A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Teaching, Training & Commissioning
Chapter 3
Matthew 3:11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals;
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fork in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor ; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but, He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
John the Baptist is pronouncing God’s preparations for His final judgment and assault upon the rulers and against the powers of the world forces of darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness, has begun.
These few condensed verses from Matthew outline the fulfillment of prophecy from the book of Daniel chapter 12 and the books of The Revelation.
Daniel chapter 12, says, “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Daniel replies, and says, “As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?” Michael the great Prince said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time. Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.”
Chapter One, verses 1 through 3, of the Book of the Revelation says, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.”
Matthew is the first book of the New Testament synoptic Gospels. The word gospel means “good news,” which is the message of forgiveness for sin through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. It is God’s rescue plan of redemption for those who will trust in His Son in order to be reconciled to a just and holy God. The essential content of this saving message is clearly laid out for us in the Bible. But, the “message” doesn’t end there. Jesus is giving His disciples, then and now, instructions to carry on and complete His work until He returns to culminate the age.
Chapter three of Matthew gives the context of Jesus’ teachings for the next seven chapters of the book of Matthew.
The Context is that you are being called, saved, sanctified, taught, trained and sent into this world as ambassadors of Jesus in order to find and lead the lost to Him; to testify to the Truth; and to make disciples in His Name.
It is through this CONTEXT, Jesus will teach you on attitude, behavior, rituals and practices. You will also learn much from the Apostle’s writings. But the core message is THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND HIS MISSION. This is the Message and Mission above all else.
Here is an outline of the episodes to come, to help us with the CONTEXT of His teachings and ministry:
GOD IS PREPARING YOU FOR KINGDOM SERVICE AND FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE, through the teachings and by the processes of:
- Repentance & Possessing the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew chapter 3, verses 1 through 6.
- The Coming Judgment and your Separation as Wheat from the chaff. Matthew Chapter 3, verses 7 through 10.
- The Winnowing Fork & The Threshing Floor; this will be your process of Sanctification, explained and the tribulation period, being pictured). Matthew Chapter 3, verses 11 through 12
- The Water Baptism and The Salvation Covenant. Matthew Chapter 3, verses 14 through 15.
- The Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Matthew Chapter 3, verses 16 through 17.
- The Testing of Jesus by the Baptism of the Holy Spirit by Fire. (This is the process of Sanctification demonstrated by Jesus’ own testing). Matthew Chapter 4, verses 1 through 11.
- Jesus’ First Sermon, “Repent for the Kingdom is at Hand”. Matthew Chapter 4, verses 12 through 17.
- “Jesus is Calling”. Matthew Chapter 4, verses 18 through 22.
- “The Works of Jesus”. Matthew Chapter 4, verses 23 though 25.
- “Blessings of loss & persecution”; this is a picture of Salvation and a description of your completed Sanctification. Matthew Chapter 5, verses 1 through 11.
- Your completed transformation from a follower of Jesus into a Disciple of Jesus. Matthew Chapter 5, verses 13 through 16.
- His Standards of Righteousness for entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew Chapter 5, verses 17 through 20.
- “Removing Obstacles” for entrance to His Kingdom. Matthew Chapter 5, verses 21 through Chapter 7, verse 6.
(a) Removing the Obstacle of Anger
(b) Removing the Obstacle of Lust
(c) Removing the Obstacle of Divorce
(d) Removing the Obstacle of Secrecy & Lies
(e) Removing the Obstacle of Revenge
(f) Removing the Obstacle of Hate
(g) Removing the Obstacle of Pride & Hypocrisy
(h) Removing the Obstacle of Worry & Anxiety
(i) Removing the Obstacle of Being Judgmental
- Instruction on “Praying, Asking, Seeking and Knocking” for guidance in the Kingdom of God. Matthew Chapter 7, verses 7 through 12.
- “The Two Gates” which lead to life or to destruction. Matthew Chapter 7, verses 13 through 14.
- Discernment & about bearing the Righteous Fruit which lead you into the Kingdom and to Life. Matthew Chapter 7, verses 15 through 23.
- The Foundations of God’s Word. Matthew Chapter 7, verses 24 through 27.
- Jesus’ absolute Authority over heaven and the earth. Matthew Chapter 7, verse 28 through 29.
- Jesus’ Authority as demonstrated through miracles and focus of ministry. Matthew Chapters 8, verse 1 through Chapter 9, verse 38.
- Jesus’ Final Instructions as His disciple. Matthew Chapter 10, verse 1 through Chapter 11 verse 1.
- Commissioned to “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you”. Matthew Chapter 28, verses 16 through 20.
These chapters give us the lens of the CONTEXT through which we must see the meaning and application of Jesus’ teaching of His Gospel Message.
These Teachings are revolutionary, and we are participants, revolutionaries on Mission with Jesus, engaged in a Spiritual War.
We are not saved by God for ourselves or for worldly pleasures. We are saved by God to be in relationship with Him; to be in service to Him; for His purposes and for His Glory – all to our benefit. One day, when this war concludes, we will walk with Him in person, again, in the coolness of the evening.
Please, read, pray, study and let’s be “doers of His Word”, just as Jesus is instructing.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter,
“WATER BAPTISM, The Salvation Covenant”.
(The previous episode can be found at Effective Spiritual Warfare – The Judgment)
(Please also notice, you can go to the webpage for this podcast and click links for details and references which are necessary for the entire teaching)
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