The Battle For What Is Yours

// INTRO

Recap

Last week we continued pulling on a thread from Mother’s Day on the idea of being pulled into your identity.

There’s not a need to perform or work to achieve your identity. God has given you all that you need.

We used the example of Michelangelo carving The David. The art was already in the block, he just needed to remove everything that didn’t belong.

We are going to continue in the book of Colossians this week.

Turn in your bible to Colossians 1. Can you stand as we read this passage to honor God’s word?

Colossians 1:9–14 ESV

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Pray

What Lens Are You Looking Through

As I was studying this week, I wanted to show an illustration for all of us to see what the world would look like through the eyes of a colorblind person. I instead stumbled upon something much greater.

I want to share the experience of a man who gets to see full color for the first time in his life.

<< Colorblind Video >>

This man was incredibly accomplished, tough guy, 65 years old. Yet something happened when he saw clearly how things are.

The world around his didn’t change – the grass was still there, the family was still there, all the things were still there – his lens was distorted.

Once that lens was fixed – everything was different.

What if the battle you’ve been facing in life isn’t “out there” but rather it’s inside you, stuck in your interpretation of things?

The battle some are facing today is not whether or not you believe you are saved and that the work of the cross is complete.

No, the battle you are facing is…”do you understand what the Cross did for you?

YOU ALREADY HAVE WHAT YOU NEED

In the passage read at the beginning, I want to hone in on verse 9-10.

Colossians 1:9–10 ESV

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Paul is not praying that the people of Colosse would now have something that they didn’t have…

He is praying that they would begin to walk in what they already have.

knowledge

gk. epignosis

:: full discernment, acknowledgment, to know or understand

This shows relationship with God, not just knowlege about Him.

Emerging & Evolving

Throughout the passages today, I’m going to do my best to point out the word usage that Paul is working with.

Notice these words: to walk, bearing, increasing, strengthened

All these words are showing action of emergence and evolution.

Things are not a one-time event and they are not stagnant.

A fruit-bearing tree should bear fruit. If it’s not bearing fruit, it will probably not be around much longer.

Jesus saw a fig tree that was not producing fruit (Mark 11.12) in its time and he cursed it. When they passed by again, it was completely dead.

Transferred Into Kingdom

Colossians 1:13–14 ESV

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He has delivered & transferred us

The work is complete.

Jesus said, “it is finished”

IF this is true and we are not fighting to get into the kingdom, our works are not necessary for acceptance…

THEN the battle against us is not taking place before we are kingdom citizens, it’s after.

The battle for what is in you is happening in you – and it is not passive.

THE BATTLE FOR THE LENS

Colossians 2:8 ESV

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.

captive

gk. sulagogeo

:: to lead away as booty, seduce, to take control of

This is the only time in the entire New Testament that this word is used. This causes me to lean in a little more.

Paul is not giving them a light-hearted warning not to be confused.

He is using explicit war language to show the intensity with which the deception is coming for you.

Deception is a Distorted Lens

What Paul is describing is an alternative narrator in your life, other than God.

That narrator provides alternative commentary that leads to deception.

We think deception will be obvious in our own life. You may have even said, “How can they be so blind?”

How do you know if you’re deceived?

Please let this sink in - especially as a church body that operates in the gifts of the spirit and follows the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Deception can present itself as clarity, wisdom, spiritually mature perspective.

Deception doesn’t require a broken environment, sin in the room, or even darkness to be present.

Deception simply needs a distorted lens.

Jeremy Johnson Quote

"The angels in heaven were not deceived in a broken place. They were deceived in a perfect place. They were not surrounded by sin. They were surrounded by glory. The danger of deception is this: it does not always change your environment. It changes your lens. Nothing changed about heaven. Something changed in their interpretation of heaven."

His quote went on longer and even deeper.

But let this sink in for a moment…

What we know as demons were once angels in the presence of God.

What changed?

A new narrator was allowed to speak, his words were allowed to root, and a lens was allowed to warp.

Heaven was and is still perfect, but their interpretation and perspective of it was no longer.

✂️ UN Interpreter

At the UN General Assembly, leaders & delegates from around the world are gathered in one place. They don’t speak the same language so they rely on the help of translators.

The main speaker is speaking real words, but every word passes through the filter of the translator.

The delegates are at the complete mercy of the translator.

If the translator is accurate the delegate hears the truth. If the translator is bias or has an agenda, the delegate may never hear the truth.

The Father’s Voice is speaking in our lives.

Yet, between his voice and our ears there can be translators.

Culture translates. Fear translates. Shame translates.

The enemy translates.

John 10:10 ESV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

1 Peter 5:8–10 ESV

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Both of these scripture tell me two things:

The enemy is going to try and destroy my life.

God will always save and establish me into life.

Our defense against corrupt translators: know the speakers voice well.

John 10:27–28 ESV

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Same Old Strategy

We see this same strategy played out in the garden.

Genesis 3:1 ESV

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

Crafty, NKJV says “cunning”, CSB says “most cunning”, NLT says “the shrewdest”

In other words - he didn’t come in obvious.

We know Heaven was a perfect place and yet deception happened.

The garden is also a perfect place and yet still, deception comes in.

The Question That Distorts The Lens

“Did God really say…”

Now there’s a change in programming, the narrator is being replaced as soon as the bait is taken.

The garden was the same. The nakedness was the same. The people were the same.

How they interpreted all of it was now different.

The Questions That Expose

God comes looking for his people and asks them two questions…the second one being…

“WHO told you that you were naked?”

His question wasn’t meant for literal response - it was meant to help Adam and Eve see that their lens was distorted.

The first question was, “Where are you?”

Powerful teaching on the chiasm in The Fall Narrative - but the main point being that God was more concerned about them hiding, than he was about their sin.

He goes after their shame and brings restoration.

THE VICTORY IS DECLARED

Back to Colosse

Paul’s response to the Colossians who have experienced the assault of deception in their lives and are now dealing with the shame, fear, and performance being placed on them…

Colossians 2:13–15 ESV

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.

Canceling

gk. exaleipho

:: to smear out, blot out, wipe away, to wash over

comes from the root word “aleipho” meaning to anoint!

Romans 8:1–2 ESV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

It’s Already Done

Note the verbs in Paul’s writing to the Colossians: made alive, forgiven, canceling, disarmed, triumphed

These are all completed actions!

Disarmed the Rulers & Authorities

Again, Paul uses a very culturally common war term to make his point.

Disarmed

gk. apekdyomai

:: to take off, strip off

Triumph

gk. thriambeusos

:: to openly shame

When a roman official would return from battle, he would bring along the king or ruler that they beat and chain them up, parading them through the streets, making a mockery of them.

THIS IS WHAT JESUS DID ON THE CROSS TO EVERY ENEMY!!!

The victory is won - the enemy cannot change that.

Death is defeated - the enemy cannot change that.

The work on the cross is finished - the enemy cannot unfinnish it.

However, he can help distort your view and understanding of what all those things mean.

STEPPING INTO FULL TIME MINISTRY

What happens when we see and hear clearly again?

We do what Paul described at the beginning of his letter…

Colossians 1:24–29 ESV

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

When we see clearly, we will be able to walk in freedom and live a life of ministry.

Ministry

gk. diakonos

:: servant, attendant, waiter

Not an office.

Not a title.

Not a position.

Not a program.

Not obligation.

It’s a posture. It’s character. It’s pure identity.

Created to Serve

Paul start Colossians off with theology and ends with the practical steps to walk it out.

I close with his words.

Colossians 3:12–17 ESV

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.