Understanding Spiritual Struggle: The Devil’s Scheme
Ephesians 6:10-13 (NIV)
A. VICTORY: Where is it?
Just out in this past Thursday’s USATODAY website (May 30,2002) – “Americans are increasingly pessimistic about the war against terrorism following weeks of revelations about missed clues and warnings of likely future attacks. Only four in 10 Americans believe the United States and its allies are winning the war against terrorism, according to a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll. In January, when headlines focused on military successes on the battlefield in Afghanistan, two-thirds of those polled felt the nation was winning the war. The number has declined steadily since. Now, 35% say neither side is winning the war, and 15% say the terrorists are winning.” Wave after wave of reports of new terrorist threats, perhaps biological terrorism, nuclear arms at the hands of terrorist, and terrorist attack alerts/warnings I believe is wearing down on the nerves of the people.
I believe in the same way many Christians today too are sensing that they are not winning the battle against the enemy of our souls. Just like the Al Qeada terrorists, the devil’s demons appears hard to root out, and when they do strike, many Christians fall or fall far away from God’s purposes, just as we hear soldiers die or mistakes happen such as the “friendly fire” incident that caused Canadian lives. As a result, there is a sense of pessimism among many defeated Christians. Defeated perhaps by cares of this world, defeated by pressures that seem out of control, defeated by … If Jesus is victorious, as many claim, where then is that victory? Where then is the joy?
It was the same in the time of the first Christians… Mark 16:9-11 (NIV)
9When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
Here is Jesus victorious over dead, one who has driven away 7 demons from Mary Magdalene. But there was no sense of victory, they were too far gone into what appeared to be defeat, their beloved Master dead, gone, nailed on the cross now buried, and along with it their hopes, their faith, their joy.
Resurrection was a fact, Jesus rose, the war over sin is over, the sting of death is removed, the penalty of sin gone but there was no joy! Pessimism, … loomed large, they were too shell-shocked. Even the report of victory by Mary did not help, they did not believe. Is this not happening again today, I wonder? In the midst of the victory of Jesus, where is the victory? In church we sing “victory in Jesus, my Savior, forever” and I wonder, really, do we believe it?
Are we shell-shocked by events in our lifetime, 9/11, brewing war between Pakistan and India, Israelis and Palestinians, the unstable economy, quality of health-care here in BC, teens dying from drugs and high-speed crashes?
That same attitude of unbelief was there as we continue the story in Mark 16:12-14 (NIV).
12Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
14Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
In the very same way, many Christians too have been infected with the virus of unbelief. It is epidemic, and the devil is having his way and laughing at so many impotent Christians. I believe Jesus would rebuke us for our stubborn refusal to believe Him, His word, to trust Him, to read His word, to obey His word, to etch his Word in our hearts, to study, to abide in Him, keep in step with His Spirit, to hide his word in our hearts that we may not sin against Him. It is in me too, I confess. It hit me when I awoke early this past Friday 4 something in the morning, to watch Senegal beat France 1-0 in the World Cup of soccer. My wife thought I went downstairs to pray, but I was watching a soccer game, albeit an important game in the global scene, but nonetheless a meaningless game in terms of eternity. What will it matter who won the game 3 thousand years from now, or 2 million years from now, will there be world peace if Senegal wins the world cup?
Let’s continue in Mark 16:15-20 … After the rebuke of Jesus, He reminded His disciples what’s important…
15He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Much of Jesus’ earthly ministry included casting out demons that resulted in healing the victims of physical and mental afflictions. It was part of the Good news that signalled the defeat of Satan. And before He commissioned the Eleven at the end of His ministry, when He sent out the Twelve, part of their charge was to cast out demons (Mat. 10:1-8). And when the Seventy came back from their mission they spoke of how the demons were subject to them through Jesus’ name (Lk. 10:1-17). But this authority was not just for the Twelve and the Seventy. Jesus said in Mark 16:17 that "these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils [demons]...."
Right off the bat, I want to clear the air – the WAR waged by the enemy of our souls, the war waged by the devil and his hordes of demons, the War is OVER! Jesus is Lord! He is victory personified , risen from the dead, the demons know it and shudder. When Jesus said “it is finished” on the cross… it means we don’t need to carry around the guilt and shame of sin that paralyse us from within to act as God’s people. The accusation of sin is no longer valid, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, they are a new creation. And also, the power of the resurrection is a done deal. With that mighty power that no one can refute, God won, Satan lost! SO--- Have faith, believe… That’s why Eph. 6:10 starts with “Finally, be strong in the Lord and His mighty power”
Look up to the Lord Jesus Christ, He is seated on the throne, He is risen, ascended at the Father’s right hand, in power.
Reminds of an incident in I Samuel 30:1-8.
David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, 2 and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.
3 When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David’s two wives had been captured-Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.
7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." Abiathar brought it to him, 8 and David inquired of the Lord , "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?"
"Pursue them," he answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue."
