Episode Details

Not a PHYSICAL FIGHT — SPIRITUAL FIGHT

Today’s Goal

Know that we are a part of something bigger

Knowing is half the battle
This world is NOT WHAT IT SEEMS

• There is a behind the veil

We live in BOTH…

A PHYSICAL REALITY

A SPIRITUAL REALITY

• More than just a body
• A soul/spirit

Naturalistic vs. Theistic Worldview

• Naturalism – naturalism beliefs

Naturalism:

The belief that nature is all that exists and that all things supernatural (including gods, spirits, souls, and non-natural values), therefore, do not exist
Theism:

The view that all things are dependent in some way on one supreme or ultimate reality or being
Naturism is what we have inherited

• Suspicious of anything that cannot be proven by science
• Trust the science

But this has left us with a MEANING CRISIS

• What is the point of life if there is nothing beyond what we can see (naturalism)

The spiritual tide is returning — But bring in with it the sharks

• Not all good things

A recent study of 10,000 Gen Z individuals aged 13 to 25 years:

• 68% considered themselves religious
• 77% considered themselves spiritual

Gen Z individuals define spirituality as:

• Autonomous and faith unbundled, and it is inclusive of all faiths and practices
• All roads lead to the same destination
• Pick your spirituality
• Individualism with a “SPIRITUAL VENEER”

Significant increase in the supernatural

• “Witchtok”
• Wiccan
• Crystals
• Horoscopes
• Palm Readers
• Tarot Cards
• Pagan ceremonies
• New Age philosophies

These are off-limits to Christian believers

• Cannot be a partner with both light & darkness

Why does this matter?
It matters because of the CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW

• There is a spiritual reality
• This spiritual reality is composed of EITHER – Light or Dark – Goodness or Evil
• This Spiritual reality has REAL CONSEQUENCES for our PHYSICAL life

The Christian answer to this is this

The Christian recognizes that there are Good spiritual forces that come from God our Father, and there are also rebellious, wicked forces that oppose the things of God
How we engage with this reality is called:

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

• We take spiritual warfare seriously because we take the Bible Seriously

Paul writes a letter to a church he planted after being a missionary in a place called Ephesus

Ephesus was known as a place that practiced pagan (demonic) magical arts

• Diverse area
• Mixing pot of religion and philosophies

To fight for your life, you must first…

Ephesians 2:1-3

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.
Paul introduces us to the “UNHOLY TRINITY OF EVIL POWERS”
The Unholy Trinity of evil powers:

The Devil

The World

The Flesh

We must take into account all three of these
The Devil

Satan is the personal name of the head of the demons. Demons are evil angels who sinned against God and who now continually work evil in the world

• The tempter – in the Garden and of Jesus
• The King of lies
• The enemy of God and his good creation