Episode 104 The Battle for Life
When Adam sinned, he took himself and the human race that followed into death. When Christ came He conquered Satan and his host of evil forces and opened the door for us to partake of God’s life. But if the victory has been won, why is there still a battle in this world between God and Satan? I think this is a very real question to many of us. We hear that Christ won the victory at Calvary, but yet our experience is that we are in a warfare. And Paul says that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against a host of wickedness in heavenly places. If this is true, then what did happen at Calvary and how does that relate to our experience today?
- Sin brought death
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- Spiritual death (separation from God)
- Physical death (the process of death begins early in our bodies)
- Sin reigned in death (Romans 5)
- Christ came that we may have life (John 10:10)
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- He took on human flesh
- He became sin for us at Calvary (2 Cor. 5:21)
- He died (physically)
- He rose from the dead thus conquering death (I Cor. 15)
- He is seated at the right hand of God in heaven (authority)
- Christ gives life to those who come to Him (John 5:39,40; John 20:31)
- The risen Christ dwells within us by the Holy Spirit (life)
- We are called to possess what God has given
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- Israel was given the land but they had to possess (Deut. Ch. 1 & 7)
- We have been given all spiritual blessing in Christ but we must possess (Eph. 1)
- We would like to “overcome” without a fight, but that would leave us weaklings
- Spiritual ascendency comes through spiritual enlargement
- Spiritual enlargement comes through faith and obedience
- Spiritual territory can only be taken with spiritual weapons (Eph. 6)
- Spiritualty (God’s life) is revealed in and through physical vessels
- Prayer (intercession) is a critical part of spiritual warfare
A very good booklet that expands on the subject today
http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/battle_for_life_the.html