The Greatest Struggle in the Christian Life, Ephesians 6:10-12

“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” - Ephesians 6:10–12 (ESV)

“Finally”

This word carries some weight. Paul makes it clear that the section that follows is important. After all that he has said about the gospel and the new life that Christians are called to live, he makes sure we understand what life is like from this point on.

The word finally could be translated as “from now on” or “for what remains”

As Paul explains the gospel he puts an emphasis on the life that was, the life without Christ… Specifically Paul writes about the way that Christians lived before they were saved.

Ephesians 2:1–10 (ESV)

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

During our time through Ephesians we have made note that the Bible describes a Dramatic Transformation that gives evidence of the Seismic Salvation, that results in a Radical Reorientation of life around Christ.

We are called to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” And to do this we need to make sure that we “no longer walk as the Gentiles do…” but that we “walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us…” and that means we are to pay careful attention to the way we live our lives…

And many Christians today are striving to live for God. And they are confused as to why it seems like there is always something pushing back and getting in the way of living for God.

I’d like to ask you for a little audience participation for a moment…

How many of you have ever read a book on spiritual warfare? (Raise your hand)

How many of you have ever heard a sermon in the church you belonged on Spiritual warfare?

How many of you have ever participated in a Bible study or small group on Spiritual Warfare?

In an age where we know so much about how everything works, we need to make sure that we do not dismiss the truth of the things we don’t fully understand. And, for many in today’s modern church, the truth of a spiritual enemy of God is far from their thoughts each day. In fact, it seems like many who call themselves Christian go about their entire relationship with God without any acknowledgment or understanding that the Bible teaches us that There is an ongoing cosmic war that began before the Earth was created.

Ephesians 2:1-2 says, ““And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience”

The prince of the power of the air is real, and he is referred to as the Devil, Satan, and Lucifer.

Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

The greatest struggle in the Christian life is spiritual and not physical.

It’s true that there are significant physical and visible struggles. And, some of them are injustices like poverty, hunger, and oppression. And, we should be working to eliminate these in the lives of as many people as possible. But, as one writer mentioned- “If the real problems of this world were merely material and visible we would have solved and eliminated them long ago.”

I am thankful for the ways that God is working in our church to address more and more of the physical and visible needs and struggles in our own city. Not only are there injustices and struggles facing people all over our city and around the world… there are obstacles and temptations that get in the way of Christians living for God. And, these temptations and opportunities are real… but I want to make sure that we know this truth today:

We don’t need an enemy to lead us into sin, each person is tempted by his or her own sinful desires.

God says in James 1:12–15 (ESV), “12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

The personal sin struggle in the heart of every person reminds us that we are dealing with spiritual issues, and that is why God offers a spiritual solution in Christ and the gospel.

And though we don’t need help being sinners, we need the truth that Paul gives to the Ephesians at the end of his letter.

For all of the glorious and beautiful characteristics Paul reveals about the Christian life, the radical reorientation of your life includes the recognition that God’s enemy is also your enemy, and he is actively working for your demise. (1 Peter 5:8)

As Peter says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Where did Satan come from?

Satan is a real created being.

Satan is not a personification of evil forces. He is a created being that is personal, intelligent, and malevolent in his intentions toward God and his kingdom.

Satan is an angelic creature, a spiritual being with great power like other angels.

We don’t have Scripture that tells us exactly when Satan rebelled and fell, but we know that he did.

Where do the other demons come from?

The demons are also angelic creatures with the same qualities and power like the other angels.

We don’t have scripture that tells us when the rebelled and fell, but we know that they followed Satan and fell with him.

Satan is not ever considered on be on a level or equal with God.

Psalm 89:7 (ESV) says, 7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him?

The angels are limited, so any power they have is what God has given to them

Job 1:12 (ESV), 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Satan is included in the sons of God

While Job 1:6 and 2:1 refer to Satan as coming into the heavenly throne room among “the sons of God,” the phrase indicates not filial generation but fashioned subservience. To speak of the sons of God is to speak of the “heavenly army” (1 Kgs 22:19), who are also referred to as “angels” (Gen 32:1–2; Ps 103:20) and “spirits” (1 Kgs 22:21–23).

David S. Dockery and Trevin Wax, Christian Worldview Handbook (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2019), 60.

The “sons of God,” among whom appears Satan, are specifically instructed to ascribe glory to God and worship him (Ps 29:1–2).

