Spiritual Warfare for Women , livre ebook

Start Reading
© 2011 by Leighann McCoy
Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2011
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4412-3230-4
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Scripture quotations identified ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007
Scripture quotations identified HCSB have been taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
Scripture quotations identified The Message are from The Message. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Scripture quotations identified NASB are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE,® Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. ( www.lockman.org )
Scripture quotations identified NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations identified KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Emphasis in Scripture shown by italics is the author’s.
Cover design by Koechel Peterson & Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Author is represented by Smith Management Partners, LLC.
Dedicated to
Lounette Keesee, my mother
You’ve taught me how to “fight the good fight” through the example of your life.
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part One: The Most Powerful Weapon of All—the Love of God
1: God Is Love
2: What Love Does
3: Love’s Completed Work
Part Two: The Enemy Exposed
4: Spiritual Warfare Is Real
5: Who My Enemy Is
6: What My Enemy Does
Part Three: The Targets in Our Lives
7: Satan Targets My Marriage
8: Satan Targets My Children
9: Satan Targets My Friendships With Other Women
10: Satan Targets My Health
11: Satan Targets My Church
Part Four: Victory Is Mine
12: Who I Am in Christ
13: How I Defeat My Enemy
14: Why I Have Nothing to Fear
A Word to My Readers
Notes
Bibliography
About the Author
Back Cover
Foreword
Churches are dividing; parents are divorcing; children are rebelling; gambling, sexual, and chemical addictions are rampant; and the Christian community is experiencing a blues epidemic in an age of anxiety. Could the devil and his angels have anything to do with this mayhem?
Every conservative theologian acknowledges that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm” (Ephesians 6:12). Jesus referred to Satan as the ruler or prince of this world (John 12:31; 16:11). The apostle John wrote, “The whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). The real question is how a disarmed enemy can have such worldwide influence, and in what way are we vulnerable?
The fact that we are vulnerable is revealed in the High Priestly Prayer. Jesus is about to remove His physical presence from planet earth and leave behind His eleven disciples. One of His disciples was no longer with Him, because “the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus” (John 13:2 esv ). Knowing what His disciples would have to face, Jesus prays, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message” (John 17:15–20).
The first concern of our Lord is that we be kept from the evil one, and being sanctified in truth is the means by which that can happen. The only way to overcome the Father of Lies is to know the truth, and knowing the truth will set us free (John 8:32). The belt of truth is the first piece of our armor, which is our protection against the deceiver. Satan’s schemes haven’t changed much from when he first appeared in the garden of Eden. Eve was deceived and she believed a lie. The breastplate of righteousness is the next piece of armor; it is our protection against the accuser. When we put on the armor of God, we are actually putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Truth, and we are saved by His righteousness. The only real sanctuary we have is our identity and position in Christ.
The apostle Paul has penned a sober warning concerning the times in which we live: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). That is presently happening all over the world. I have personally counseled hundreds and hundreds of Christians who are struggling with tempting, accusing, condemning, and blasphemous thoughts. In the vast majority of cases, that battle for their mind has proven to be spiritual. Based on 2 Timothy 2:24–26, we have learned how to help these dear people resolve their personal and spiritual conflicts through genuine repentance and faith in God. In the process they are submitting to God and resisting the devil (James 4:7). Most experience for the first time the peace of God guarding their hearts and their minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7).
Satan can’t do anything about our identity and position in Christ, but if he can deceive us into believing that it isn’t true, we will live as though it isn’t. If the Enemy can invade your mind undetected and get you to believe a lie, he could negatively influence your life, and that will affect your marriage, family, and ministry. That is why the apostle Paul admonishes us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
My friends Tom and Leighann McCoy have a very fruitful ministry. Tom pastors one of the fastest growing churches in middle Tennessee, and Leighann directs the women’s and prayer ministries. They are not ignorant of Satan’s schemes. Leighann has written a biblically solid and practical book that will be a blessing to the church, and especially helpful for women. She has fought the good fight and wisely instructs others how to stand firm in their faith.
Dr. Neil T. Anderson
Founder and President Emeritus of Freedom in Christ Ministries
Acknowledgments
No writer writes alone. A special thank-you to these who have participated in the production of this book:
Ron Smith, my manager, and Bethany House Publishers, who have chosen to believe in me and invest in my work.
Thompson Station Church. You have been God’s hands and feet to me and my family for over twenty years and especially in 2010. I’m especially grateful to our pastors who fight alongside us and who are praying us through. I’m grateful too for our ministry assistants who not only pray for us but also read my manuscripts “one last time.” I’m grateful for the seven Connect Groups who have committed to pray each day of the week for my family and for the SELAH women who heard these messages first. A special thank-you also goes to Jennifer Houston (and Kim), who typed my entire manuscript when we lost it in the computer.
My prayer partners. These seven women pray with me, wash my feet, give me Scripture, and buy me PJs. I want to say a special thank-you to my friend Kathleen Carney, who literally held me together in my darkest hour (don’t forget to be grateful for your carrot cake); and my children’s “other mother,” Terra Tucker. Also a special “I love you, and what would I do without you?” to my prayer partner in life and ministry, Karen Philpott. Thank you also to my prayer partners at Lifeway Christian Resources, Chris Adams and the Lifeway women’s ministry staff, and especially the Ministry Multipliers—just knowing you are out there means the world to me. I especially want to thank my own LMM prayer partner Sheila West—for being with me “for such a time as this.”
Dr. Max Caudill and Dr. Alan Herline. These are the physicians who ministered healing to me in my battle against cancer. They made being sick a tiny bit easier. I’m grateful also for Dr. Ruth Lamar, my oncologist, who continues to walk with me now.
Tom, Mikel, Kaleigh, and TJ—I hope you know that you mean the world to me. I know that you are happier than I am that this book is done. Thank you for following hard after God’s best for your lives.
To God be the glory!
Introduction
I almost didn’t write this book for fear I’d be under such attack from the Enemy that I wouldn’t be able to survive it. But then I realized that’s the exact reason I had to write.
I grew up