Sermon by Greg Laurie of Harvest Ministries.
This is one of Greg Laurie’s sermons. What the Devil Doesn’t want you to know. The sermon is based out of Ephesians 6:10-13. The Spiritual war.
This is part of the series what every Christian needs to know.
Here are some notes from this sermon video, but I highly recommend you watch this video.
The day we were saved was the day our address changes from hell to heaven. This was also the day the real spiritual battle began. Just as God loves you, there is a devil that hates you. He wants to stop you from God. Like the Parable of the Sower.
Put on the Armor of God. You cannot be a spiritual pacifist. The Devil will tempt you. Attractive and enticing. (like my post what does the devil look like) The enemy is clever too. Never under estimate the devil.The devil can be overcome.
God didn’t create the devil as we know him today. Lucifer rebelled against God. He took ⅓ of the angels with him and they became his demons. He wanted to be worshiped instead of worshiping God.
The devil has many different names. Sometimes he is obvious and other times he may be subtle. He uses imitation, to pretend to be something that he is not.
- Satan is no where near being the equal of God.
God is all power, all knowing and present everywhere.
The devil is not power, but he has great power, but limited.
The devil knows many things, but he doesn’t know everything.
The devil can only be in one place at one place. A lot of times his demons are the ones that temps you. -
He can do nothing in the life of the Christian without the permission of God.
Just like Job and the hedge of protection.
Satan still has access to the throne of God, despite his wick agenda he still has to ask permission from God because of the hedge of protection around us. That doesn’t mean that he won’t be tempted. He won’t give us more than we can handle. Like Jesus said to Simon that Satan wants you taken out of the protection of God. By name.
When the devil knocks at your door, you should say, Jesus will you get that.
1 Corinthians 10:13 – Sometimes we put ourself in the way of temptation. We dip our hands in the fire and surprised when we get burned.
Sometimes the way of escape is the door. We always have a way out of temptation.
The Devil doesn’t work alone, he has demons, fallen angels etc.
Put on the Full Armor of God, see blog post.
Wrestle not, hand to hand, life or death battle. A fight to the death.
Satan has his demons doing his dirty work.
The purpose of demons is two-fold: to hinder the purposes of God, and to extend the power of Satan. Want to stop the work God is doing. When we do the work of God, we should brace ourself for demonic attacks. God will allow demons to temp us, harass us, etc. Even Paul 2 Corinthians 12, thorn in the flesh. Why would God allow attacks, hardship, illness, tragedies. Possible God allows it for us to call on God to back fire on Satan.
- The Devil doesn’t want you to know, he cannot control you.
He wants you to think you will always be a puppet. He can hassle or tempt you.
He wants you to think you are powerless. If we yield to his power he will have his way in our life. If we resist him, he won’t. God is greater than Satan. Jesus is not into a time share with your heart. Jesus is the sole occupant when you are saved. You cannot have Christ and demons inside of you. 2 Corinthians 6:15 & 1 John 5:18.
You cannot cast out temptation, things that attack you. We must deny the devil. Submit to God and resist the devil and he will flee from you. Stay as close to God as you can.
Be Strong in the Lord. No match in our own strength. We need to call for back up, our back is Christ. Greater boldness with the Lord. That is why the devil wants to separate you from the power base. Jesus is in our corner. 1 John 2:1 & Romans 8:33-34, Christ is interceding on our behalf. Laurie uses a good analogy about a court room, with you on trial, Jesus as the defensive attorney, God as the judge and Lu Cifer as the prosecuting attorney. Just listen how that hearing fans out in this video. -
He doesn’t want you to know he was soundly defeated at the Cross.
John 12:31. Through His death and the Cross he had power of the death, that is Devil.
It’s accomplished! Jesus said. Colossians 2:14 We don’t fight for victory; we fight from it. You don’t fight to get fight because it’s already be obtained.
Armor of God
We can win in the spiritual battle if we put on the Armor of God. We still will sin. We
can win the battle overall.
Ephesians 6:13-18
Below is Brief notes of the Armor of God from Greg Laurie.
Belt of Truth – Not a passion belt. A utility belt, like the one of a police officer uses to hold their gear, radio, hand cuffs, gun, etc. The Sam Brown. Wears it on duty. Same way with the Roman Solider. It was essential. Everything was attached to the belt. It held everything together. If you are living a lie, saying you are a Christian, but living a different way. You will be cut down.
Breastplate of Righteousness. Protected the organs of the solider. It is the kill zone. The righteousness of Christ. Forgiveness of sins and righteousness of Christ in your place.
