21 August 2016 - Be a Spiritual Warfare Champion! - Pastor Lawrence Lim Sermon Notes Online - New Creation Church Sermon Notes Online

21 August 2016 - Be a Spiritual Warfare Champion! - Pastor Lawrence Lim Sermon Notes Online - New Creation Church Sermon Notes Online

When you prepare to preach a sermon, the easy part is preparing the sermon.
The difficult part is preparing your heart - you cannot preach while angry, bitter, etc.

II Corinthians 10:3-5 - As Christians, we are engaged in spiritual warfare. Our adversary is the devil.
The warfare is waged in our minds, through our thoughts.
The devil wants to manipulate our thought-life. He wants to plant evil thoughts in our minds to drag us down.
When you believe something internally, you will act on that belief and what is internal will be expressed externally.
Our adversary is small. He (the Holy Spirit) who is in us is greater than he (the devil) who is in the world.
II Corinthians 10:5 does not say "bring every thought into captivity to the obedience TO Christ". It says "obedience OF Christ".

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” (II Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV)

Romans 5:19 - The obedience of Christ refers to what Jesus has done for us at the cross.
We are saved because of His obedience, not because of our obedience.

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19 NKJV)

As Christians, we are engaged in spiritual warfare. Our adversary is the devil. The warfare is waged in our minds, through our thoughts. The devil wants to manipulate our thought-life. He wants to plant evil thoughts in our minds to drag us down.

Ephesians 6:10-11 - We are not asked to be strong in and of ourselves but to be strong in the Lord.
"Wiles" in this verse refers to the lies of the devil. The devil is the father of lies.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11 NKJV)

Out of the armor of God, only one is offensive - the sword of the spirit - the word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 - God's words are life and they will produce life in all areas in your life.
When you meditate on God's word, it will produce boldness and confidence in your spirit.
We have to subject ourselves to the power of God's word. There is power in meditating on God's word.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV)

II Corinthians 5:21 - Jesus is our righteousness. We don't have any righteousness of our own.
Being righteous means we can stand before God and have no sense of unworthiness, shame, guilty or condemnation.
We are made as righteous as God. Don't just confess your righteousness in Christ when you sin and fail. Confess it all the time!

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (II Corinthians 5:21 NKJV)

The devil always uses the personal pronoun "I" to lie to you. He says to you "I am addicted to ...".

Our new identity in Christ can only be appropriated when we believe that we are the righteousness of Christ by faith.

What does the righteousness of God look like? Look at Jesus and His life. That's how it's like.

Romans 5:5 - We will not be disappointed because we know that God loves us!
When we say we hope so, we say it with bold confidence because we know that we have a God who loves us and is for us.

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5 NKJV)

If you commit suicide it doesn't help you or your family. God will provide a way for you when there seems to be no way.
God's heart is to provide for you. Your life is worth the living.

Who told you that you won't be healed of your sickness or disease? We have a Healer. His name is Jesus.
​His name is also Yahweh Rapha which means "the Lord who heals".

God has inscribed our names in the palm of His hand. He will never forget you not abandon you. He loves you!
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We are made as righteous as God. Don't just confess your righteousness in Christ when you sin and fail. Confess it all the time!

21 August 2016 - Be a Spiritual Warfare Champion! - Pastor Lawrence Lim Sermon Notes Online - New Creation Church Sermon Notes Online