Our Battle Against Spiritual Forces
The Church United in a World Divided • Sermon • Submitted
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Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Introduction
Introduction
Last week, we started a new series entitled “The Church United in a World Divided.” The series arises primarily out of the concern of what we see happening in the world around us in terms of the racial tensions that are so volatile in these days. These racial tensions tend to have an impact even on the church.
Last week, and in order to just start laying some foundations, began the series by considering that Christ hates division within the church. Divisions within the church are entirely contrary to what He has called us as Christians to do, and to be as the people of God.
But there are more foundations that need to be laid, as we develop a larger Biblical picture of what our responsibilities are as Christians; what our responses as Christians ought to be to such racial / ethnic divides; and how we can bring glory and honour and praise to our Lord in the midst of these events that are unfolding in our days.
And so that is what we’re going to be doing today. Just laying some more Biblical and theological foundations. We are developing our Christian (Biblical) understanding of things in order that this Biblical foundation can inform our responses, as a church primarily, as we live in our interactions with one another, and as individual Christians secondarily, as we live our lives in this world.
As I closed off the sermon last week, I used a question that was posed by the DG of WHO in his speech to pose a question to the church, and that question was:
“...how is it difficult for Christians to unite to fight a common enemy, that’s killing people indiscriminately. Are we unable to distinguish or identify the common enemy?”
And that is the question that we must address today. As we live out our lives in this world, we must ask ourselves if we recognise who the true enemy is that we are struggling against.
Are we perceiving where the true battle lies in this world?
Do we recognise the power available to this enemy? Do we understand the realm and the sphere in which the enemy operates?
If we understand the true enemy, along with the guidance on how to confront the enemy, we will be far better placed to respond as Christians in an appropriate manner to what is happening around us.
Let us consider then what Paul teaches us through these very important words...
Notice firstly with me...
1. The Apparent Enemy
1. The Apparent Enemy
In verse 12 Paul writes that “...our struggle is not against flesh and blood...”
What does Paul mean precisely when he says these words?
Very often we live our lives in this world assuming that the primary enemy consists of those who are around us. As people, we know and understand that which is seen, that which is visible and tangible to us. And when we see someone confronting us in a particular manner that is threatening to us, we regard them as the enemy. We see that this is the person that we need to defend ourselves against.
And while there is certainly some measure of truth in the fact that those around us do confront us, and they do threaten us, and even cause us harm, we must remember that Biblically there is more going on than merely a physical confrontation.
It is more than merely a physical confrontation.
According to the Scriptures, there is a spiritual battle being waged each and every day. The Spiritual battle is not seen by us, apart from the way in which it influences the physical world. But it’s influence and power are at work.
As you consider the world around you, who or what do you perceive the enemy to be?
For some, the perceived enemy is Capitalism (or perhaps even White Monopoly Capital...
For some, the perceived enemy is Communism or Socialism...
For some, the perceived enemy is Patriarchy...
For some, the perceived enemy is Secular Humanism...
For some, perhaps the perceived enemy is a one or other grouping of people, be that ethnic or otherwise.
The thinking in this regard is that if that enemy can be radically transformed, or their ideas and/or ideology suppressed and replaced with a better or greater system or ideology, then there would be a greater advancement for all, and we could eventually have greater equality, and then have greater peace among men.
But I would suggest to you, that the reality is that none of these are really the true enemy.
Let me add that some systems are far more evil than others, and bring about far worse consequences than others. And some systems of thinking and working bring about great oppression, which is indeed an evil in the eyes of God. I don’t want to minimize that.
But that said, if we lose sight of the underlying true battle, we end up fighting the wrong battle. We end up as Christians in particular using the incorrect weapons for the battle.
According to Paul, in verse 12, our battle is not against flesh and blood.
Before we move on to consider the actual enemy, I must make one further point that Paul is bringing across here as he exhorts these believers to be strong in the Lord. Through saying that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but rather against the devil and his schemes, he’s demonstrating that our struggle is not against weak enemies. Physical enemies are weak enemies… They do not have the power or the abilities that the spiritual forces of darkness have. In other words, the enemy that is against us is far more powerful than what most people actually perceive it to be.
A.W. Pink says it in these words:
Practical Christianity Section 6: The Christian’s Armour (Ephesians 6:10–18)
Because we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, not against puny human enemies no stronger than ourselves, but against the powers and rulers of the darkness of this world, the panoply of God is essential. That is brought in to emphasize the terribleness of the conflict before us. It is no imaginary one, and no ordinary foes we have to meet; but spiritual, superhuman, invisible ones.
That leads us then to consider...
2. The Actual Enemy
2. The Actual Enemy
Who is the enemy that we are struggling against, as it were?
