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Defeating the Enemy Within

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Defeating the Enemy Within

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Defeating the Enemy Within

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Jesus commands us to shine as lights to the world, to reflect God's way of life, and to use our talents to edify, comfort, and exhort the Body of Christ. Our focus must be centered on God, the Creator of heaven, earth and our source of truth and strength. We must allow God's Holy Spirit to rejuvenate, energize, motivate, and dominate our minds and actions. Let us defeat the enemy within, do what we know to do, bring every thought into captivity and be a light today!

Transcript

[Donald Ward] Defeating the enemies within or defeating the enemy within – singular for you and me. We’ve returned from the feast, and we should have a new sense of urgency, and our lamps filled with oil, and a renewed sense of urgency and zeal. With this oil, Jesus commands us to be the light of the world. Let’s note that in Matthew 5:14.

Matthew 5:14 – You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

So Jesus commands us over and over, not to bury our talents, but to use them to edify, comfort and exhort the body of Christ. But it seems that soon after the Feast our enthusiasm begins to wane and our light begins to flicker. Even at the Feast, one of the main comments we heard was, “I am so tired and weary.” At the Feast, the cares of this world can seem so far away. And then we return home and we are once again faced with the cares of this world. So we return home tired physically, but rejuvenated, hopefully, spiritually, which is often the case. But which one will determine our course of action in the weeks and months that lie ahead? Will we be dominated by cares of this world and how we feel physically, or will we be rejuvenated, energized and motivated by the spiritual side? Which mind will dominate our actions? Will it be the physical mind, or will it be the mind of the Spirit?

Let’s note Romans 8:13. We are familiar with Romans 7 and 8 – this great warfare that is going on between the mind of the flesh and the mind of the Spirit. It will always be there. It will be there until the day you die – this war between the mind of the Spirit and the mind of the flesh. And we are told clearly that to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. In Roman 8, and verse 13, we are admonished to mortify the mind of the flesh.

Romans 8:13-14 – For if we live after the flesh, we shall die. But if we through the spirit do mortify – means put to death, keep the old man under the watery grave at baptism – the deeds of the body, we shall live. But if we through the Spirit do put to death the deeds of the flesh, we shall live. For as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

So, are we going to let the cares of this world, and our physical feelings, or even our mental set get the best of us? To a large degree, we know that thought is the precursor of action, and action is a precursor of our habits. Are we going to let the cares of this world get the best of us?

Note Christ’s warning about how we should treat our calling and His word. Let’s note that in Mark, chapter 4, verse 13 – how we should respond to that calling and how some…of course, we are warned about the way some people treat their calling. In Mark, chapter 4, and verse 13, Jesus spoke this parable:

Mark 4:13-21 – And He said unto them, “Know you not this parable? And how then will you know all parables? The sower sows the word. So Sabbath after Sabbath we attempt to sow the word, and you, through the course of the week, you attempt to sow the word in your heart and mind. And these are they by the wayside, where the word is sown. But when they have heard, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. Satan doesn’t want the word of God to take root in your heart and for it to bear fruit. These are they likewise which are sown on stony ground who, when they have heard, immediately receive it with gladness and have no root in themselves and endure for a time. Way over 50% of all people who have ever been baptized in the Church of God – from Worldwide Church of God into the splinter groups of the day – the average tenure in the church is fifteen years. But after having endured or gone through fifteen years, so many fall away. …no root in themselves and endure but for a time. Afterward when affliction or persecution arises, for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. See, the covenant that we make – and I try and make this clear in baptism counseling – the covenant we make is with God and Christ, and, in essence, we are making a covenant with each member of the body of Christ. We are members one of another, as it says in Romans 12, and verse 5 – that we are going to stay the course. But that covenant is not with man. It is with God. It is with Christ – and each member of the body of Christ – that we enter into the body of Christ through repentance, faith, baptism and the laying on of hands. These are they which are sown among thorns, such as hear the word and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in chokes the word and it becomes unfruitful. And these are those that are sown on good ground, such as hear the word and receive it and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty and some a hundred. And he said unto them, “Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel or under a bed, and not to be set on a candlestick?” So, as we read from Matthew, chapter 5, God expects us to reflect His way and what He’s called us to.

