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Transcript

What is the Purpose of Spiritual Warfare? · Arise Women of God

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  Hey my friend, have you ever wondered what is the purpose of spiritual warfare?
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  Perhaps you're wondering why God allows these intense battles and challenges to happen to you and your family.
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  This can be such an overwhelming situation because you want to know if God actually has a purpose for the opposition in your lives.
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  Well, stay tuned.
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  You are in the right place and by the end of today's episode you will know why God permits the heat of resistance, how he turns the enemy's attacks into something good, and how he is raising you up as
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  a mother in Israel.
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  Stay tuned.
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  Ordinary women extraordinary faith When God calls, we say yes.
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  Hello and welcome to the Arise Women of God podcast.
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  I'm your host Tamara K.
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  Anderson and I'm so excited to unpack four powerful answers as to why God allows spiritual warfare in your life today.
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  First, the ultimate outcome perspective what Joseph in Egypt teaches us about God redirecting the heart wrenching attacks for our good.
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  Second, the refining fire that happens at rock bottom.
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  How extreme hardship proves your mettle and builds your foundation on the rock.
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  3.
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  Wilderness Endurance why Deuteronomy 8 reveals that wilderness battles can align our heart with God's daily bread.
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  And fourth, mothers in Israel, How God allows attacks to raise up fearless battle ready women like Deborah and you too.
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  But first, let's begin by dispelling a major myth.
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  Spiritual warfare is not a sign that you've done something wrong or that God has abandoned you, your family or your home.
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  When we are in the middle of a spiritual storm, we often ask, does God have a purpose in allowing this?
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  Let's kick it off by looking at the life of Joseph.
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  In the Old Testament, Joseph endured brutal, relentless trials.
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  Betrayal by his own brothers, being sold into slavery, false accusation, years in an Egyptian prison and a severe famine.
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  Humanly speaking, it looked like total devastation.
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  But look at the divine perspective Joseph shared years later in Genesis 50:20 when he was reunited with his brother brothers.
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  But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive.
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  Oh my goodness guys.
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  Here is the first major purpose of spiritual warfare.
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  God takes the enemy's targeted attacks and redirects them to bring about salvation and strength for an entire family.
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  Satan may intend a trial to destroy you or your home, but God allows the opposition because he is playing the long game.
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  And God can use that very battle to save your children and secure your lineage.
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  I had a discussion with a family member who is struggling with their faith recently.
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  They asked me how I knew God lived and that he was real.
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  In that moment, I was able to share that I had come to know, really know Jesus during the biggest trial as a young mother when I was dealing with the extreme challenges of raising two sons on the autism
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  spectrum.
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  Physically, it was exhausting.
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  Mentally it was so difficult.
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  And spiritually I really struggled wondering why God hadn't just healed them.
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  I knew I had enough faith.
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  But there I sat over 20 years later, testifying to this family member that God had used my struggles, like Joseph's to strengthen my faith and testimony and in Jesus Christ.
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  So, my friend, I know how hard spiritual warfare is.
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  I too have had bitter moments in hard times when my knees were buckling under the weight of doubt, trial, grief and sorrow.
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  And I shook my fist at heaven and asked why?
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  Why me?
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  Why my child?
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  It would be so much easier if we didn't have this extreme hardship.
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  But looking back on those moments of extreme trial, I can now see exactly why God allowed me to be tried and tested.
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  Because those exact moments when my knees were buckling at the rock bottom of what felt like a dark, lonely pit, that is where I tested and found God.
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  I learned at rock bottom that building on Jesus Christ is the only sure foundation I found in grueling moments that I could lean completely on him and he would never fail me.
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  I came to know that he really does live and I truly can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
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  As Peter writes in 1st Peter 1:6:7, though now for a season ye are in heaviness through temptations, that trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, might be found unto praise and honor and glory
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  at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
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  So the second purpose of spiritual warfare is refining.
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  The battle or trial of your faith isn't meant to destroy you.
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  It is proving, purifying, sharpening your raw faith into battle tested knowledge, so that when Jesus appears, we will be like him and we will know him.
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  So why does the battle sometimes last for a season?
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  Why do we find ourselves in long dry wilderness seasons praying for a child or a marriage?
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  Look at what God tells the Israelites in Deuteronomy 8:2 and thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these 40 years in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee, and to know
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  what was in thine heart.
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  Yes, we are facing heavy opposition.
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  To help us decide whose side of the battle we are on, I choose the Lord's side, and I know you do too.
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  The third purpose of spiritual warfare then, is the spiritual endurance and alignment with God.
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  Wilderness battles reveal where our trust truly lies.
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  They strip away our self reliance and teach us to depend entirely on God's daily bread.
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  When you stop asking why is this happening to me?
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  And start asking what is God building in me, in my child, in my family, your perspective starts to shift.
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  God is teaching you how to hold his hand in the dark so that you can can lead your family in the light.
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  Finally, my friends, what are you actually fighting for?
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  I love the story of Deborah the Prophetess.
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  In Judges chapters four and five, Israel was under harsh, terrifying oppression from King Jabin and his commander Sisera, who intimidated everyone with his army of 900 iron chariots.
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  This threat felt invincible and terrifying.
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  But Deborah the prophetess, leader and mother and Israel summoned Barak and declared that God commanded them to stand up and fight and that she would go with him.
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  When they marched to Mount Tabor, God sent a massive rainstorm that turned the battlefield into thick mud.
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  Those feared 900 iron chariots became completely stuck and useless and God delivered a glorious victory.
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  The fourth purpose then of spiritual warfare is proven and powerful mothers.
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  In Israel, God uses spiritual warfare to raise up women like you and me who refuse to sit idly by while dark cultural influences oppress their families.
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  He uses the battle to prove that no modern iron chariot, no cultural addiction, no spiritual darkness can stand against his spirit.
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  When Mother stands up in the authority of God, God will indeed move your mountains with faith.
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  Oh my sister, you are not a victim of spiritual warfare.
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  You are a mother in Israel being refined to claim territory for Jesus Christ.
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  If you are ready to step into your divine partnership with God, stop fighting in your own strength and fortify every threshold of your home.
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  We want to put a powerful practical tool directly into your hands down in the show notes below, you can download our brand new free digital guidebook, A Mother's Spiritual Defense Guide 6 Empowering Steps to Fortify Home and Family.
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  When you download your copy, flip straight to step number one, the Divine Partnership and you'll learn how to trade human control for God's infinite guidance and power.
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  In step six, you'll find the power of remembering and how to build a miracle Moments Journal to track God's intervention through your rock bottom, pits and wilderness seasons.
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  Download your free copy today.
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  Stand boldly with Jesus and your sister warriors.
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  Oh my sister, my friend, you can do all things when you're yoked to Jesus Christ.
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  Stand with him and by him and until next time may you arise.
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  Do it God's way, God strong.
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