#94 S4 EP 14: The Art of Focus in Spiritual Struggle: Our Conversation that Takes Us On a Journey

We're gonna be talking about something real , yeah , yeah , we've talked about it before in past episodes , early when we first started , uh , the podcast . But , um , today we're gonna be talking about spiritual warfare . Your thoughts about it before we get deep into it .

We ask that the enemy be sent back into the pit of hell where it came from , for it has no power over us , but we have power over him . We ask these things all in Jesus name . We say thank you , we say amen , amen , alright .

You won't find them all , because I'm allowing myself some grace in regard to editing and all of that good old stuff , because it does require a bit of time . So you'll find some not all , but some . But other than that , you'll find our podcast episodes on our website , wwwgodsdiamondnet . Yeah , amen , wwwgodsdiamondnet .

You'll find all of our episodes , all four seasons , so make sure you check it out . God's diamonds dot . God's diamond dot net . You'll find all of our episodes , all four seasons , so make sure you check it out .

Yeah , and we got two guests that's going to be coming after we finish our part about it . But really talk about , I would would say , the I don't know . I just don't know how the spirit is going to lead us down this path , but we're just going to go with it . Um so , michael , will you , how would you define spiritual ?

Ephesians 6.10-20 describes spiritual warfare as being against the unseen worlds , the rulers , the mighty powers , the evil spirits and the authorities . That indicates that warfare is not physical but spiritual , and that's why I brought the question of who are you fighting ? Are you fighting against the enemy or are you fighting against God ?

You know , when we serve in Jesus , we have a heart to feed the spirit , and so you got to decide this Galatians teaches us who's going to lead . Is it going to be the spirit or the flesh ? Because at the end of the day , you're going to have to deal with both the spirit and the flesh .

And you know , I believe that that's where the warfare I'm talking about , the tangible , where we can actually see it happening is where it happens . It's in our spirit , in our flesh , and it becomes a mental thing .

But God can't complete his task until we get out of his way , if that makes sense .

Because at the end of the day , when you're talking about warfare , you gotta . When you're talking about it's like you know , when you're watching a movie , somebody you have to choose which side you're going to be on . And whichever side you're going to be on is the side that you stay on . You don't switch up in the middle of the battle .

You know that's which side you decide you're going to be on .

And I think that if you haven't decided whether or not you're going to be on the side of the spirit or the side of the flesh , then this is where you know you're kind of going back and forth and you know it's a flip side to that corn , because even when you've decided , it doesn't mean that the attack isn't going to come .

Can you break down what I'm saying ? You understand what I'm saying ? A ?

Yeah , and you know he ain't the only one that does it , because we all do it . You know what I mean . We are thinking about what we're going to say and we're not even listening what's being said , and so then we don't know how to respond . We don't respond correctly because we weren't listening , we were thinking , and so don't get caught up like that .

Yeah , don't get caught up , because again , it happens to all of us and it really is an intentional thing To be in a conversation with somebody . You must be intentional about listening , as intentional as you are about thinking .

You've got to be just as an intentional , just as intentional about listening , so you respond correctly and that your thoughts are aligned with what has been said . Amen , somebody take that . That was for somebody . Amen , that might have been for him and it's , it's easy .

It's just that easy to miss it .

We can be so busy trying to , you know , navigate and do what we're supposed to do that we stop focusing on the one who's guiding your steps . You know , you can stop focusing on Jesus and begin to focus on everything else and then call it I'm working for the Lord , but I ain't even got my eye on the one that's going to guide me .

You know that's an example of spiritual warfare , and when you find yourself in spiritual warfare , you got to know how to respond to the warfare .

And if you lose sight and lose focus , you'll wind up getting hurt more than being saved . It's like somebody's walking and not focusing on what they're doing and they walk out crossing the street . If they're not focused on the traffic that's coming up and down , they'll wind up getting hit by that car . I've never read that book .

One of the keys to winning the war I'm talking about spiritual things is focusing on the spirit .

It's very easy to be distracted by your flesh . It is , and again , this is for those who are trusting in God Amen .

I mean , it's not to say that this same conversation can't reach those who don't , but the reality is that God , he draws his people to him , is that God draws his people to him , and you know he uses his people to draw those who don't know him . You know we are all part of the light and if our light is dim , how can they see us ?

