Deuteronomy 4, Moses warned the people first that they must go in and possess the Promised Land, but that then (verses 26-27), once they were in, he said, ‘You’re going to go through difficulty and trial.’ When I preach the Gospel, I am a realist. I do not tell people that coming to Christ is suddenly an end to all their problems, everything will be transformed, living on cloud nine, twanging a harp! Let’s be realistic, the church is called into battle to fight for the Kingdom! Yes, me as an evangelist winning people for Christ, but also you, like me, fighting for those things which are our right to possess, like healing and deliverance. We’re at war with an enemy who is fighting to prevent us possessing! I hate the devil, and I fight him by demonstrating the power of God. You must fight him, not allow him to stop you receiving. Some look to the church for ceremony, for a formula, for peace – but I find God most, not in the calm, but in the reality of my life.
Overcoming Spiritual Warfare: Possessing Your Promises in the Kingdom Battle
The Reality of the Christian Life: Possessing the Promise
In Deuteronomy 4:26-27, Moses gave the Israelites a realistic warning about entering the Promised Land. He made it clear that while they were commanded to go in and possess the land, entry did not mean an immediate end to conflict. Instead, occupying their inheritance would involve facing trials, difficulties, and discipline.
True Christian evangelism must mirror this realism. Coming to faith in Jesus Christ is not an instant escape from reality, nor does it mean living a life free of problems on "cloud nine." Instead, salvation marks the beginning of a spiritual battle. The Church is not called to comfortable isolation; it is called to the front lines to fight for the Kingdom of God.
Engaging in Spiritual Warfare for Healing and Deliverance
The Christian life is an active war against a spiritual enemy determined to prevent believers from receiving what is rightfully theirs. Every Christian is called to be an active fighter, alongside evangelists, to possess the biblical promises of God.
The Enemy's Strategy: The devil actively fights to block believers from entering into their God-given inheritance.
The Believer's Mandate: Christians must refuse to let the enemy stop them from receiving God's blessings.
The Weapon of Power: Spiritual warfare is won not through passive waiting, but by actively demonstrating the power of God.
Key Takeaway: Spiritual victory requires actively resisting the enemy to claim your covenant rights, including physical healing and spiritual deliverance.
Finding God in Reality, Not Formality
While many people look to the church for empty ceremony, rigid formulas, or artificial peace, true faith is found in the grit of everyday life. God does not just exist in quiet, isolated calm – He is most powerfully present and revealed within the raw reality, trials, and battles of daily life.