Podcast Summary: The Church of Eleven22 – Because He Lives – Worship is War: Wk 1

Date: September 14, 2025
Host: Pastor Joby Martin
Theme: Launch of the “Worship is War” series, exploring how worship serves as a battleground for spiritual warfare and centers believers on the victory of Jesus Christ—anchored in the classic song “Because He Lives.”

Episode Overview

In this episode, Pastor Joby Martin kicks off a new sermon series, "Worship is War," focusing on the spiritual reality behind Christian worship. Citing both scripture and the context of the well-known song “Because He Lives,” he teaches that worship is not a passive activity but a declaration of victory over evil—a vital practice in the Christian battle against darkness. The sermon is rooted in recent events, both tragic and hopeful, and concludes with a call to baptism.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Worship as Spiritual Warfare

• Opening Call to Worship: Pastor Joby invites the congregation to prepare for an extended service culminating in baptisms (00:01).
• Unpacking the Theme:
  • “Worship is war.” (00:30)
  • Using 2 Corinthians 10:4, he explains that Christian warfare is not against people, but against spiritual darkness, and that worship is one of the primary battlegrounds.
  • “When we worship, we go to war.” (02:30)
• Men in Worship: Pastor Joby challenges men specifically, invoking Paul’s command that “men lift holy hands,” and connects this to spiritual resilience and leadership (03:40).

2. Origin and Nature of Spiritual Enemy

• Biblical Backstory:
  • He thoroughly teaches about Satan’s origin, referencing Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14—Satan as a fallen worship leader whose pride led to rebellion (08:00-17:30).
  • “The devil got tired of being looked through and wanted to be looked to.” (16:50)
• Implications for Today:
  • Satan is described as a thief who “comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.”
  • The reality of spiritual warfare is reinforced: “Just because our warfare is spiritual doesn’t mean it’s not actual.” (07:45)

3. Contemporary Evil and Christian Response

• Current Events: Cites recent acts of evil (Ukrainian girl’s stabbing, school shootings), but places particular emphasis on the assassination of Charlie Kirk, framing it as an act of evil because of his Christian witness (22:00-26:45).
  • “Any person that celebrates that man’s death… it’s evil.” (26:30)
• Perspective on Suffering: Connects these contemporary events to timeless spiritual battle. “It’s the same demons, just new days.” (21:45)

4. The Christian Position: Victory in Christ

• Why We Worship:
  • Worship is a declaration that “we win,” not based on circumstances but because of Christ’s finished work and resurrection (29:00-30:45).
  • Uses a football game analogy (watching a replay knowing the victorious outcome) to make this point vivid and relatable (30:45-32:20).
  • “We win. And you may say… ‘it doesn’t look like we’re winning right now’… but I’ve read to the end of the book. We win.” (32:10)
• Baptism as Victory Declaration:
  • Explains that baptism is a public marker, renouncing darkness and pledging allegiance to Christ (34:30-35:45).
  • “A baptism is a dividing line in the sand… you are identifying yourself with the winning team forever and ever and ever.” (35:10)

5. “Because He Lives”—History and Heart of the Hymn

• History of the Song: Shares how Gloria Gaither wrote “Because He Lives” in 1971 during a time of social upheaval and personal anxiety about bringing a child into an uncertain world (37:40-42:20).
  • “She looks down at the baby growing in her belly and she’s like, I’m terrified. Sound familiar? Same demons, new days.” (41:00)
• Enduring Relevance:
  • Draws direct parallels between 1971 and 2025—political unrest, violence, fear—suggesting the song’s truth is always current.
  • Emphasizes the lyric, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,” as founded on the truth of the Resurrection.
  • “Because I know He holds the future, life is worth the living just because He lives.” (43:30)
• Personal Application: Encourages worshipers to fix their eyes above their circumstances, onto Christ, quoting Hebrews—“Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” (45:30)

