Spiritual Offense (Part 1) 1.19.2025 The meeting of Grace Christian Church. We meet in person and stream services every Sunday at 10:30 AM EST in Manalapan, New Jersey.
The message, titled “Spiritual Offense,” emphasizes advancing against spiritual forces of wickedness instead of passively defending against Satan’s schemes. It highlights the reality of spiritual warfare, particularly in two key areas: the mind and territory. The ultimate goal is to recognize and use the spiritual authority believers have in Christ to hinder Satan’s influence and expand God’s kingdom.
Key Points:
1. The Existence of Satan and Spiritual Warfare: • Satan, a fallen archangel, opposes all of God’s works. He operates through the world system and influences individuals, particularly targeting the Church. • Believers must acknowledge this spiritual battle and actively combat it through divine authority.
2. Spiritual Battle for the Mind: • Thoughts can originate from either the Holy Spirit or demonic sources. • Believers are called to take every thought captive to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5) and renew their minds to align with their identity in Christ (e.g., being accepted, new, and not condemned). • Choosing to believe the truth revealed by the Holy Spirit enables believers to express Christ in the world, while demonic thoughts lead to false beliefs and actions contrary to God’s will.
3. Spiritual Battle for Territory: • God’s purpose for humanity includes having dominion over the earth to serve Him (Gen. 1:27-28). • Demonic forces oppose this by hindering the Gospel and controlling territories, from personal households to nations. • Believers must reclaim and maintain territory through the spiritual authority given by Christ, as demonstrated by the 70 disciples (Luke 10:19-20).
Spiritual Offense: • Be proactive by seeking God’s truth, using the name of Jesus to combat demonic hindrances, and boldly advancing the Gospel in your life and community. • Recognize the power believers have in Christ to overcome spiritual opposition and fulfill God’s purposes. The message ends with a call to action for believers to reflect on how they have experienced spiritual battles and to trust in the power of Jesus’ name for victory in their lives.