Now let’s note the exhortation that is given in Galatians, chapter 6 – the exhortation here. As I’ve said so often, we hear the expression, “I’m so tired, I’m weary. I’ve been in the church over fifty years…,” or “I’ve been in the church fifty days…” or whatever it might be. There is this admonition – exhortation here – by the apostle Paul to the Galatians. In Galatians 6:6:

Galatians 6:6-9 – Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teaches in all good things. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows that shall he also reap. That is a living principle – axiom – whatever word you want to use. It is going to happen. Whatever a man sows that he will also reap. For he that sows in his flesh shall in his flesh reap corruption, but he that sows in the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. These are absolutes. These are not maybes, can-bes, want-to-bes or anything like that. This is the absolute word of God. And let us not weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

So hopefully, we have been refreshed and rejuvenated in the spiritual sense. That refreshing, and that rejuvenation takes effort in order for it to continue. There is no question, as we read personally, and we see the news, and hear the news and hear people talk, we see what is going on in the world, there is no doubt that Satan and his minions – his agents – have stepped up their deceitful practices. The war of the ages is being intensified every day. As I said in the announcements, the war of the ages began in the Garden of Eden – Satan against humankind. The prince of darkness is waging war against the Prince of Peace and Light, and he is waging war against you and I, or we can say, you and me. On the other hand, we are told we live in the age of enlightenment and leisure, but deep down we know that is not true – ever learning but not ever able to come to the knowledge of the truth. There doesn’t seem to be enough time to do anything but to take care of our next obligation. Our next obligation – what do I have to do next? This is the way so many of us are living our lives. Instead of enlightenment and wisdom, the world plunges deeper and deeper into the dungeons of darkness – the symbols, which you heard about in the sermonette, that represent evil. Good is called evil and evil is called good were heralded from pillar to post and wrung out all the way.

In so many things and so many settings, we are there in body, but our minds and spirits are occupied with the cares of this world. How are we, and are we going to divest ourselves sufficiently to get rid of the cares of this world and to focus on what God really wants us to focus on? In so many settings, our minds and spirits are occupied with the cares of this world. At times, we are just numb. It seems our bodies and minds just shut down as if to say, “I can’t take it anymore.” Perhaps the chief complaint of our time, for both young and old, is I am so tired. We heard it, as I said, often at the Feast and yes, we also said it. We keep pushing ahead as we struggle to meet our next obligation, so we get another little surge of adrenaline and push forward.

Recently, I was at a convenience store. A young man was pumping gas, and two of his young children were out there with him. He pumps the gas, and they go into the store together, and they come out of the store. I look up, expecting that the youngsters would have either a drink, or candy, or chips, or something like that, or eating something. But no, there were not chips or candy. The kids were empty-handed, but their dad was drinking an energy drink, and it was 9 o’clock in the morning. So, I think that is somewhat of a commentary on where the world is today. That little glimpse of anecdotal evidence is quite revealing as to where people are. We are caught up in what they call the rat race of survival – the survival syndrome mode. I gave a sermon about a year ago on the survival syndrome mode. With all our doing it seems that no one really appreciates the fact that we have sacrificed whatever we have in order to do what we are doing. It is like everything is expected and taken for granted, and we are making sacrifices and burning the candle at both ends. But it is largely having to do with the physical – just taking care of the physical. And somehow, we come to believe that is just the way that life is, and the way it is supposed to be, and “I can’t do anything about it. What am I going to do, because I’ve got to be wherever I’ve got to be next time. So, I have just got to hold on and hope that I will survive.” Yet Jesus said – and we talk about priorities – and Jesus said – this is one of the themes that we heard over and over at our Feast site – in Matthew 6:33:

Matthew 6:33 – Seek you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.

