LIFE, A BATTLE OF THE SPIRITS

Title: Life, a battle of the spirits.

Bible text: (2 Corinthians 10: 3-6, Ephesians 6: 11-14)

Preacher: Femi S. Olomola (A Teacher and Prophet of God)

Copyright© Femi .S. Olomola 2017 [All rights reserved!]

Publish by: Wefos Project Int'l Limited

Email: [email protected]

First Published [Summary Edition] 2017

ISBN: 978-978-953658-0 

Recap of last week Sermon:  

In our last sermon, we treated the topic "Feeding the spirits" to learn and understand how the two spirits of man can be fed to mobilize power which will therefore determines a man’s actions or empowerment. The spiritual controls the physical and therefore, a man that is spiritually alive is more or less, an armored combatant, who is very conscious and ready for battle at all times, for to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace [Romans 8: 6].

Preamble:

This week, in related to the previous topic, we shall be looking at “Life, a battle of the spirits” in other to deepen our knowledge in God on spiritual matters and therefore mobilize enough courage towards spiritual warfare. Man, which forms the major purpose on this planet, is a spiritual material to which God had only used to execute His purpose of creation and therefore, the world is a composition of spiritual beings which are only meant to serve the purpose of the spiritual affair. Please sit back and enjoy this great lecture that will change your life forever.

Introduction:

First, let us define life, as it is being used within this context to be the struggle of passing through this wicked world because going through this world is like going through an evil forest with all wide animals belonging to one ruler and it will take God to pass through successfully without being hurt. This is practically why people do say that life is unfair, yes it is, because when two lions are fighting it is the ground that suffer and we are the ground through which the two lions are working to exercise their victory over our soul [Galatians 5: 17]. You will understand me better as we proceed. 

Life is a race and the way you run to meet up with your destination matters a lot. The best teacher within this period of race is the challenges and difficulties that will befall the runner but the level to which you can engage your enemy or obstacles will be the level of your success in that regard. Having acknowledged that the world is a composition of spiritual being satisfying a spiritual affair then we will begins to appreciate that life is a struggle of the spirits. 

The book of [Genesis 1: 26-27] tell us that “then God said let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish of the sea and the bird in the sky, over the livestock and all wide animals and over all the creature that most along the ground. So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God, He created them male and female”

From the above scripture, we could deduce that God who is a spirit created man in His image and which made man also a spirit by virtue of the spirit of God in them, and likewise give them the full authority to rule over every other thing He created BUT when man disobey Him [God] to follow the devil by partaking of the tree of knowledge of good and of evil to which the devil had introduce to them [Genesis 2: 16-17], then He [God] proclaimed curses upon them and the battle or struggle of life began [Genesi 3: 16-18].

The broken covenant between man and God which served as the disobedience of listening to the devil and partake of the forbidden tree as explained above GIVES the devil a reasonable and covenanted right or portion over man and which comes through the flesh as we have learnt from the previous week sermon. The implication of this is that satan do usually claim a right on man and believe it or not, that right which usually comes through the negative part of life must be fulfilled like in the area of suffering, and this means no man born of flesh will escape this as it becomes the price to be fulfilled for a successful affair or journey in life. We understand from the above scripture [Genesis 3: 1-18] that it is man, themselves that had given the devil this reasonable entry or right through submitting to his mischievous advice of partaken of that forbidding tree. This means that for any good thing to come in life, the two side must have their grip or foot hold and it is only God that can help manage the negative aspect not to becomes so hurt by His grace and I pray for you reading this sermon that God will provide help to you from above and shower you with grace that will cushion every worldly effect in you in Jesus name.

This was why Jesus Christ came to pay the price of that suffering as fulfilling the major [1John 2: 2] and minor [Galatians 3: 13] penalty of the broken covenant so that He can reconnect us back to God, the father without having any cause to partake of the major suffering again and also gives grace to cushion the effect of the minor once [John 3: 16, 1 John 2: 2, Galatians 3: 14] and except this, the devil will continuously having or claiming his own right over the individual. We have learnt from the previous week sermon about the inevitable submissiveness of man [without Christ] to the devil which usually comes through the flesh and which justify his claim over man. The major and minor penalty as stated above comes from the two judgment of God over their disobedience of the broken covenant and which are death [Genesis 2: 17] and curse [Genesis 3: 16-18].

