The Devil's Scheme Series

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?