HOW TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY AND WIN

YHVH’s people are pictured in many ways in the Bible; as tribes, as an assembly, as a temple, as a family and as the bride of Moshiach. The Church / army in which every Moshiach believer has enlisted is described as one that does battle against an enemy whose territory extends into the very heavens. We could say that we are involved in a universal battle that takes place, not just here on earth, but in every possible realm of existence. I want us to be reminded again of just who the enemy is that we are fighting: -- For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. -- Ephesians 6:12. As you noticed in -The Reality of Spiritual Warfare- that these evil principalities, powers, mighty rulers of darkness and wicked spirits were a hierarchy of demonic creatures, who we are called to do battle with. Take note also that, according to this verse, these evil beings are present in the unseen world and am described as the rulers of this world. Paul also describes satan as: -- in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Moshiach, Who is the image of YHVH, should shine unto them. -- 2 Corinthians 4:4. Yeshua called satan: -- Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. -- John 14:30. While satan and his followers exist in the unseen world, they do their work in this present world in which we live. With all that in mind, here are four facts that will assist us in the battle.

FOUR FACTS:

Fact 1 -- YHVH has objectively defeated satan and his agenda. At the cross Yeshua was victorious over satan and will ultimately be triumphant, but until the last day, we continue to do battle with an already condemned foe.

Fact 2 -- Moshiach followers have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light. According to numerous promises in the New Testament, we have already been given promised eternity in the Kingdom of Light, yet until we die or Yeshua returns, we still live in the kingdom of darkness.

Fact 3 -- The spiritual battle we fight involves a responsibility on our part to -put on- the spiritual protection that YHVH has provided us. While YHVH provides the equipment for battle, it is up to us to put it on.

Fact 4 -- The great majority of spiritual warfare need never go beyond the regular practice of living out our position in Moshiach by faith. If you noticed last week, most of the things I described as being part of our defensive weaponry were simply things we should be doing anyway. This is not some complex thing where we have to learn how to chant, do parlour tricks or act weird, it is all part of being under King Moshiach. If I simply focus my life on obtaining the mind of Moshiach, the victory will already be won.

MOVING BEYOND -STANDING FIRM-:

According to a May 2002 article in the News and World Report, those who call themselves believers in the Word were asked, -- In general, how often would you say you have experienced YHVH's presence or a spiritual force that felt very close to you? They replied: Never = 10 percent; Once or twice = 17 percent; Several times = 23 percent; Many times = 49 percent; Do not know and not applicable / refused = 2 percent. It is obvious that most believers are neither looking for an experience with YHVH or with demonic forces. I think it is important that we are specifically looking for times in our lives when we are more vulnerable to an attack by the enemy:

A -- When we are taking significant steps of faith for spiritual growth:
The time I have come under some of the heaviest spiritual attack is when I have made the greatest leap in my spiritual life. This is especially true for those who first become believers, they are usually flying high because they have come into a relationship with Moshiach but they have also set themselves up as a target for the enemy. Those of us that have been believers for some time are also vulnerable when we make a new pledge to YHVH; we begin a quiet time or being seriously studying the Bible. And we think we have it all together, but that is when the attacks come. -- Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. -- 1 Corinthians 10:12.

B -- When we’re invading enemy territory:
I am talking specifically about evangelism here. When the enemy realizes that you are trying to get other people to join our side in the spiritual battle, he goes into overtime to try to keep it from happening. Many times he does this by trying to plant doubt in your mind or by trying to lead you into sin so that you will be a bad example to the person you are talking to. Satan wants to take as many people into destruction as he possibly can, when you are out there telling others about victory in Moshiach, he gets concerned.

C -- When we are exposing satan for who he really is:
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. -- Ephesians 5:11. I have to tell you, this war and battle has been very difficult for me and many others. Words have not come as easy to us as they normally do; it is taken more effort than usual to think of ways to communicate to people effectively. Sometimes, I have to force myself to clear my head to absorb what YHVH is teaching me. In other words, I believe that as I have been trying my best to expose satan for who he really is, he has been attacking me because he does not want to be exposed. I do not doubt that he has been attacking most of you too, because he does not want you to read what the Bible has to say about him and his methods of attack.

D -- When we repent and make a clean break with the world, a long-held sin pattern or an unholy relationship:
This is a serious point! You have not been living a believers life and have fallen into some type of sin or a relationship that is leading you away from Moshiach. You make the decision to turn away from whatever has been holding you back from that relationship and you find yourself under heavy attack. Satan does not want to let go of you, he thinks he has you in his grasp and did not think you would ever turn your life around. Now that YHVH is doing a good work in your life he starts throwing doubts into your mind, like -I can never go through with this, I am sure to fail.- Or he makes you question your worthiness before YHVH and you begin thinking thoughts like: -YHVH will never take me back; I have blown it too badly.- This is one of the things the enemy does best, he makes us believe the lie that YHVH does not want us anymore, that we are no good and unacceptable to Him. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth, like the prodigal son, we know there is never a time when YHVH will not welcome us back with open arms.