We fail and fall short, but we stand in the righteousness of Christ. We are accepted by God, not based on what we done, but what He done.
Gospel footwear – the right shoes. Romans had sandals to boots, a variety of types of shoes used. They were gripping, spikes, hold ground. It was tough and light. We need ability to continue on when everyone else is quitting. To keep our footing when others are failing. To move when others are weighed down. Shoe is the preparation of the Gospel of peace. If your feet carry you to bring the message of Christ to others are beautiful. Church gains ground by evangelism. When is the last time you shared the gospel? Prayed by name of someone not saved? Or bring someone to church with you.
Shield of faith – above all means great importance.
Had 2 shields small one for close attacks, then the huge shield for marching. It was common to use arrows that were on fire at your enemy. Some fiery arrows or “guided missiles” are wicked thoughts. Thought of doubt, lust, hatred, anything ungodly. We don’t have to take it. Resist it! Stand in your faith. You must stand on the Word of God, sometimes its easy and other times it is Good. When you are worshiping, its like we are locking our shields together. But alone we still must stand.
Helmet of Salvation – Protects the mind the brain. Guard your mind from the thoughts. Keep it on Jesus. Fill it with the things of God.
Sword of the Spirit – The only offensive part used in the Armor. Sword was to attach, to afflict damage. Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The devil doesn’t want you to read the Bible. You may read the newspaper, every part of it. Then you open the Bible, the phone rings, kids screaming, birds sounding like cell phones (Denmark), thoughts I forgot this and that. Distractions. We need to sharpen it, and use it. Study the Word. What shape is your sword in? Is it polished and sharp or is it dull. A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone that isn’t. It is okay to wear a Bible out. It is okay, to write in the Bible. Learn your Bible, quote it, get familiar with it.
Don’t worry about this, C.S. Lewis’s book The Strewtape Letters. He enters into the imaginational conversions of Satan and the demons and points out truths. This is a book I want to read, my gastroenterologist suggested it to me last year. My pastor said it’s a good book to read. It does have some deep theology, my pastor said. One Story in the book about the demons say say no heaven, another no hell. Another said No hurry. That is the one the devil chooses. The devil will say don’t worry, you don’t have to worry. Just live the way you are living, (speaking to the lost)
Takes more faith to not believe in the devil then to believe. There is a devil! Jesus died for our sins and to protect us from the devil. If your lost, you need to come to Christ.
You may also be interested in this video by Paul Harvey “If I Were the Devil”
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Awesome blog, now following
Thanks Jodie Dye I appreciate the follow 🙂
good post. I can add to it. He does not want you to know that you can ask for The Holy Spirit’s help when doing things you cannot do in your own power & strength when it is something that glorifies God. He does not want you to know the benefit in praising God in the storm nor the power in humbling ourselves & fasting.
awesome thank you Lynn
LISTENING NOW
I really enjoyed the sermon until the end. The message is one that I would recommend for others except for the closing statements. The Sinner’s Prayer is not the Bible’s answer for putting on Christ and His righteousness. Baptism is. See Acts 2:38 and Galatians 3:24-29
I disagree with you cause Jesus said He is the way the truth and life … baptism is not required to get the heaven look at the criminal on a cross … baptism is a outward expression of your faith for Jesus
The criminal on the cross died before Jesus rose from the dead. He could not have been baptized into the name of Christ because Jesus had not entered Heaven with His blood atonement for our sin. Therefore the thief on the cross died under the Old Covenant. Jesus had not given His Great Commission to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations baptizing them into His name. That came after His resurrection. Baptism is not a sign that we have been saved. It is how we put Christ on. If we have not put Him on then we are not covered with His righteousness (Galatians 3:24-29). Baptism is how we die with Christ and bury the old man of sin and are raised with Christ. The old man of sin is there when we go into the water. That means that salvation is not accomplished before baptism but after it. If the Sinner’s prayer is the way to put Christ on then why was Paul still in his sins? He fasted and prayed for three days yet he still wore his sins. Look at Acts 22:16. Ananias told him to arise and be baptized and wash away his sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Calling on the name of the Lord cannot be merely prayer. If it was then Paul had been calling on the name of the Lord for 3 days. Calling on the name of the Lord is a covenant concept. It involves blood sacrifice. We cover ourselves with the blood and righteousness of Christ when we are baptized into His name.
baptism doesn’t save you its an action Christ is a person he is what saves you.
as a Christian though you’ll want to be baptized. but again it is not required.
Bible says those who call upon my name shall be saved.