Here is David, living as an outcast because his own king, King Saul, was after him, running for his life as a fugitive, living in enemy country of the Philistines (not nice experience for him), living in Ziklag, which is now his HQ. Now he found it burnt to ground, after returning from the warfront, possibly tired out from the long march. ARRGH! Devastation, scene was right out of 9/11… David and his men wept until they can’t weep anymore, wives, family, kids, property … gone… now David faces rebellion (v.6).
“But David found strength in the Lord his God.” Love this verse!
But like the terrorist of our day though defeated, the devil and his demons continue to launch their threats, missile attacks, they come in covert operations to disrupt, disorient, destroy, deceive and they are not giving up. We feel at times outgunned, outnumbered, outmatched by the demons, outside, outplayed, … Sometimes we weep at the devastating effect evil brings.
But the war is won, with God on our side, we are the majority but the battle continues and it is fierce. And David fought that day, from dusk to the evening of the next day according to v.17 and won! Here he is vastly outnumbered, outgunned, by the whole Amalekite army perhaps in the thousands, yet David and his 600 men pursued the invaders, and then in v. 10, 200 of his men dropped out, too exhausted. 400 against the whole Amalekite army! And according to v.17 when David attacked he allowed 400 young men to escape. They won because David found strength in the Lord… he sought God, he inquired of Him!
This is just like the days when the Japanese lost WW2. It was a fact they lost, they surrendered after the devastation of the A-bomb attacks by the US. But there were Jap soldiers who kept fighting after the fact, they did not surrender even as their side did in fact surrender. So they kept launching attacks in the jungles of SE Asia and as a result there were casualties. The devil would keep that up as long as he is able in a losing cause, and he would scheme to have us believe we are on the losing side. This is Jesus summary statement of the devil in John 8:44 (NIV) “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.”
“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” 2 Cor.11:14 (NIV)
This is his basic M.O. He schemes, using deceit, trickery, rather than full blown assault.
I believe that is why Paul wrote the following to his young charge, Timothy…
2 Tim 1:6.
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
8So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
It is time to fan into the flame the gift of God which is in you. It is time to remind ourselves whose side are we on? Are we on the winning side? Amen! Let’s fan into the flame, let’s not just be content with a flicker, but let’s flame, let burn for Jesus’ sake, let’s burn with passion, with first-love, with discipline as Christ’s soldiers in his army.
According to a 1999 Gallup Poll, more than 86% of Americans believed that there is a God. Some polls have that as high as 95%.
But only 63% of American’s believe there is a devil. And he likes it that way!
Any time I’m striving against people, struggling with others, I’m fighting the wrong battle!
If you’re fighting your boss, or arguing with your wife, battling your husband, struggling with your kids…
You’re fighting the wrong battle, recognize what’s behind it all. Ephesians 6:12, “For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.”
Find your strength in the Lord…
Don’t get sidetracked with fighting against people.
· Problems with neighbors, and bosses, and other drivers…
· There are spiritual forces at work that are used to aggravate the situations and escalate them out of proportion.
· Before you know it, there’s road rage, and spiritual disaster!
Did u know that you chose a side when you committed your life to Jesus Christ.
· As you became a part of the family of God.
· you DECLARED WAR…
· But on that day, you also enlisted as a soldier of Jesus Christ.
· Paul told young Timothy…
1 Timothy 6.12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
APP: The spiritual battle we are involved in is a GOOD FIGHT.
· IT’s worth every ounce of energy you can muster up. WHY?
· Because the salvation of souls is at stake.
· Because despite the attacks… people are still getting saved!
I find that there are 2 prevailing thoughts about the devil.
#1 – Christians UNDERESTIMATE him. They think he’s not all that powerful or pervasive and fall right into his traps.
· Oh that movie won’t hurt. That drink won’t kill me. That isn’t that big of a deal. DON’T JUDGE ME BROTHER!
· Or you’ll hear a person take on the devil like he’s some guy you can fight on the street.
· C’mon Satan, I rebuke you, I bind you, I throw you into the pit of hell. C’mon… put up your dukes!
Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
· Hey… the devil is no cartoon character. He’s a powerful and intelligent spiritual being… a prize fighter, a master deceiver…
· Many have fallen to his schemes & devices. MANY…
#2 – On the other hand many Christians OVERESTIMATE him.
· Even though he is powerful, he’s not ALL-POWERFUL
· Even though he’s cunning, he’s not ALL-KNOWING.
· As a matter of fact, he’s NO match or equal to Jesus Christ!
· He wants us to think he is and try to fool us that way...
· Not so… stand strong in the lord, and put on the full armor.
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
The word “Finally” according to John Stott, ought to be rendered or translated as “henceforth” or for the remaining time we got a struggle ahead of us. This next portion is not to be divorced from the rest of the passage preceding it. It is stirring militaristic cry to battle - “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” It is the locker-room pep talk for the onslaught of evil…
Attaching word “finally” – with the meaning of “henceforth” … Paul is urging “for the remaining time here is what I want u to do, in light of what I just told you “
we will be facing a life of constant hostilities. You may or may not feel it …there is an unseen battle. There will be no cessation of hostile attacks, not temporary truce, no peace until the end of time as we know it. There is a relentless struggle with the forces of evil.
