June 17, 2007
“Success in Spiritual Warfare”
Exodus 17:8-16

NKJ Deuteronomy 25:17 " Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, 18 "how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God.

We have seen Satan sneak here and there, beating us from behind, even the Church with lies and cruelty. He works, tempting to sin, promoting immorality and singing about vice! If we focused on these things we could easily be discouraged – yet, reading God’s word, we know He Christ - Already has VICTORY, it is guaranteed – Revelation 19:11-16; Matthew 16:18

Yet, now we are in a fierce battle – “a war between the saint and Satan, and that so bloody a one, that the cruelest which ever was fought by men, will be found but sport and child's play to this. Alas, what is the killing of bodies to the destroying of souls? It is a sad meditation indeed, to think how many thousands have been sent to the grave in a few late years among us by the sword of man, but far more astonishing, to consider how many of those may be sent to hell by the sword of God's wrath. It is a spiritual war you shall read of, and that not a history of what was fought many ages past and is now over; but of what now is doing, the tragedy is at present acting, and that not at the furthest end of the world, but what concerns thee and every one that reads it. The stage whereon this war is fought is every man's soul. Here is no neuter in this war. The whole world is engaged in the quarrel, either for God against Satan, or for Satan against God." William Gurnall

I. We need to depend upon God, CONSTANTLY – Exodus 17:9-11; Ephesians 6:10
1. God is our unstoppable Captain – Exodus 15:1-7; Romans 8:31
2. Prayer is our secret weapon - we should:
A. Pray without ceasing – 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Exodus 17:11-12; Ephesians 6:18
B. Pray fervently – James 5:16
In response to Knox's imprecatory prayers, Mary Queen of Scots is reputed to have said: "I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe."
C. Pray according to God’s will and priorities – 1 John 5:14-15; Matthew 6:9-13; Matthew 6:33
D. Pray in Jesus’ Name – John 14:13-14
E. Pray with humility, drawing near to God and resisting the devil – James 4:6-10
F. PRAY but - Do not “regard iniquity” – Psalm 66:18
G. Use the other weapons, that God supplies – Ephesians 6:13-17

II. We need to depend upon and help one another – Exodus 17:12
1. There is no such thing as a spiritual superman (Apart from Jesus Christ) … Moses may seem to be one, yet here we see his weakness – Exodus 17:12
2. We all have different gifts – Romans 12:5-8
3. We are one body with Christ as our Head – Ephesians 4:15-16

III. We need to actively take the fight to the enemy – Exodus 17:13
1. Our battle is not with flesh and blood, it is not carnal – Ephesians 6:11-12; 1 Corinthians 10:3-5
2. Our battle includes the bold preaching of God’s Word – Ephesians 6:18-20; God’s Word is a sword from the mouth of Christ – Revelation 1:16; 2:16; 19:15; 19:21
3. God’s work can be done in a variety of ways – Ephesians 2:10

IV. We can count on God being with us in this dread battle – Exodus 17:14-16
1. This is something we should REMEMBER – Exodus 17:14
2. God is on our side – Romans 8:31
3. God “the LORD” is our Banner, we rally around Christ – Exodus 17:15
4. The Lord has promised and delivered, involvement in our battles – Exodus 17:16; Genesis 3:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21

Pastor Arnold Brevick