Having known this and all the justified premises above, you will agree with me that for the devil to be claiming his right over man and God stopping him especially for His own dear children becomes a battle of the spirits to satisfy spiritual affair and agreement. Do not be deceived, for the devil was created specially with powerful things and all precious stone adore Him [Ezekiel 28: 15-19] to be ordain as a guardian cherub for God’s purpose and so the power still remain with him after he was sent away from heaven due to his pride and evil plot since the root of his creation is powerful and also to satisfy the period of God’s wrath to be brought upon him but nevertheless God created him and the created cannot be greater than the creation and so, God is going to have him destroyed at the appropriate time. This was why Jesus Christ came to give authority to man over him by fulfilling the price of the sin which had entangled man with him [satan] [Luke 10: 19].

The battle is of the spiritual and not of the physical, even the wickedness of the wicked once is more in the spiritual and little is being seen around. Spiritual things cannot be perceived with your five senses and also the devil will not write a letter to you that he is coming but as you are deviating from the principles of God and desiring worldly things that is carnal then the devil is already welcomed bearing in mind that the devil and his demon also have a form of godliness and hiding under sheep’s clothing to deceive the oppressed [Matthew 7: 15].

Our bible text [2 Corinthians 10: 3-6 KJV] tell us that “for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh, for the weapon of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, and having in a readiness revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” 

Beloved, the devil will not stop fighting you even till death especially when you are not his own and which means you belong to God and you must be prepared and be ready at all times to always engage him in a sustain unending battle bearing in mind that the battle is a spiritual one which could manifest also in the physical but every battle won spiritually is already won physically. The devil also can use and engage everything at his disposal closer to you to fight you and so, there are two major people that the devil will always use to execute his mission of stealing, killing and destroying and possibly engage you in a fight and these are your love once and friends because he knows that you will always tend to listen to them and believe more in them. 

This is why our lord Jesus Christ is giving some warning and caution advice in the book of [Matthew 10: 34-37] which says “do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother-in-law, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemy will be the members of his own household. Anyone who love their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me”     

From the scripture above, we can see that our Jesus Christ recognizes the fact that the devil will always come or execute his mission mostly through those very close to you and are dear to you and that you love because this category of people are those you tend to submit to and believe more on their advice and which is why He [Jesus] is using relative and love once as an instance and also buttress more on this by saying a man’s enemy will be the member of his own household knowing that your household are your love once, relatives and friends.

The devil will not stop to use those that are closer to you as a tool except those who are closer to God that he may find it hard to penetrate and so you must always be alive and active in the spirit to allow God who is the deep reveal the deep to you. The bible text we read above tells us that the weapon of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong hold and casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God. Beloved, you will need two strong tools which I will share below to be able to pull down strong hold and casting down everything standing on your way:

1. Knowledge in God:  [Proverb 4: 7-9]

This is the very first criteria to every exploit done with God. For God is the strength and the power that will help you pull down every strong hold standing on your way hence He need your full cooperation in terms of faith, strength, and technical knowhow [] but the truth that need to be known is that without adequate knowledge in God by His words, all these tools will not come and you need to be rooted in His words which will therefore gives you the required encounter to build all these needed tool for God to manifest His power.

The scripture above [Proverb 4: 5-9 KJV] tell us that “Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her and she shall promote thee, she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace, a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee”

Beloved, knowledge in God is power and that is what you need to perform all these exploit and how to acquire it is to thirst for it first and begin to digest the word of God, Christian publication and listen more to men of God to enlighten to open up your brain to the rivers of flowing water that flows without ending. So please get knowledge and with all thy getting get understanding.

2. Spiritually alive: [Romans 8: 6]

This is the second most important tool you will need for you to be able to cooperate with God to allow Him [God] help you pulled down every strong holds holding down your destiny. To be spiritually alive is the apex of your sonship to God because this is what God need to be perfectly working through you [2 Corinthians 6: 14-18.] and so, a believer that has actively allowed this in him will always be found with encounter with God in all ways.

