"what Is The Wrestling?"

WRESTLE - “Though sometimes it is used to define a form of recreational sport, here it describes the sharpness of your encounter with the enemy. Paul uses it to convey the notion of a bloody and lasting war between the Christian and his opponent.” Wrestling is not a team sport, but primarily as a one-on-one contest where one opponent singles out another and enters the arena with him as with David and Goliath. Each wrestler exerts his own force and strength against the other.”

Ephesians 6:10, we read, “Finally, my brethren, be strong [be strengthened literally] in the Lord, and in the power of his might [or force].”

In wrestling, each contestant is the sole object of his challenger’s fury and must be shaken and tried until one or the other is proclaimed victorious.” That is why we have God’s armor. The outcome will be a victory if we go in the power of His might. Our strength is too weak and insufficient. His strength and force are mighty and victorious. Let’s keep warring a good warfare.

It is so easy to isolate all of our conflicts to the physical realm but behind each of these conflicts there are spiritual influences. In the mist of conflicts we struggle oftentimes as the world does and often the results are the same. God tells that though we view these struggles as being physical there are spiritual influences behind them all.

WHAT ARE WE WRESTLING AGAINST:

I. PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS

A.The problem today is preachers are afraid of the devil and figure if they leave him alone he, Satan, will leave them alone. That is true in part because if you are not doing anything to spread the True Gospel or you’re into false doctrine, you may already be headed to hell and he is content with that. I can assure you if we are going to be the church in this day and hour we are going to have to be willing to stand up to Satan and the Principalities and powers that he is bringing against and overcome them through the power of the name of Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

B.Who is the leader of the Principalities, Powers? Paul tells us in 2nd Corinthians 4:3-4. It is Satan, Lucifer, the god of this world. Lucifer is also called the “prince of the power of the air”. The word “prince” is translated from the Greek (#758) “archon” and refers to a ruler, a commander, chief or leader. Doesn’t a ruler or commander have an army that he rules over. Satan is the god that rules in the earth’s atmosphere, which is his kingdom…. for now. Right now, he has control and dominion over the fallen angels and demon spirits that oppress and torment man.

Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

C. So if the Principalities are the chief rulers; they are first in a high order of evil spirits. Every place you see the word principality in relation to Evil in the word of God (KJV), it is the Greek noun (#746) “arche” which Vine’s Dictionary defines as that which is first in time, order, or place. It is used seven times in the scriptures to denote angelic or demonic rulers. The word powers is the Greek noun (#1849) “exousia” and means one who possesses authority or influence. It is used in Ephesians 6:12 to represent the angelic or demonic authorities that operate in the spirit realm. Using the phrase “principalities and powers,” Paul is telling us that there is a structure in satan’s kingdom (yes satan has a kingdom or thinks he does) where fallen angels, evil spirits, and demons are ranked one above the other, again just like human military, according to their power and authority. These fallen angels have influence over a State, Province, or Territory in a Country and must be dealt with to open up the Gospel in those areas.

Daniel 10:12 “Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.“