The Invisible War
Eph 6:10-18
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.
I don’t have to tell you that we are at war in America! It’s a dirty war—in some ways, worse than Viet Nam or Korea ever thought of being. Its being fought right here on our soil as well as in many other nations. It’s a war for the minds and hearts of people—between the forces of good and evil—between God and Satan.
And the stakes in this war are high because the price is heaven or hell, life or death, darkness or light, freedom or slavery, reward or punishment, Christ or Satan.
One thing is certain—we cannot afford to be ignorant of this invisible war because it is waged right here and now! The enemy of our souls wants to gain control of our hearts and minds. Look at verse 12 of our scripture.
Survey
Nearly two out of three adults—62%—agreed that Satan “is not a living being but is a symbol of evil.” This response has remained relatively consistent throughout the Nineties. Among the more surprising findings, however, are that a majority of born again Christians deny Satan’s existence (52%); nearly three-quarters of Catholics say the devil is non-existent (72%); and women are more likely than men to reject Satan’s existence (64% vs. 59%).
Barna Research Group, Ltd., Oxnard, CA
I want us to consider this warfare by looking at 4 things:
1. Our Adversary
2. Our Armor
3. Our Allies
4. Our Plan of Attack
1. Our Adversary
A. His Many Names
Satan (opposing spirit)
Devil (one who seeks to cast down)
Serpent
Prince of this world
Prince of demons
Dragon
Father of lies
Tempter
Angel of light
Accuser of the brethren
B. His Power
A fallen angel (highly intelligent)
Power over kingdoms of the world
Power to afflict people w/sickness
Able to sift the saints
Limited—not God, therefore he is not omnipotent, omnipresent, or all-knowing
C. His Work
Tempts: does not make one to sin
Perverts Scripture
Opposes God’s purpose and people
Assumes many disguises
Hinders the Gospel
Creates doubt, denial, and confusion
Blinds multitudes to the truth
Seeks to destroy faith
Makes sin attractive
Tries to break up families
Tries to discredit the church
Tries to give the world another gospel
-humanism
-universalism
-ritualism
-moralism
Alive on planet earth
-witchcraft
-false cults
-evolution
-homosexuality
-child pornography
-violence
-abortion of demand
-terrorism
-incest
-narcotics
-divorce
- racism
D. His Angels (demons)
Bound (kept prisoners in darkness until day of judgment)
Free—to roam the earth, fulfilling Satan’s commands
E. His Defeat
The explicit purpose of the coming of Christ into the world was to “destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8)
Satan’s initial defeat came in the wilderness temptation (Matt.4 and Luke 4)
He tried to have Jesus killed at Nazareth
Jewish leaders tried to kill Jesus before His time
Agony of Gethsemane
Decisive defeat of Satan came in the cross of Christ (John 12;31; 16:1).
While judgment has already been pronounced on Satan, he is still permitted to operate as a usurper until the time of his final imprisonment.
F. His Doom
After the rapture of the Church, the earth will experience increased Satanic activity. But when Christ comes to usher in the 1,000 year reign of peace, Satan and his followers will be bound and imprisoned for this time. At the end of this millenium, Satan will be released for a little season. He will go out to deceive the nations. God will then cast him into the lake of fire, never to return again.
2. Our Armor
The Christian will need resources for this warfare. An army does not send it’s soldiers into battle clad only in shorts and sneakers! Neither does God send his people naked into the world to war with it’s prince and his demons.
Verse 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.”
“…having done everything to STAND.” But the vast majority of Christians, it seems to me, are on the RUN!
James 4:7: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” If there’s any running to do, let him do it while you stand in absolute victorious possession of the premises!
Verses 14-18 give us a description of the armor:
Truth (God’s Word)—guards us against error
Righteousness (heart purity)
Readiness to flee if necessary
Faith in God’s greatness and power to deliver
Salvation (assurance) when doubts arise
3. Our Allies
6:10: “Be strong in the Lord”
6:11: “Put on the armor of God
6:18: “Pray in the Spirit”
Our allies, then, are nothing less than the three Persons of the Trinity! We have a Spirit to pray in, a Savior to pray through, and a God to pray to.
We don’t fight for the victory; we fight from the victory. The victory was won for us on Calvary by Jesus Christ. We fight in His name, from a position of victory.
Jesus has already put His feet on the neck of the devil and He wants us to follow His example. Romans 16:20: “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.”
The unholiest hudldle in hell must have taken place at the moment when Jesus emerged from the waters of Jordan, having been baptized by the Holy Spirit and having heard a voice from heaven that said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
And then at Calvary! All the demons and evil spirits from the pits of wickedness were no doubt assembled for their great triumphant day. But their joy was soon turned to terror. For when Jesus said, “It is finished!” they were finished!
4. Our Plan of Attack
In verses 17-20, the emphasis switches from defense to offense. Ours is not merely a strategy of holding. Our commanding officer has ordered us to take as much territory as we can. We’re to take the battle to the forces of evil. We’re tired of being kicked around, assaulted, and belittled. We’re now going on the offense.
What do have at our disposal as we engage in combat?
A. Sword of the Spirit (Word of God). Its not just a belt of truth to protect us from error; its also a “cutting weapon.” It is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. This is what distinguishes it from all other religious books. It is alive and active. One Hindu recognized this aspect of the bible when he pleaded with some of his Hindu friends, “Don’t listen to that book. Its alive. Its dangerous. It will change you.”
B. Make Use of Our Supply Lines—verse 18 says, “…praying always with all kinds of prayers and requests.” As long as the lines of communication are open, we can call for firepower to help when we need it on the front lines. Satan fears prayer; he knows what a vital force it is when arrayed against him.
Illus.: “Make him tremble a little longer”
A little girl was praying a little longer than usual one night. Her mom asked her why she prayed so long. She replied, “My Sunday school teacher said that the devil trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon her knees. I just thought I’d make him shake a little longer tonight.”
Prayer is a mighty weapon in the hands of a committed Christian. James 5:16 says, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.”
Illus.: Prayer Life of General Stonewall Jackson
General Stonewall Jackson had in his service a Negro who had become so accustomed to his ways that he was able to discern whenever the General was about to start on an expedition. Someone asked him how he knew the General was about to depart without someone telling him. “Oh, that’s easy,” answered the man. “The General prays every night and morning. But when he is on the eve of an expedition he prays two or three times during the night. I pack his baggage, for I know he is going out.”
Yes, prayer can be used as a weapon. We can pray against the devil. We can bind him in Jesus name. Many of our unsaved friends and loved ones may be released if we engage in this kind of prevailing prayer.
2 Corinthians 4:4: “Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them.”
In prayer we can bind the blinder. We can tie him up and rob his house as Jesus taught us in Matthew 12. For too long, the devil has been robbing the church of Christ. Let us turn the trick on him!
C. Our Strategy: Preach the Gospel
In verse 19, Paul says, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.”
We need spiritual courage for these days. The devil is out to destroy us. But if we will work with our allies and let Christ’s victory be ours, we can defeat him.
And if we’ll use the Bible and pray continually and preach the gospel, Satan will be put to flight. That’s the way to victory!
So, let’s praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!
