Causes of spiritual warfare Colossians 1:13-14
Study of The Letter to The Colossians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 2 viewsSpiritual warfare has its origin in a rebellion of many angels against God. Satan is seen as the prince of this world, leading an array of forces opposed to God. Although disarmed by Jesus Christ on the cross, they remain a powerful threat to the church and to individual believers.
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Deliverance from the domain of darkness
Deliverance from the domain of darkness
[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
He has saved us from the kingdom of darkness. He has brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.
Satan and his angels comprise a well-organised army
Satan and his angels comprise a well-organised army
Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
A battle of two Kingdoms
A battle of two Kingdoms
Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
Satan and his angels fall
Satan and his angels fall
“Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created. “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. “By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. “You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you. All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you; You have become a horror, And shall be no more forever.” ’ ”
See also Jud 6; Is 14:12–15; 1 Ti 3:6; Eze 28:12–19 Some believe the kings of Babylon and Tyre to be types of Satan
See also Col 1:13
Satan and his angels will ultimately be fully disarmed by Jesus Christ
Satan and his angels will ultimately be fully disarmed by Jesus Christ
Col 2:15; Re 12:7–9
See also Jn 12:31; Heb 2:14; 1 Jn 3:8; Lk 10:18; Mk 3:27
Satan persecutes the church
Satan persecutes the church
Re 12:13 The woman is here thought to be symbolic of the church.
See also Re 2:10; Re 13:7 The dragon is here thought to be symbolic of the world’s persecution (empowered by Satan) of the church.
Satan opposes the gospel
Satan opposes the gospel
whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
See also 1 Th 2:18; Mt 13:19; 1 Th 2:2; Mt 13:38–39
Examples of opposition to the first Christians
Examples of opposition to the first Christians
Ac 6:8–14; Ac 7:54–58 Stephen stoned to death; Ac 8:1–3 Saul causes havoc in Jerusalem.
Opposition to Paul and his companions:
Opposition to Paul and his companions:
Ac 13:6–12 Ac 13:44–45; Ac 17:13; Ac 18:6; Ac 18:12
Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.
Violent hostility to Paul and his companions:
Violent hostility to Paul and his companions:
Ac 9:23; Ac 14:5; Ac 14:19; Ac 16:16–24; Ac 17:5–6; Ac 19:23–29; Ac 20:3; Ac 21:27–36
Jewish plots against Paul in Jerusalem:
Jewish plots against Paul in Jerusalem:
Ac 23:12–15; Ac 25:3
Satan attacks individual believers
Satan attacks individual believers
And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
See also Job 2:7; Lk 22:31–32; 2 Ti 3:12; 1 Pe 5:8