Spiritual Warfare in the book of John
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from Spiritual Warfare by William F. Cook III and Chuck Lawless
from Spiritual Warfare by William F. Cook III and Chuck Lawless
It almost seems that John takes on spiritual warfare in a more indirect way than the other 3 gospel writers.
We know there was definitely spiritual warfare happening around him.
John does not describe the temptation of Jesus and does not mention any exorcisms of demons.
The book highlights 8 references to spiritual warfare in the book of John. Its been condensed to 5.
Im not going to go 1 by 1 and hit all 8, but will condense it a little.
1. The battle between light and dark
1. The battle between light and dark
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Theres a battle going on, and its more at stake than just getting people to attend church.
Jesus brought light into this world, and that light becomes ”literal” life for men.
Not being figurative here. The work of the gospel is to raise people from death to life.
John says this light is very stable.
The darkness could not defeat the light.
Darkness has not overcome it - NIV
Darkness did not comprehend it - NASB95
Darkness comprehended it not - KJV
Darkness has not overcome it - ESV
Darkness can never extinguish it - NLT
Anyone recognize this picture? (refer to the picture of headlights)
I see this every sunday night when i take my trash to the road.
Really dark, not total darkness, but dark, but then blinding light for a couple of seconds while the car passes.
John paints the picture that things were dark and pretty bleak, but we have this moment where Jesus comes on the scene with his light and it pushes back the darkness.
But then the car passes and it gets dark again.
And its like, what gives Jesus?
If your light is so strong, then why do I still feel like darkness is all around.
Let that hang in the air, but we will return to it.
There’s more battle of light and darkness in chapter 3.
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
The battle of dark and light in the life of the christian
letting light shine in our own sin (darkness)
shining light on the world’s darkness and sin
-If you dont deal with number one, its hard to do number two.
-If you enjoy number two, you need to spend more time on number one.
-You need to let the truth and freedom found in number one compel you to do number two.
Because light is a good thing.
People do not want to be exposed but its so freeing to be exposed.
Whether its family issues, community issues, church issues, or personal sin, it hurts to be exposed but the exposure to light is freeing and brings light.
Even though it seems Jesus’ light was only like passing headlights in the darkness...
The promise of scripture is that we have what we need to be light-bearers until the final light returns to end all darkness.
2. Spiritual warfare in Judas
2. Spiritual warfare in Judas
Its not until John 6:70-71 that we see the first reference to the word devil.
Let’s set the scene:
Let’s set the scene:
Things look bleak, Jesus has just ran off a bunch of his “followers.” (tell why below)
53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
Shouldnt Jesus be trying to get all the help he can get?
Now in John 6:70-71, we see he has a traitor in the bunch and worse, he knows about it.
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
This is one of those times where we really can feel the darkness pushing in against the light.
Satan even has Jesus’ friends and Jesus is making bad decisions to run off the followers he has.
Or is that actually the case?
Theres the obvious answer to that, NO, but put a hold on that cause I want to look at the next reference, which goes along with the last one and helps us to answer the question.
Lets look at the scene where Satan enters Judas
Lets look at the scene where Satan enters Judas
2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,
27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
The idea of a follower of Jesus being possessed by Satan brings up all kind of questions:
How could this happen?
Can a follower of Jesus be possessed?
Was Judas a follower of jesus?
The writer of the book(we are studying) shows this progression on page 79.
Judas had a proclivity to thievery John 12:6 (he liked to steal) ----> This gave Satan a door in ------->This amounted to greed, he had a greedy heart------>The Jews offered him money------->He took it.
This very well could be how it plays out, but Jesus is pretty specific that Satan entered Judas, not just Satan effected Judas.
How can we have hope from this story?
You have to admit this is a pretty sad story.
Jesus says hard things and runs off some followers. Then one of his followers that sticks around turns to the devil, the enemy of God.
Can things get worse?
Yep, he will be dragged to a cross, crucified, and in midst of it, satisfy the wrath of God against sinners.
It gets a lot worse,
But wait (WAIT A MINUTE) - we said Jesus was light and darkness could not over take him?
How can all this be if Jesus said darkness could not overcome His light?
The light is all the way back in John 6:70-71.
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
Jesus is saying, “I CHOSE FOR THE DEVIL TO BE CLOSE”
God is actively achieving His own goals and plans by using the devil and his plans that are intended for evil, for good.
This is the ultimate victory of light not being overcome by darkness.
3. The battle to identify who actually has a demon.
3. The battle to identify who actually has a demon.
Jesus is accused of having a demon several times in John.
John 7:20, John 8:48, John 8:52, John 10:20, John 10:21
This actually starts back in chapter 7:1, where he is not teaching in Judea because they are trying to kill him.
1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.
They will deny that they are trying to kill him but the evidence says different.
Despite what will be said later (denial that they are trying to kill him), or whether hes being smart or in fear or anything else (for not going in public), the reality is that Jesus is making decisions that factor in that someone wants him dead.
