INTRODUCTION
Do you believe in spiritual warfare? Do you believe there are forces around us, influencing our lives, which are battling for control of our world? It sounds sort of conspiratorial doesn’t it? It sounds like something that drives the plot of a movie, or maybe a sensationalist blog designed to generate clicks and advertising dollars.
It sure isn’t an idea we that we are comfortable with. We like to think of ourselves as self-determined individuals, the masters of our own fates. But as much as we might want to delude ourselves, we all have bosses. We all are asked to make decisions every day, and there are forces in this world that want to see us fail. I can tell you that spiritual warfare is very real, and that at the end of the day we all serve one side or the other, whether we want to admit it or not.
So this morning I want to talk to you about spiritual warfare. I want you to be prepared for this fight. But in order for you to be prepared, you have to train. And in order to train, you have to know what you’re training for, who you are fighting against, and what tools are available to you.
KNOW YOUR ENEMY
First, we need to know who we are fighting against. When we are talking about “the enemy,” we often conjure up an image of sort of an anti-god, almost equal in power but completely evil. The problem is, that isn’t the picture that scripture paints of him. You see, even the devil was created for a beautiful purpose, to serve and worship God and to spend eternity rejoicing in His service. As Col. 1:16 (NIV) says, “For in him [Christ] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created through him and for him.”
We get a glimpse of this purpose in Eze. 28:13-19 (ESV), where it says, “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.”
Similarly, Isa. 14:12-15 says (ESV),
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.”
Now, it’s true that the symbolic language of the prophets was designed speak to the realities that the people of God were facing in that day. The first passage is part of a series of prophecies against the king of Tyre, and the second against the king of Babylon. But the prophets also recognized there is a deeper spiritual power behind these authorities, and that just as God was pronouncing judgment on earthly authorities who had failed in their charge, acted unjustly, and out of greed for power, grasped for more; God was also pronouncing judgment on the spiritual powers which drove them. Though we can’t know exactly when Satan’s rebellion and fall took place, we know that it was before our own, as Genesis tells us that from the beginning Satan set out to be our enemy and drag us down with him and even today he and his followers drive the people and structures of power who serve only their own gain; or as Paul says, “following the way of this world and the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.”(1)
Still, it is important to know that Satan is a finite, created being, with both weaknesses and limitations. Not only this, but he has a modus operandi. He is predictable, and his predictability is his weakness. You see, the devil is so twisted up inside by his resentment for losing his position, and his hatred for God and humanity, that in a rage he “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”(2)
In John 8:44, Jesus describes him as a murderer and “the father of lies,” calling deception his native language. He tells the Jews with whom he is speaking, that though they claim to be children of Abraham, their deeds showed otherwise, and through them they spoke the language of their true father. We run into the same thing today. There are many Christians and so called Christian leaders in powerful positions who will try to convince you they follow Christ simply because they use his name in speeches. But, as Jesus says in Mat. 7, many will claim to follow Jesus openly, but their lack of compassion shows where their faith really lies.
THE TOOLS WE'VE BEEN GIVEN
Now that we know who this enemy is, we need to know how to fight him. It’s important that I tell you that people are not our enemy. Even the most bitter Taliban fighter or ruthless North Korean general is beloved by a God who created them to commune with Him and desires their salvation. This means our desire as Christians should not be for their destruction, rather it should be that we can one day embrace them as a brother, because we likewise were once enemies of God and he has saved us.
Our enemy is the one who fuels their hatred, because misery loves company. But because our enemy is a
spiritual enemy, we need spiritual weapons and equipment to fight him. And God has given us these.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication,”.(3)
Where the devil lies to us, either telling us we are worthless or whispering promises of the fulfillment of secret desires; Christ gives us the truth that we are beloved by God and that all our deepest desires are filled and more in Him.
Where Satan would have us pursue selfishness and rebellion as a means to get ahead; Christ gives us his righteous compassion and obedience to the goodness of God as the way forward.
Where the Enemy prowls like a raging lion, destroying all in its path; we are given the message of Christ’s elfless sacrifice for the peaceful reconciliation with all who had previously turned from Him.
Where Satan would try to discourage us or tell us the cause is hopeless, in an effort to get us to break ranks and run; we trust that God is faithful and that when he makes a promise, it is accomplished.
When the devil tells us we are worthless and deserve to be alone; we have the promise of salvation, which tells us we are valued beyond any measure of worth, and that Christ loves us more than his own life.
And finally, we are given this *hold up bible*. It is by the Holy Spirit working in us as we study and pray that we come to know who God is and how He has given us what we need to fight evil. If you don’t spend some time studying scripture and praying every day, you cannot be an effective Soldier in this fight. If you don’t spend time with other believers, building each other up in love, and instead try to go it alone, you will fail.
The United States Army isn’t the most powerful fighting force on the planet because our individual Soldiers are stronger or smarter than the Soldiers of other nations, it’s because they are well trained, well equipped, and they rely completely on one another, trusting that the other Soldiers in their command are doing their jobs as well.
OUR HOPE: CHRISTUS VICTOR
But do you know what the best news in all of this is? The victory is already guaranteed. Christ has conquered the causes to which the devil has devoted himself, which are sin and death, with his own selfless death and resurrection. The fear of death made us slaves, but the promise of life has made us free.(4) As Col. 2:15 says, Christ has “disarmed the rulers and authorities, and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them.” The devil is fighting a rear action now. He knows his time is short and out of sheer bitterness, he’s trying to drag as many people down as he can, while he can.
It’s like when the Allies had the Nazis on the run in all their invaded territories at the end of WWII. As Allied Soldiers poured in, native partisans picked up weapons and joined in the fight. In the same way, God is calling us to pick up our weapons and join in the fight. You have a choice. Christ will be victorious, with or without our help. But because God loves us, He wants us to stand with him, and share in that victory. So I encourage you today, stand up and fight with Him. I promise you, it will be the best decision you ever make.
FOOTNOTES
(1) Eph. 2:2, my translation.
(2) 1 Pet. 5:8, ESV.
(3) Eph. 6:10-18a, ESV.
(4) Heb. 2:14-15.
First delivered April 05, 2017 – First Church of the Nazarene (Youth Group), Colorado Springs, CO.