But we really, to a large degree, are not in control of our lives. To a large degree, we are controlled by situation and circumstance. Is there a way to break forth so that we are in control of our lives, and do we have a viable plan to change the way things are? I can assure you that once the routine and the ruts are established and well worn, to break out of those requires tremendous effort. The reason that something like a crisis, whatever it may be, can gain so much attention is that it provides the opportunity to escape from the boredom of our ho-hum, humdrum lives and everyday activities. So, we focus on something outside of ourselves in a times of crisis and that gets the focus off of what our lives are like, and the loneliness and the boredom of this current evil age. They say that loneliness and boredom are one of the main causes of depression and one of the main maladies that people are suffering from in this age. Yes, we are on the go, surrounded by people, but very often there is a knowing aching emptiness deep inside of us and, in so many ways, we often feel disconnected. “I am alone and bored. Who else is out there? Who will hear? Who will understand where I am?” This is one of the main reasons why suicide is the second leading cause of death of persons under 30 years of age. Automobile accidents are number one. And automobile accidents, when they are investigated, many investigators come to believe that really this wasn’t an accident. This was suicide. People killing themselves by the way they drive their cars are taking an “I don’t care” kind of attitude, filled with road rage, and wind up dead.

Our lives are now analogous to a treadmill. We walk in the same place. We think the same thoughts, do the same things over and over, but we are going nowhere. We are obsessed with self, without even realizing it. And now Satan the devil has us right where he wants us. When we pray, it’s sort of out of desperation and the focus on our problems. So, let’s look at Psalm 77 again. In almost every counseling session I have had through the years, I eventually wind up at some point with Psalm 77 – though it is not always the case, but it is generally always relevant.

 Psalm 77. Of course, if you read those first 4 verses in 2 Timothy 3, where it says, “…in the last days perilous times will come because men shall be lovers of themselves, disobedient, unthankful, unholy”…it just goes on and on there in 2 Timothy 3. Here in Psalm 77, we see the psalmist crying out to God in prayer:

Psalm 77:1-13 – I cried unto the Eternal. I cried unto God with my voice and He gave ear unto me. God can hear in the audible sense. There is hearing, in the audible sense, as we do on the Sabbath, but hearing in the action sense is something else. In the day of my trouble I sought the Eternal. My sore ran into the night and ceased not. That has to do with the position of prayer that is described in the Bible – as on your knees with your hands outstretched to the heavens and after just a little while, you will be hard pressed to maintain that posture. My sore ran into the night and ceased not. My soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God and was troubled. I complained – this word complained should be translated communed, as it is in other places. It is a person who is talking to himself – talking to himself, going over his problems. I communed with my spirit and my spirit was overwhelmed. “When I went over everything that I was facing, I wondered, ‘How am I going to cope with this? How am I make it? What’s the answer?’” You hold my eyelids open. I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old – the years of ancient times. So, reflect back on times past. “Well, times past – they were the good old days. I didn’t have all these cares and troubles that I have now,” and you want to retreat to, as they call it, Bonanza land, where Hoss always wins – or Papa does – and things were better. I call to remembrance my song in the night – and then this word that is translated commune in the other verse is translated correctly – I commune with my own heart – so he goes back over his problems – my spirit made diligent search. And then, remember the four great enemies of faith: fear, doubt, human reason and anxious care? I commune with my own heart. My spirit made diligent search. And then these enemies of faith cloud in. Will the Lord cast off forever? Will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Is it because of these various things, or because maybe I’ve done something so terrible He cannot forgive me, or won’t forgive me, or there is no way that things are going to change? So, God does hear and answers prayers – maybe not always the way we want, but…. We see here, in verse 10, he comes to himself. And the way you summarize this, as we shall see, when he comes to himself, is, “My problem is my problem. I focus on that. That’s what my life focuses on, instead of on God and the spiritual side.” And I said, “This is my infirmity. This is my infirmity. This is what is wrong with me. My problem is my problem.” So, then the focus changes. But – in contrast to that – I will remember my years in the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the work of the Eternal. Surely, I will remember Your wonders of old. I will meditate on all Your work and talk of Your doings. Your way, O God is in the sanctuary – the sanctuary is where God dwells. Who is so great a God as our God? And when the focus was changed back to God instead of himself, then his life turned around. I know that is a very difficult thing. I believe that everybody has been there at one time or another. Maybe they are there right now, I know I have been there before.

