Welcome to Battles of Faith.
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We're your host
Ivor and Atonte Myers.
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Today's program is
entitled Holy Wars.
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And I am very
excited about this program
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because as Christians we
need to learn how to fight
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because we do have an enemy.
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Being a Pastor's wife
we run into baby Christians
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all the time. And once
they get baptized, they
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think, hey, I've joined
the church, I am following
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Jesus, everything is
going to be a breeze from here
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on out, but they soon
learn that that's not the case.
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Once you take the
opposite side of Satan,
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he is gonna up his
attack and everyone has to learn
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how to fight and the
fight the war effectively.
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That's what
we're gonna talk about.
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That's right, Atonte
you know, Christianity
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is often portrait as a
very peaceful religion and it
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is a peaceful religion
but when we read the Bible
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we also see the
Christianity deals with war.
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And the reason it
deals with war is because as
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Christians we are in a holy war.
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And I know that term
has become very popular in
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the last couple of
years because of 9/11.
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I remember when
we were in Virginia.
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We were actually in
Virginia Atonte on the
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September 11 we were
to fly back to California.
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The following day on
United Airlines we were
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thinking about leaving
from Dulles Airport and
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flying into Los
Angeles. And that morning,
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September 11th my son
came into the room and
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said, daddy,
daddy wake up quickly.
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You know, mom said
to go turn the TV on.
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So, we went downstairs
and we turned the TV on
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just in time to see the
second plane flying into
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the Twin Towers.
Holy war or what is called
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Jihad in some places
had come to our shores.
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And I have remember the
nation was paralyzed for
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quite a while, I mean
there was sadness, there
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was grief, there was
disbelief, but soon that,
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that sadness and grief and
disbelief turned into anger.
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America had become
angry, we were now in
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a holy war. And
things have changed Atonte
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since September 11th,
we are facing an, an, an
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invisible foe, we're
facing terrorism in a, in a way
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that we have
never seen it before.
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And I want to say that
in spite of all of that,
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the Christian faces a
war with much greater stakes.
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This war is a war
that the Bible describes in
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Ephesians chapter 6, verse 12.
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We're going to
go ahead and take a
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look at that verse.
In Ephesians 6 verse 12,
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the Bible tells us that
we wrestle not against flesh
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and blood, but against
principalities, against
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powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this
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world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places.
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We are told as Christians
that our warfare is not
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against the terrorist
across the sea but we're
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fighting against
spiritual wickedness
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in high places.
Okay. And these enemies
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are way more
dangerous than terrorists or any
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other person could be to us.
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And to amplify it,
it actually says, in the
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supernatural world.
That's right. So, it's, it's
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a enemy that we cannot
see, but he is definitely there.
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That's right, you
know, going back to this
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September 11th, when,
when this event took place.
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One of the first things
that America tried to do
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was they try to figure
out who was behind the attack?
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Everyone wanted to
know who was it that
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was behind the
attack? Was it one group, was
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it a nation? Who
was behind the assaults?
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They wanted to
identify the enemy.
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And I want to
suggest that when Christians
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understand that they
are in a Holy war the first
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thing that needs to
happen, is they need to
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be able to identify
the enemy. So, who do you
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think the enemy is
Atonte? Well, we know that it's
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Satan because he was
against our Savior Jesus.
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That's right, the
enemy, the ultimate enemy,
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the, when the Bible
tells about principles and
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powers we're talking
about Satan and fallen
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angels but I want to
suggest as well that our
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greatest enemy, our
greatest terrorist is Self.
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The person that you
get up and look at in the
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mirror, mirror
every morning, that is our
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greatest enemy.
And when we are able
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to identify that, when
we are able to identify
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that Self the, the,
the, the carnal nature inside
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is really against us,
is our ultimate terrorist
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then we know who
the fight needs to
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be directed against.
And what Satan does is
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he tempts himself to
want to do the things
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that are opposite of God's will?
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And so that's what he
does. He uses our own carnal
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nature to try to get us
to do the things that God
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doesn't want us to do.
That's right, we're gonna
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take a look at First
Peter chapter 2, verse 11 and,
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and in this verse it
says, Dearly beloved,
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I beseech you as
strangers and pilgrims,
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abstain from
fleshly lusts, which war
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against the soul.
So, we're being told here
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that what is warring
against our soul is the
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fleshly lust. And
James chapter 1, verse 13 and
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14 tell us where those
fleshly lusts come from?