The scripture above [Romans 8: 6] tell us that to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is live and peace. Like I said, the fruit of being spiritually alive is fellowshipping with God which therefore result to all form of encounter in God. Beloved, this is the gateway to numerous encounters with God but then, let me list out, because of time, how you can be alive spiritually:

1. Being passionate or thirst for it.

2. Ask God for it to open your brain and memory for knowing him

3. Be rooted in the word of God.

4. Always do more of worship and praise especially during silence hour

5. Share the light to others

6. Commit yourself to Him even with sacrifice

7. Always ask God for revelations for perception into spiritual affair

8. Above all have faith in Him 

Conclusion:

The battle of life extends to all sphere of life, from family to family or friend to friend and the devil goes round to look for whom to use and everything we do is also being acknowledged in the spiritual which can easily mobilize power to take up or hijack the physical, hence your ultimate understanding of the spiritual phenomenon is needed and which can be aquire by all the above stated rules. I pray the lord gives you the ability to live up to this in Jesus name.

Confession: 

If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your lord and saviour and you are convinced that you need him to come into your life so you can also tap into the grace available through shedding of his blood, and equally partake of the effectiveness of his wrath and the blessing that comes with it, and that you are sure, you are ready to repent from all those sin of fornication, adultery, lying, sexual immorality, pride, jealousy, hatred, idolatry, selfish ambition, witchcraft, impurity and debauchery, dissensions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and the likes, then locate a quiet place, be sober and be on your knees, and make this little confession but remember to be sure of what you are doing, so that you will not be using God to play, when you respect him and give him honour, he will also honour you in the sight of men (Matthew 6: 6).

Lord Jesus, i come with total humbleness of heart to ask for forgiveness of my sins and accept you as my lord and saviour, please forgive me of all my sin (you can begin to name them if you know them) I surrender my life to you and i want you to come and take full charge over my life and i accept you as my lord and my saviour, please cleanse me with your blood that you shed on the cross and make me a new man leaving old things behind, I promise to serve you and do your will at all time and i ask for the strength to carry on. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for saving me.

Congratulation, you have made a step forward in tapping into his grace, now for you not to fall back, you must look out for a good holy spirit filled church or a good Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG) to worship and begin to study the word of God, if you have just done this, you can also contact me for direction and get a free copy of my book and publications to strengthen your faith. May the lord give you the grace to carry on in Jesus name.

Preacher's Note: 

It is my greatest desire that this sermon minister grace unto your soul but this is not enough, to be able to overcome the desire of the flesh as we have learnt above require deep knowledge of God, because it is until you have this knowledge that you can take your place and do exploit for God and yourself, and so i will urgently urge you to be rooted and grounded in the word of God, in other to deepen your faith, knowledge and relationship with God. you can also look out for my book written on "why do people suffer and why does God allow it" This will go a long way to minister grace to you as i have compiled series of eye opener in the book about human existence and the relationship towards knowing the true GOD, which will be the basis of your success in all sphere of life, and if you are blessed by this ministration, then do not hesitate to like our page on facebook (Youth and Single Empowerment Club, YASEC), where you can be getting my free online touching messages that will change your experience in God's knowledge. we also come together as a movement in all strategic part of the country, hold mighty crusade and revival session, and edify ourself by his word and above all sing deep long hour praises to God and invite an artist to keep us lively in the lord. Like our page and you will experience Club for christ in another level. May the lord bless you as you do.

Personal Contact: 

WhatsApp: 07010795629

BBM Pin: 2B43366F1

Twitter Handle: @fmdot10k

Facebook: Youth and Single Empowerment Club. YASEC. [facebook.com/club4christ]

Copyright© Femi .S. Olomola 2016

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electronically, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the express written consent of the copyright owner.

Publish by

Wefos Project Int'l Limited

Email: [email protected]

First Published [Summary Edition] 2016

ISBN: 978-978-953-658-0