Ignite Church

“Built by God, Targeted by Hell”
Fight for the Family

Nehemiah 4:14
“Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

1. God Established the Family

Genesis 2:24
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

The family is not a cultural invention.
It is a divine institution.

Psalm 127:1
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”

God must be the foundation of the home. Parents must build on the foundation of Christ. If God is not the center/foundation of your home, it’s vanity.

The enemy hates whatever reflects God’s order.
If marriage reflects Christ and the church…
If children are a heritage from the Lord…
If the home is where faith is cultivated…
Then the family becomes and is - a spiritual battlefield.

2. The Enemy Attacks What God Establishes

In Eden
Adam and Eve sinned…
blame entered the home, (she made me do it.)
shame entered the home,
division entered the home.
Then Cain killed Abel.
Sin fractured the family unit immediately.

Pharaoh Attacked the Children
Pharaoh ordered Hebrew baby boys killed because the enemy feared what the next generation could become.
The enemy often targets children and future generations.
This speaks to why the pagans had child sacrifice (Molech, Baal, Chomesh) – we’re still doing it today. This is a tactic of the enemy to stop the next generation – a generation that would worship God.

Herod Attacked Children at Jesus’ Birth
Herod the Great attempted to destroy the promised Savior by destroying children.
The enemy attacks potential.
He attacks destiny.
He attacks legacy.

Modern-Day Attacks on the Family

division,
busyness,
addiction,
pornography,
bitterness,
confusion,
fatherlessness,
compromise,
distraction,
spiritual apathy.
The enemy knows:
If he can divide the home,
he can weaken generations.

John 10:10
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…”

The enemy wants to:
steal peace,
kill unity,
destroy marriages,
destroy identity,
destroy legacy.

But Jesus said:
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

3. We Cannot Be Passive — We Must Fight for Our Families

Nehemiah 4:14
“Fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

Families do not drift toward godliness accidentally. It’s work! It means fighting our adversary!
Healthy marriages require fighting for.
Children require fighting for.
Purity requires fighting for.
Unity requires fighting for.

How Do We Fight?
A. Fight Through Prayer
Pray over:
your spouse,
your children,
your home,
your future generations.
Some battles cannot be won through arguments.
They are won in prayer.

Job 1:4-5 NLT
“Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.”
Job regularly prayed for his children.
Parents must become spiritual watchmen over their homes.

B. Fight Through God’s Word

Deuteronomy 6:7-9 NLT
“Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

The home should not just be entertained.
It should be discipled.
We cannot expect culture to raise godly children.
Parents must:
speak scripture,
model faith,
worship together,
prioritize church,
and create spiritual habits. (Even when the kids don’t want to)

C. Fight Through Unity and Forgiveness
The enemy loves division.
He wants:
offense,
resentment,
silence,
bitterness.

But families survive when people choose:
grace,
humility,
repentance,
forgiveness,
communication,
and love.

Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

D. Fight By Refusing Compromise

Joshua 24:15
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
There must be homes that stand for God.
Even when culture changes…
Even when values shift…
Even when compromise becomes popular…
We must decide:
“My house belongs to God.”

4. God Can Restore What the Enemy Attacked

Some people hear messages about family and feel pain:
broken relationships,
prodigal children,
divorce,
wounds,
regret.

The gospel is about restoration.
God restores:
marriages,
parents,
children,
generations,
hearts,
homes.

Malachi 4:6
“He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers…”
The enemy brings division.
God brings reconciliation.

Final Declaration
“We will not surrender our homes to the enemy.
We will pray for our children.
We will protect unity.
We will stand on God’s Word.
We will fight for our families.”

TONIGHT!
Invitation to join for prayer @ 5pm.