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Verse 13 says, let
no man say when he is
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tempted, I'm tempted
of God. For God cannot be
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tempted with evil,
neither tempteth he any
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man. But, every man
is tempted, when he is
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drawn away of his
own lust and enticed.
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So, it is our own lust,
our own sinful carnal nature.
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That is our greatest
terrorist, your greatest
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war is not against
your husband or your wife or
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the people who
disagree with you.
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Your greatest war is
against Self, in fact
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Satan and Self have
found a confederacy to
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try to destroy you.
To try to destroy the
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Christian and when
you realize that, again
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Atonte we realize who
our greatest enemy is?
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And there is an old
saying 'know thy enemy.'
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We ought to know
Self, we ought to know what
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Self is fully capable
of? So, the most important
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thing is to identify
your enemy because you
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don't want to be
fighting against the
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wrong person or
entity. And then you really
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wouldn't win the war.
That's right, that's right.
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You know, there is
another issue Atonte
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that that when,
when we, when America
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discovered or
thought they knew who it was
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that was behind the
attacks. They knew, that it was
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now, they knew that
these were terrorists.
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There was a, a, a
word that went out to the,
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nations and it was
this, if you're harboring
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terrorist we
will come after you.
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And it's
interesting Atonte that when we
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look at the spiritual
war, the Christian holy war.
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And you know when
you use that term Holy
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war, we're talking
about true Holy war.
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Because these are
the Holy wars are really
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unholy wars. That, they
are not being fought for
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the right reason, they
are not being fought in
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the right spirit.
They're being fought physically,
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the true Holy war is the
spiritual conflict against
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principalities and
powers and against the
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Self nature, the carnal nature.
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Now, we talk about
harboring terrorist.
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How does that relate
over into the spiritual
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conflict. Well,
Atonte you know many times
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people will, will,
will say you know, man
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I would never do
something like that.
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What are they doing?
What they're doing is, is
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they're saying they,
they are harboring a terrorist
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because the Bible
lets us know that Self the
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carnal nature is
capable of how much,
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of anything, of
anything, of anything.
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Just think about
some of the thoughts that
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have gone through
your mind and you set them
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and go I cannot believe
that I actually thought that.
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You know, you're
saying there is a Christian
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to think that you are
actually tempted with that.
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Self is fully
capable of doing anything and
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once we come to the
realization that, that
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Self will do
anything. We need to understand
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that as Christians
we must step back and
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refuse to harbor a
terrorist. We will, we we're not
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gonna say, Oh! I'm
not, I would never do that
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because you know but
by the grace of God we
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would do anything.
That's right. And you
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know, as you've seen
on our previous programs
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we've talked about
the entertainment industry
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and the things that are
a part of that and most of
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the things that are
out there in Hollywood is
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feeding that carnal
nature, that Self nature
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that is sinful
and goes against God.
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So, the, the main
way that Self is fed is
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through those
sinful things and when we
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watch or hear those
things, we're making
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Self stronger and stronger.
Exactly, Atonte you know
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the issue that
America is facing right now.
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That there is turmoil in
this country over this war,
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because how do you
fight an unseen enemy.
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How do you fight
an enemy that you, you
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know, it's not a
nation you're talking about
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individual people,
you're talking about
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hidden faces. How
do we fight someone or
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something that we
cannot see? And we want to take
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that question right over
into the spiritual context.
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How do we, how you
fight against someone
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who lives with you
24 hours of the day.
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How do you fight
someone who knows
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your every thought?
Self knows you better than
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anybody else, how do
you fight someone who
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knows all your
secrets, all your weaknesses?
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How do you fight
someone that is closer
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than a brother closer
than a friend? How do you
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fight against Self? And,
and the good news is that
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there is a way to fight
against Self that's what
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this whole Bible.
Amen. Is given to us for to
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teach us how to
fight this Holy war?
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And that is indeed
the Holy war that all
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Christians are called
to fight when they decide
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enlist unto Jesus
Christ. And that's why I'm so,
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like I said in the
beginning. I'm so excited
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about this program
because as a Christian if
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God did not give us
a formula in his word.
00:10:23.90\00:10:27.41
On, how to fight
against Self? I'll be honest
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I would be
completely depressed everyday.
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Because if there was no
hope for our sinful condition.
00:10:31.74\00:10:35.53
It would be very, very
discouraging like you said.
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How do you fight
something that is with
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you all the time that
knows you better or just
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as well as you know yourself?
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Yeah, you know as I
said earlier, Self and Satan
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have, have formed a confederacy.
00:10:47.31\00:10:49.11
No one can betray you like Self.
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You know Self knows you
better than anybody else.
