Week 2 Does the War Still Occur Today? "Spiritual Warfare"

1. Absolutely!!!!
***Revelation 12:7-12***
*** 7 "And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
***Note***- This gives us proof that the war has already been won, but is also still occurring...
1. Ephesians 6:12- Paul explains to us that 12 we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
2. 1 Peter 5:8- Peter is gently warning us to 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

QUESTION???- If the devil has already been defeated, then why would Paul, Peter, amongst others throughout the Bible warn us of these attacks?
***A.- Paul states in Epesians 6:12 that wer are not battling flesh, but:
1.the rulers- Greek Word- ( kosmokrator) which means the Epithet of Satan- A world ruler
Epithet -is a characterizing and often abusive word or phrase
Example... Satan uses world rulers to pass down laws and set up walls such as... Black, White, Rich, Poor, Democrat, Republican, Baptist, Penecostal, Catholic, - Then we start to characterize and classify each other as: Jocks, Nerds, Geeks, Skaters, Rappers, Preps, Holy-Rollers, Snake- Biters, etc... And what this does is divide and seperate people...
***Mark 16:16- Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever refuses to believe is damned. ( God sees us one way- saved or unsaved)
2. against the authorities- Greek Word- ( excousia)- ex-00-see'-ah- means: force, superhuman, trusted influences, jurisdiction, liberty, power, strength, convincing force, GOVERNMENT...
3. principalities, powers of the dark world, spiritual hosts of wickedness...-Greek Word- (arche') ar-khay- means the first powers, first magistrates, judges, Congress...
QUESTION???- If the devil has already been defeated, then why would Peter say:
***A. Be, Sober, Be Vigilant...
1. Sober means to abstain from drunkeness, keep watch, be not drunk, be serious in mood... Greek Word- ( Nepho)- Nay-fo'-
2. Vigilant means- Greek Word- (gregoreuo) gray-gor-yoo-o- means to keep awake, be watchful, stay alert, alertly watchful especially to aviod danger...
***Note*** Lions prey on the sick, the weak, and the young.. So, Peter is warning us that we need to be extra watchful, extra careful, when we are being persecuted, or when we are suffering, or when we are: weak, helpless, feeling alone, or cut-off from other believers or even focused on our own problems so much that we cant even see the enemy or that we evn forget to watch for danger!!! Keep our eyes on Christ, rebuke, resist, and he will flee.... Sayeth Peter in the very next Scripture...

***Satan is Already Defeated***
1. Even though war rages, the final outcome has already been decided...
( Revelation 12:7-8)-
7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer
*** Satan was kickked out of Heaven, defeated by Micheal and his angels...
1. Who is Micheal?
A. Greek Word- Mikh- ah-ale- means Arch Angel- which is a Chief angel- which is the highest rank, most important!!!
Hebrew Word- ( Miyakael') me-kaw- ale... means " Who is Like God"
B. He is clearly noted as "the archangel" Jude 1:9- Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
**NOTE*** Nowhere in scripture is there a plural to this noun
C. He has the added description of " the great prince" ( Daniel 12:1) Daniel Prophesies about the end time- 1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.
D. He has power even to challenge Satan... ( Jude 1:9) Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
E. He has angels at his command.. ( Revelations 12:7)-7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,
F. He will be present at the rapture of the church- (1 Thessalonians 4:16)- 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
G. He is the champion of Isreal and a supporter of their cause... ( Daniel 12:1)-1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.

*** Continued from Satan is Already Defeated...
*** His doom... Scripture states in Colossians 2:15- 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. Referring to Christ- The Message-
15 He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets. The Amplified-15 [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross...
*** NOTE*** _ Jesus defeated Satan ultimately at the Cross at the crusifixion, and the Ressurection...
Revelation 20:10- 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

*** Satans Ultimate doom is:
1. Revelation 12:9-9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
2. Revelation 20:3- 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
3. Revelation 20:10- The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

*** Benidiction***
Jesus has already whooped the devil, He has bought us as believers for a price, His blood, His tears, His, stripes by which we are healed, His nails in His hands, His nails in His feet, His thorns in His head, the ridicule, the getting spat upon, cursed, at, laughed at, mocked, ... He paid the price for us to dwell with Him...

Since the War has already been won, we as believers do not have to fight with uncertainty...
We cannot ultimately follow God and lose...

Question??? How do you feel about Satan having already been defeated???
confident or confused???

Created about 3 years ago