and pray and work for it.

2.7 God works for Good

Truth : God works for good in all things for you (Rom 8:28)

Lie : I will be destroyed by the bad.

Effect : You are constantly in a state of gloom and fear of circumstances.

Needed : To declare the truth and proclaim it in such circumstances.

2.8 Grace Available

Truth : God's grace is available and sufficient for you (Phil 4:9 / 2 Cor 12:9)

Lie : I can't cope.

Effect : You go under.

Needed : To turn to God, believing, to receive what is needed.

   

  

3. Ruling

From what has gone before we should now be able to see that our position in Christ is to hold to the truth, resist the lies of the enemy, and rule or take control with Christ's enabling, over our own lives, whatever is happening around us.

3.1  Required Determinations:

    We'll only do this when we've first determined beforehand:

a) To give ourselves fully over to Him.
b) To accept and believe what His word tells us about our position
c) To hold to that despite whatever Satan may say or do
d) To allow Jesus to bring His character into our lives
e) To learn to share His heart and hear Him speak.

3.2  Practical Application:

    In practice “ruling” means taking control and ordering what happens and we do this in the circumstance by:

a) Ensuring our minds are agreeing with Christ's mind
b) Determining to follow what He says
c) Asking Him for His grace to hold to it and do it
d) Getting on and doing it!

Read back over this page to make sure you under all that is being said about your position before you move on to the next page.