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And Self is all too
willing to go and hand those
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secrets over to the
devil, to give him those, those,
00:10:59.14\00:11:03.25
those clues, those
tips to cause you as a
00:11:03.28\00:11:06.71
Christian to fall.
And, and you know the, the
00:11:06.74\00:11:10.28
Christian ought to
have motto but one,
00:11:10.31\00:11:12.70
no enemy but Self.
We need to understand
00:11:12.73\00:11:15.82
Atonte that all external
warfare is the result of
00:11:15.85\00:11:20.47
poorly fought internal warfare.
00:11:20.50\00:11:23.69
All external warfare,
in other words, all warfare
00:11:24.35\00:11:27.36
that spills out into
the physical realm is the
00:11:27.39\00:11:30.12
result of a poorly
fought internal warfare.
00:11:30.15\00:11:33.10
Because the war
starts in your mind.
00:11:33.13\00:11:34.58
The war starts, starts
in the mind, as Christians
00:11:34.61\00:11:37.84
we're called to fight
not external conflict, not
00:11:37.87\00:11:41.30
external battles
but internal warfare.
00:11:41.33\00:11:44.54
In fact, in James
chapter 4 and verse 1, the Bible
00:11:44.57\00:11:47.84
says this, From
whence come wars and fights
00:11:47.87\00:11:50.73
among you? Come they
not hence even of your
00:11:50.76\00:11:53.97
lusts that war in your
members? In other words,
00:11:54.00\00:11:57.74
James is telling us
here that the reason, why we
00:11:59.17\00:12:02.79
get into
arguments in family circles,
00:12:02.82\00:12:06.60
amongst friends. The
reasons why nations go
00:12:07.04\00:12:10.14
to war with one
another is, is, is ultimately
00:12:10.17\00:12:13.42
because of poorly
fought internal battles.
00:12:13.45\00:12:17.93
The lust within our
members spill out, they
00:12:17.96\00:12:20.76
rule us, they dominates,
Self dominates and gets
00:12:20.79\00:12:23.43
his way, gets his will
and Self will always try to
00:12:23.46\00:12:26.61
fight outwards. So,
Self is always gonna blame
00:12:26.64\00:12:29.12
somebody else or
looking at, at something,
00:12:29.15\00:12:32.41
something external
for his problem when as
00:12:32.44\00:12:34.71
Christians we're called to
fight the battle internally.
00:12:34.74\00:12:37.95
We, we, we might call
it internal warfare versus
00:12:37.98\00:12:41.98
external warfare. And
this again is what God
00:12:42.01\00:12:45.61
calling us to do to
fight. This is the holy war that
00:12:45.64\00:12:49.41
Christians are to engage in.
00:12:49.44\00:12:51.00
And Self is always
trying to protect Self like you
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said this is why we
have so many conflicts in a
00:12:55.35\00:12:57.88
marriage, conflicts at
work or with people it's
00:12:57.91\00:13:01.35
because Self
rises and Self is going
00:13:01.38\00:13:03.68
to defend Self.
That's right, and the, the
00:13:03.71\00:13:05.83
things Self likes.
You know, we talk about
00:13:05.86\00:13:07.65
the music and movies and
all these different things.
00:13:07.68\00:13:09.83
Self is out for the,
these things energize Self.
00:13:10.40\00:13:13.76
These things empower
Self and that's why we
00:13:13.79\00:13:16.70
need to aware. We need
to understand that Self
00:13:16.73\00:13:20.49
being our enemy must be
defeated; there must be a
00:13:20.52\00:13:24.86
declaration of war against Self.
00:13:24.89\00:13:27.02
And, and that's
another very important issue
00:13:27.05\00:13:29.27
Atonte, when,
when America, you know,
00:13:29.30\00:13:31.96
when, when the Twin
Towers fell and America
00:13:31.99\00:13:34.26
knew, that this that
Jihad or holy war had been
00:13:34.29\00:13:37.59
brought to their
shores, they turned around and
00:13:37.62\00:13:40.50
made a declaration of
war. I want to talk about
00:13:40.53\00:13:43.94
that, that, that declaration
in a moment but Atonte
00:13:43.97\00:13:46.62
one of the greatest
mistakes that a person can
00:13:46.65\00:13:49.09
make is under
estimating the enemy.
