Spiritual Warfare
Churches have been called to the front lines of the spiritual battle. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness from on high. Ephesians 6:10 is about spiritual warfare. Many Christians have been fighting the wrong battles with the wrong weapons and the wrong armor.
Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority has been given to me on heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
The worldly powers of Jesus’ day were jealous and envious of Jesus’ power. They thought he was taking their followers away. In John 13:34-35 Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another even as I have loved you. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.”
In the midst of the death and destruction inflicted by the Roman Empire, a high ranking centurion remarked about Christians, “we may have power to kill them, but they have the power of love.” Jesus prayed for the soldiers who nailed him to the cross, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Romans 12 says, “recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good.”
Oswald Chambers said, “there’s something that requires your utmost. It asks for all you have without apology. It requires everything you have to fight this battle. My commander in chief requires extreme obedience from me with no questioning or complaining on my part and no explanation on his. As servants of the living God, our response to his command is, “here am I Lord, send me.”
The cataclysmic events of life will shake our world. When Pete lost his precious wife Suzan, God said, “I understand your heart is broken. But I knew that I could accomplish more by bringing her home than I could accomplish by leaving her here.” As Paul said, “for me to live and to die is gain. Everything is for the glory of God and the furtherance of the gospel.” We must check our human understanding at the door because God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways. God said through his prophet Isaiah, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts and my ways than your ways. As the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the purpose for which I sent it.”
To overcome the sins of the world and the so-called political correctness of the world’s doctrines, we must fight agains the root cause . The root cause is spiritual. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness from on high.
In Romans 1, Paul said, “I’ve been separated unto the gospel of Christ.” Chambers said, “Redemption is the only reality. Everything else is fleeting and for the temporary good…. not for the eternal good to the glory of God.”
The enemy of our souls has infiltrated every institution of this world to influence the hearts and minds of the American Citizen. He has taken control of government, education, the media, popular culture, and worldly religions. Through these institutions Americans have been Indoctrinated to worship the god of self instead of the one true God. Paul warned Timothy that in the last days men would be lovers of self and lovers of sin more than lovers of God. The mantra that says, “what’s in it for me,” has destroyed the American Founders’ message of the blessings of liberty. True freedom is available only through the one who sets us free. Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”
God’s word is contrary to the wisdom of the world. The spiritual battle is won on our knees as well as on the battlefield. Prayer is one of God’s offensive weapons. Prayer is listening to and obeying our commander and chief. As soldiers on the spiritual battlefield, our prayer is often, Lord, I have no strategy, and no tactical battle plan, but as my commander in chief, my heart is prepared for your direction. On the spiritual battlefield, we need to allow God to call an audible. The battle is not our battle. The battle belongs to the Lord. The question is not whether God is on our side, but rather, whether we are on God’s side.
When Goliath threatened the armies of Israel, David, a little shepherd boy heard his taunt. He said, “how dare you defy the armies of the living God.” He understood that the Lord does not deliver by sword or spear. David knew that God is the “Lord God of Sabaoth”…..the lord of the heavenly host of armies of angels. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness from on high.
In the midst of the spiritual battle we have important decisions to make. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual to the pulling down of (spiritual) strongholds. Therefore, Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. The word of scripture and God’s revelation are our standards for truth and practice. The mind of Christ according to the standard of the Word is the filter through which we separate worldly thoughts from God’s thoughts. Then we can make the correct decision to conform our thoughts with his thoughts and our will with his will.
Ephesians 6:10 and following are our instructions for the spiritual battle:
10. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…
Before Jesus left, he said to his disciples, I have to leave so that the Holy Spirit, the comforter can come alongside you. The comforter will teach you all things. The spiritual battle is a behind the scenes battle that is unseen by the five senses. The spiritual battle is the root cause of our warfare. The two offensive weapons are the word of God and prayer.
Our small groups are our band of brothers so that we can sharpen each other spiritually and stand together against the schemes of the devil. To be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good, we must together put on the whole armor of God.
Galatians 5 says, walk by the flesh and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirt and the spirit agains the flesh so that you cannot do the things that you would. There is a stark contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit fo the spirit. To counter the works fo the flesh, excercise the gift of Holy Spirit which produces the fruit of the spirit. For the fruit of the spirt is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Against such there is no law.
God doesn’t honor our desires until we delight ourselves in the Lord. When we delight ourselves also in the Lord, making his desires our desires, then He will give us the desires of our heart. When our heart’s desire is his desire, then he will work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.
What makes a difference in the spiritual warfare? The difference maker is obieience to our commander in chief. Therefore, trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
…That we may be to praise fo the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