Psalm 29:1–2 (ESV)

1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

Their desire to obtain such glory for themselves is at the root of the fallen angels’ expulsion from heaven. It was such arrogant pretense to worship that prompted the final break between Satan, this rebellious one among the created servile “sons of God,” and Jesus Christ, the eternally generated and subsequently incarnate Son of God (Matt 3:8–11).

In falling from heaven, Satan took many angels with him. They are known under the general terminology of “demons” (Gk daimonioi) and are subject to the power of Jesus Christ, who in turn granted such authority to his disciples (Luke 10:17–20).

Satan is a rebellious ruler who is still subject to God.

Jesus Christ taught that Satan ruled this world with his demons through his deception of humanity, comparing Satan and the demons to a kingdom (Matt 12:25).

Satan and his demonic hosts are among the “thrones” and “dominions” and “rulers” and “authorities” that have been created by God.

Satan and his demonic hosts are the “elemental spirits of the world” and they have harmful and rebellious designs against God and man.

Sixteen other terms for Satan have also been discovered in the NT, including Beelzebul (e.g. Matt 12:24), Belial (2 Cor 6:15), and Apollyon (Rev 9:11). Among the terms used to identify Satan are those that imply some authority: “ruler of the power of air” (Eph 2:2), “dominion of darkness” (Luke 22:53), and “god of this age” (2 Cor 4:4) (D. P. Fuller, “Satan,” in ISBE: 4, 342).

Through the cross Jesus triumphs over Satan and his hosts.

The victory of Jesus over sin and Satan undergirds and informs our experiences with him and his host of demons.

Jesus Christ demonstrated his power over Satan and demons through his earthly ministry, but on the cross he won the ultimate victory. At the cross, even while we were bound to death and ruled by Satan, Jesus paid the debt that was ours. God now delivers us into life through faith (Col 2:12–14). At the cross, Christ took away the power of the demonic authorities and disgraced them publicly, having won the victory over them on our behalf (Col 2:15; Eph 1:21–22), as permanently demonstrated in his resurrection (1 Tim 3:16).

As Paul makes clear here in Ephesians 6, Satan and his hosts are active and will continue to be until the coming of Christ.

Satan is an adversary to God and operates as an accuser of God and man.

The Hebrew noun, satan, indicates an adversary. The verb means “to accuse.” In Job 1–2, Satan adopts the role of an adversary in the heavenly court to accuse Job of following God only because God had blessed Job richly. God allows Satan power, within limits, to harm Job, in order to vindicate God’s claim about Job. In Zechariah 3:1–2, Satan appears again in the courtroom of God, this time in order to accuse the high priest, Joshua, of being unfit to represent the people of God.

However, in a messianic vein, the Lord calls on the Lord’s own name to rebuke Satan and remove Joshua’s guilt in order to give human priests a place in the heavenly court. In 1 Chronicles 21:1, Satan incited David to take a census and prompt God’s anger, while 2 Samuel 24:1 says that God was behind the event. This demonstrates that although Satan and demons are responsible for their own evil, God may sovereignly use them for his own holy purposes (cp. 1 Kgs 22:19–25).

Although decisively defeated, Satan continues his work through deception, “prowling around like a roaring lion” (1 Pet 5:8) and disguising himself as “an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:14).

Even now, Satan is trying his hardest to keep people from hearing and receiving the Word of God (Matt 13:19). Moreover, Satan schemes to keep Christians from living victoriously in Christ, but God equips us to withstand demonic assaults (Eph 6:11–17), and we are called to resist the devil and stand firm in the faith (1 Pet 5:9).

Although Satan and his demons have been decisively conquered by Jesus Christ, they will still do all they possibly can to persecute the church and to conquer the world, even into the last day. The book of Revelation prophesies a vivid series of apocalyptic battles that will result in the overthrow of the dragon and his imprisonment in the abyss for a thousand years (Rev 20:1–3). At the end of the millennium, Satan will be let loose for a short time to deceive the nations again, but he will be fully and completely defeated (Rev 20:7–9). His end is presented verbally as an accomplished fact: “The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev 20:10). The hurtful deception of humanity that began in Genesis with a denial of the word of God will end with the eternal punishment of that false demonic trinity led by Satan. And the One who has accomplished that victory over Satan and his demons is Jesus Christ.

The devil is real, and so are demons. Satan cannot make you sin, but he can come in through his demonic forces and pour gasoline on the flame of your desire.

Without repentance and prayer your actions and intentions can open the door to demonic influence in the moment and in your life.

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What about demon possession?

Demonic “possession” or torment are real and. happen frequently in the ministry of Jesus.