00:13:49.12\00:13:51.69
When you
underestimate an enemy? When you
00:13:51.72\00:13:53.95
think an enemy will not
do certain things or, or, or
00:13:53.98\00:13:57.64
will not stoop
certain levels. We go into the
00:13:57.67\00:14:00.11
battle unprepared. We
go into the battle rather
00:14:00.14\00:14:04.05
prepared to lose. We
have got to have the right
00:14:04.08\00:14:07.58
assessment of the
enemy and once we have that
00:14:07.61\00:14:10.48
assessment, once we
understand who we're up
00:14:10.51\00:14:12.82
against, we make
that declaration of war.
00:14:12.85\00:14:16.43
United States made a
declaration of war some
00:14:16.79\00:14:18.99
people agree with
it, some people don't,
00:14:19.02\00:14:20.57
disagree with it, but
I believe as Christians
00:14:20.60\00:14:23.27
we have to make a
declaration of war, if we
00:14:23.68\00:14:27.99
don't make a declaration
of war against Self, Self
00:14:28.02\00:14:30.32
will continue to pound
away and to destroy us.
00:14:30.35\00:14:33.88
You know, flying
spiritual planes into us.
00:14:34.31\00:14:37.30
You know, whatever it is
just, just trying to destroy,
00:14:37.61\00:14:41.18
trying to detonate,
trying to bring us to ashes and
00:14:41.21\00:14:46.64
we've got to realize
you know someone said
00:14:46.67\00:14:49.16
you may as well run
or you may as well fight,
00:14:50.01\00:14:53.59
stand and fight
because if you run you only die
00:14:53.88\00:14:56.50
tired. Let me get
that, let me say that again,
00:14:56.53\00:14:58.54
you may as well stand
and fight, because if you
00:14:58.57\00:15:01.71
run you will only die
tired. And that's true of the
00:15:01.74\00:15:05.06
Christian war, when
you become a Christian you
00:15:05.09\00:15:08.35
may as well stand and
fight. That's right. Because if
00:15:08.38\00:15:10.53
you run, Self will come
after you, the devil will
00:15:10.56\00:15:12.81
come after you, you
will only die tired.
00:15:12.84\00:15:15.23
And as Christians God
has promised us eternal
00:15:15.48\00:15:17.75
life, death is not in
the picture for a Christian
00:15:17.78\00:15:20.59
when it comes to, we're talking
00:15:20.62\00:15:22.50
about spiritual
death. The devil wants to
00:15:22.53\00:15:25.00
destroy us spiritually,
Christ says I'll come to
00:15:25.03\00:15:27.62
give you life and to
give you life eternal.
00:15:27.65\00:15:29.50
That's right. And
you have to make a new
00:15:29.53\00:15:32.06
declaration of war
every single day because Satan
00:15:32.09\00:15:34.97
ups his attacks and he
never stops. I've told my
00:15:35.00\00:15:38.37
children sometimes some
days they have some hard
00:15:38.40\00:15:41.29
days and they find
that they have been
00:15:41.32\00:15:43.12
disobedient that day
and they say Oh! Mommy it's
00:15:43.15\00:15:45.63
so hard, I do not
know why I do these things.
00:15:45.66\00:15:47.58
It's because your
enemy never rests.
00:15:47.61\00:15:49.81
That's right. You can
never just get up one day
00:15:49.84\00:15:51.66
and, and have a
relaxed mind as far as your
00:15:51.69\00:15:54.61
fighting goes. You have
to make a decision everyday.
00:15:54.64\00:15:56.56
I have an enemy,
I'm making a decision to
00:15:56.59\00:15:59.61
allow God to empower
me today to fight this
00:15:59.64\00:16:02.66
enemy, it must be
a conscious decision.
00:16:02.69\00:16:04.82
That's right, when we
talk about Holy war we've got
00:16:04.85\00:16:08.57
to understand that
there are principles
00:16:08.60\00:16:10.43
involved in war.
Anyone that enters into the
00:16:10.46\00:16:12.66
military, they are trained,
you never just get a, get
00:16:12.69\00:16:16.22
a, get a group of
people together and say come on
00:16:16.25\00:16:17.66
let's go fight and
they go, no, there has to be
00:16:17.69\00:16:20.07
training, there needs
to be an understanding of
00:16:20.10\00:16:22.54
the principles of war.
Atonte many times I have
00:16:22.57\00:16:25.23
people emailing me or
calling me, I'm struggling
00:16:25.26\00:16:27.37
with this or that.
You know many times the
00:16:27.40\00:16:29.78
young people say, I
don't know how to give this
00:16:29.81\00:16:32.07
thing up, or give
that thing up, it's all the
00:16:32.10\00:16:34.57
people saying I've got
this problem, I've got this
00:16:34.60\00:16:36.75
stronghold in my life.