According to Paul in verse 12, our struggle is “...against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Earlier in verse 11, Paul spoke about taking our stand against the “devil’s schemes.”
Clearly, the true battle is taking place beyond the physical realm, and is in actual fact a battle that takes place within the spiritual realm.
This does not mean that we become entirely distracted into some sort of speculative investigations into the spiritual world and binding and loosing demons as some attempt and claim to do. That’s not at all what is being said here. We are not called here to have an inordinate fascination with things that we don’t and cannot fully understand. But we are to recognise that this is where the real struggle is taking place.
As we consider this, let us understand from Paul’s words here that there is a force of darkness and evil that is at work in this world, and is led by Satan himself. At his disposal, he has large numbers of evil angels that carry out his bidding, with the express purpose of turning and keeping people away from the true and living God, and holding them captive to doing that which ought not to be done.
If we are going to live wisely as Christians in our day, then we need to understand the enemy that is at work in this world. We then need to understand how we as Christians are to respond to such an enemy.
In order to present some further clarity in this regard, I want to take us to just a few Scriptures that demonstrate the works of Satan, so that we have a clearer understanding of the despicable work of this enemy, and where he is at work, and how he is at work. What I want us to recognise as we do this is that the world at large is under the influence and power of Satan.
In the Garden of Eden, Satan entered into the picture and led Adam and Eve away from God through deceit, and he’s been at that work ever since. That led Adam and Eve both to tell lies to God; it led Adam and Eve to direct blame at each other for what had occurred. And the world has been at war as a consequence of sin ever since.
As we consider this further, notice from the Scriptures that Satan indeed exercises his power within this world. We see something of this in the Old Testament account of Job. We know the account of Job, a righteous man in the world, and greatly blessed by the Lord. We read something of this discussion in Job 1:9-12...
9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
What unfolded after that was the unleashing of peoples, and the unleashing of the elements against Job and all that he owned.
The Sabeans attacked and stole his donkeys and killed his servants.
The Chaldeans raided and stole his camels and killed his servants.
A great wind arose and struck the house in which Job’s children were, and they were killed.
All this unfolded at the bidding of Satan and his angels. There is evidently a measure of power that God allowed Satan to hold and exercise within this world, which he then used to bring destruction upon the life of Job.
And so it is that Satan is seeking to wield whatever power is at his disposal in order to bring chaos, disorder, destruction and rebellion against God.
We see in the Scriptures that Satan rises up to tempt people away from the living God...
1 Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.
The sin of David was that he was starting to think like the world around him in terms of his military power, instead of humble trust in God. But the fact is that Satan rose up and incited him, and he succumbed to the temptation brought by Satan.
In Matthew 16, when Christ told his disciples that he was going to be put to death, that he would be killed, Peter resisted this, and told him that it will never happen.
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
In that event, Satan was at work, using Peter against Christ. Peter thought that he was doing Christ a service by being there to protect him, but he was unwittingly being used by Satan to tempt Jesus. And so Jesus confronted the true evil, Satan.
Later on, we find the account of Jesus speaking again to Simon Peter...
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Satan was seeking to destroy Simon, through his faith failing. But Christ was merciful, and was praying for His disciple. There was a spiritual battle that Simon was completely unaware of, but that Christ was fully aware of.
We find in Scripture that Satan turns the hearts and minds of people away from the true and living God. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:4,
4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Now this is a very important point to note. The world around us has been blinded to the truth of the Gospel, and to the ways of God. The sinfulness of the heart of man has turned that man away from God.
People living in this world under the power and influence of Satan cannot understand the ways of God, and to be quite honest, in their deceived state, they don’t want to know the ways of God.
Then is seen for example when the Jews to whom Jesus was ministering refused to listen to him and follow him, he said these words to them...
44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
They were children of the devil, under the power and influence of the evil one. They were those who were following their own evil desires. They were not following Christ, who was the Way, the Truth and the Life.
When Paul explained to King Agrippa the work that he had been commissioned by Christ to do, he conveyed the Words of Christ to him in these words....
16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
The New Testament is clear that Satan is the prince of this world and is controlling those who are not in Christ.
19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
In John 12:31 and John 14:30, Satan is referred to as the “prince of this world.”
But further to that, we must recognise that Satan even seeks to wield influence and power over Christians, to their own hearts away from the true Gospel, and to walk in sin and selfishness, rather than in the will of God.
The Apostle Peter wrote...
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And in Ephesians 4:26-27, we read..
26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
In the book of James, we read...
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
Dear brothers and sisters, this is just a small sampling of the Scriptures that demonstrates that Satan is at work in this world.
Let me take this just a step further… we need to remember that our lives are not about how we can live for the present world, for the present moment. God has created mankind for the purpose of bringing praise, honour and glory to His name. That is the very purpose of the existence of mankind!
