Preparing for Battle Part 2
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Introduction:
Introduction:
We’re taking a few weeks to think about Spiritual warfare. And most people fall in to the two categories when we start talking about Satan, the Devil, evil and it’s either, we don’t really want to appear weird or silly, so we just won’t talk much about the whole thing. Or there’s almost an obsession with the subject of spiritual warfare.
We don’t want to fall in to either extreme, but we must acknowledge and understand that we are, every day involved in Spiritual warfare.
The problem is, we don’t always recognize spiritual warfare. We’re not really sure how to discern when we’re in battle.
We might come to see it when there’s an avalanche of crisis. Like, “The kid’s are out of control, the bills are stacking high, the hot water heater broke, my car is out of gas...Oh, is this what SW feels like?”
Well, yes and no.
That’s why we began this mini-series by taking an aerial view of the entire letter that Paul wrote to the Ephesians.
Because, if we ignore the battle, or we assume that we’re only in the battle when really bad stuff is happening, than we’re missing what Spiritual Warfare is and why it’s heightened for disciples of Jesus.
follows . And it’s in those segments that Paul reminds the church in Ephesus that:
Before they/we existed, God in three persons existed (so it’s not about them/us)
God chose a people and crafted a plan (God doesn’t have a plan for my life as much as we have a God-given role to play in God’s plan)
And God’s plan is to unite all things (in heaven and earth) together in Christ. God’s plan is a restoration project.
God begins with the restoration of fallen human beings, who were dead in sin, who had no desire to follow God’s ways whatsoever, and if it were not for his wealth of mercy, would all still be following a self-centered course that leads straight to destruction.
But God in his mercy restores us by rescuing us from the plight of our own demise and surprisingly does what no one could ever have accomplished; he tore down the wall of hostility that stood between Jew and Gentile and He brought both races into one new race. That family is what we call the Church — His body on earth.
And as his active body on earth, begin led by God’s Spirit, our task is to reveal the manifold wisdom of God to the authorities and rulers.
And we do that by accurately reflecting the nature and character of God to the rest of the world. That’s where chapters four and five begin. Walking in a manner worthy of the calling we have received — and what way is that? with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace...
So he begins with the “what” and continues with the “how” — “He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry...
And the ministry is - being imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. The ministry is walking as children of light, speaking the truth in love, sharing the gospel with our neighbor, loving our enemy, making disciples, submitting one to another...
And if we even attempt to walk as a community and as individuals, as imitators of God, beware.
And
Our role in God’s plan is to reflect the triune God (that is, to glorify God) and if we’re mindful of being God’s ambassadors, and missionaries, we will make disciples and we as a family will be attacked. Because that’s the Spiritual Battle.
Paul’s expectation in writing this section is that they’ve been tracking with his message, which is why I’ve taken the time to summarize it.
Spiritual warfare is not going to look Spiritual or warlike. There will most likely be no visible demons or angelic beings bearing flaming swords. Although I’ve heard stories of demonic oppression and have been in situations where I’ve felt a very dark presence, it’s been few and far between.
So, how will we know when we’re being attacked or in the battle?
The background helps us here:
First century Christians, whether in Ephesus or in Jerusalem or Corinth all faced a similar problem, whether Jew or Gentile (in most cases) following Christ meant that they were turning their backs on family, friends, and certain religious and social activities.
This new path they were on was not a welcome path. And what happens when people around you begin to change the way things have always been?
Brother in law was on a sugar fast while we were on vacation.
The Ephesians had a real life struggle. They wanted to follow Christ, but their family, friends, and neighbors that did not want to follow Christ were putting up a fight. And just a glossary read of will give us a clue that the industry of “idol-making” was slowing down because some people were no longer worshiping Artemis, people were walking away from their job of being a temple prostitute, I mean the gospel of Christ was powerfully working in the hearts of sinful people and they were boldly following Christ.
And it was uncomfortable for folks.
And if you refuse to go along with the world’s ways, you’re going to make people uncomfortable. And that uncomfortableness quickly turns in to hostility.
And if we get serious about making disciples the heat gets turned up.
And if we’re not careful, we declare war against the people that don’t follow Jesus.
Paul was teaching the Ephesians that although they were being poorly treated by their society, their battle was not against unbelievers...
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.