Our time – often times, this happens – which should be spent in prayer, study and meaningful interaction with others, is taken up taken up by some kind of vicarious activity – try a few video games, try a few texts that are meaningless, and it goes on and on. There are so many things. Turning to social media is an example to fill our emptiness within our inner being. And the more that people engage in social media, the more dissatisfaction they experience. It turns out that social media is, in fact, an expression of our obsession with self. When all is said and done, social media is a tool to manipulate you into accepting the values of the peer group. If you think about it – really think about it – it is to accept the values of the peer group. You have a group of friends in an inner circle that like or dislike your posts. You strive to be liked and try to avoid being unfriended. And when you are unfriended, then it is very sad, and you can’t understand. And you’re even more discouraged. So, it can become a bully platform of those who wave the flag of toleration. Social media – the voice of the masses – becomes the great arbiter of right and wrong. So young and old today are basically, and especially the political world, they are enslaved by their peers. They are enslaved by the PC culture of the day – the political correctness. There is a certain way you have to view morality, or you are out. The truth is, too often, we are not growing in grace and knowledge because the cares of this world have beaten us down into a robotic-like state of existence. We have unwittingly become slaves of Satan’s system.

Is there a way to break away from this slavery – this slave-like existence and be set free? Are we indeed a light of the world, a city set on a hill, a lighted candle that’s on a candlestick where everyone can see it? Are we letting our light shine? Jesus Christ came to this earth to set us free from sin and death – from the shackles of this society and this culture! He came and set us free from fear, ignorance, superstition and the dogmas of man, and He gave us a true liberal education – liberated – not liberal in the sense of politically liberal or liberal in the sense of a smorgasbord of everything, but liberation. Let’s turn to John, chapter 8, verse 31. Can we be set free from the shackles that bind the peoples of this world? We live in this world and I think we are far more affected by this world than we may think we are.

John 8:31-36 – Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed Him… Now these were the ones who believed in Him. So many did not believe and sought to kill Him. “If you continue in My word, then are you My disciples – then are you My disciples – indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”  The truth of God does free you from fear, ignorance, superstition and the dogmas of man, so that you are not enslaved. They answered Him and said, “We be Abraham’s seed and we were never been in bondage to any man. How say You, ‘You shall be made free?” And at that very time they were enslaved to the Romans. Jesus answered them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘Whosoever shall commit sin is a servant of sin, and the servant abides not in the house forever, but the son abides forever. If the Son therefore should make you free, you shall be free indeed.’” Yes, the shackles that bind can be thrown off. You can be set free.

So, Jesus Christ came to the earth to set us free from sin and death. The author of sin and death is Satan the devil. So let’s notice in 1 John 3, and verse 8.

1 John 3:8 – He that commits sin…. This word here that is translated commits, is a troublesome word in some ways to some people. I used to teach General Epistles for several years, and this word commits has to do with practices. He that practices sin is of the devil. Now you may sin – and I expect you will sin…. Hopefully, we can go day by day – one day at a time – striving against sin, so that we become less and less sinful. So, he that practices sin is of the devil, for the devil sinned from the beginning. He is a liar and a murderer. That’s what it says in John 8:44.

John 8:44 – You are of your father, Satan the devil, who is a liar and a murderer from the beginning. And what was Satan’s main problem? The focus was on self. The focus was on self.

1 John 3:9-12 – Whosoever is begotten of God does not commit – does not practicesin, for his seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God. Now there are two different ways to read this verse, depending on your translation of begotten. Begotten can mean to be begotten – to receive an earnest – down payment. The Greek word there is gennao, and it can mean born. If you take it literally, as when you are born of God – resurrected as a spirit being – you cannot sin.  But it is more in a sense here of not practicing sin as a begotten person, whether male or female. In this, the children of God are manifest, as this next verse shows. In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil. Whosoever does not righteousness is not of God – he that does not practice righteousness is not of God – neither he that loves not his brother. For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another – not as Cain who was of the wicked one, the devil and slew his brother. Why did he slay him? Because his own works were evil, and his brothers were righteous. In short, he was envious. He was jealous. So, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Note the words of the apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost. It is really interesting to compare and contrast Acts 2…. There are three great sermons in the book of Acts – one, in Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost by Peter; one in Acts 7 – the one by Steven when he was called before the council – before the religious leaders of the day – and they wound up stoning him; and the one by the apostle Paul in Acts, chapter 13. This one, in Acts 2…. See, the Holy Spirit was given on this day – the day of Pentecost. We believe it to be 31 AD. And the Holy Spirit is one of the great convicting agents – the Holy Spirit in conjunction with the word of God. In Acts 2:37:

