A few years ago, my daughter decided to take a self-defense class just for fun. Much to her surprise, she discovered she absolutely loved the kickboxing aspect of the class. Once the self-defense class was finished, she went on to continue taking kickboxing classes.
There are many different maneuvers one can use for self-defense – if you know what those maneuvers are.
This is why you go to self-defense classes. The whole reason to go is so that you can learn what the maneuvers are, and how to execute them.
But … simply learning what the maneuvers are, and the proper execution is not enough. You have to practice. Practice, practice, practice. You have to build up your muscle memory. You have to build up your endurance and stamina. You have to build up your strength.
This world we live in has both a physical, material, seen part; as well as a non-physical, unseen, spirit part.
As humans, we exist as two parts: we have a physical material body, and we have a non-physical immaterial soul/spirit.
Jesus Christ is the Great Creator of all things – both physical material things, as well as non-physical immaterial things.
“Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together.” – Colossians 1:15-17
Back at the beginning of time, one of the created angels (Satan/Lucifer) decided he did not want to worship and serve God … but rather he wanted to overthrow God and be worshipped as God instead. Satan led a coupe, drawing away 1/3rd of the angels of Heaven in a revolt to overthrow God.
“And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon [Satan], and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” – Revelation 12:7-9
“How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! [Satan] You have been cast down to the earth … You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain … I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.” – Isaiah 14:12-15
Jesus himself stated: “I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven.” – Luke 10:18
This world we live in is not just a physical material world. This world we live in has non-physical, unseen spirit beings roaming throughout the world.
“Woe to the earth … because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” – Revelation 12:12
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” – 1 Peter 5:8-9
To this day, to this very moment, Satan is still trying to overthrow God and claim worship for himself. He continually roams throughout the world, along with his hosts of demons [the fallen angels who were also kicked out of heaven in the great coupe] trying to take people captive, in their minds, to do his will.
2 Timothy 3:26 speaks of this: “… that people will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”
Proverbs 4:23 also warns of this: “Above all else, guard your heart [mind], for it is the wellspring of life.
Because Satan hates God … he therefore hates anyone who loves and follows God. Because Satan is trying constantly to overthrow and destroy God … he therefore is trying constantly to overthrow and destroy those who love and follow God.
If you love and follow Jesus Christ, you have a great enemy!
Satan’s entire goal is to: steal, kill, and destroy! Jesus speaks of this in John 10:9-10 – “Jesus said, ‘I am the gate [the gate to salvation, the gate to Heaven]; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
If we have entered through the “salvation gate” of Jesus Christ, Satan cannot steal our salvation. Our eternal destiny in Heaven is forever safe & secure. We are protected by Jesus Christ! (John 10:28-29)
But …
– Satan will try to steal our joy.
– Satan will try to steal our peace.
– Satan will try to kill our contentment … absolutely kill our contentment by comparison to others, or perhaps kill our contentment with overwhelming anxiety!
– Satan will try to destroy our relationships with each other … through anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, holding grudges, gossip, etc. etc. …
– Satan will try to destroy our unity with each other … through hate, dissention, bickering, quarrelling, slander, etc. etc. …
– Satan will try to steal our identity … by whispering lies in our head at our weakest, most vulnerable moments that we are unworthy, we are unlovable, we’ve messed up too bad, etc. etc. …
– Satan will try to kill & destroy our purpose in life … by whispering lies in our head that we don’t matter, we don’t have anything to offer in life, nobody cares about us, etc. etc.
Make no mistake … if you love and follow Jesus Christ, you have an enemy!
And so we come to the title of today’s blog post: “Church is like … a “spiritual self-defense” / ”spiritual kickboxing” class!”
If, as a follower of Jesus Christ, we have an enemy … then we for sure need to learn spiritual self-defense! We need to learn some “spiritual kickboxing”!