They can see us very slightly and they can come to us , but the lighter or the dimmer , the dimmer your light , the harder it is to see you and I'll be the first to admit the reason .

And when you lose focus , not only do you miss the conversation of what's being said , you can also miss the reason behind the distraction , because I was sitting here sipping on my cup of coffee and I like hot coffee , not room temperature coffee and that could have been God's way of saying that you're missing the reason why I'm getting you to drink the warm

coffee , because sometimes we get so focused and so stuck in our ways that we miss the things that God wants us to attend to and to receive , because we're worried about oh , it's too cold for me or it's not the way I like it .

Sometimes we have to go through things that we don't like to get where God wants us we're so focused on because it don't feel right . I'm not going to pay attention , if that makes sense .

Because it's easy to happen , it's easy and you know , I think that because our podcast is very much unscripted and it requires because it is unscripted , it requires us to listen to whoever's talking , whether it's me , me and him alone , or us and a guest , or me and and him alone , or us and a guest , or me and a guest , or him and a guest , or whatever .

It requires us to listen .

Because we're not listening , then , um , then we're not really going to do or we won't be purposeful , because we also have guests on here sometimes that are not listening and they begin to just run with whatever they're saying and then it just becomes it's like I don't know , sometimes it can become more preaching than like a , like a conversation , it's like it's

just them . Nobody else is in the room , you know , um , I think that , like , probably the host can be real guilty of that . I can be guilty of that sometimes , because , you know , the spirit gets going and it's like the spirit in me gets going and I have to force myself to stop . Some people don't know how to do that .

It's going on and on and on and it doesn't , it's not , it can become not what it's supposed to be . It's just like he said about the coffee same thing you can be set in your way and doing things your way that you miss what God want to do .

You know it relates back to something you said in one of your sermons , your preaches and teachings , and you can relate it to even people that don't believe in God , because , think about it , it revolves around relationship and if you're so not focused on what your spouse needs or your kids needs and your kids could be hurting if you don't pay that focus , that

attention of what they're going through , they'll wind up thinking that you don't love them . Same thing with your spouse .

If you don't pay attention to what your spouse is talking about I'm guilty , sometimes I don't hear what my wife is saying but at the same time , if you don't have that focus , that one-on-one relationship time with your spouse or your kids , even with God , you wind up missing the very key thing that you need to go to the next level , the next chapter in your

life , because it's a process .

Listening is a part of the next chapter in your life , because it's a process . Listening is a part of the process .

If you're not willing to follow the process , same on you If you're going to speak it like it is same on you , because we got to understand that the Word of God tells us , and just use an example in one of our very first episodes , ecclesiastes 3 . Everything has a purpose . That means part of the purpose is a process . Part of the process is the listening .

Part of the listening is the part of responding . Part of responding is to know what the process will begin with .

Listening is more of a fundamental thing than you realize , and you know not just your spouse , not just you know people that you see in your day , everyday life , but in the spirit . He needs you to stop talking and listen to him .

He needs you to stop talking and listen to him Because if you don't stop talking and listen to him , you will never , ever be able to discern his voice from the voice of the devil . Because , look , the reality is that our flesh will speak to us , as the spirit does .

You got to figure out which one is , which one is speaking , when it's speaking , and it requires , as he said , as michael said , amen , process , process . You serve a god of process .

And I was listening this time and it lined it up right with what I was thinking , but I was listening . You said you know , sometimes we want things to happen the very next night or the very next morning . You know his word says that . And get this . He says weeping may endure for a night , but joy come in the morning .

If you look at that scripture , it did not say what night that it might happen . It didn't say what morning it was going to happen . So we have to realize that the weeping might be today , your mourning might be a week later , but the process is taking place . The process is going to happen if if , if , if , if you let it .

That's why we hear that saying pray more , worry less yeah .

Jesus , the spirit invited , invited the devil , to go and visit Job . He said have you tried my servant Job ? Amen . And he probably said that about you . Have you tried my servant Catherine ? Have you tried my servant Michael ? He knows who you are Amen . He knows the struggles that you have . But you know , a good father teaches that are . Amen .

