Spiritual warfare (Understanding the mission)

UNDERSTANDING OUR MISSION IN THE WORLD:

We are not to be affected by the world, but we are to affect the world. The believer should be a light in a world of darkness, reflecting the glory of God and sharing the good news of the Gospel: Ye are the light of the world... (Matt 5:14).The impact of the early believers on the world was so great that it was said of them that they "turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). As soldiers in an army sent on a mission in a foreign nation, believers are on a special mission of God in the world. They have been instructed: ...Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).

Satan is called the "god of this world" which includes men who are not believers and demonic angels (II Cor 4:4). He offered the nations to Jesus during the temptation of Christ, and our Lord did not dispute the legitimacy of the offer. He simply refused to rebel against God in submitting to Satan's way of obtaining the rule (Matt 4:8-10). Satan uses his demons to influence and deceive the nations, leading the leaders and people astray from God. This is why there are cruel dictators and ungodly corrupt political systems in many nations. It also accounts for the wars and divisions between the nations. Satan especially influences leaders to hinder the spread of the Gospel.

ENEMY TERRITORY:

THE WORLD: The word "world" has different meanings in Scripture. It can mean the earth or universe in its physical order. It is used to refer to Gentiles which are all nations other than the Jewish nation. But the word "world" also is used to refer to the present condition of human affairs in opposition to God. It is the system that runs the inhabited earth, a system that is opposed to God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The "world" is the corporate group of flesh-centered individuals who make up the human race. Flesh, in this context, is not referring to the actual flesh of our body. It is a term which describes the basic evil human nature of man which is in willful rebellion against God. As our enemy, the world is the whole organized system of social, economic, materialistic, and religious philosophies which have their expression through organizations, personalities, and governments. It is not a specific government, organization, or person, but the worldly system upon which these are based. It provides an atmosphere, environment, and system which promotes fleshly sins. It surrounds man with that which appeals to his fleshly desires.

Satan is the "prince" or ruler of the world system (John 12:31; 14:30). Satan is also called the god of this world. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believed not... (II Cor 4:4).The kingdoms of the world are presently influenced by Satan. They are guided by Satanic philosophy and principles. They are flesh-centered and flesh-governed.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE WORLD:The world structure is in direct opposition to God, His plan, purposes, and people: Who gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father (Gal 1:4).The world system is without God: ...having no hope, and without God in the world (Eph 2:12).There is much deception in the world to ensnare believers to become part of the world system. For many deceivers are entered into the world (II John 7).

THE ELEMENTS OF THE WORLD:The "elements of the world" refer to the elementary principles that govern the world. They lead to spiritual bondage: Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world (Gal 4:3). The Rudiments of The World are the regulations on which the world structure rests. They are different from the principles upon which God structures His Kingdom. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances (Col 2:8,20).

The Philosophies of the World are principles of knowledge. Worldly philosophies are not based on Christ. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ (Col 2:8).Worldly wisdom is not God's wisdom. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God (I Cor 3:19). The Course of The World is the way in which it operates. Wherefore in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience (Eph 2:2).

The many "voices" in the world are contrary to the voice of God: There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification (I Cor 14:10).The peace of the world is temporary, fragile, and sometimes deceptive:Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).Godly sorrow differs from that of the world. Forgodly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repentedof:but the sorrow of the world worketh death (II Cor 7:10).

The world hates God. ...Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God (James 4:4).The world hates believers. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you (John 15:18-19).

OVERCOMING THE WORLD:

Recognizing that we are not of the world: John 17:14-16, I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

Realizing that gaining the world is not worth losing our soul:For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul (Mark 8:36). For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? (Luke 9:25).

Realizing that if we love the world, we are an enemy of God: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world (I John 2:15-16). Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God (James 4:4).

Recognizing the temporal nature of the world: And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever (I John 2:17). For the fashion of this world passeth away (I Cor 7:31). Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness (II Peter 3:11).

We can overcome the world because Jesus dwells within us: Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world (I John 4:4). Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (II Peter 1:4). For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (I John 5:4). And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony... (Rev 12:11).

WE ARE NOT IN BONDAGE TO THE WORLD:

As a believer, we do not have to be in bondage to the world system. Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also you had your conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind: and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God (Eph 2:2-3,13,19).

Romans 12:1-3 teaches that we no longer need be conformed to the world. We can be transformed (changed). We are part of a new kingdom now. We are the residents of the Kingdom of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God (I Cor 2:12). We learn more about our liberty in Galatians 4:1-7. We are not to be overcome by the world. Do not let the cares of the world destroy the work of the Word in your life (Matt 13:22; Mark 4:19).

THE ENEMY AND UNBELIEVERS:

The enemy has a very powerful strategy operating against unbelievers. He blinds their minds to the Gospel (II Cor 4:3-4) and snatches away the truth of the Gospel when they do hear it so that no response will occur (Luke 8:12). As a result, the Gospel sounds foolish and irrelevant to those who are lost in sin (I Cor 1:18). Satan also snares many unbelievers in false religions (I Tim 4:1-3) and leads them to walk according to the "course of the world" which is the philosophy of the age. That philosophy may vary from generation to generation and culture to culture, but it is always creature-centered and creature-promoting rather than God-centered. Satan is constantly sowing the seeds of rebellion (sin) in the minds of unbelievers by which he is able to keep them bound in his spiritual kingdom.

THE PURPOSE OF GOD:

It is God's purpose that... ...in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on earth... (Ephesians 1:10).From the beginning of time, Satan has battled against the fulfillment of this purpose. Our own warfare in the spirit world is related to this purpose of God. Satan battles to bring our soul into allegiance to him instead of the Lord Jesus Christ.

God works in us to accomplish His purpose. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do His good pleasure (Phil 2:13). God also works through our life to accomplish His purposes. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God (Romans 6:13).When we yield ourselves to become "an instrument of righteousness unto God," it means we bring our life and ministry in harmony with His purpose and plans. By doing this, we become a target for God's enemy, Satan.