And as warriors we need
00:16:36.78\00:16:40.67
to understand the
principles of holy warfare.
00:16:40.70\00:16:44.08
One principle that, that
I just want to talk about
00:16:44.54\00:16:46.28
very quickly is temptation.
You know I believe that,
00:16:46.31\00:16:49.69
that temptation and
this has to be understood
00:16:49.72\00:16:52.96
in the right
way. Temptation is the
00:16:52.99\00:16:54.82
soldier's warning
system that Self is about to
00:16:54.85\00:16:57.94
launch an attack.
Like Radar. It's like radar
00:16:57.97\00:17:01.41
you know, when you,
when you begin to feel,
00:17:01.44\00:17:03.54
as a Christian you begin
to feel that feeling that
00:17:03.57\00:17:06.90
you get, when you
know temptation's drawn on.
00:17:06.93\00:17:09.27
Not that temptation
is a good thing, what I'm
00:17:09.30\00:17:11.65
saying is that temptation
is the, it's a warning
00:17:11.68\00:17:16.79
device saying Self
is up to something.
00:17:16.82\00:17:19.19
You know when Pearl
Harbor happened, people
00:17:19.22\00:17:21.48
to this day. Did
America know or were they caught
00:17:21.91\00:17:25.38
off guard. Same with
September 11th, you know
00:17:25.41\00:17:28.02
was, was there a
pre warning, did America
00:17:28.05\00:17:30.43
know or were
they caught off guard.
00:17:30.46\00:17:32.62
And I believe Atonte
that as warriors we need to
00:17:32.65\00:17:36.29
understand that when
we're under temptation.
00:17:36.32\00:17:39.72
It is, it is a warning
system, it is a warning
00:17:40.22\00:17:43.80
sign for us that Self
is getting ready to launch
00:17:43.83\00:17:46.98
an offensive. And principles
like these we're gonna
00:17:47.01\00:17:50.07
be discussing them in
our, in our upcoming series
00:17:50.10\00:17:52.69
but we're gonna be
learning how to fight the
00:17:52.72\00:17:55.79
good fight of faith.
You know, I like that
00:17:55.82\00:17:57.52
because we can instead
of temptation being this
00:17:57.55\00:18:00.22
big scary thing. We
can almost with God's power
00:18:00.25\00:18:03.17
flip it on the devil if
you will. You know use that
00:18:03.20\00:18:05.82
as a weapon, like we
said radar. So, that you know
00:18:05.85\00:18:09.06
something is coming,
something is approaching,
00:18:09.09\00:18:10.63
he is trying to get
me to do this thing.
00:18:10.66\00:18:12.06
And use it because,
just because temptation comes
00:18:12.09\00:18:14.53
doesn't mean we have
to fall into it, we don't
00:18:14.56\00:18:16.09
have to sin. That's
right. And so we can use that
00:18:16.12\00:18:19.23
against him.
Yeah, in fact the Bible
00:18:19.26\00:18:21.17
says, blessed is the man
that endureth temptation.
00:18:21.20\00:18:24.07
You know we got a blessing
from enduring temptation.
00:18:24.41\00:18:27.58
And we'll talk about that
a little bit later on, but
00:18:27.61\00:18:29.55
another important issue
Atonte, another important
00:18:29.58\00:18:32.15
event that took place
here in American was that
00:18:32.18\00:18:35.24
after 9/11 you had
many, many people who were
00:18:35.27\00:18:41.18
civilians leave their
civilian status to enlist
00:18:41.21\00:18:46.35
in the army. So, those
who are one time civilian
00:18:46.38\00:18:50.84
were now soldiers.
And I believe that one of
00:18:51.48\00:18:54.55
the greatest faults
in, in Christianity.
00:18:54.58\00:18:59.35
One of the greatest
weakness in Christianity
00:18:59.38\00:19:02.26
today is the oxymoron
of Christian civilians.
00:19:02.29\00:19:06.26
What in the world is
a Christian civilian?
00:19:07.03\00:19:09.73
You look at a civilian,
a civilian is a person who
00:19:09.76\00:19:12.18
you know enjoys
the pursuits of life.
00:19:12.21\00:19:14.40
He is engaged in
you know, you know, the
00:19:14.43\00:19:17.42
pursuit for liberty,
happiness, he is doing his
00:19:17.45\00:19:20.36
work. He is just
going about business. A
00:19:20.39\00:19:23.26
civilian is not a soldier
in a sense that the soldiers
00:19:23.29\00:19:27.19
are the ones that
protect our freedom.