Paul is pointing this out: I just told you about God’s purpose…
1. In His love, He has chosen to create a new human society where there is no division, discrimination.
2. This accomplished by at a real cost – attested to by concrete historical events - Jesus’ death and resurrection power
3. Therefore under his headship, there is on family, one people, one body
4. They are called to demonstrate that unity – using their diversity of gifts to strengthen each other, bearing with each other, forgiving each other.
5. They are to throw off their pre-conversion behavior and live a life of purity, filled with the Spirit
6. This means the tough call of submission to each other in practical everyday life.
But from now on you need to keep struggling, there are battles up ahead. This is not peace time… There are invisible terrorists, armed to the teeth, like a scene out of the movie Lord of the Rings with the demonic-looking orcs waging battle against you. They are mean, they’re out to get you, you are one, against so many demons. What can we do? Sounds intimidating, sound scary. Shall we just quiver in our boots and be at their mercy? ARE WE HELPLESS?
But guess what, you are not left alone in this titanic struggle. “Be strong in the Lord and his mighty power”. You can be strong in the Lord with His power! Trans. – you’ve got what it takes to win with God on your side you are the majority. But you need to decide to have God in your life, then you can have the hope of defeating the demonic hordes, you cannot gut it alone.
Romans 8:15
So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family --calling him "Father, dear Father."[9] 16For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children. 17And since we are his children, we will share his treasures--for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too.
That is what Ephesians teaches we are already adopted into God’s family, chosen love through faith in Jesus. I.e. when we pray to receive Jesus as God and Savior, we will have God on our side, sins forgiven, guilt and shame taken away.
31What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?… 35Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? …overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. 39Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Next week, the full armor of God. Our weapons for battle…
So v.11
“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
A. Our fight is not against people, but against Satan
1. Stand firm. “…you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” That’s the Purpose of this whole instruction!
Military term to hold on to a position. Stand your ground in Christ. Hold on to who you are in Christ! Against what? Who’s the enemy? The devil not people! Many teams competing today in world cup of soccer know who the enemy is. They get scouting reports, their coaches prepare them to take their stand and with the hope of coming out on top. That’s what I want to do today. Be a coach, give you a scouting report so you can stand firm, be a hero, not a zero, coming out on top in the onslaught that’s bound to come. That’s what’s intended here, to stand, stand tall when all the bullets are fired, stand when dust settles, stand like Jedi knight blazing with a light sabre holding your ground, not giving an inch of your turf.
2. Strong evil forces. It is REAL!
Growing up in Malaysia, I encountered lots of “spiritual forces.” Openly practiced - seen Chinese temple mediums in trances, Hindu Thaipusam festivals where devotees are pierced with fishhooks and long blades, seen people possessed by demons. I grew up with reports in our daily news of people suddenly running amuck on the streets, chopping people with machetes, of witch-doctors “fixing” soccer games, of sightings of the local poltergeist known as the “pontianak” or of factory workers who while working all at once became hysterical. Today here in North America, the demonic has become entertainment and big business, movies like “the Exorcist” have scarred the imaginations of many, and “Harry Potter” where dabbling in witchcraft is seen as fun, hear of the rise of New Age beliefs, people barking like dogs in church services, or demonic activity of child molestation under the garb of priests. Due to the rejection of scientism today, our post-modern world are churning out many spiritual seekers. They are looking for answers and may stumble on the demonic without knowing it. It appears that no matter which part of the world you go to, there are unseen spiritual forces. Perhaps you yourself have encountered such things. How are we to get a handle on such things?
That was also the scene in the time when Ephesians was written. According to Acts 19:13-16, there was an incident that happened in Ephesus that led many people to trust in God…
13Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
There is an EVIL SPIRIT WORLD and it’s insidious.
You see what the Apostle Paul is doing is to warn people there is a struggle you gotta be aware of. So he says…
VII. What you must do to win the victory.
A. RECEIVE CHRIST. Accept Christ as Savior. Stand your ground in Him alone, stay true to Christ. Believe and have faith in Him. Prayer alone don’t work… pagans pray too, they use the name of Jesus, it must be prayer rooted in the strength of the Lord, in relationship with Jesus Christ, recognizing Him as master of your life, rooted in victory of his death and resurrection! The Lord Jesus whom the Bible speaks of!
B. REPENTANT LIFESYTLE: Turn over every area of your life to Him. By believing He is victorious, with His mighty power over sin and death. Satan is a defeated foe.
The Ephesians burned their occult books which costs millions, how about you? Given up areas of life u know are displeasing to the Lord.
C. RENEWING POWER: From now on develop your spiritual strength through knowing Jesus in the Word of God. Get to know the real deal or you gonna be left with a raw deal. Pray to Him. Set aside time each day and be aware every minute and every hour Jesus is with you, never leaving you and that there is unseen spiritual battle going to deceive you to get out of your stand in God. Let His Spirit move in you to obedience, to submission to His revealed will in the Word.