Acts 2:37-38 – Now when they heard this – Peter’s inspired sermon – they were pricked in their hearts – see, they were convicted. That prick is not the same Greek word as the one that’s used for convicted, but they were pricked. It did something that is tantamount – equal to – being convicted. They said unto Peter, and to the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do? So, in view of this, we have killed the Messiah. What are we going to do?” And Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” You can be set free from your past. You can even be set free of being guilty of murder – and every person who has ever lived is guilty of the death of Jesus Christ because He had to die to liberate every person. Romans 2:11 says that God is not a respecter of persons. There are other places that say that as well. So, people talk about freedom today – think they are free to do anything they want, but this is an illusion. See, what I read from Galatians 6 – Be not deceived – God is not mocked –, whatsoever a man sows that he will reap – is true. It is as sure as they say about the rising of the sun. It is an illusion. They are, in fact, servants of sin, and sins leads to death. Basically, everyone is in lockstep and you dare not venture outside the guidelines of social acceptance. To do so is to commit social and otherwise suicide. You are ostracized. Those who become obsessed with social acceptance often wind up committing some type of suicide.

Do we really want to be free from our robotic slave-like addiction to this world? Do we really want to get off the treadmill? If we are serious about living as Christ lived, we will begin to control our lives, instead of life and its various situations and circumstances controlling us. So, are we continuing in the word, or are we making God over in our own image, and speaking for God where He is not spoken? Are we heeding the words of the Apostle Paul? Let’s look here what Paul said in Philippians 2. Of course, it is not Paul’s words. It’s the words of God through the Holy Spirit. Holy men were moved as they were inspired by the Spirit of God to write whatever they wrote. In Philippians 2, and verse 12:

Philippians 2:12-18 – Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only…. Philippians is a prison epistle. Paul was in prison when he wrote this. Philippians is a book about humility, to a large degree, and I am sure, just as he wrote to Timothy when he was in prison, people were beginning to mummer about Paul. Is he really an apostle? Is he really the one to carry the torch to the Gentiles? If he was really this or that, surely God would not allow him to be in prison. But he was. So, he writes: Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only – just because the preacher is there, you’re going to be a good boy. See, God is always there. It is a little more important to please God than it is man – just a little... but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. You don’t have to have someone standing there with a whip – cracking a whip over your head. You know what to do. Do it! For it is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure. Do all things without murmuring and disputing, that you may be harmless and blameless, the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. Well, that was two thousand years ago. Where are we today? Are we any different? No, we are worse. “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse among them whom you shine as lights in the world.” Are we doing that? …holding forth the word of life and that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Yes, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all. For the same cause, also do you joy and rejoice with me. Paul continues that he hopes that he will be able to come to them, but if he doesn’t, he will send Timothy and others to help them along.

So, we ask ourselves, “Are we shining as lights? Or, “Are we. on the other hand, analogous to foolish virgins whose lamps are going out because they are quenching the Spirit.” The spiritual oil that quenches darkness chases away the demons of darkness. The apostle Peter admonished the people of his day…. Let’s look at that in 2 Peter 1:12. The messages that we hear – and we try to bring them in a way that has some newness to them, or some urgency that we haven’t heard, or understanding – digging a little deeper – more nuggets of gold or whatever. Analogy you want to use, but the message is basically the same, as Peter talks about here. But we need that stirring up. But on the other hand, even if we don’t get that, as we just read from Philippians, work out this yourself. Stir it up. Do it! In 2 Peter 1:12:

2 Peter 1:12-20 – Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them, and be established in the present truth. Yeah, I think it fitting as long as I am in this tabernacle – that is, in the flesh – this human body – to stir you up by putting you in remembrance, knowing that shortly I must put off my tabernacle – this fleshly robe. This tabernacle, in which the Spirit of God – the true life – abides even as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed me.I man, Peter…just consider now…we have given a sermon on this – about Peter, the apostle of hope. Christ told him, “The only way you are going to get out of this world alive is through crucifixion – and that upside down. They will carry you about where you don’t want to go, Peter. Don’t worry about John. What’s that to you? Focus on yourself.” And Peter, here, is remembering: …even as our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me. Moreover, I will endeavor that you will be able, after my death, to have these things always in remembrance. For you have not followed cunningly devised fables. This is not something made up. It’s not legend. It’s not about the mythological gods. It is the truth. …when we made known unto you the power of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. What is that talking about? It is talking about the transfiguration when Peter, James and John went on the mount of transfiguration. In a vision, they saw the glory of God and Jesus Christ, coming in power. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to Him from the Excellent glory. “This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” And it goes on to say, “Hear Him, hear Him.” See, there were two incidences of hearing this voice. “This is My Beloved Son,” at the mount of transfiguration – that this is talking about – and after His baptism, a voice from heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son.” Of course, Satan the devil tried to challenge that in Matthew 4. And this voice, which came from heaven, we heard which were with Him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy. Whereunto you do well if you take heed, as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the day star rise in your hearts. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. Then it talks about the Bible was given through inspiration. So, we have that more sure word of prophecy. We can prove what is the perfect will of God in our lives.