The word translated as possessed is the greek word daimonizomai. This word means something more like demonized. But, it was translated as possessed in the King James Bible so it’s how most people interpret the word in translations today.

It might be better to translate the word as demonized. But, the passages where the word daimonizoma is used, or passages that talk about a person who "has" a demon, or they are "with" a demon—in every case, it's describing an indwelling demonic spirit that is then subsequently cast out of them.

Can a demon indwell a Christian?

No, I don’t believe so.

But there isn’t a specific passage or verse that makes this claim. However, I believe that where the Holy Spirit takes up residence the enemy can not also take up residence.

Sam Storms asks, "does it really matter whether the demon is tempting me from across the room, sitting on my shoulder, or inside my head?" And the answer is no, it probably doesn't matter. What matters is how you respond to it.

Do we have authority over demons? Yes, but only because we are in Christ.

Paul writes in Ephesians and says that "Christ has been exalted to the right hand of the Father, and all principalities and powers—again, that's New Testament language for demons—have been placed under his feet."

In Ephesians 2, Paul says, "We have been seated together with him in heavenly places." So there is tremendous authority and power that is available to the born-again, justified believer in Jesus.

Unfortunately, a lot of Christians confront instances of demonization, or attacks from the enemy, and they cower in fear, because they don't understand who they are in Christ. You know, Jesus...they said, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name." You stop with the us, you're going to get in trouble. No, it's in the name, and by virtue of who Jesus is and what he has done, that we have this authority. And that, I think, is the most important thing for Christians to remember.

Spiritual warfare is a real battle that has already been won.

God has disarmed, displayed, and defeated every enemy by the cross of Christ!

Colossians 2:6–15 (ESV)

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

This gives broader understanding to Paul’s encouragement in Ephesians 5:15, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but was wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

The days are evil, our hearts are evil, and the evil enemy of God is working against the gospel and those who believe it.

In fact, as James Montgomery Boice points out, “The victories of the Christian life are to be achieved by a relentless and lifelong struggle against evil.” - J.M. Boice

So, how do we fight a powerful, relentless, and unseen enemy?

Ephesians 6:10-11 says, “10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

“Be strong” means to be strengthened, or be made strong. This is not a call to find the strength within yourself, it’s a call to put your confidence and faith in the one who is strong. To be strengthened in the same manner that you are comforted by God. To be strong in the Lord is to rely on the strength of his might, not your own power and determination.

This is why Paul says that you are to put on God’s armor. You might think that Paul is always thinking of illustrations from the Roman culture around him… and there are no doubt times when this could be true. But, here, in the reference to armor we actually have Paul pointing us back to places like Isaiah 11.

Isaiah 11:4–5 (ESV)

4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

Isaiah 49:2 (ESV)

2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.

Isaiah 59:17 (ESV)

17 He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.

The only way to stand against the schemes of the Devil is to stand firm in Christ and resist with the help and power of the Holy Spirit.

Victory over sin, temptation, death, and the schemes of the devil is possible in Christ.

The Christian’s task is not to win the battle, but to stand in the strength of the One who has already won.

Martin Luther had it right when he wrote in one of the best known of all hymns:

Did we in our own strength confide,

Our striving would be losing;

Were not the right man on our side,

The man of God’s own choosing.

Dost ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is he;

Lord Sabaoth his name,

From age to age the same,

And he must win the battle.

You are only in the battle because of the victory of Jesus Christ, and because of Christ you are free to say yes to God and no to sin and temptation.

The call to be strong in the Lord and put on the armor of God is a major reminder of the freedom from the power of sin and the prince of the power of the air.

What do you do?

Remember that the greatest struggle in life is spiritual, not physical Trust in the power of God and the truth of the Gospel Rely and depend on the Word of God and the Holy Spirit Fast and pray to grow closer and more familiar with depending on God.

We will study precisely what that means in greater detail. But I am sure even at this point that you can see that everything that is given to us to make our victory possible is from Christ. Is it truth (v. 14)? He is the truth; he is the one who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Is it righteousness (v. 14)? He is our righteousness. Paul writes, “Christ … has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). Is it the gospel (v. 15)? The gospel is the gospel of Christ (Mark 1:1). Is it faith (v. 16)? It is faith in him (Gal. 2:20). Salvation (v. 17)? Christ is our salvation; he achieved it by his death on the cross (Acts 4:10–12). Even prayer is by the channel that he has opened up for us (Heb. 10:19–20).

Not one of us can stand against the spiritual forces of evil in our own strength—not even for a moment. But in Christ we can fight on to victory.

Boice, James Montgomery. 1988. Ephesians: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library.