He knows the struggles that you have , but you know , a good father teaches their child Amen . He helps them to grow up to be the mature believers and mature men and women . This is what he does , amen . And so you got to know that . You know the attack ain't going to stop because it's uncomfortable for you .

The attack ain't going to come because you don't want it to happen . You know the attack ain't going to stop because it's hard , because it's difficult , because you're losing this , because you're losing that Amen . But the fact of the matter is he's growing you up , amen . He don't want you on milk for the rest of your life .

He wants you to grow up and be able to handle things like I would handle a whole meal . You know the meat , the potatoes and the vegetables and the dessert . Come on . Hallelujah , amen . Spiritual warfare doesn't mean that you've done everything wrong , but nine times out of ten because you're doing it right .

He says , finally my brethren , be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might , put on the whole armor of God that ye might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil .

You've got to rely and depend on the Lord as you go forth in the warfare . Whatever's going on in life , it's got to be in him . And he said it's something you've got to put on . You've got to be intentional about doing it the way God has taught you to do . You got to abide in his word .

He says that you might be able to stand against the wiles of death . He says things are going to come at you . He said protect yourself with him . He said protect yourself with him .

You should not be fighting against g god . You should not be fighting against your spouses or your children or against your brothers and sisters in christ . You shouldn't put the fight against the enemy . And he says verse 13 , 13, . He said Wherefore , take unto the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day .

And having done all to stand , he said take on the whole armor of God . You don't just go out there on the playing field in football with no helmet on , no shoulder pads on , but just a cleats . You take the whole uniform and put it on , so while you have bacon . Against God , against the enemy , he said put on a whole armor of God .

And having done all to stand , that means you gave your very best . You're doing everything you can in your own might to stand . He says he Can I say something yeah .

Well , you got to figure out well , what is darkness . When he says darkness , well , what does he mean ? How does he define darkness and evil ? It's anything against him . You know Anything that is against him , things like hatred him , things like hatred , things like things that's sourced in it . Like I'll just say , for example , hatred can be a route to slavery .

Hatred can be a route to police brutality . Hatred can be a route to police brutality . Hatred can be a route to a racial slur . Hatred can be a route to physical abuse . Hatred can be the route to human trafficking . Hatred can be the route to something that is happening . So when you speak to the head of the thing , the bottom will fall apart .

Okay , because as long as the root is there , the thing can still exist . Jesus , as long as the root is alive , then you can get rid of the separation , you can get rid of the human trafficking .

You can get rid of all of those things , but if you don't kill the root , get rid of the root then the other things will come back and it'll come back even harder . So it'll stay and have more of an effect than it had before . It's like getting rid of smoking without getting rid of the desire .

Okay , if the desire isn't gone , you can get rid of the smoking for a time . But if you don't replace something to kill the root of it , then eventually it will come back and it's going to come back to three times stronger . So it'll stay a little bit longer and have a worse of an effect than it had before it left the first time .

Do you understand what I'm saying ? If you don't get rid of the root or he says , he says the rulers if you don't get rid of the head , then the rest of it's going to come back . Even if it disappears , it's going to come back because it still has some kind of authority .

And that's what we need to take . We need to cut the head off of these , these things that's troubling us in life so we can live more abundantly . So we're going to stop right there , can we ?

and then , like I said before , we're going to have two more for what we've interviewed , and they're going to talk to us about things that they've had to deal with , things they've encountered in spiritual warfare .

We are excited and we hope that this brings some type of awareness that this is very real , that what you've experienced , what you've seen , what you are comprehending right now , yes , it is spiritual warfare and God is going to speak to it , amen . So that's my final word .

That's why it's so key to get into his word for yourself . Don't rely on man to teach you , but let the spirit teach you , and that spirit is the word of God .

We pray God , that you'll just continue just to touch everyone who comes and be and is a part of this podcast , who listens God faithfully . We pray God , the blessings of the Lord will be upon them . We shout out Julie . We shout out those who listen every single week .

We thank you so much for sending them , God , and I just pray that you'll continue to allow us to be a light for you and a light for them . I hope that we just thank you so much and we bless your name , we bless your people . We pray that this prayer is pleasing in your sight . Jesus Christ's name , we do pray , Amen , Amen . And a man .