But we cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in the word. One foot in the word and one foot in the world doesn’t work. You have to be totally committed. In other words, we cannot be double-minded. I believe that’s the way that a lot of people try to live their lives today. They wouldn’t say that. It is through their actions they show it. They want to be accepted by the world, and yet be in the church.

Look at James 1 – let’s spend some time now here in James. In James 1:1:
James 1:1 – James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…. Remember that James was the half-brother of Jesus Christ. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, Greetings. This word servant is doulos. It means a bondservant. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into different temptations, knowing this, that the testing of our faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect entire, wanting nothing. Now for patience to have her perfect work, what does it mean by that? It doesn’t mean that you just go on forever. What it means is – “patience have her perfect work” – is that you understand, and you go through it. See, how are you going to have joy? “My brethren count it all joy. Let patience have her perfect work.” It is because of the…like Ephesians 6:16 – “Above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan” – in that you will know, even in this trial, what the outcome is going to be – that the trying of your faith might be more precious than of gold. So, let patience have her perfect work, entire, wanting nothing – because you know – you’re not in doubt. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him as of God, who gives to all liberally and upbraids not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think he shall receive anything from the Lord. You have to believe. You have to do. The simplest definition of faith is, believe God, do what He says. Will you always get what you ask because of that? No, not always, but you are not going to get it if you don’t believe it, because His will may be different. But a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. So, you cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in the word. You cannot fake it. As I said earlier, I don’t think we are remotely aware of how much the world is affecting every dimension of our lives. It’s going to be a great challenge to be able to survive in this world. “When the Son of Man comes, shall He find the faith on the earth?

Let’s notice further the inspired words of the apostle James. Now we’re getting down here to something they call, “where the rubber meets the road.” In James 4, verse 1…. In James 4,  James describes the internal warfare that goes on in our mind. I’ll say that again – the internal warfare that goes on in our minds – warfare that will destroy us and those who we love if we don’t get a grip on it. Note carefully what James says in James 4:1.

James 4:1 – From whence come wars and fighting among you? As we are going to see, that word among is the Greek word en – spelled E-N. And that Greek word en is translated – the English equivalent – in – I-N – 1,902 times in the Bible. 1,902 times it is translated in. It is translated by 163 times, with 140 times, among 117 times, at 113 times, on 62, through 69, and 265 miscellaneous translations – a total of 2,801. The preponderance of the translation is in. So, if we read this, From whence come wars and fighting in you? Now oftentimes we read this to say, “Why do we have people fighting each other in the church?” That’s really not what this is about. Come they not hence even of your own lust that war in your members? Guess what that Greek word is for members. That Greek word for members is melos – spelled M-E-L-O-S. You can look it up in your concordance when you get home – or whatever computer source you have. It means parts of the human body – melos – M-E-L-O-S. Come they not hence even of your own lusts that war in your members – parts of your body. So, we clarify the first interrogative, and until a few years ago, I’d always viewed this as to why are there disagreements and upsets among the brethren. I guess you could apply it that way, but when you really see it for what it’s saying in the context, it makes so much more sense. The question that is being asked is not, “Why are there wars and fighting among brethren,” but rather, “Why are there wars and fighting in each one of us?” – the conflicts and doubts in our own minds. In other words, he is saying, “Why do each one of you have this warfare going on in your mind?” It becomes clear really when you note the Greek word translated members is melos, which literally means parts of the human body. So, the warfare James is referring to is within our parts. It is in your mind – in the very center of your mind and thoughts. The succeeding verses bare witness to what I am saying. Succeeding verses bear witness to this. James is talking to each one of us as individuals. He is describing the conflict that goes on in your own minds, which leads to spiritual adultery. Now you can commit, of course, physical adultery. That is a sin and has grave spiritual implications.

