"Open Heaven, Open Warfare"
Pastor Albert Almore
“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.””
Matthew 16:13-14
“He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.””
Matthew 16:15-16
“Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:17-18
“And I WILL GIVE YOU THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.””
Matthew 16:19
Jesus told Peter…
I WILL GIVE YOU THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN…
Keys open things. This key that Peter just obtained, OPENED HEAVEN and all of its resources unto Peter. Surprisingly this story goes on to say in verse 21,
“From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”
Matthew 16:21
“Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!””
Matthew 16:22
“But He turned AND SAID TO PETER, “GET BEHIND ME, SATAN! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.””
Matthew 16:23
Peter went from Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, to Jesus saying to Peter, “GET BEHIND ME, SATAN! You are an offense to Me all in 6 short verses.
How did this happen? How do you go from an open heaven to this? Why the sudden change. I’ll tell you why…
📝 An OPEN HEAVEN often attracts OPEN WARFARE.
The moment that Peter received the keys to the Kingdom, the moment that Peter gained access to an OPEN HEAVEN, literally all hell began to break loose in his life. Up into this point everything was fine, everything was dandy, but the minute that Jesus gave Peter the keys to his future and access to this OPEN HEAVEN, all hell broke loose in his life!
📝 The attack has come not just because of where you’ve BEEN, but mostly because of where you’re GOING.
You’re going somewhere and the devil doesn’t like it. You’re going somewhere and hell can’t stop it!
Opposition will ARISE but opposition will FALL because all of heaven is backing. There is no HELL that HEAVEN can’t conquer! This is why Jesus said the gates of hell shall not prevail! 1 Peter 4:12 puts it like this…
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 1 Peter 4:12
Think it not strange! When you signed up to follow Jesus, you didn’t sign a peace treaty, you signed up for war. Paul himself understood this. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:9,
“For a GREAT and EFFECTIVE door has OPENED to me, and there are many adversaries.”
I Corinthians 16:9
because a door of great OPPORTUNITY stands WIDEOPEN for me, but there are many OPPONENTS.
I Corinthians 16:9
Have you ever been there before?
I’m doing a great work but it’s hard. I’m being effective on one side, but inflicted on the other. Every time I take two steps forward, I get knocked three steps back.
I’m learning more and more, on this side of heaven…
📝 Opportunities, opposition, and opponents will always COEXIST.
Let me say it like this…
OPEN HEAVEN OPEN WARFARE
That’s our message title for today….
OPEN HEAVEN OPEN WARFARE
📝 When it comes to spiritual warfare, we’re called to be AWARE but not AFRAID.
We need to be INFORMED but not INTIMIDATED. Thought number one for today….
📝 Embrace the REALITY of spiritual warfare.
It’s been quoted before and I quote,
“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”
Some say we give the devil too much credit and that everything isn’t the devil. I understand and I respect that school of thought, but be careful with that. Why else would Paul write it in II Corinthians 2:11,
“lest Satan should take advantage of us; for WE ARE NOT IGNORANT OF HIS DEVICES.”
II Corinthians 2:11
Jesus himself had this to say about him in John 8:44,
“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING…”
John 8:44
Two chapters over Jesus says this about the devil…
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…
John 10:10
Many believe that Revelation 12 is the prequel to Genesis. Revelation 12:7-8 reads,
“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.”
Revelation 12:7-8
“So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
Revelation 12:9
Genesis 3:1 picks up by saying,
The snake was SNEAKIER THAN ANY of the other wild animals that the LORD God had made. Genesis 3:1
Another translation reads,
“Now the serpent was MORE CRAFTY than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?””
Genesis 3:1
When the Lord encountered him in the book of Job, Job 1:7 reads,
“The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.””
Job 1:7
To this Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:8,
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR.”
1 Peter 5:8
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12
Jesus’s ministry kicked off by going head up with the devil in the wilderness. Jesus’s ministry kicked off by going head up with demons IN THE CHURCH! Mark 1:23-24 reads,
“Just then a man in their synagogue who was POSSESSED by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!””
Mark 1:23-24
““Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.”
Mark 1:25-26
Embrace the reality of spiritual warfare. We’re not called to be AFRAID, but we are called to be AWARE.
📝 Embrace you POSITION in warfare.
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20
My position is IN HIM, the victorious one, who conquered Satan, death, hell, and the grave!
My position is IN HIM who declared in Luke 10:18-19,
“And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
Luke 10:18-19
My position is IN HIM 2 Corinthians 5:17…
“Therefore if any man be IN CHRIST, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
My position is IN HIM Ephesians 2:10…
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew IN CHRISTJesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Ephesians 2:10
My position is IN HIM Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are IN CHRISTJesus. Romans 8:1
My position is IN HIM I Corinthians 15:57….
“But thanks be to God, who GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.”
I Corinthians 15:57
We’re not fighting from BEHIND, we’re fighting from AHEAD. We’re not fighting from UNCERTAINTY, we’re fighting from CERTAINTY. We’re not fighting FOR VICTORY, we’re fighting FROM VICTORY. We’re not fighting to see the OUTCOME, we’ve already OVERCOME!
The fight is fixed. The work is finished. As we walk out this finished work…
📝 Embrace your ARMOR for warfare.
📝 The only way to STAND against the devil’s SCHEMES is by standing in the whole ARMOR OF GOD.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against THE DEVIL’S SCHEMES.”
Ephesians 6:10-11
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Ephesians 6:13
Paul is trying to tell us in his conclusion to try church at Ephesus…
📝 In order to WIN in the spirit you must be DRESSED in the spirit.
“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;”
Ephesians 6:14-15
“above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;”
Ephesians 6:16-17
And as you walk this finished walk out, don’t forget to walk IN HIS NAME! John 1:12…
But to all who did receive him, WHO BELIEVED IN HIS NAME, he gave THE RIGHT to become children of God, John 1:12
By His Name I’ve been given the right to victory. By His Name I’ve been given the right to the joy of the Lord. By His Name I’ve been given the right to a peace that passes all understanding.
By His Name I’ve been given the right to an open heaven. Open Heaven, Open Warfare, BUT BY HIS NAME we win, we win, we win!!!
But to all who did receive him, WHO BELIEVED IN HIS NAME, he gave THE RIGHT to become children of God, John 1:12
WHEN’S THE LAST TIME YOU CALLED ON HIS NAME?
At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow….
HE’S THE GOD OF POSSIBLE.