THE BATTLEFIELD OF FAITH

Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 1:15-20

Text: 1 Timothy 1:19

1 Timothy 1:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

Introduction: PREPARE FOR WAR IN 2004! Christians are under attack, and many of them do not even know it! Forces are at work, endeavoring to undermine the things of God in the lives of people.

One of the greatest areas of spiritual warfare is that of FAITH.

Notice that the context of our text verse is CHRISTIAN WARFARE:

1 Timothy 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

I want to point out to you that one of the great arenas of Christian warfare in America is:

THE BATTLEFIELD OF FAITH

The devil is the biggest of all the opponents of faith. He attacks the following areas:

I. ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

Satan's attack: Are you sure you're saved?

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

A. False doctrine brings deception

• He sends false teachers:
 
• Jehovah's Witnesses, Church of Christ, many charismatics, Mormons, Catholics, Freewill Baptists, even Five-Point Calvinists
 
• All of the above base personal assurance upon the works of man

B. Foolish direction brings doubt

• If you're directed to your own life for assurance you will always have doubts
 
• If you look to the lives of others you will probably have doubts
 
• Anything for assurance other than Jesus and His atonement is false assurance and uncertain

C. The Father's declaration(the Bible)brings deliverance and dogmaticism

• See 1 John 5:13 - "that ye may KNOW"
 
• Which brings up the next area of attack by Satan on the battlefield of faith ...

II. THE ACCURACY OF THE SCRIPTURES

Satan's attack: Yea, hath God said? or, is the Bible really the word of God?

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Satan attacks faith in the accuracy of the scriptures

A. Through "science" falsely so called (1 Timothy 6:20)

B. Through seminaries where the Bible is often corrected rather than taught

C. Through strange passages of scriptures which are hard to be understood (2 Peter 3:16)

III. ABUNDANCE OF SUPPLY

Satan's attack: Can God really supply all your needs?

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Yes, God does supply needs:

A. Through sweat and labor

B. Through steady giving of tithes and offerings

C. Through self control and spending LESS than you earn

• Proverbs 21:20
 
• Joseph and the 14 years in Egypt(spent less for 7 years in order to have for the second 7 years)

IV. AVAILABILITY OF STRENGTH

Satan's attack: Can you really DO what God has commanded you to do?

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

GOD CAN supply

A. Energy

B. Endurance

C. Effectiveness

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Michael D. O'Neal (Proverbs 11:30), Pastor,  Gospel Light Baptist Church  P.O. Box 3071 (237 Lockett Station Road), Albany, GA 31706 (229) 432-0039 (church) / (229) 698-2127 (parsonage) *Scriptures in my notes are from the Authorized Version 1611 -KJV- and are used by permission of the Author - Ephesians. 6:17* "Prepare For War in 2004" Visit The Bible-Believing Fundamentalist Web Page  - http://www.brothermike.com