But, let’s continue here – verse 1 again.

James 4:1 – From whence do wars and fighting come in? Come they not even of your lusts that war in your body parts. You lust and have not – you, me, individually. You kill and desire to have and cannot obtain. You fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not. You ask and receive not because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. See, it is about the person. You adulterers and adulteresses – men and women – know you not that the friendship with the world is enmity with God. You cannot have a foot in the word and a foot in the world. Whosever, therefore, will be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. The title is Defeating the Enemy Within. We can talk about the three great S’s – the three great enemies – Satan, self and society. This is focusing on self, as this next verse really brings out. Do we think that the scripture says in vain the spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy? He says, if we are not trained and taught, we will be envious. Put two children together that have not been taught, you will witness it right off. Apparently, they didn’t do a very good job with Cain and Abel. I go back to the Messiah complex with Cain. Eve said, “I’ve got me a man from the Lord.” Perhaps Cain grew up thinking that he was the Messiah. He brought a thank offering, and he should have brought a sin offering, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Do we think that the scripture says in vain the spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy? Paul writes in Romans 8:7, “Know you not that the carnal mind is enmity to God, not subject to it, neither indeed can be.” Now notice verse 6: But He gives more grace – divine favor. Wherefore, He said, “God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.” Submit yourselves…. What is the remedy? What is the recipe to cure this, to correct it? Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you. Get your focus on God, as in Psalm 77. Cleanse your hands you sinners, purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be afflicted and mourn, weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He shall lift you up.

So, we see here, that this great war is going on in the mind – the double-mindedness and the lusting for wrong things and all that. There is a cure for it. See, the carnal mind has three principle responses to sin. As in the case of Adam and Eve, hide. “We’ll go hide in the garden. We’ll make a garment out of fig lives, and God can’t see us.” Of course, we know that is ridiculous, but they did it. And, to blame – “Well, this woman that you gave me, she gave it to me. It is her fault.” Then justify – “Well, this woman you gave to me…really, God, you are responsible, because you gave me this woman.” So, those three responses. There are those that play the martyr’s role, and wallow in their guilt, and become filled with self-deprecation and self-pity as if that is going to pay for it. They perform a type of fruitless penitence as efforts of trying to pay for their own sins. There is only one way it can be forgiven – repent – exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ.

The human race has not learned the fact that you cannot hide from sin. And just like the wildfires that are going on in California right now. It is so tragic – so unbelievable. And people have seen them coming and tried to run, and they cannot outrun the fire. Some of these fires whipped along by 70 mile-an-hour winds. Now they are saying thirty-something have died, and there are hundreds missing. Think about burning to death. And there’s a being burned to death that is far more grave than those fires, and that is the fire of the second death. You cannot outrun sin.

Sins will always come to light. Sins will always catch up with you. The good news is God and Christ are longsuffering and merciful. There are no sins that cannot be forgiven if your conscience has not been seared.

When Job was in the very depths of despair and had come to the end of his rope, as they say, he thought that the only person he could talk to was God. Job had turned to the social media of his day – his three friends. Now they didn’t do it in a wireless way. They did it face to face. That was their social media. His three friends tried to help him, but to no avail. They basically relied on human reasoning and not on the goodness, mercy and love of God. “So, Job just fess up. You’ve done some great sins. Just admit them, repent and fess up, and you’ll be healed.” Now look at Job 42. Job is just before Psalms – the last chapter of Job just before Psalms. In Job 42, God had already spoken, as He had wished. As Job had wished, God did speak to him out of the whirlwind, and said to Job, “Gird up your loins like a man. You wanted me to talk to you. I am going to talk to you. Here is the way it is Job. Job, you are righteous in your own eyes, because you have blamed Me and not yourself.” I am putting it in plain language, not biblical King James. In Job 42, verse 7:

