UNDERSTANDINGWARFARE(ComplexityofWarfare)ExpandedinsightsfromGrahamTaylorsMessage OurSupremePurpose:ToestablishGodswillforhumanity(Eccl12:13,Heb10:7) TheenemysPurpose:Tosteal,killanddestroy(Jn10:10) Complexitywearemovingtomatureunderstanding,awayfromxtianitybyclichsHeb6:13 1. ThereismorethanoneenemyEx23:23,2730 a. Advancewillbelittlebylittlev30.Why?Becausethewildanimalswillbetoomuch(theyarethe otherenemyinthebackground) b. Deut7:2122=>Thisindicatestheenemyisnotthereasonthingsseemslow.Godhimselfslowed theprocessdown,notbecauseoftheobviousenemy(Canaanites),butcosofthewildanimals (lurkinginthebackground). 6PRINCIPLESofWARFARE Ascarriersofaccuratepresenttruth(areformationpeople),wearecommissionedbyGodprimarilyto defeatwrongconceptsandreligioustraditionsthatmasqueradeasthefaithinpeoplesminds(Canaanites thedeclaredenemy),andbringaboutanaccurateunderstandingofthefaithinpeoplesminds. Thereisanotherenemyinthebackgroundwhichneedstobekeptundercontrolthewildanimals.

mals.Canaan isnotheaven.Canaanistheearth,i.e.thisage(therearenothreatsinheaven) Untilyoucanofferasolidalternative,youcannotdeclaretheoldasobsolete Theenemysenemyisnotyourfriend.ThewildanimalsattackedtheCanaanites.Therearecertainthings thatwillattackboththetruthandfalseformsofthefaith. o 2Chro16:16KingAsa(ofJudah)alignedwithhisenemysenemy(KingofSyria).Itlookedlikeagreat idea. o ThePropheticbroughtGodsviewofthematter,andpiercedthroughperformancesandshallow successtorevealdivineintent(2Chro16:714)v9Heartconditionisuppermost o HowIslamcametoEgypt(NorthAfricausedtobepredominantlyChristian.Oneoftwofighting factionsofxtianitymadeatreatywiththeIslamicarmytodefeattheotherfaction.Oncetheycame in,thatwastheendofxtianityinNorthAfrica). Strengthisrequiredtodefeatthedeclaredenemy,butmoreimportantly,todefeatthebackgroundenemy (wildanimals).Ex23:30 o E.g.Gaymarriages(wildanimals)isopposedbyeventheunreformedchurch.Anunreformedchurch canalsoserveadivinepurposeforawhile. o SaulvsDavid(apictureoftruechurchvsfalsechurch),butSaul(unreformedchurch)wasalsostill fightingthephilistines(wildanimals). o SomeoftheCanaanitesgotsaved(e.g.Rahabwhobecameaherooffaith)butnoneofthewild animalsgotsaved. WhatdoWILDANIMALSdo?(Thesearespiritualforcesinthebackground,notimpureformsofthefaith) e.g.BokoHaraminNorthernNigeria o Lev26:2122Theytakeawaythenextgeneration,theyaretotallyantiGod,theyremoveyourability toinfluence.Thefaithbecomeslargelyignoredormocked.Thattypicallydescribesmanypartsof ourworldtoday. 2. Theremustbediscernmentofrightandwrongalliances.Somelookgoodonsurface,butarebad.Somelook bad,butaregood. a. Ez4:13Therewasanofferofalliancebysocalledsenior/experiencedpeoplethatclaimedtoknow God,butGodspeoplediscernedandrejected. b. 1Kings5:1,7:1314Thetemplerepresentsthechurch.Consultantsfromoutsidehelpedbuildthe templei.e.church.ThiswaspossiblyneededcostherewasnooneinIsrael(intheChurch)whohad

