“The Enemy Within”

The Enemy Within

What an awesome season we are in. God has blessed, revealed, and confirmed in these past few weeks. The purpose for this church has widened in scope. God is positioning us to change more than just ourselves, and our community.

There are people everywhere in need of the faith, love, and prayers that we embrace. Doubt and fear is a cloud of darkness. It hides the revelation we love. The story of Jesus. That is the light of the world.

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” Ro. 13:12 KJV

I want to share some thoughts titled, “The Enemy Within”

There are four areas in our life that we have to deal with. You might say they are enemies to the plan and purpose of God. If you remember from last week, God has already given us the promises we need to be successful in our walk with Christ.

Just as He gave the children of Israel the promised land, we have to take our promises just as they had to take the land.

They fought a physical enemy. We are fighting something different. There are 4 areas of our life we must conquer. I will deal with 2 today.

The mind, and the will. Buckle your seat belts

Let’s begin with an attitude adjustment!!

Philippians 2:5-8 KJV

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Verse 5 from the Amp reads, “Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility],”

Humility has been lacking in Kingdom authority in this day and time. You can’t even begin to embrace the promises of God until you break before Him, and know it is not about you. It is all about Him.

The 1^st area of our life we must deal with is our mind.

Romans 7:21-25

21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.

22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,

23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Romans 7:21-23 Message

21“It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. 22 I truly delight in God’s commands,

23 but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.”

Our minds and our thoughts. There is a war going on for our thoughts.

1 Corinthians 2:14-16

14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.

16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Verse 16 AMPC

For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart.

The second issue we must deal with is our will.

Joshua gave a charge to the children of Israel when the land had been taken.

Joshua 24:14-15

14 “Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.

15 If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Believing the promise is only the beginning. You then have to disregard all the reasons why you can’t, and then choose to do what He said you can do.

Choose to believe and receive, or choose to walk away.

Here is a familiar word from David

Psalms 143:8-10 NASB

8 Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk;
For to You I lift up my soul.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in You.

10 Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

We have to be taught to do His will. Prayer, study, counsel.

Let me close with this admonition from Hebrews.

Hebrews 13:20-21 NASB

20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord,

21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be.

What will you choose? Your thoughts, or your will. Imperfect and lacking.

Choose you this day!!! #wewill #inHisname