Job 42:7 – And it was so after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends for you have not spoken of me the things of me that is right like my servant Job has.” So, the social media of the day did not help him. Probably, the social media of the day will not help you. “Therefore, take unto yourselves seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up yourselves a burnt offering. And my servant Job shall pray for you. From him will I accept, lest I deal with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of Me in the things which is right like My servant Job. See they did not present God as a God of grace, love and mercy. They presented God as an angry God – “You sin, I’m going to strike you down.” So Eliphaz, the Temanite, and Bildad, the Shuhite, and Zophar, the Naamathite, went and did according to what the Lord commanded them, and the Lord also accepted Job. And the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends. Also, the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Job had been consumed with self-examination and a summary of his introspection is given in Job 31. We don’t have enough time to read it today, but you can read Job 31. Then God sends His messenger, Elihu, and gets his attention. Then God speaks to Job, and Job comes to his senses. The point is, God does work through His ministers. Moreover, we must humble ourselves and accept help and ask for help.

The war of fighting within us is won with the spiritual weapons at our disposal. We have those spiritual weapons. I want us to look at those – 2 Corinthians 10, verse 2. Always remember these spiritual weapons. The apostle Paul describes the weapons of our warfare in Ephesians, chapter 6, starting in verse 10 and going through the rest of the chapter, but we are here in 2 Corinthians 10:2.

2 Corinthians 10:2 – But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence. Of course, they basically accused Paul of being bold when he was absent and weak when he was present, because he was not a strong looking person. Wherewith I think to be bold against some which think of us as though we walked according to the flesh. Hopefully, we are not walking according to the flesh. …for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty – mighty! – through God for pulling down strongholds. What are the strongholds? The strongholds are those things which come on your mind and grip your mind – those obsessive thoughts that war within – the war with-I-N – that war within, which is one of our greatest enemies – fear, doubt, anxious care, human reasoning. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God for pulling down strongholds and casting down imagination – every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God – and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and having in a readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. It says in the Bible that God is angry with the wicked every day. God hates evil. So, I hope we know where our hope and trust is.

So, as we are so busy, being busy, have we forgotten that we have access to the power of God who created heaven and earth through Jesus Christ? He gave us power to tread on serpents and scorpions. So, we need to have a change of mind if we are going to fulfill the mission He has given us. We need to learn to live and enjoy the day. Don’t wish your life away hoping for a brighter day – as the song goes, “I am wishing my life away, hoping for a brighter day.” Become a light today and drive out darkness! You shine as a light against a crooked and perverse generation. Christ exhorts us to be lights in this present evil world. So, brethren, we can be single-minded and completely focused on the true source of help. So, let’s close with Psalm 122, which is a good place to go and admonition to keep us in mind of the things we have said here today. Psalm 122 – a very short Psalm – only 8 verses, I believe.

Psalm 122:1 – I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.” That was the first scripture I ever quoted in public. I was six years old in Sunday school class. When we came back from Sunday school, we were asked, “Does anyone want to quote the memory verse of the day?” and that was it. I was glad when they said, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.” Our feet shall stand at the gates of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built, and the city is compact together. Where the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Eternal, and the testimony of Israel to give thanks to the name of the Eternal. For there sat thrones of judgment. The thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. They shall prosper who love you. Peace within your walls and prosperity within your palaces. For my brother and your companion sake, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” Because of the house of the Eternal our God, I will seek your good.

So, let’s overcome the enemy within and light up the world.

Comments

  • Bruno Gebarski
    Human nature’s lust of the eyes/flesh & pride of life will never be justified by hiding ourselves from God, justifying ourselves or blaming others. Dr. Ward gives us the Godly remedy to fight our carnal human nature as summarized in Jas 4:1 “Where do wars & fights come in (G1722: en | inside within) us? Do they not come from our desires for pleasure that war in parts of our own human bodies? (G4196 Melos) We then become adulterers & adulteresses (Jas 1:4) thus double minded & committing idolatry & breaking God’s Law. How to replace our carnal human minds? Jas 4:8: Draw near to God | Cleanse our sinful hands | Purify our double-minded hearts | Lament mourn & weep | Turn laughter in mourning | Turn joy into gloom | Humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord & He will lift us up.” God is given us the power of His Holy Spirit to trade on serpents & scorpions & all the power of the enemy. We need to learn to live & enjoy today; not wishing our lives away hoping for a bright day: become a light today and drive out darkness.
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