When Satan comes to try to take us captive in our mind, we need to know some “spiritual kickboxing” maneuvers to “kick Satan in the teeth!” (so to speak)
When Satan and his demons whisper lies in our head to try to take us captive … we need to know some spiritual self-defense maneuvers to get out of those demonic strongholds!
This is why we go to church! This right here is why we go to church!
Church is like a “spiritual self-defense” / “spiritual kickboxing” class!
It is at church we are trained and instructed in the different ways Satan & demons will try to take us captive. We need to know the moves the enemy is going to use to try to take us captive!
And we also need to know how to twist and break the stronghold! We need to know the stance of our feet, and how to bend over and kick to break free from that grip the enemy tries to get on us!
This is why we go to church! This is hugely important!
Someone who is a brand-new follower of Jesus Christ probably does not realize that as soon as they made the decision to follow Jesus Christ, Satan immediately declared war on them!
A brand-new follower of Jesus Christ has the Bible to read, which will give them a lot of help! But they also need the church! A brand-new follower of Jesus Christ needs to get plugged in to a local church! Because they don’t know what they don’t know.
In self-defense class, as well as kickboxing class, the instructor demonstrates the maneuver … then the class pairs off with a teammate to practice the moves. One teammate will grab the other with the stronghold … while the second teammate practices breaking free from the stronghold! Or, one teammate will provide resistance … while the second teammate practices kicking and punching!
This is what we do at church! This right here is what we do at church!
In the “Sermon” time of church our pastor is “demonstrating the spiritual self-defense maneuver.” We are receiving instruction. Then we pair off into small groups to practice what we have been taught.
It is in our small groups that we practice with each other breaking free from demonic strongholds! It is in our small groups that we provide “resistance” for each other, and we practice “spiritual punching & kicking” the enemy!
When the enemy whispers in our mind (at our weakest, lowest, most vulnerable moments): “You are such a loser. You will never conquer this addiction. No matter how many times you have tried before, you have failed. Might as well give up.”
Because of our “spiritual self-defense” / “spiritual kickboxing” class at church we can immediately break free from that stronghold with: “I belong to God! I am an overcomer! Greater is the One (God Himself!) who is in me than any demonic powers which are in the world! God will help me overcome this addiction! Get behind me Satan! Leave!” – 1 John 4:4
When the enemy whispers in our mind (at our weakest, lowest, most vulnerable moments): “You don’t matter. You are worthless. Nobody cares about you.”
Because of our “spiritual self-defense” / “spiritual kickboxing” class at church we can immediately break free from that stronghold with: “I am precious to God! God loves me! God is with me!”
God says: “You are precious and honored in my sight, I love you. … Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” – Isaiah 43:4-5
When the enemy whispers in our mind (at our weakest, lowest, most vulnerable moments): “You’re so unworthy! You are so unlovable. You have messed up too bad! There’s no hope for you.”
Because of our “spiritual self-defense” / “spiritual kickboxing” class at church we can immediately break free from that stronghold with: “God chose me! God loves me! I am not unworthy! I am not unlovable! I have not messed up too bad! There is still hope for me! God has a great purpose for me!”
God says: “I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” – John 15:16
God says: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” – Jeremiah 31:3
When the enemy whispers in our mind (at our weakest, lowest, most vulnerable moments): “You’re nobody. Your life doesn’t matter. Nothing you do matters. Might as well end it all.”
Because of our “spiritual self-defense” / “spiritual kickboxing” class at church we can immediately break free from that stronghold with: “God has great plans for me! God is going to do something amazing with my life! My life matters! My life has value! Get behind me Satan! Leave!”
“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, pans to give you hope and a future.’” – Jeremiah 29:11
If you have ever found yourself wondering: “What’s the point of church anyway?? Why bother??” …
Because we have an enemy! We have an enemy which is constantly on the prowl seeking to capture us in a vice-grip stronghold! We need “spiritual self-defense” / “spiritual kickboxing” classes!
This is why church!
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
