Winning the Battle Between Good and Evil! (Series)

The Gathering – A Christian Community

June 26, 2022

Winning the Battle Between Good and Evil! (Part I)

John 15:18-21 (NIV) 18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.

Warren Wiersbe: We do not belong to the world (15:19). When we trusted Christ, we moved into a new spiritual position: We are now “in Christ” and “out of the world.” To be sure, we are in the world physically, but not of the world spiritually. Now that we are “partakers of the heavenly calling” (Heb. 3:1), we are no longer interested in the treasures or pleasures of sin in this world. This does not mean that we are isolated from reality or insulated from the world’s needs, so “heavenly minded that we are no earthly good.” Rather, it means that we look at the things of earth from heaven’s point of view.

The world system functions on the basis of conformity. As long as a person follows the fads and fashions and accepts the values of the world, he or she will “get along.” But the Christian refuses to be “conformed to this world” (Rom. 12:2). The believer is a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17) and no longer wants to live the “old life” (1 Peter 4:1-4). We are the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13-16), but a dark world does not want light and a decaying world does not want salt! In other words, the believer is not just “out of step”; he is out of place!

John 17:14-18 (NIV) 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV) 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Begins with….

4 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,..

John 8:42 44 (NIV) 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 18:37-38 (NIV) 37“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” 38“What is truth?” Pilate asked…

Romans 1:25 (NIV) 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie….

II Thessalonians 2:8-12 (NIV) 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

John 14:6(NIV) 6 Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 4:23 (NIV) …worship the Father in Spirit and in truth.

John 8:31-32 (NIV) 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

4 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…

David Jeremiah: The belt was used for three things. Think of it as the centerpiece of the armament of the soldier. First, for advancement. For the soldier to advance he would tuck his cloak into his belt. Second, for attacking. The belt supported the weapons namely his sword. Third, his awards. The awards of the soldier were attached to the belt.

Wiersbe: “Satan is a liar, but the believer whose life is controlled by truth will defeat him. The belt held the other parts of the armor together, and truth is the integrating force in the life of the victorious Christian. A person of integrity, with a clear conscience, can face the enemy without fear. The belt also held the sword. Unless we practice the truth, we cannot use the Word of truth.”

So, to succeed against our adversary the devil, the “father” of lies we begin with the Truth. As Dr. Jeremiah states, the devil wants to use his lies and propaganda to deceive us; to divide us; and ultimately to destroy us. But we begin to suit up for the battle by first putting on the belt of truth.