00:19:27.22\00:19:29.05
The soldiers are the
ones that are fighting the
00:19:29.08\00:19:30.75
battle, the conflict.
And, and, and to have a
00:19:30.78\00:19:33.88
Christian civilian is, is
an oxymoron because there,
00:19:33.91\00:19:37.97
there should be,
there is no such thing as a
00:19:38.00\00:19:40.73
Christian civilian,
why? Because we are called
00:19:40.76\00:19:43.71
into Warfare.
Well, once you make a
00:19:43.74\00:19:45.66
decision to be a
Christian you're a soldier,
00:19:45.69\00:19:48.67
you're in war.
Second Timothy chapter 2:3
00:19:48.70\00:19:51.15
and 4 tell us this.
"Thou therefore endure
00:19:51.18\00:19:54.29
hardness, as a good
soldier of Jesus Christ.
00:19:54.32\00:19:57.95
No man that warreth
entangleth himself with
00:19:58.35\00:20:00.88
the affairs of this
life; that he may please him,
00:20:00.91\00:20:03.64
who has chosen
him to be a soldier."
00:20:03.67\00:20:06.68
And that word can
be translated warrior.
00:20:06.71\00:20:09.03
When we enlist as a
Christian, we are enlisting
00:20:09.46\00:20:13.10
as a soldier. There is
no such thing as a Christian
00:20:13.13\00:20:16.95
civilian. Civilians support
the war, we're behind the
00:20:16.98\00:20:20.48
war 100 percent.
Many Christians we, we
00:20:20.51\00:20:24.30
support you Pastor
you know, we, we're behind
00:20:24.33\00:20:27.15
the war but they're
not actually in the battle
00:20:27.18\00:20:29.96
themselves. As
Christians God calls us to enter
00:20:30.55\00:20:34.62
into holy war, you
know one amazing thing about
00:20:35.10\00:20:37.62
the, the difference
Atonte between a Christian and
00:20:37.65\00:20:40.39
a civilian is that civilians
you'll never see a soldier
00:20:40.42\00:20:44.62
on the battlefield
or I should say you will
00:20:44.65\00:20:47.69
rarely see a soldier on
the battlefield crying saying
00:20:47.72\00:20:51.86
why are they shooting
at me? Because they know.
00:20:51.89\00:20:54.40
I don't understand
it, what have I done?
00:20:54.43\00:20:57.41
Nor a Christian soldier
knows that he is in war.
00:20:58.23\00:21:01.77
So, he is expecting
bullets to fly his way.
00:21:02.27\00:21:05.18
He is expecting conflict,
he is not taking a back, he
00:21:05.21\00:21:08.54
is not offended when
he finds an offensive
00:21:08.57\00:21:12.07
coming his way. And,
and, and, and at so many
00:21:12.10\00:21:15.00
times as Christians we,
we get into this mind set,
00:21:15.03\00:21:18.12
this civilian mind
set, I don't understand why
00:21:18.15\00:21:21.08
this is happening to
me? This is happening
00:21:21.11\00:21:23.15
beloved, because we
wrestle not against flesh
00:21:23.18\00:21:26.14
and blood but
against principles and powers
00:21:26.17\00:21:28.20
against spiritual
wickedness in high places.
00:21:28.23\00:21:30.41
As Christians, we need
to get the mind set of a
00:21:30.68\00:21:33.80
soldier and leave
the status of a civilian.
00:21:33.83\00:21:36.94
You know, Satan, Satan
is banking that will keep
00:21:36.97\00:21:39.50
that mentality of
that word you know, we sign
00:21:39.53\00:21:42.75
up as Christians but
we're not really in a war.
00:21:42.78\00:21:44.74
Because once you take on
the mentality of, okay I'm
00:21:44.77\00:21:47.81
in a war on a daily
basis. And there is an enemy
00:21:47.84\00:21:50.35
that's gonna be coming
at me at all you know angles
00:21:50.38\00:21:53.75
then you take life
differently, you make
00:21:53.78\00:21:56.54
different
decisions on a daily basis.
00:21:56.57\00:21:58.92
I mean we all know
that again he fights in the
00:21:59.12\00:22:02.14
family or he uses the
family unit to try to, to, to
00:22:02.17\00:22:06.10
win this war, to win
battles. So, you're not
00:22:06.13\00:22:08.93
going to want to react
the same way, when your,
00:22:08.96\00:22:13.07
when your husband
says something that you
00:22:13.10\00:22:15.74
think is attacking
you. You gonna want God to
00:22:15.77\00:22:18.33
train you to be able
to defend that weapon.
