Difference between battles and wars. If' you're in a battle it is personal -- one on one. We know God wins the war in the end, but we need to fight the battles as they come with the weapons God has supplied us with.
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
That will be the end of this war -- but we are called to fight until the very end. It is a spiritual battle for the souls of humans -- battle for us. Will we be on Jesus's side or the devil's side? There is no in between. There's nothing glamorous about battle and war. The evil the world comes from Satan.
How do we know we are in a spiritual battle?
"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:13-14
"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him." Colossians 1:15-16
When we fell, we entered the spiritual war.
"By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." Hebrews 11:3
There are two ways of looking at this world -- the natural way (the way you see with your eyes) or the spiritual way -- Science vs. Spiritual. Spiritual warfare may not be visible to our eyes, but the bloody scars in this world from it are obvious.
Four areas of life are affected by the spiritual war:
#1 Personal life -- if you are an identified member of Jesus you will get attacked in your mind -- all kinds of ways: false guilt, condemnation, distractions, temptations, anger, rage, Attacks come through our eyes and ears and emotions. All Christians are attacked spiritually. Watch for the attacks. Be ready.
"25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold." Ephesians 4:25-27
"8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings." 1 Peter 5:8-9
Satan is after all of us. When you close the door Satan can't come in.
"15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it." Romans 7:15-20
Our human nature is base.
#2 Family LIfe! Everyone can see the attacks on the family: mariage, responsibility, sanctity of life. Marriage is a Christian sacrament -- created by God and is to be his design: one man and one woman.
#3 Church Life: Satan really hates communal worship! He tries to isolate us.
"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." 1 Timothy 4:1-3
Know what you believe.
"13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:13-14
Satan will look like anything he wants to look like. Don't be deceived.
#4 Culture and our nation.
We were created in God's image. We were meant to live as God made us to live. We get to see scars and wounds and the bloody consequences of spiritual warfare.
"2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2
Don't conform to culture, to the world, to world thought. Be transformed. You can't be neutral. You are for or against Jesus. There is no middle ground.
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath." Ephesians 2:1-3
#5 We are not alone.
"12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by[a] that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." John 17:12-16
Application -- FIGHT!
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
Armor up!
"13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:13-17
Satan loves to pick at you with tiny things -- things you might not notice. All people will suffer. Put your head into your salvation. Act like you are saved. You attack Satan with the Word of God. We are called to fight.