What to fight for

1. Fighting not against flesh
and blood
By
Elder G CHIHORA

2. Eph 6:12
It was not that there were no “flesh-and-blood”
enemies at Ephesus. During the great awakening in
that city, Paul had faced the wrath of Demetrius the
silversmith, who called together an assembly of
idol-makers to protest his preaching (Acts 19:23-
41).
Later, he gave Timothy a warning to beware of
Alexander the coppersmith, “Who did me much
evil. . .” in Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:14-18).
Jewish antagonists caused him many tears through
the difficulties they brought on him at Ephesus
(Acts 20:18-19). And the very adversaries who had
set themselves against Paul were also the
troublesome opponents of the Ephesian Christians

3. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4

4. Nature of the battle
Spiritually fought
Hebrews 11:3 The things which were made
There is understanding which comes only through what we can see, but then
there is one which comes through faith. God created the world, and we weren't
there to see it, but we trust the power of the word of God. We know and
understand his word is powerful
 Faith, you see, is confident in the power of God's words. Faith says, "I believe
God. He speaks. I trust him." It is precisely this facet of faith that is needed
when we face trials, adversity, and suffering, for, in those moments, it is
difficult to believe God is who He says He is. As our pressures mount, we are
tempted to disbelieve in God's word. But faith does not find an excuse to
depart from trusting God and instead presses in to lean upon Him.
 Rev 12:1-6 The battle was fought in heaven, against the devil.
 Connection to the spirit is paramount. Establish a strong relationship with God
for you to be victorious.
 2 Kings 6:17-20 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.”
Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full
of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha
 Ex 17:11-13 Moses' hands were lifted, Joshua overcame

5. How are battles fought
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporal; but the
things which are not seen are eternal.
We are in a spiritual battle all the time. The devil,
demons, do not take days off or moments off. We are
walking in the flesh, but there are spiritual battles
raging around us all the time.
This means the weapons of our warfare, 2
Corinthians 10:4, are not of the flesh but of the Spirit.
So you fight spiritual war with spiritual weapons. We
could dive into Ephesians 6 and the weapons in our
warfare, but notice what 2 Corinthians 10 is saying.
Our weapons have divine power to destroy
strongholds. And then verse five elaborates on what
we destroy.
Change your focus for you to be victorious.

6. How to wage war spiritually
 Through prayer
 Prayer is a mighty weapon at the disposal of every man or woman who
loves God, and knows His son Jesus Christ. I once heard prayer described as
guided missile that can be launched from anywhere on the face of the
planet at any target, and there is no defense against it. Satan can’t stop your
prayers.
 Prayer will also result in God’s power to bring about change. James said,
“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16
 Through the word of God
 Matthew 8:8 (KJV) The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy
that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my
servant shall be healed.
 Matt 4: 4
 Hebrews 4:12
 The blood of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12:11 (KJV) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,
and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the
death.

7. Resist the Devil by Submitting to God
• James 4:7 says: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the
devil, and he will flee from you.
• Submission means that we accept or yield to a superior force
or to the authority or will of another person. Therefore our
submission to God is an acknowledgment that God is superior
and that He has authority over us.
• God not only has authority over us – but He also has authority
over the devil himself. Therefore our submission to God is an
acknowledgment that ultimately the devil does not fight the
Christian believer alone, but the devil also fights the almighty
God.
• 2 Chronicles 20:15 NIV
• “Do not be afraid or discouraged... For the battle is not yours,
but God's. ”
• “the Lord saveth not with sword and spear” and that “the
battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47). 45-46 David confessed
victory and it was so.

8. Resist the devil by using God's
WORD
• Resist the Devil by Using God’s Word
• Whenever Jesus was tempted by the devil, you will notice that Christ
resisted the devil by using the scriptures to overcome satan’s
temptations (Matthew 4:1-11).
• Jesus Christ was rooted in the word of God. He lived by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of God. Christ was obedient to the
scriptures.
• It’s therefore important for every Christian believer to use God’s
word to overcome demonic or satanic philosophies that we may face
in life. The word of God stands far above every other idea,
suggestion or teaching. The Bible is also a spiritual offensive weapon
against the enemy as it is used to both protect and attack in times of
spiritual warfare. It is likened to a sword.
• Hebrews 4:12 says: For the word of God is living and active, sharper
than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of
spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and
intentions of the heart.
•

9. Resist the devil by wearing the
Armor of God
• Resist the Devil by Wearing the Armor of God
• Ephesians 6:11 says: Put on the whole armor of
God, that you may be able to stand against the
schemes of the devil.
• The armor of God consists of the Christian believer
exercising godly virtues and characteristics that
enable the believer to overcome the schemes of
the devil. According to Ephesians 6:13-17, these
virtues or characteristics include living according to
the truth of God’s word; They include living in the
righteousness of Christ; We must also share the
gospel of Christ; We must live by faith and not by

10. Resist the devil by Prayer &
Thanksgiving
• Resist the Devil by Prayer & Thanksgiving
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 says: Pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will
of God in Christ Jesus for you.
• As Christians it is important that we pray constantly
and that we do not fall into the trap of
ungratefulness. Instead we must learn to be
thankful in all circumstances.
• When we do not pray, we will end up distancing
ourselves from God. When we are ungrateful we
will have a complaining attitude.

11. Resist the devil by having the
Correct thought of life
• Resist the Devil by Having the Correct Thought Life
• 2 Corinthians 10:5 says: We demolish arguments
and every pretension that sets itself up against the
knowledge of God, and we take captive every
thought to make it obedient to Christ.
• We therefore resist the devil by taking captive
every thought and making it obedient to the word
of God. Our thinking patterns must glorify God. Our
thoughts must always be formed and accepted in
light of God’s word. Therefore we must not allow
the devil to manage our thought life.
• Philippians 4:8 says: Finally, brothers, whatever is

12. Conclusion
• The devil cannot be resisted by our own strength or
our own tactics and techniques. The word of God
must be our ultimate guide.
• Resisting the devil or any kind of demonic warfare
requires that we also yield to Jesus Christ and
realize that the battle ultimately belongs to the
Lord.
• Jesus Christ is above all things and He has the name
that is above all names. Therefore we cannot
overcome temptation or the devil without having
Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives. When the devil is
resisted, it’s because Christ alone gives us the