1. Wild At Heart Chapter 9 A Battle to Fight: The Strategy “…If you do not face up to the enemy in all his dark power, then the enemy will come up from behind some dark day and destroy you why you are facing the other way” Frederick Buechner William Gurnall Quote 157

2. The invasion of France and the end of WWII actually began the night before. Paratroopers Alone or in small groups, they moved through the dead of night across a country they have never been in order to fight and enemy they could not see or predict. D-day story 158 This is a perfect picture of many churches today when it comes to the topic of spiritual warfare We usually believe it happens to others more dangerous than us, if at all.

3. Stage One: “I’m not here” This is the Enemy’s first line of attack “I’m not here-this is all just you” You can’t fight a battle you don’t think exists Screwtape letters 159 “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, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings” 1 st Peter 5:8

4. What is Peter assuming about your life in this passage? You are under spiritual attack Hw is talking to Christians What does he warn you to do? Resist the devil Fight back Take a stand Armor of God

5. The enemy counts on our not giving him credit, he feeds off of misunderstanding an injured pride. John’s fellow ministry story page 160 When you ignore the enemy he wins He simply loves to blame everything on us, get us feeling hurt, misunderstood, suspicious, and resentful of one another. In military strategy one of the first things you must do is take out the opposing army’s line of communication.

6. The Evil One does this all the time in ministries, relationships, and especially in marriages between couples. Why does He attack marriages so hard? Because marriage is a stunning picture of what God offers His people. When man and woman come together as one they complete both images of God. The enemy knows this and he hates it with every ounce of his malicious heart. So just like in the garden Satan comes into try to divide and conquer.

7. John and Stasi’s feelings of blowing it. If neither one of them was sending the message than who was? Most of all the Enemy tries to break communication with headquarters (God) What happens when you commit yourself to prayer every morning for two weeks? 161 “Sometimes there is nothing to obey, the only thing to do is to maintain a vital connection with Jesus Christ, to see that nothing interferes with that” Oswald Chambers

8. Next the enemy uses propaganda Tokyo Rose He is constantly putting his spin on things “ accuser of our brethren” Revelations 12:10 Think of what you hear when you feel you really blew it is it “you’re such an idiot” You’re a dumb---” What do you hear? What do you notice You’re If it it wasn’t accusation you would hear “I” John’s Wild at Heart speaking story

9. Christ was hit by the same accusations three times by the enemy “If” Luke 4:1-13 Brad, Craig and John’s accusations 162 So long as a man remains no real threat to the enemy, Stan’s line to him is “you are fine”, but after you take sides, his message becomes “your heart is bad and you know it” The enemy’s other ploy in this strategy is to probe the perimeter looking for weakness. Looking on how he can take you out.

10. Satan will throw a thought or a temptation at us in hopes that we we will swallow it. He knows your story, knows what works with you and so the line is tailor made to your situation. John’s prayer time 163 When Satan probes make no agreements, if we make an agreement, if something in your heart says “yeah you are right”, he will then pour it on. Beautiful woman story 163 The enemy does not start every fire but is waiting with the gas can. Simple issues escalate to unbelievable places

11. All the time we continue to believe we are blowing it, we’re to blame and the Enemy lughs at us because we have swallowed the lie “I’m not here, it just you” How can we fight him on this?

12. Hanging on tho the Truth 163 When we are under attack we need to hang on to the truth. Dodge the blow, block it with stuborn refusal, slash back with what is true. Hos did Christ answer Satan? He did not argue wit him He did not reason with him He simply stood on the truth, He answered with scripture, and we have to do the same. But the enemy is ruthless he not only throws thoughts but feelings, dark house, check out line

13. When these occur it is when your strength is revealed and even increased through excersise. Stand on what is true and do not give in, even when the traitor inside wants to. Proverbs 4:23 This does not mean “lock up your heart because you can not trust it” It means to “defend it like a castle, the seat of your strength, you do not want to give away” “Yet we must be watchful at the beginning of the temptation, for this is when the enemy is more easily overcome” Kempis Beat him back at the gate not at the door to our hearts- Brave heart clip

14. Stage Two: Intimidation 165 Stasi’s depression The Enemy, once discovered, usually doesn’t just roll over and go away without a fight. Even Jesus sometimes had to use a stern voice or had to get more information to take them on. Luke 8:26-33 If Jesus had to get tough don’t you think we will have to as well “Firm in the faith’ Stasi’s story revisited

15. When we begin to question the enemy, to resist his lies, to see his hand in the “ordinary trials” of our lives, then he steps up the attack, he turns to intimidation and fear Does this feel creepy to you? Why does Satan go to this extent? Because he fears you Yes you You are a huge threat to him, he does not want you to wake up and fight back, because when you do he loses. He tries to keep you from taking a stand.

