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"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law." (Gal. 5:22-23) |
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"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law." (Gal. 5:22-23) |
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Recent Newsletters
February 2008 Newsletter SPIRITUAL WARFARE
AND THE The true nature of the church In this article we are looking at the warfare
that comes against the local church, that is, the body of believers
of a city or a locality functioning with an eldership. In the biblical
situation, the church is always referred to geographically: a
city - the church at In writing to Scripturally: ·
each believer
is a member of the body of Christ (1Cor.12:18) placed in the
body by God Himself through baptism. ·
a normal
biblical fellowship was led by an elder(s) who had been appointed by
an apostle (Acts 14:23 & Titus 1:5). ·
the local
church in the Scripture refers to the body of believers in a given geographical
location led by elders who have been appointed by apostles. The conglomerate and divided nature of the
contemporary church is far removed from the scriptural pattern and issues
of warfare have been outworked in a ‘sub-normal’ church situation. In
seeking to address the nature of spiritual warfare and to come to know
the authority of the believer and the authority of the local church
in Christ, we can examine the scriptural testimony and learn from there.
Warfare against Principalities and Powers In Ephesians 6:12 Paul introduces us to spiritual warfare of a cosmic nature. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” We are not talking about demons who possess or harass human beings on the earth; we are talking about the powers of the devil in the heavenly places. Because the nature of the enemy is that of princes and powers and rulers, the warfare is on a corporate level, that of the local church. The local church in proper Biblical order has apostolic authority delegated from Christ through the apostle to the elders. This authority gives the local church the standing they need to withstand the attack of the enemy. The placement of the Church In Ephesians 1
the Scripture clearly says that God has “seated Christ at His right hand in heavenly
places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion,
and every name that is named, … And He put all things under His feet,
and gave Him head over all to the church, which is His body, the fullness
of Him who fills all in all.” 20-23. Then the Scripture says
God has “raised us up together, and made us sit together
in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” Eph.2:6. We learn from
these verses that the church has been placed in Christ Jesus in the
heavenly places far above all principality and power. As we accept this
revelation and come to know the reality of where the church is placed,
our attitude and approach to spiritual warfare in the heavenlies is
vastly changed. It is the mature church that is able
to put on the Spiritual Armour Notice that the teaching on spiritual armour and the revelation
of whom we struggle against in the heavenly realm [second heavens –
where the demonic rulers are] is in chapter six of Ephesians. To fully comprehend and apprehend
the authority and resultant protection and offensive warfare through
the word and prayer, the saints, including the ministers, need to be
fully instructed in the deep and awesome teachings of chapters one to five of Ephesians. Then and only then is the
church in a position to effectively stand against the attacks of principalities
and powers. Unfortunately many have made the mistake of teaching ‘spiritual
armour’ to Sunday school children while the adult church is ignorant
of the deep and powerfully establishing teaching of Ephesians 1-5. A BRIEF SUMMARY OF EPHESIANS Chapter one:
the heavenly blessings, including “adoption as sons”, the prayer for
revelation
and enlightenment, and the awesome statement of where Christ
is in His ascension “far above all principality and power”. Chapter two:
by faith we are seated with Him in heavenly places (v6).
We are His workmanship, (v10).
We have been brought near by the blood of Christ; we are part of one
new man, Jew and Gentile together and we are being built into the house
of God. Chapter three:
Paul reveals deep insights into the mystery and in verse
10 declares that it is when the church walks in the knowledge of
the mystery that there will be victory over principalities and powers.
Paul prays another powerful prayer for us. Chapter four:
the oneness of the Lord and His body, (v4-6);
the revelation of the five-fold ministries bringing the church to perfection
in love; the nature of the new man. Chapter five:
walking in love, light and wisdom; the revelation of the mystery of
Christ and His church. Chapter six:
v1-9 right order in the family and the
work place. When the church is walking in the light of revelation
and obedience to the word of God taught in Ephesians, then the church will effectively
“stand” against the attacks of the
evil one. HOW TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF
THE DEVIL – Eph.6:10-12 “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might”
v10. The exhortation is to be strong in the Lord and the power
of His might, not to fight with spiritual powers, or to fight the devil,
but to be strong in the Lord and to know the empowerment of the Spirit
within (Eph.3:16). There
is a well known verse often quoted in Pentecostal/Charismatic circles,
“It
is not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit says YAHWEH of Hosts”
Zech.4:6. Despite quoting this verse, many have then taught and
practised a form of spiritual warfare very much based on human effort
and knowledge. By putting on the whole armour of
God In verse 11 Paul tells us to “put on the
whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles
of the devil.” We are to stand against the devil, knowing that
he is scheming against us all the time. The context of Paul’s instruction
is to the church as a body, not as a group of individuals. We need to
put on the whole armour of God. Many local fellowships/churches are
gathering places for believers but God is interested in His people assembling
in order. As individual believers gathered we may only be a heap
of lively stones. It is only when we are assembled [the stones built
into a wall] that the local body can function and perform that which
Christ intends and ordains. The church that is truly assembled is the
church that will know how to put on the whole armour of God and be able
to stand because that church has been brought to maturity through the
functioning of the five-fold ministry gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist,
pastor and teacher (Eph.4:11-14). There is the wrestling There is a wrestling at a supernatural, demonic level.