6. Biblical Assurance of Resurrection

• Luke 24 and Resurrection Evidence:
  • Preaches through the story of the women at the tomb and Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances. Refutes alternative theories about the resurrection with both evidence and logic (48:00-53:00).
  • “History’s historians have to explain… How do you go from a carpenter’s son… to over 2 billion claiming Jesus as Lord? What happened? Jesus Christ resurrected from the grave.” (51:15)
• Personal Salvation Call:
  • Offers a clear, simple summary of the gospel: Admit, Believe, Call (the ABCs) (56:00).
    • “Admit it, I’m a sinner in need of a savior.”
    • “Believe or trust that when Jesus died on the cross it counted for me.”
    • “Call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved.”
  • Invites anyone present to respond publicly, emphasizing boldness and the seriousness of the spiritual moment (58:45).
    • “No wimpy Christians today… If you’re ready to call on the name of the Lord, I want you to lift your hand as high as you can.” (59:20)
    • Multiple spontaneous responses are celebrated by name and nickname (59:45).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Worship is war. Now, when you hear that, let me explain a couple things, okay? Our battle is not against flesh and blood." – Pastor Joby Martin (00:30)
• “People are not the enemy. People get used by the enemy, but people are not the enemy.” (02:00)
• “It’s the same demons, just new days.” (21:45)
• “And you know why the devil hates you? First and foremost is because he hates God. And God loves you, so he hates anything God loves.” (18:45)
• “We fight from victory, not for victory.” (06:20)
• “If you think circumstances are in charge... Of course you're going to be gripped in fear. But when you... realize God still has the whole world in His hands, then you can be filled with faith. Why? Because we win.” (31:30)
• “Anytime an image bearer of God is mistreated or killed for whatever reason, that is evil. And there’s no excuse for it ever. And the people of God go, ‘No way. That’s evil. God is good and that is evil.’” (26:30)
• “A baptism is a dividing line in the sand… you are identifying yourself with the winning team forever and ever and ever. That’s what baptism is.” (35:10)
• "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone." (43:30)
• “Have you met the resurrected Savior?... Our faith is not based on faith. Our faith that Jesus is who He says He is, is based on an actual, historical event that is verifiable.” (49:15-49:45)
• “It's as simple as ABC. Admit, Believe, Call… and you will be saved.” (56:25)

Important Timestamps

• 00:01 – Opening remarks, introduction to series, call to worship
• 07:45 – Defining spiritual warfare and introducing Satan’s biblical background
• 21:45 – Contemporary evil; “Same demons, new days”
• 29:00 – “We win” theme; football analogy for Christian victory
• 35:10 – Baptism as war declaration and spiritual allegiance
• 37:40 – Story behind “Because He Lives”
• 48:00 – Luke 24, Resurrection of Jesus, debunking alternative theories
• 56:00 – The ABCs of Salvation, altar call, public responses
• 1:01:20 – Directions for baptism and closing prayer

Tone and Style

Pastor Joby Martin's tone throughout is passionate, direct, warm, and occasionally humorous (“That’s adorable, cupcake. We’re not singing to you.”). The language flips between sermon, Bible teaching, and moments of deep empathy, punctuated by Southern charm and relatability. The episode is structured as an urgent rallying call to recognize worship’s power, recall the reality of spiritual battle, and cling confidently to the hope and certainty of Jesus’ victory.

Conclusion / Takeaways

• Worship is not passive; it is a combat action in the Christian life.
• Every act of true worship is a declaration of Christ’s triumph and a rebuke to evil.
• Our victory is based on the historic, verifiable resurrection of Jesus—this is why “Because He Lives” continues to resonate.
• Baptism, public faith, and joining together in worship are means by which believers both join the fight and proclaim the outcome: “We win.”

For anyone facing fear, uncertainty, or despair, the core message is clear: Because Jesus lives, we can face tomorrow, and in Him, we are more than conquerors.