16. The thoughts come crashing in, all stuff begins to fall apart, your life, your faith seems paper thin. Why do so many pastor’s kids fall off the deep end? Churches split or die out? Why do things get so hard? Why does everything at work seem to fall apart when you are making some advances at home or vise versa? Because the Evil One is striking first hoping you will turn tail and run. He can’t win We have nothing to fear, but fear itself” FDR

17. God is with us 167 Josh:1:6-7,9 Joshua’s story- God was with him 167 Jerimiah had God with him Jesus had God with Him 168 “I am always with you, even to the end of the age” Matthew 28:20 “I will not leave or forsake you” Hebrews 13:5 This does not mean He is simply beside us, it means He will fight for us, with us, just as He has fought for His people before us.

18. As long as we walk with Christ, staying in Him, we have nothing to fear. Satan tries to appeal to the traitor’s commitment to self preservation when he uses fear and intimidation. As long as we continue to look out for number one and try to save our own skin, his tactics will work. The opposite is also true When a man resolves to become a warrior, when his life is given over to a transscendent cause, then he can’t be cowed by the big bad wolf trying to blow his house down. How did the saints overcame the enemy? Revelations 12:11

19. “All men die, few men ever really live” William Wallace G. K Chesterton quote on courage 168

20. Stage Three: Cutting a Deal 169 After we have resisted deception and intimidation, the enemy will try to get us to cut a deal. End of Days clip So many men have been bought off in one way or another Christian leaders sex scandal/boredom stories 170 When did King David fall? 170 William Gurnall quote 170-171

21. The Weapons of War 171 Time with God. Not just discipline or routine, but connecting with God You can do this many ways –Prayer –Study –Listen to Music –Time in nature –Exercise –Silence and solitude The point is to do whatever brings your heart back to the heart of God.

22. This is vital We are history if we don’t What do you do to connect to God? John’s story about time with God 171 If we do not have God and have Him deeply we will turn to other lovers. Maurice Roberts quote 172 The ability to discipline ourselves is there, even thought it may be dormant. Robert Bly quote 172

23. Against the Evil one we need to wear the Armor of God How many Christian’s really know what to do with this passage? It literally means God has armor for you to wear against this unseen enemy. How can we claim the armor? 173-174 Daily Prayer When we walk in the authority of Christ, do not attack in anger, do not swagger forth in pride. You will get nailed. We have been given and need God’s authority against the enemy. Matthew 28:18, Col. 2:10

24. Rebuke the enemy in your name and he laughs, rebuke him in the name of Christ and he flees!!! Do not go into this battle alone, take at least one man with you. “Men find it hard to accept that they need the fellowship of other men” David Smith Not accountability groups but fellow warriors to fight alongside and watch our back. The whole crisis in masculinity today has come because we no longer have a warrior culture, a place for men to learn to fight like men. We don’t need a meeting of really nice guys, but a gathering of really dangerous men.

25. We need men to whom we can bear our souls, but it can’t happen with men you do not trust, who really are not willing to go to battle with you. Look at the devotion of men who have gone to battle together. It will never be a large group, but rather a “Band of Brothers” willing to shed their blood with us.

26. Honor Wounds 176 You will be wounded, and the wounds a man can take in this battle are more ugly than ones in a firefight. It is bad to loose your leg, but nothing compared to loosing heart A piece of shrapnel may not ruin your sould but guilt and shame can. You will be wounded by the Enemy. He knows the wounds of your past, and he will try to wound you again in the same place. These wounds are different, they are honor wounds.

27. “It is an honor to be wounded in the service of the Lord” Rick Joyner Blaine’s scars 176 We have no equivalent now for a Purple Heart of spiritual warfare, but we will. “The kingdom of Heaven suffers violence” said Jesus, “and violent men take it by force” Matthew 11:12 Contrast this with “the kingdom of Heaven is open to passive, wimpy men who enter it by lying on the couch and watching TV” Masculine aggression for God is a good thing Things will get fierce, that is why we have a fierce heart. We will need every once of forcefulness and passion we have got.

28. Next time Chapter 10 A beauty to rescue.