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SPIRITUAL WARFARE

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• In His book, “When the Enemy Strikes,” Stanley says, “We must be very clear on one point: brothers and sisters in Christ are not our enemies….We need to recognize that the devil attempts to blind us and deceive us so that we will become divided and begin to war against one another rather than against him! The real enemy is the devil and his forces acting behind the scenes in every case of spiritual assault.”

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LESSONS FROM HISTORY

• The German conquest of France in the spring of 1940 is a profile of miscalculation. Despite the fact that it was generally believed the French had the strongest army on earth at that time the Nazis overcame their enemy in a short five-week stretch. Historians agree on three general principles that brought about the French defeat.

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1. France planned a defensive war

• The thought was to keep the Germans out rather than marching on Berlin as she had in before. France never planned to defeat. Germany only keep Germany from defeating her.

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1. France never planned to defeat

• French Defense Minister Andre Maginot had devised the defensive front line called the Maginot Line after him It was a line of deeply entrenched gun emplacements that could hold up to a million soldiers. The Church of our Lord Jesus must never adopt that fateful malaise of just holding the fort against Satan.

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2. France underestimated

• Germany She thought she could still win with cavalry and horses Hitler s Wermacht had panzers the best tank of that day.

The church underestimate our enemy Sometimes

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3. A spokesman for France said

• The main reason we lost in such swift fashion is this we suffered from a terrible disease. That disease was victory in the previous war. A previous victory is usually the weakest part of any nation.

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…After every spiritual victory

• we must be keenly aware of a fresh attack from Satan We are extremely vulnerable at that moment France probably could have ended Hitler s dream in the late 30 s when the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia but she did nothing and lost the war Is Christ s army on the march today or just dreaming of past victories

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I. SATAN ATTACTS GOD’S PROGRAM, THE CHURCH BY…

1. False philosophies – Colossians 2:8

– “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind beguile...: or, judge against you

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2. False religions 1 Corinthians 10:19-20

• 19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

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3. False ministers – 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

• 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself is disguised as an angel of light. 15 So it is no great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their destiny  will be according to their works. 

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4. False doctrine – 1 John 2:18-19• 18 Children, it is the last hour. And as you

have heard, “Antichrist  is coming,” even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.

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5. False disciples – Matthew 13

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6. False morals 2 Thessalonians 2:7

• 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way,

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II. SATAN ATTACKS GOD’S PEOPLE

1. Directing governments – Daniel 10:13

2. Deceiving men – 2 Corinthians 4:4

3. Destroying life – Hebrews 2:14

4. Persecuting the saints – Revelation 2:10

5. Preventing service – 1 Thessalonians 2:18

6. Promoting schisms – 2 Corinthians 2:10, 11

7. Planting doubt – Genesis 3:1-2

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8. Provoking sin– Anger – Ephesians 4:26-27– Pride – 1 Timothy 3:6– Worry – Matthew 13:22– Self-reliance – 1 Chronicles 21:1– Discouragement – 1 Peter 5:6-8– Worldliness – 1 John 2:16– Lying – Acts 5:3– Immorality – 1 Corinthians 5:1-2

9. Producing sects/cults – 1 Timothy 4:1