thatkindofskill.Onthesurface,youwouldcondemnthis,butitwasfromGod.(e.g.PojuOyemade bringspeoplefromsocietytobuildGodspeople). c. ExampleAbrahamGen14:13,2123Hewasalliedtotheamorites/lot,sohefoughtforthem,but herejectedanykindofrelationshipwiththekingofSodomafterthebattle. d. Example2Chro17:15Jehoshaphatdidwellatinception.Hefirstfollowedtruth,nottradition.In 2Chro18:1healliedwithAhab.Thepropheticcametocorrecthimin2Chro19:12.Wealignbased onheartcondition.EventhoughHiramwasaheathen,hehadtherightheart.1King5:7 3. Wemustnotconfuseprincipleswithtradition a. JehoshaphatalignedwithAhabbasedonsentimentandtradition,ratherthanbyheartandthe demandsofthepresentday.Youcannotsacrificetruthforunity.Truthisthebasisforunity.He repentedbutalliedagainwithAhaziahin2Chro20:35.Hecouldnotbreakoffthemindset.The propheticcameagaintocondemnhim2Chro20:37 b. 2Chro21:34Hislovefortraditionledtolossyetagain.HegaveJehoramthekingdomcauseofthe 1stborntradition.Heobservedtradition,insteadoflookingattheheart.Thatledtodisaster.David madeSolomonking(butSolomonwasnotthe1stborn).JehoramwentaheadtomarryAhabs daughter c. ThePhariseespiritatheartisaconfusionofheartwithprinciple.Mark7:13Jesussaidthey nullifiedthewordthrutraditions.Theyperceiveincorrectly,becausetheyfeeltraditionisprinciple. i.e.Theyhavenotreceivedrevelationfromtheword. d. Thediscomfortoftheflesh,oramysticalgeelingdoesnotalwaysindicatethepromptingofthe Spirit.Tohaveanaccuratelyinformedconscience,youneedrevelationfromthewordandasolid mindthatcanthinkissuesthrough(themindofChrist). 4. Wemustdiscernbetweenwhatwecanacceptfromtheworld,andwhattoreject/repudiate. Sometimes,wecanlearnfromtheworld,butmosttimes,weresisttheworld. a. Matt8:510Centurionhepickedaprinciplefromauthoritypatternsintheworld,andbyinference explainedhowitworkedinthespiritualrealm. b. Matt20:2528Onthesameissueofauthority,Jesussaysdonttaketheexampleoftheworld system.Dotheopposite. c. Whenweinteractwiththeworld,(movies,songs,..e.t.c)wemustcontinuallyscreenandsiftbythe WORD,whattoacceptandwhattoreject.However,therearemanysubliminalmessagesthatthe enemytriestointroduceinthemidstofagenerallygoodvalue.(itspartofwarfare) d. Jer51:2426donotusethestonesofBabylon(principlesofBabylon)asyourfoundation. 5. Issuesoftiming: WhenGodgivesacommand,whendoweobey? a. SometimeswedoinstantlyWhenGodaskedJosephandMarytoleaveEgypt,theyleftinthe middleofthenightinstantly!Matt2:1314,DavidandAbigail1Sam25:3234 b. SometimesitrequireswaitingJericho7days,Gen15:16GodtoldAbrahamthesonsofIsrael wouldnotcomeouttillthesinsofAmoriteswasfull(anactivitythatisnotdependentonIsrael). Someissuesoftimingaretotallyoutsideourcontrol.GodissovereignandHeworksatmanylevels 6. Avoidunnecessarybattles a. 2Chro35:2021JosiahwenttofightaheathenKingwhowasonanotherassignmentcommissioned byGod.Josiahwouldnotlisten,andaonetimemistakekilledhim.Hedidnotrecognizethevoiceof Godbecauseitcamefromaheathenking.(Jeremiahwasaroundatthistime.Nowordcamefroma recognizedprophetatthistime).GodchosetospeakthroughPharaoh.BepreparedtohearGod speakthroughunconventionalmeans.Thekeyrequirementisdiscernment.

b. Rom12:1719Liveatpeaceasmuchasispossibleunlesswhenitmeanscompromise.Rom14:19 Dowhatleadstopeaceandmutualedification.Avoidstrife. c. Dan1:816Danielnegotiatedwithoutconfrontation.Youcanavoidstrifewithoutsacrificing principle. d. Sometimes,youhavetofacedirectconfrontationDanielandtheLions,The3Hebrewkids. 7. AbsolutedependenceupontheLord a. Rom8:26Prayerdoesnotrefertoaseparatesegmentoflife.Prayerreferstoaccesstothe guidancesystemforalloflife.AbsolutedependenceupontheguidancesystemoftheSpirit. AdetayoBamiduro bamtayo@gmail.com @adetayobamiduro(Twitter)