00:22:18.36\00:22:21.55
That's right; we learn
to live in an atmosphere
00:22:21.58\00:22:25.83
of war as it were.
Again Paul tells us fight the
00:22:25.86\00:22:30.49
good fight of faith, we
have to expect conflict,
00:22:30.52\00:22:35.05
in fact First Peter
rather. Yeah First Peter chapter
00:22:35.08\00:22:37.87
4, verse 12 and 13.
Listen to what it says, beloved,
00:22:37.90\00:22:40.88
think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial
00:22:40.91\00:22:43.80
which is to try you,
don't cry on the battle field
00:22:43.83\00:22:46.77
saying why is
this happening to me.
00:22:46.80\00:22:48.68
Now, it's alright
to cry because you know
00:22:48.71\00:22:50.70
soldiers cry when
they're wounded, it's alright to
00:22:50.73\00:22:53.78
cry when you're
wounded? But we don't
00:22:53.81\00:22:55.15
cry, why was I
wounded? Why was I shot at?
00:22:55.18\00:22:58.07
We know, because
we're in a Holy war.
00:22:58.10\00:23:01.01
So, don't think it's
strange when fiery trials come
00:23:01.04\00:23:04.40
your way. As
though some strange thing
00:23:04.43\00:23:06.67
happened unto you
but rejoice an as much as
00:23:06.70\00:23:09.01
your partakers of
Christ's sufferings, that when
00:23:09.04\00:23:11.83
His glory shall be
revealed, you maybe glad
00:23:11.86\00:23:14.81
with exceeding
joy. You maybe glad with
00:23:14.84\00:23:18.41
exceeding joy. We
are told that as soldiers
00:23:18.44\00:23:22.15
we're gonna have
conflict. We're gonna have
00:23:22.18\00:23:24.53
warfare, but be glad
because you're fighting
00:23:24.56\00:23:27.47
the good fight of
faith. Another difference
00:23:27.50\00:23:30.21
Atonte between a civilian
and a soldier is the dress.
00:23:30.24\00:23:33.71
A soldier is in
military wear, civilian is in
00:23:34.30\00:23:40.36
civilian clothing. He is
not protected, again we're
00:23:40.39\00:23:42.96
called to put on the
armor of God. We're called to
00:23:42.99\00:23:46.63
live you know, the
soldier is always ready,
00:23:46.66\00:23:49.31
ever ready for. He
is always on guard.
00:23:49.34\00:23:51.40
He's never got his
guard down because he knows
00:23:51.43\00:23:53.62
he's in an atmosphere
of war. And as Christians,
00:23:53.65\00:23:56.93
when we have this
mentality of a Christian
00:23:56.96\00:24:00.28
civilian? We're
setting ourselves
00:24:00.31\00:24:03.68
up for a major
defeat. We need to have the
00:24:03.71\00:24:07.50
mentality of that the
fact that we are in a war and
00:24:07.53\00:24:11.20
that we must fight.
And I think as Christians
00:24:11.23\00:24:14.19
again we're just kind of
get so busy with life that
00:24:15.19\00:24:18.83
we forget that there is
a supernatural element out
00:24:18.86\00:24:21.49
there that is against
us. Now, praise God there is
00:24:21.52\00:24:23.93
another supernatural
element out there, who is
00:24:23.96\00:24:26.32
God, who is on our
side? But God gives us the
00:24:26.35\00:24:29.22
power but we must
still be able to focus
00:24:29.25\00:24:31.49
enough to realize.
And not get too busy that
00:24:31.52\00:24:34.44
we're in a war.
That's right. Now, one
00:24:34.47\00:24:37.51
more event Atonte
that we that we can discuss
00:24:37.54\00:24:39.39
with September 11th and
this war that that we're in
00:24:39.42\00:24:43.18
now, nations are in now,
this war against terrorism.
00:24:43.21\00:24:47.63
In every war there
has to be an objective.
00:24:48.72\00:24:51.19
A war without an
objective is a war where
00:24:51.71\00:24:54.15
you will never know are
we succeeding or are we,
00:24:54.18\00:24:56.52
you know, where are we?
Without the objective you
00:24:56.55\00:24:58.90
can never tell where you
are. And as Christians we
00:24:58.93\00:25:01.80
have a divine
objective. And, and I sum that
00:25:01.83\00:25:05.59
divine objective up
into two words, Contain and
00:25:05.62\00:25:10.33
Destroy. The Christians
objective in war is to
00:25:10.36\00:25:13.57
contain and to
destroy. What do we mean by
00:25:13.60\00:25:16.06
contain? We just read in
James 4:1 that all war is
00:25:16.09\00:25:19.32
a, is a result of poorly
or external conflict is a
00:25:19.35\00:25:23.20
result of poorly
fought internal conflict.