Jesus Christ is not an add-on to our lives because it brings us some measure of fulfillment or happiness. Jesus Christ is not merely one option among the plethora of gods to be served. And you can serve your god, and I’ll serve my god, and we’re all happy.
God is the creator, who calls all of creation to sing His praises! Satan is the enemy of God, seeking to draw people away from him.
And by the profound grace of God, and by the mighty working of His power, God has called a people out of this world that is in darkness and in bondage to Satan, to worship Him. To live for Him.
But the implications for this is that we must realise and recognise that the world around us is hostile to the ways of God, and doesn’t have His light to guide their paths. The world around us is a world that is living in darkness.
Now, what is the implication of this?
When we let the world around us be the driving force behind our understandings and our perspectives; when we allow the world to shape the way we think, rather than allow God through His word to shape the way we think and act, we are on a dangerous path.
When we allow the media to drive and dictate to us who the enemy is, and who is under attack, and what needs to be done in order to bring justice and reconciliation, then we’ve allowed ourselves to be led by the wrong source.
The Scriptures under the power of the Spirit, must lead us as Christians. As the church, our understanding must be derived from God’s description of the world and what is happening.
I’m not going to delve into the details on this today, but I do want to just point out, that as Christians, we are a distinct people in this world. Our citizenship is in heaven, and we are mere sojourners here in this world. I do want to consider this truth in some more detail next week, but for now, just take note of the fact that our lives here as Christians are to be lived in stark contrast to this world that is blinded by Satan and darkness.
We live by a different standard. We live according to a different moral ethic. We live according to the truth of our sinfulness before a Holy God, and the gracious reconciliation that we have in Christ. We live in submission to the true King, that is Jesus Christ. We don’t belong to the world.
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
The world around us, and the way in which the world conducts itself, the way it responds to other people, the way it goes about getting what it desires, is completely contrary to the way of the kingdom of Christ.
But that’s for next week’s sermon...
As we just consider in further detail this great foe against whom we struggle, note that Christ has not left us without the armoury needed for life in such a world...
3. The Armour Against the Enemy
3. The Armour Against the Enemy
As Paul continues, he goes on to demonstrate the armour that the Christian has available to himself in such circumstances, in such a world that is hostile towards God, and towards the people of God.
The world has its armour. Those things that it uses in order to fight battles against people’s that are perceived as the enemy. What is the armour of the world?
Financial strength - money. The more the better.
Power in society.
Power through numbers - gaining a following so that you can increase your power.
Material possessions.
Status - being held in high regard.
governments boast of their military might - they have the power to overcome other nations and thus ensure their own benefits.
Any number of things can serve as the armour of the world, but these are all devices that are rooted in the wrong place.
Christians have a different armour. The battle we are fighting is completely different, and is done in a different way from the way in which the world battles and fights.
Note from these descriptions how different our armour is compared to that of the world.
From verse 13...
We are to put on the Belt of truth…
This speaks of the truth of the word of God that demolishes strongholds. It is the truth of the word of God that infiltrates the hearts of people. It is the truth of God’s word that brings people to a true knowledge of God.
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
It is this truth of the word of God that will allow us to stand. When we take the truth of God’s word and apply it to our lives and how we live as the church, we have a defense against the evil one.
Then there is the breastplate of Breastplate of righteousness…
This refers firstly to the fact that we are donned with the righteousness of Christ. There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! We have been declared to be righteous.
But as a weapon, we live righteous lives among a dark and perverse world.
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe
We are to have our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace...
We are those who have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And because of this peace with God, we are able to live in peace with our brothers and sisters.
But this peace comes from Gospel proclamation. And this is precisely the weapon that must be taken up as we seek to impact the world. All efforts towards peace that lack the Gospel message will come up short.
We are to have the shield of faith to protect us...
Faith means more than just believing that God exists, of course. It includes a firm belief that everything God does is truly for our good. Also, faith is the absolute conviction that God will always do what He has promised (Romans 4:18-21).
In the world that is at war, do we live with a deep faith in the true and living God? Do we trust in God to bring about transformation and to act in this world, even in terms of injustices? Or do we seek to take matters into our own hands, using our own methods?
The helmet of salvation is to be on our heads.
We can receive tremendous hope and comfort by focusing on the incredible sacrifice Jesus Christ gave to save us and the wonderful Kingdom that is the goal of our salvation. This hope protects our minds from the discouragement and despair in this world.
The sword of the spirit is to be in our hands - the word of God.
It is the Scriptures, the Word of God, the sword that we can use against Satan and his temptations to us to act and to live and to engage with one another in a manner that is contrary to the ways of God. Recall when Christ was tempted in the wilderness by Satan, how he used God’s word to oppose Satan.
