TAKING GROUND - Opposition In The Soul


Philippians 3:12–14 (NIV) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Following Jesus is a Journey, leading you to Taking Ground, one step at a time in your 

  • Discipleship

  • Relationships

  • Ministry

  • Career

  • Community

  • Talents/Giftings

  • Finances

  • Etc.

This concept is:

  • Mirrored in Adam’s charge to take dominion over Earth

  • Mirrored in the Promise/Command to Abraham

  • Mirrored in the Moses’ Exodus from Egypt

  • Mirrored in Joshua’s push into Canaan

  • Mirrored in the building of the Temple and the OT Kingdom

  • Declared in New Testament in Kingdom of Heaven Teaching:  

    • John 1:43 (ESV) The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”

    • Matthew 13:44 (ESV) “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

    • Philippians 3:12–14 (NIV) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.


SOUL (Mind, Will & Emotions) Opposition to Taking Ground

  • Not an enemy without, but an enemy within

  • Often difficult to see

  • Deceptive in nature

  • Often a deeply rooted enemy in your experience, your relief system, your character, your auto-responses, your identity, the voices in your head,.


Fortunately, we have the Holy Spirit leading us on this journey…

  • John 16:13 (ESV) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

  • Mirrored by the Pillar and the Angel that went with Moses

  • Mirrored by the Angel of the Army that met Joshua

OPPOSITION IN THE SOUL: Grumbling

Complaining that echoes the unthankfulness of the soul

Exodus 16:1–3 (ESV) They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.  And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,  and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

  • lun (534a); a prim. root; to murmur:—growl(1), grumble(4), grumbled(7), grumbling(2), making(1).

1 Corinthians 10:9–13 (ESV) We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents,  nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.  Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.  Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.


There is one to complain to - THE LORD!

Complaining to others poisons you, them, your atmosphere and your future

  • Psalm 102:title–11 (ESV) A PRAYER OF ONE AFFLICTED, WHEN HE IS FAINT AND POURS OUT HIS COMPLAINT BEFORE THE LORD.  Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry come to you!  Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call!  For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace.  My heart is struck down like grass and has withered; I forget to eat my bread.  Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my flesh.  I am like a desert owl of the wilderness, like an owl of the waste places;  I lie awake; I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.  All the day my enemies taunt me; those who deride me use my name for a curse.  For I eat ashes like bread and mingle tears with my drink,  because of your indignation and anger; for you have taken me up and thrown me down.  My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass.

  • Psalm 120:1 (ESV) In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.

  • Deuteronomy 26:7–8 (ESV) Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.  And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders.



OPPOSITION IN THE SOUL: Fear/Anxiety/Unbelief

Fear/Anxiety/Unbelief - allowing the physical to eclipse the promise of God

Deuteronomy 20:1-4 ESV When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.

We overcome by fixing our eyes on Jesus! Hebrews 12:1–2 (NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Isaiah 43:1–7 (ESV)  But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”


Steve ParrishComment