Spiritual Warfare: You're Needed In The War Room

Spiritual Warfare: The War Room

January 9th, 2022/Casey Middle School

War Room: It is where military leaders and generals discussed their tactics and strategies. It was very prominent during WW1 and WW2. The first war room was used back in 1901, and it was placed at military headquarters. - Resource

A war room is not simply a meeting, but a space to spark creativity and ideas so that we can maximize resources and opportunities in battle.

Story: Have you ever been in a season where you needed a war room? A space with wise counsel, people in the battle with you, and room to be proactive against the attacks in your life.

Single: for some of you, your war room is your closest friend or friends. The person or group of people you run to in times of intense battle. You seek counsel, share details about the attacks, and build a strategic plan moving forward. This is greater than a life coach, this is a brother or sister in Christ, fighting the battle alongside you.

Married: this is your spouse. Going on a date night or carving out intentional time to come together and share details of what you are facing and what you’re going through. This is a time where you come together in prayer, whether praying together or praying in alignment on specific battles you are facing.

Family: this is with your spouse as well. And your war room is probably your bedroom. You get the kids distracted and you go to the bedroom and strategize how you are going to fight for your family.

Church: this is with the body of Christ. We have a war room before service with our prayer team, we have a war room during service as you sit under the teaching of the Word of God, worship God through singing, and when you come down to the altar for prayer, we have a war room after service in another prayer room, and we have intentionally created war rooms during prayer and worship times with our teams.

When you showed up today you chose to fight. You chose to engage in the supernatural war going on in not just your life, but in our city.

Title: The War Room

Passage: Ephesians 6:10-20 CSB

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. 13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand,therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, 15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. 16 In every situation 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. 18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

Pray:

Background:

Haymakers:

1. The strength you need is not found in rhythms, goals, food, discipline, nature, or community, but in the Lord Jesus Christ.

   1. 10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.

   2. Unpack:

      1. Does anybody else feel like they are in a war zone right now?
      2. For some people here, you feel like you have been striving and striving, and never really overcoming the battles in your life. You keep facing the same giants, hitting the same walls, and feeling the same disappointments over and over again.
      3. What you need is strength! A source of power greater than your broken marriage, a source of strength, greater than your addiction, a source of strength, more powerful than your fears.
      4. Story: spiritual warfare over Christmas break. I needed help. I needed strength. I needed God to do what only He can do.

      5. Don’t strive until you need God! Walk with God every day so that you will always be ready to stand against the enemy regardless of the season!

         3. Application:

      6. When you need strength, turn to God. Commit your ways to the Lord, wait on Him.

      7. “But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired.” - Isaiah 40:31 AMP

      8. How to turn to God for strength:

         1. Reading of the Word
         2. Meditate on the Word
         3. Praise and Worship
         4. Prayer and Fasting
         5. Obedience to the Holy Spirit
            4. Quote: Strength comes through steadfast fighting against opposition and temptation, not by giving in or yielding to it.

      9. “We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means — the only complete realist.” - CS Lewis

      10. If you want to win, don’t give up, stay dependent on God. He is your strength!

2. You have an enemy attacking and deceiving your life, and God has given you everything you need to stand firm.

   1. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil.

   2. Unpack:

      1. God is your protector, defender, supplier, deliverer, provider, and guide. He will not leave you alone or in need in battle!

         3. Application:

      2. A strategy to win (V11-12)

      3. Knowledge of the opposition (V12)
      4. The resources you need (V13)
      5. A plan for how to use them (V14-17)
      6. Detailed communication (V14-20)
         4. Quote: Are you putting on the full armor of God or the full armor of self improvement

1. Hear me… there is nothing wrong with an inspirational book, a counseling session, a hike, or the pursuit of knowledge. God uses them. But on their own these are not weapons of warfare.
2. We need to stop using natural weapons to win a supernatural war.
3. We are given armor and weapons of warfare to both protect and fight against evil spiritual forces, but we are also instructed to pray.
4. 18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.
5. Prayer is not so much a piece of armor for warfare, it is the battle itself!
6. Song: “So when I fight, I fight on my knees, with my hands lifted high, Oh God, the battle belongs to You.”
7. Quote: “Standing firm in the armor of God doesn’t stop the spiritual warfare from raging. It stops it from defeating you.” Dr. Tony Evans

8. Application:

   1. Join us in 21 days of prayer and fasting
   2. Commit to coming to the altar for prayer
   3. Make prayer and fasting a consistent part of your story
   4. Start a “Prayer Request” note on your phone and pray specifically
   5. Be sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit to pray
   6. When we pray, we win. When we pray, we are strengthened by His power. When we pray, the enemy loses his grip. When we pray, transformation is possible!
   7. PRAYER IS OUR PRIORITY

9. Your current struggle is more supernatural than you realize. This supernatural enemy requires a supernatural strategy.

   1. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.

   2. Illust: Who are you wrestling?

      1. “12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood” KJV
         3. You have brokenness in your marriage. You have unresolved conflict in relationships. You hate your boss. You feel resentment towards your family. The people and hurt you feel are real! They just aren’t the root problem.
         4. Illust: pulling weeds. You gotta get the root.
         5. Two Kingdoms
      2. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.” - Ephesians 6:12
      3. “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.” - Ephesians 6:18

      4. The Kingdom of Darkness & The Kingdom of God

         1. “We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” - Colossians 1:11-14 4. As the church we are called to be His warriors.

         2. We are not simply civilians enjoying the benefits of the Kingdom, but we are contributors of His grace in a world that desperately needs the hope of the Gospel.

         3. We are not members of a club we call church, but co-laborers in the army of the Lord. 5. It’s through the Spirit that we boldly proclaim the Gospel.

         4. All authority is in His name! He draws (John 6:44), He calls (2 Peter 1:3), He equips (Acts 1:8), and He saves (Ephesians 2:8-9)!

         5. Our work is to continually empty ourselves so that He can fill us with His Spirit for the advancement of His Kingdom. 6. A lack of awareness of the battle that we are in will result in a life of apathy towards the greater cause of Christ. 7. “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” - 1 Peter 5:8 NLT

Closing: You are not fighting for victory, but from victory. The victory is yours when you engage battle with the full armor of God through prayer.