In a day that is tempting even Christians to turn against one another and lean on our own understanding and our own methods to bring about the justice that is so desired, the sword of the Spirit must be used in order to defeat the temptations of the evil one.
Our armour is the armour of God.
Before we close, I just want to bring some encouragement to us as the church. We must recognise fourthly and finally...
Practical Illustration...
We find this in Paul’s writing’s as he writes to Timothy. Timothy was tasked with helping to lead the church in Ephesus. As part of this, Timothy faced some measure of confrontation and opposition, even as a church leader. But listen to how Paul advises Timothy in 2 Timothy...
23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Now in that scenario, where a church leader himself is being opposed by someone within the body, Paul says that such a person has in fact been taken captive to doing the will of the devil. But Paul doesn’t tell Timothy to exercise his authority in the church, and treat this person in a harsh manner - the world’s way of working. The world’s weaponry. Instead, he instructs him in line with the armour that he mentions even in this letter...
Belt of truth - Timothy was instructed to take the truth of God and proclaim it to a man who was taken captive by the devil, the great deceiver. His aim is that this person, through gentle instruction, may come to a knowledge of the truth.
Breastplate of righteousness - Timothy was instructed to conduct himself in accordance with righteousness in the face of his enemy. He must not quarrel, instead he must be kind. He must gently instruct those that oppose him.
Gospel of peace - Again, he must not quarrel, but rather be kind. He must gently instruct.
Shield of faith - He must not fall prey to the darts of the evil one that would be fired at him through foolish and stupid arguments. He must stand firm in his faith, knowing that this person is under the trap of the evil one.
Helmet of salvation - Timothy would be able to endure such a confrontation in a manner that is aligned with God’s peace and comfort, knowing that God is the great redeemer that has redeemed him, graciously shown him mercy; and knowing that God will bring that salvation to final culmination. It would protect him in that onslaught.
Sword of the spirit - Again, in this context, this is the word of God that can be used not only to bring about a change of heart of the person, but can break them free from the thinking and mindset that has been brought about by Satan himself.
4. Our Assurance Against the Enemy
4. Our Assurance Against the Enemy
Although it is very true that Satan has some measure of power over the world, Christ has overcome the world.
Satan attempted to lead our Saviour to fall into temptation. He tempted him with basic needs, but Christ stood firm. He overcame the evil one and his wiles. Because Christ has overcome the evil one, Satan’s power is all but broken.
Jesus said to his disciples:
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
In Romans, we have that great promise that nothing will separate us from the love of God...
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
As God’s people, our Saviour will protect and keep us in this world. But we must hold fast to his word, and we must hold fast to his teaching. We must not allow the world to direct our thinking.
Application / Conclusion
Application / Conclusion
As we begin to close, remember the context as Paul writes these words to the Ephesians. Paul has outlined what Christ has done - the great work that has been done in bringing salvation to His people.
Ephesians 2:8-10 spoke about the fact that is is by grace that you have been saved...
The Gospel message and our salvation includes the reality that the dividing walls of hostility have been broken down between different people (2:11ff).
In light of that work, how are believers within the congregation to relate to one another. Includes unity (4:1ff) and other instructions on how we treat one another on the basis of the work of Christ.
Husbands / Wives...
Children / Parents...
Slaves / Masters...
Then finally, how do we stand strong in these things? Who is our enemy, and what are our weapons? This is dealt with in the closing of the letter.
What is so important as we consider all of this is that this is our primary calling and identity. And this is the solution to the ills of the world… although we don’t expect to right all the wrongs and ills of this world, because until Christ returns, they will be present with us. However, we do seek to live in a particular manner as Christians. We are sojourners. This is what we will return to next week.
But we must remember for now that this world is not our home. This world is blinded by darkness and Satan’s work in the hearts and lives of men. And the only cure for that is people’s eyes to be opened through the transforming work of the Gospel. There is no other way. Any other way dreamed up by men will only go so far in resolving the tensions and conflicts. And even by God’s grace, there will be some measure of resolution as people in the world seek to do this. But ultimately, we know that the results are going to be ineffective ultimately.
As Christians, we must take seriously the task to which Christ has called us. We get so distracted by all sorts of things in this world. Our minds and hearts are chasing after so many worldly things. We use the worldly ways in order to prosper.
But friends, in light of the true enemy in this world, we are called to make disciples of Jesus Christ. And we are called to BE disciples of Jesus Christ.
We are called to tell forth the Gospel so that hearts are transformed, and that people live no longer for self, but for Christ.
We are called to live the Gospel, so that our lives are a testimony of the grace and power of God.
How are you approaching the injustices of this world?
Let this be a reminder to us of who the true enemy is, and the weapons that have been made available to us in order to fight the battle.