Mar. 15, 2026

“BE HOPEFUL”

“WAGING WAR ON FOREIGN SOIL”

1 PETER 2:11-12

Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

God uses the things of this world to teach us we need to be aware of the world around us.

1 Peter 2:11-12 “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

*Three Things About Waging War:

1.  Our Position- We Are On Foreign Soil- 1 Peter 2:11

vs.11 “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims…”

A sojourner and pilgrim- one who lives where he has no legal rights.

1 Corinthians 2:13 “These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

1 Peter 1:17 “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear.”

Ephesians 2:19 “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”

Hebrews 11:13 “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”

“Strangers and pilgrims”-no legal rights here and just here for a short time.

Genesis 23:4 “I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

Abraham was a foreigner.

Leviticus 25:23 “The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me.”

Psalm 39:12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord, And give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers were.”

1 Peter 1:1 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.”

We as believers are just here for a short time.

Hebrews 11:8-10 “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

Hebrews 11:13, 16 “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 16But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

We are to be in the world but not of the world.

2.  Our Condition- 1 Peter 2:11

vs.11 “…abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”

The battlefield is the soul-its not the body.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We are called to “proclaim the praises of God.” Which is our purpose:

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Romans 12:1-2

Ephesians 4:22-24 “that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

The battleground is the mind of man.

Martin Luther said, “No matter how hard I fight or how dedicated I may be, if I am fighting on the wrong battlefield it doesn’t matter.”

vs.11 “…fleshly lusts…”- is Satans weapons.

Romans 7:23-24 “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

James 4:1 “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?”

Galatians 5:17-21

What are the lust waring against you? vs.19-21

3.  Our Intention- 1 Peter 2:11-12

1 Peter 2:11-12 “…abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

“Abstain-from fleshly lusts” vs.11

1 Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from every form of evil.”

*Just say no!

*Just say so! vs.12 “having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles…”

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Romans 6:10-14

vs.12 “…having your conduct honorable…”- being honest.

James 5:12 “But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.”

“Just say so”-just be honest.

Matthew 5:37 “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”

Ephesians 4:15 “but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head Christ.”

vs.12 “conduct”- or conversation- not just what we say but who your are and how you live.

“A man is as good as his word.”

Galatians 1:13 “For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.”

Ephesians 2:3 “among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”

1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

Philippians 3:20 “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

“What you see is what you get” that’s your conversation-

What’s the reason for this?-vs.12 “…they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

Just say no and just say so! Where others will see your good works and glorify God.