The Strategy We Use Series

“THE STRATEGY WE USE” Ephesians 6:13

FBCF – 8/15/21

Jon Daniels

INTRO – Def of “strategy” – “a plan, method, or series of maneuvers…for obtaining a specific goal or result.” Kip Lagat, world-class runner from Kenya. Asked how Kenya could produce so many great runners. African strategy for motivating success was road signs, “Beware of lions!”

Interesting that in military usage, a distinction is made between strategy & tactics. Strategy is the utilization, during both peace & war, of all of a nation's forces, through large-scale, long-range planning & development, to ensure security or victory. Tactics deals with the use & deployment of troops in actual combat. (dictionary.com)

In our Christian lives, we have times of both peace & war – times when the intensity of our spiritual warfare is not as strong as at other times. It’s in those times that we don’t need to let our guard down, but use those times to strengthen our spiritual walk so we’ll be ready for the battles that are to come. Unfortunately, some Christians never prepare themselves for battle & find themselves defeated on the battlefield. “The saddest thing about many so-called Christians is the utter absence of anything like conflict & fight in their Christianity. They eat, drink, dress, work, amuse themselves, get $, spend $, go through a scanty round of formal religious services once or twice a week. But the great spiritual warfare – its watchings & strugglings, its agonies & anxieties, its battles & contests – of all this they appear to know nothing at all.” (J.C. Ryle) Today, whether we are in a time of peace or intense warfare, talk about our strategy.

EXPLANATION – Ephesians 6:13

Satan has a strategy.

- Disguise – “…disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14)

- Deceive – “Satan, the deceiver” (Revelation 12:9)

- Disturb – Satan attacked Job. He sifted Peter & the disciples (Luke 22:31). He hindered Paul (1 Thessalonians 2:18).

- Destroy – John 10:10

- Devour – 1 Peter 5:8

Look at temptation of Jesus – Matthew 4:1-11 – His temptation followed 3 patterns common to all of us:

- Lust of flesh – v. 3-4

- Pride of life – v. 5-7

- Lust of eyes – v. 8-10

v. 13 – “in the evil day” – Make no mistake: This is the day in which we are living. Just last Sat., a group of Christians holding an outdoor worship service were physically assaulted by a group of Antifa thugs in Portland, OR, & the police did nothing. The gov’t is not going to protect us.

- We’ve compromised, & legalized & legitimized every form of immorality found in the Bible.

- We celebrate evil in the public square – In my own hometown (literally in my backyard), DSU holds a drag queen parade each year.

- People are physically & sexually assaulted in broad daylight on the streets of our cities in the USA.

- Missionaries kicked out of countries right now as we worship here in relative safety & security.

We are in the evil day & must know how to stand strong as the spiritual warfare intensifies.

APPLICATION – God has given us a clear strategy for victory in our spiritual battles. 4 components:

BE STRONG – v. 10a – Not in yourself, but “IN the Lord” – “in union with, joined closely to, by means of.” We must remember that are IN Christ! This is one of our strongest weapons against Satan’s lies! “IN CHRIST” means we are:

- Not condemned (Romans 8:1)

- Set free from sin & death (Romans 8:2)

- Made righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21)

- Triumphant (2 Corinthians 2:14)

- Reconciled [brought near] to God & our sins are not counted against us (2 Corinthians 5:19)

- One w/ every other Christ-follower (Galatians 3:28) –We are not in this fight alone!

- We have God’s peace & God’s provision (Philippians 4:7, 19)

TAKE UP – “lift up & carry” – “put on the full armor of God” (NIV) – Military term for last thing a soldier would do before he heads out for battle. Enemy is attacking – call comes – soldier grabs his armor, puts it on, & heads for the fight.

- Firefighter when call comes in for a house fire

WITHSTAND – “resist, oppose, set oneself against” – “stand your ground” (NIV) – Football season about to start. Defense expected to stand strong against opposing team. Stop them from advancing ball & scoring.

If we will “take up the whole armor of God”, then we can stop Satan’s advance in our lives. Spiritual warfare calls for spiritual weapons. And God has given those weapons to us.

- 2 Corinthians 6:7; 10:3-5 – What are those weapons?

o Bible

o Faith

o Prayer