*He’s planning his locations because of the threat.
At the feast, the Jews are actively on the look out for him to show up. (v11)
Verse 13 shows more evidence, people are whispering because they fear these leaders that are seeking Jesus. Doesnt sound innocent to me.
13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.
Jesus said he wasnt coming to the festival but then...
Jesus pops out, has confrontation, then bluntly states, you are trying to kill me.
They deflect and say, “you have a demon”
19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”
Same thing happens in Chapter 10.
19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Why did they keep accusing Jesus of having a demon?
Trying to cover up that they were on the Devil’s side - smeller the fellar
They over-spiritualized anything that seemed different to what they knew to be true. We don’t believe that so you must be from the devil.
They just said things without any thought to what they were saying. (probably not the case)
They linked insanity to demon-possession.
Next
But then Jesus flips it and doesnt just name call, but identifies their hearts
44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’
We actually just talked about this on wednesday night.
Heres the bigger story.
Explain God’s plans of redemption through history - the mystery in the old testament is finally revealed in the NT with Jesus, but it was not what the Jewish leaders had planned and they are embarrassed.
Thought Jesus should come in on a white horse
God should not do it this way.
This leads me to ask -
Do you want to do everything your way or God’s way?
This is a pointed question because if you want to do things your way, you find yourself in opposition to Jesus, on the other team.
Jesus is forcing us to pick a side.
What we see here, is Jesus escalates this even further
They say, we are children of abraham, but Jesus says, nope, he had faith.
Your daddy is the devil!
Wow, they escalated quickly.
It begs the question -
If you aren't being obedient to God’s plans, are you on the devils team?
it would be really easy to push you emotionally and go yep, pick a side and get your act together.
But
I DO NOT necessarily draw that conclusion, because we see in scripture that God’s children disobey sometimes and they get disciplined - DOESN’T MEAN THEY ARE THE DEVILS.
But this definitely helps us understand just how much is hanging in the balance here and how high the stakes are.
Their is an identity crisis at stake here.
You can only be on God’s team or Satan’s team. Jesus is VERY CLEAR of that.
From time to time, we may lose in the fight with our flesh, that doesn't mean we are on Satan’s team, but God knows our hearts.
Romans 10:9 says those that believe the gospel and have made Jesus Lord of their lives will be saved.
Either Jesus is Lord or Satan is Lord.
Either your heart belongs to Jesus, or it belongs to Satan.
Our identity can only be found in one or the other.
4. Satan the ruler of the world
4. Satan the ruler of the world
We wont spend a lot of time in this, but there’s three times that Satan is referred to as ruler of the world in the book of John.
Satan will be ultimately handled.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
We are talking about a showdown, where there will be a transfer of power.
We see the judgement is now, but the casting out will be to come-when God decides.
2. Satan was not in control of the passion story, God was.
30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,
Reference to the passion story that is about to happen. Shows that when Judas comes, it may be humans coming but its Satan working.
The guarantee is in the last part.
He has no claim on me.
3. Satan has been judged.
11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
This is part of a bigger discussion of the work of the Holy Spirit - He will convict the world of sin, lack of righeousness, being on the side of the devil.
Interesting enough, Paul will spend a lot of time in Romans 8 declaring that those in Christ are declared ok in all these areas, although the enemy will continue to try to convince you otherwise.
5. Prayer for spiritual protection
5. Prayer for spiritual protection
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
This prayer is for the disciples, but also for us.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
So Jesus gives us permission to pull directly from this passage what he is praying for us.
Jesus prayed this for you and me
Which one of these do you need more of?
Unity - v11 and v21
This is why doctrine is so important, to distinguish who is actually a believer of the things Jesus taught.
Jesus wants us to be unified so much that he prayed we would be like the trinity is in unity.
Fullness of Joy v13
Jesus is speaking these things to bring joy.
I want my kids to be happy - NO!!!!! - I want them to be faithful to Jesus and find joy in Him that sustains them when they aren’t happy
Context of hope even though he’s leaving and its going to get bad
Involvement/Engagement - Jesus does not want us to escape this world v15
We need to pray for Jesus’ protection, but that doesn’t come as withdrawl.
He wants us to push out into the world.
Protection - Jesus does want us to be protected from the work of the evil one v15
Protection is not a cop out for safety or comfort.
War illustration
Stop praying for God to provide a bunker for us to hide in, and pray he provides a helmet so we can keep fighting.
Sanctification - Jesus prays that the bible would sanctify us. v17
Santification is to be set apart for God’s special purposes.
being transformed to be instruments for Jesus
Holiness - We would be set apart as people of truth v19
You don’t have to be on a hot fire mission to be “set apart” from the world, all you have to do is cling to truth, that will set you apart.
The lines get drawn really quick when you ask the question, “what does my bible tell me to believe about ____________.”