The Spiritual War over Our Faith
April 27, 2019      |     By: Sam McVay, Jr.      |      Category: Sermons      |      Location: Wichita
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Philippians 1:19-26 (ESV)
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.
23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

Paul’s first desire is to depart and be with Christ.

The reason He believes that the Lord will have him stay is:
1. the saints progress in the faith
2. the saints joy in the faith
3. the saints having great cause to glory in Jesus

I believe that the primary target of the enemy in us is our faith.

The normative biblical worldview for a believer should be one of warfare:
Ephesians 6:10-13 (ESV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

There is a constant multi-faceted multi-enemied war going on around us.

There is a predominant war motif in both the Old and New Testament.

To not be active in spiritual warfare is to not be living the normal Christian life.

I hope to spend some time in the next few weeks arming us afresh in a battle that I feel is picking up in intensity.

At the headwaters of this journey, though, it seems important to start with the battle around our faith.

The Apostle Peter knew by experience and revelation that the believers’ faith is being attacked by an aggressive enemy.

Luke 22:31-34 (ESV)
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”
34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”

Jesus did not stop the enemy from his sifting work in Peter’s life, but He did reveal that he would be praying for Peter’s faith and that after a fall he would return to strengthen the rest.

1 Peter 5:5-9 (ESV)
5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

In a warning about pride, Peter reveals that there is an enemy prowling and seeking to devour.

Devour what?
I believe to devour our faith.

The resistance is a resistance of faith!

Encouragements:
1. Embrace humility and reject pride.
2. Be casting anxieties on him.
3. Resist by firming faith.
4. Refuse the unbelief-producing temptation in suffering.
5. Believe and rest in the confidence that Jesus is praying for your faith!!