I am often asked if I believe in spiritual warfare, and my answer is always YES! 

Is there really such a thing as angels, demons, and the devil?

Do you really believe in that kind of stuff?

Yep! Here is why!

I have had some unique real life experiences in dealing with Spiritual Warfare.

The truth is I don't talk about it frequently because it tends to either bring fear in some and attract those who see the devil and demons behind every corner.

(Just a friendly reminder, If something goes thud in the night, it's probably not a demon – It's just your cat! Close--but not a demon! ha! )

Since we are in a sermon series about Spiritual Warfare I thought It would be cool to talk about this on the blog too!

This is something I think we can all relate to.

To do this, I will be using a passage that may seem unrelated to the subject at first glance.

HOWEVER upon closer examination, I have discovered that it is filled with practical applications that will be helpful in gaining a better understanding of Spiritual Warfare.

Let's dive into Nehemiah 6:1-13, Allow me to set the stage for this story in the remainder of this post.

In Nehemiah chapter one, we witness God stirring Nehemiah's heart to accomplish something GREAT for Him. (I believe God instills this desire in all of us if we will listen!)

As Nehemiah pursued God's dream, incredible things began to happen, and the wall around Jerusalem started to be rebuilt, thanks to his obedience.

However, whenever we set out to do God's will, there will ALWAYS be RESISTANCE.

In Nehemiah 2:19, we see that not everything was smooth sailing for Nehemiah as he pursued God's dream.

People began to taunt him, but Nehemiah managed to stay focused, as shown in Nehemiah 2:20.

(It's funny how people usually will have NOTHING to say as long as you're living for yourself, but the moment you step out to do something GREAT for God....EVERYONE has an opinion on if you should do it or not.)

We see it in our lives and we can see it in the story of Nehemiah....

The enemy never gives up fighting against what Jesus has called you to do.

1 Peter 5:8 says, he prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Jesus also warned in John 10:10 that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

Pause--the LAST thing the devil wants us to do, is what God has asked us to do!

The enemy does not want us to fulfill God's calling in our lives.

But he(The devil)DOES want to DISTRACT us!

Take a look at Nehemiah 3....The work continued, but once again, in Nehemiah 4:1-3, the enemy mocked God's work, attempting to distract Nehemiah and engage him in unnecessary conflicts...

Spiritual warfare is more than just what we see in The Movies.

It's more than haunted houses, priest flying across the room, and a scary story line...

It's none of those things in fact...

I think the enemy's greatest attacks are the ones that are subtle...Spiritual Wars are won and lost, one small step at a time...in order to get you to fight battles that God has never called you and I to fight!

This happens when we argue and launch all-out wars over things that will not matter in the scheme of eternity.

Jesus did't die on a cross and come back three days later so you can win that Facebook comment war with your crazy uncle!

Let me remind you, if the enemy attacked Nehemiah, Who was building a wall.

Then why do we feel surprised when it happens to us, who are serving, giving, and BUILDING Jesus' CHURCH!

Take a look at how Nehemiah responded to the attacks of then enemy...

Nehemiah 4:14 – he motivated the people to fight THE RIGHT BATTLE.

and then in Nehemiah 4:15, we witness God to continue to do amazing work through them.

This back-and-forth struggle is familiar to many of us.

Some days, it feels like we are on top of the world spiritually, while other days, it feels like the weight of the world is on our shoulders...but we gotta STAY FOCUSED.

Some days, we feel God's presence beside us, while other times, we doubt our own salvation...but we gotta STAY FOCUSED.

Some days, the Bible comes alive to us, and its words speak directly to our hearts. Other times, it feels like we are reading an encyclopedia, with little impact..but we gotta STAY FOCUSED.

Some days, we leave church feeling refreshed and enlightened, while other times, it seems like our time was wasted...but we gotta STAY FOCUSED.

Spiritual warfare is real – it always has been and always will be.

Tomorrow, we will delve deeper into this topic. Stay tuned! -PZ

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