What they needed was to see that their desire to follow Christ and make disciples was going to put them up against a fierce enemy, but the people who were attacking them, they were to take their cue from Jesus and in the face of persecution they would say, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And Stephen, who in the face of persecution from his Jewish brothers, “LORD, do not hold this sin against them.”
And this is nearly impossible. We can barely handle someone cutting us off on the freeway. We can’t stand the neighbor’s dog leaving his mess on the yard.
So, it would do us well to understand that the Spiritual Warfare that Paul talks about is the daily struggle to play the role God has given us to play in HIS battle, fulfilling HIS plan.
And because of that, we’re not sure
Every morning we have got to recalibrate our minds to remember, this is not about me, this is not my battle, but I am a soldier, in HIS military, and by HIS strength I will battle...
Last week, I tried to answer the question “Why Christians must be prepared for and experience a heightened level of Spiritual warfare… it’s because our role as the Church is to reveal God’s manifold wisdom to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places.”
Today, I believe Paul answers the next question we might have in regards to SW, and that is, “What are we supposed to do about it?”
Next week we’re going to close out the discussion on SW and learn “How to fight like a Christian.”
And that’s the main imperative in this passage:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
This unseen battle will not be fought on the shoulders of creativity, ability, wealth, or status of the King's soldiers.
The passive nature of the instruction turns this into a posture of submission rather than a command to be tough. The literal translation reads, "Be made strong in the LORD" which is reiterated by the phrase "and in the strength of HIS might."
Holman Christian Standard translates it this way - “Be strengthened by the LORD and by His vast strength.”
That was Paul's prayer in chapter 3:16, "that you may be strengthened with power by his Spirit.”
When Jesus was preparing the disciples for his departure from this earth he used very similar language. He taught about the coming of the Spirit—He actually said that it would be better for the disciples if he left so that the Comforter/Helper could come.
In Jesus tells them:
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,
In the next conversation he instructs them that their only hope for living in this world is abiding in Him, because “if the world hated him, the world was going to hate them. If the world persecuted him, they would persecute them.”
To which Jesus tells them that the Helper, the Spirit of Truth would bear witness about him and also they would bear witness and then Jesus gives them these sobering words:
“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.
we get powerful insight to the prayer that Jesus has for his people and for those not yet in the family:
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
BBC reported a story (15:17 to Paris) of a Moroccan man who opened fire in a speed train in Europe carrying more than 500 passengers. His attack was not as successful as he had hoped as three Americans and two Europeans brought down the gunman early in the attack. What struck me about the article was that one of the men who helped bring down the assailant noticed the train staffers barricading themselves in a cabin in hopes that they would not be shot. Whether that part is true or not it reminded me of so many in the church. Trying to barricade themselves from the spiritual warfare that is happening every day around us. Instead of standing against the attack and reconciling relationships in the process, we are too often more concerned with self-preservation. This should not be the case.
This is not simply the power of authority, but the supernatural power of God who raised up Jesus from the dead. That's the power that we are to be made strong in. That's the power that is available to us. It’s the power that Jesus spoke of:
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
It doesn't matter how sharp or powerful the weapons of warfare are, if the operator of those weapons has no energy he is useless to fight.
The strength of the King is the grace that is given to His people.
And from a functional perspective, because I know I wrestle with the concept of grace as power or energy to obey, but from a functional perspective, you will not glow, you will not necessarily “feel” any different, there will almost be no sign that you’re “filled with the Spirit/filled with the Strength or power of God.”
So let me illustrate with a passage from Acts what one shade of being empowered with God’s strength looks like:
And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,
And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
At the time of the Peter’s address to the Jewish leaders, was there any visible sign that He was filled with the Holy Spirit?
What did Luke see that convinced him that Peter was filled with the Spirit?
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.
When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,
“ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’—
for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Acts 4
Acts 4
Don’t forget that this is the same Peter that 5 weeks before denied even knowing Jesus, three times. In addition he’s speaking authoritatively to the religious leaders — but he’s uneducated??? But he’s just an ordinary guy???
I think this is precisely the point. He’s an unsuspecting, regular guy who believes that He is called to play a valuable role in God’s plan, and that God has uniquely equipped Him (through the time spent with Jesus) to fulfill that role, so He goes for it and as a result, people are becoming followers of Jesus.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
The Lord has bared his holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
How do we engage in this battle? We draw from the strength of God through His Holy Spirit.