00:25:23.23\00:25:25.67
To contain means
that we keep Self
00:25:26.13\00:25:29.29
contained within. We
don't allow him to spill
00:25:29.32\00:25:32.38
out, to go on the
loose, when you speak out an
00:25:32.41\00:25:34.82
angry word. Self is on
the lose, when you react
00:25:34.85\00:25:38.18
negatively towards
someone, Self is on the
00:25:38.41\00:25:40.58
loose, when you're
arguing Self is on the
00:25:40.61\00:25:42.34
loose. The Christians
divine objective is to
00:25:42.37\00:25:45.81
contain Self, to keep
Self, to keep the battle within
00:25:45.84\00:25:49.81
and never spilling out
into the external, into the
00:25:50.23\00:25:54.86
external realm.
We've got to keep Self
00:25:54.89\00:25:56.89
contained, but what
about destroying? You know,
00:25:56.92\00:25:59.51
it's not enough to
keep Self contained, because
00:25:59.54\00:26:02.02
I may not speak the
evil word, I may not argue,
00:26:02.31\00:26:04.98
but I maybe arguing
where? In mind, in your
00:26:05.01\00:26:07.02
mind. In, in my mind,
I maybe speaking those
00:26:07.05\00:26:09.65
bad words in my
mind, I maybe having those
00:26:09.68\00:26:12.27
desires in my heart.
We've not only, we not
00:26:12.30\00:26:15.55
only have to contain,
but we must also destroy.
00:26:15.58\00:26:19.06
In other words, we're
told to bring every thought
00:26:19.45\00:26:23.74
into captivity to cast
down high imaginations.
00:26:23.77\00:26:27.79
That's Second
Corinthians 10:3-5.
00:26:27.82\00:26:29.76
And the word there
for cast down Atonte is
00:26:30.16\00:26:32.05
actually destroy. So, as
Christians we're called to
00:26:32.08\00:26:35.14
destroy, not only
contain Self within, but also to
00:26:35.17\00:26:39.23
destroy those thoughts,
those lusts, those desires
00:26:39.26\00:26:45.49
that Self tires to bring
up to take control of us.
00:26:45.52\00:26:48.66
So, that's our
divine objective, contain
00:26:48.69\00:26:51.08
and destroy. And I
believe that once we
00:26:51.11\00:26:52.98
begin to put these
principles into play.
00:26:53.01\00:26:55.05
And what we're gonna
learn over these next, in
00:26:55.08\00:26:57.46
this throughout this
series is gonna tremendously
00:26:57.49\00:27:00.36
help us in this war on the
ultimate terrorist we face,
00:27:00.39\00:27:04.47
you face a person that
you see, when you get up
00:27:04.50\00:27:07.39
in the morning, you.
And see why Satan wants
00:27:07.42\00:27:10.17
us to spend so much
time entertaining our mind
00:27:10.20\00:27:12.86
with all these other
things is because he doesn't
00:27:12.89\00:27:15.17
want us to fight that
war that's in our mind.
00:27:15.20\00:27:17.28
He doesn't want us to
be able to contain and
00:27:17.31\00:27:19.36
destroy. I mean that
takes some a lot of focus and
00:27:19.39\00:27:22.91
knowing what's going
on. You know, to even get
00:27:22.94\00:27:25.68
your imagination and
your thoughts under control.
00:27:25.71\00:27:28.22
That's right, we have
to have that ultimate love
00:27:28.25\00:27:30.40
for our general
Jesus Christ, Amen.
00:27:30.43\00:27:33.04
And be, stand in his
words, stand in his grace
00:27:33.07\00:27:37.76
and through that grace
he will give us the power to
00:27:37.79\00:27:41.04
defeat and the overcome Self.
00:27:41.07\00:27:42.73
I don't know, about
you, but I want to make a
00:27:43.48\00:27:45.61
decision to choose to
fight on a daily basis.
00:27:45.64\00:27:49.71
And to allow God
to work his miracles
00:27:49.74\00:27:52.37
working power in my
life and I pray that you will
00:27:52.40\00:27:55.19
make that same decision.
Well, we're all out of time
00:27:55.22\00:27:59.44
but until next time. God bless.
00:27:59.47\00:28:01.85