Message Date: June 30, 2024
Bible
Ephesians 6:1-18
Hosea 4:6
Isaiah 5:13
Ignorance and victory are impossible roommates.
IDENTIFY THE BATTLE
IDENTIFY MY ENEMY
IDENTIFY MY WEAPONS
IDENTIFY HIS WEAPONS.
HOW TO WIN.
1. IDENTIFY THE BATTLE
ROMANS 12:1-2
Same thing as Ephesians. From the principle to the practical.
Your thought life is the battleground.
Metamorphosis – refit, refurbished
It’s the same thing but it’s not the same thing.
-DOESN’T HAPPEN ON ITS OWN!!!
You have to maintain your thought life.
The Unmaintained thought life
2. Identify the enemy
THE DEVIL And his agents are the enemy.
Not people. Tho people can be used by the enemy. We will speak of this later.
Ephesians 6:12 -13
3. Identify my weapons
Ephesians 6:13
Knowledge and it’s proper use wins battles.
Above all- most important or out in front either way…
Faith shield is the first line of defense
Quench ALL.
4. Identify his weapons.
Ephesians 6:11
He’s predictable.
A THOUGHT, AN IDEA, A SUGGESTION.
Adam and Eve set precedent
Gen 3:1-6
Then Jesus
Luke 4:1-13
Then Judas
John 13:2
Then Ananias and sapphire.
Trying to get in good te get stuff from church
Acts 5: 1-3
HOW TO WIN
Philippians 4:8.
Identify, quench, capture.
IDENTIFY
“Each Thought Has Life or Death Attached to It
Every thought, every idea, every suggestion—no matter how innocent, how simple, or how casual it appears—must be investigated.”
Life or death
Blessing or cursing.
ITS CALLED A TRAIN OF THOUGHT FOR A REASON. WHERE IS IT TAKING YOU???
QUENCH
(Finishing the song illustration.)
We are farmers.
The fuel source for a thought is attention, the lifespan of a thought is determined by how much attention it receives
The strength of a thought either increases or decreases depending on how much attention that thought is given. Like how long a fire burns.
“On the other hand, turning your attention away from a thought and on to other things is a thought’s worst enemy. When you are confronted with an attacking thought, turning your attention to what the Bible says (faith shield) has the same effect on that thought as turning your back on someone who is speaking to you and beginning a conversation with another person” (illustration)
“Therefore, the act of quenching begins as we redirect our attention away from the attacking thought and on to what we believe about the truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. Once your attention has been redirected from the thought to the Word,
Capture
2 Corinthians 10:5.
But sometimes a fiery dart no matter how many times you “quench a thought” it keeps coming and coming and that’s because it got through your “FAITH SHEILD “ because on some level you’ve made an agreement with it.
By agreements I mean those subtle convictions we come to, or assent to, or give way to. It happens down deep in our souls where our real beliefs are formed. Something or someone whispers to us, it typically comes as a thought or a feeling, and something in us responds with”that’s true”. We make an agreement with it, and it becomes a stronghold!
(Finishing the song illustration)
And now, the third and final step toward victory in this battle is to bring this “foe of a thought” into captivity.
Learn How Thoughts Capture You You Can Learn How to Capture Thoughts
It is clear: in order for a thought to capture us, it must bring with it other thoughts that support its case. Working together, they endeavor to overwhelm us with evidence. When the “friends” of the thought speak up, they present evidence that appears to support the validity of the attacking thought. They remind us of events and statements made by others that provide evidence that the attacking thought is legitimate.
Since we understand how thoughts capture us, we now have an advantage. So , once a thought has been identified as a foe, we then must quench it. We do that by turning our attention off of the thought and onto what the Word of God has to say about the suggestion or idea that the approaching thought is offering. Lastly, we must turn once again toward the RECURRING thought. Only this time we are accompanied by our friends—passages and scriptures from God’s Word that provide proof that the approaching thought is false, and evidence of Gods faithfulness that supports His word , As we turn toward the thought, we begin to allow what we have found in God’s Word, and our experience of his faithfulness to renew our mind, remember….. I beseech you by the MERCIES OF GOD