There is a battle against powers in the heavenlies. We are on the earth
and it is when these powers try to interfere with us on the earth as
we seek to fulfil the Great Commission that we have a wrestling. These
powers are able to influence individuals, governments and leaders. When
Christians start to rise up and the church is formed into a functioning
body there is a wrestling with these powers. This can be manifest through
false religions becoming militant against Christians and the Gospel,
through governments and authorities legislating and decreeing anti-Christian
laws and rules, and through the spirit [power] of Jezebel who is attacking
the churches by continually infiltrating the church (Rev.2:20-26). But we are able to stand However in verse 11 we are told to ‘stand’
not to wrestle, bind or provoke. Verse 13 then says “Therefore take up the
whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the
evil day, and having done all, to stand.” We are to ‘withstand’,
that is to stand your ground because something is coming against you.
When the attack comes you can withstand the powers of the devil, because
you have already learnt to stand. Paul exhorts us again in verse
14 to ‘stand’. This teaching is to enable us to stand and withstand
any attack of the devil. This is no longer talking about individual
warfare but fellowship warfare involving the local church of the city
or the town and the elders and saints together in that city. We are
not told to fight with the powers, but to stand against the powers.
Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 16:18 “I
will build My church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against
it.” Our job is to function in ministry for the building up
of the body of Christ until we all come to maturity. As we function
in this clearly God-given ministry, the enemy will attack but we are
instructed in these verses and in many other places in the word of how
to withstand the attack of the enemy. [This teaching is part one of a two part series
‘Spiritual Warfare and the CALENDAR February: Sat. 9th
[evening] Paul & Nicholas depart for Sat. 16th Algester house church
meeting: Sharma, Ph. 07 32760589 Fri. 22nd - Sun. 24th
COMMUNITY WEEKEND at Fri. 23rd 7pm – Worship/Seeking the Lord night
Sat.
24th - Training Day
at sessions 10.30am – 4pm
Sun.25th - Community Sunday at 10.30 worship, communion, followed by fellowship lunch. Sun. 24th Jean Manning departs
for March: Sat. 1st
Algester house church meeting: Tue. 11th [evening] Paul & Nicholas arrive home Fri. 21st – Sun.23rd
EASTER WEEKEND SEMINAR at Fri. 21st Session I: 2pm – 4pm; Session II: 7pm – 9pm Sat. 22nd 10am to 4pm – three sessions, including lunch.
7pm – Music, praise &
worship night Easter Sunday 23rd Community Sunday at 10.30 worship, communion, followed by fellowship lunch Wed. 26th – Mon. 31st Paul & team Northern house church ministry trip Wed. 26th Caboolture; Gladstone in evening Thurs. 27th Mt Morgan; Half Tide in evening Fri. 28th Mackay; Proserpine in evening
Sat. 29th & Sun.30th Proserpine, Mon. 31st returning to Toowoomba. Sat. 29th Killarney – young adults fellowship; Glynn
& Lara Browne, ph. 0429356587 Sun. 30th Jean Manning arrives
home from April: Thur.24th - Sun. 27th
COMMUNITY WEEKEND at Thurs. 24th – Fri. 23rd – 9am – 4pm teaching; 7pm – Worship/Seeking the Lord night Sat. 24th
- Training Day at Sun.25th - Community Sunday at 10.30 worship, communion, followed by fellowship lunch. May: Fri. 30th – Sun. 1st
June COMMUNITY WEEKEND
at Fri. 30th 7pm – Worship/Seeking the Lord night Sat.
31st - Training Day
at sessions 10.30am – 4pm
Sun. 1st June - Community Sunday at 10.30 worship, communion, followed by fellowship lunch. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Mid year Training School INTERNATIONAL
APOSTOLIC TRAINING 2008 Monday 30th
June – Friday 18th July Pastors, Leaders and those called to minister in the body
of Christ For International
brethren & open to brethren in Training School for
Children & Youth, ages 4 to 13 Monday 7th
July to Friday 11th July Thursdays 9am to 4pm under leadership of Pastor Peter De-Bressac. This
year the The Discipleship III Course is being offered for external study as well and a number of our brethren in the regions have already committed to this study. Overseas trips: Travel to
May 14th Team transits to
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