Spiritual Warfare - November 15

Welcome back!

On Monday we talked about Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. I asked you whether you’d switched teams and told you how simple it is to accept Jesus’ free gift. Today we will talk about your spiritual condition prior to salvation. This will help you understand the war that’s going on in the heavens for all of our souls.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 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 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. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:1-5 (ESV)

Satan is called a Prince! He rules over the sons of disobedience – anyone who is not saved. When we lived under Satan’s rule we were only concerned with our passions and desires. As a Christian, we still have those same passions and desires, but thanks to the work of the Holy Spirit (along with prayer, reading the Bible to understand God’s expectations, and accountability partners), we should work daily to be dead in our trespasses (sins). Yes, we mess up – and that’s when Satan will try to convince us that we can’t possibly be a Christian, or that God can’t possibly love us any more, or that we’re never going to be any good (or any other recurring bad thoughts you have when you’ve sinned). Remember though, as a child of God, you have been saved by grace and you are alive through Christ Jesus.

Most of us have what psychologists call bad tapes running constantly … “you won’t amount to anything” … “you’re so _______” … “no one will ever love you” … whatever those tapes are, they play a part in Satan’s ability to engage you in warfare. Take some time in the next couple days to assess the bad tapes running through your brain. Talk to Jesus about them. Ask Him to remove them and replace them with Scripture that will help you when Satan attacks (that’s why daily Bible reading is so important). On Monday we’ll talk about ways to arm ourselves against the schemes of Satan.

Spiritual Warfare - November 12

When we think of “war”, we usually picture battlefields and conflicts between nations. Spiritual warfare involves kingdom battles as well. We are either on God’s side or on Satan’s. To be on God’s side, you must be a Christian (having accepted the free gift of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone). If you haven’t taken that step, even if you are “morally good”, you are automatically on Satan’s team.

Spiritual Warfare - November 9

As promised, I give you some Scripture that can help you remember who Satan is – and who YOU are.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. James 4:7-8 (ESV)

Notice that God isn’t a “get out of temptation free” card. You can resist the devil only if you’ve drawn near to and submitted yourself to God.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.  1 Cor 10:13 (ESV)

“The devil made me do it” is not a reason or an excuse. God always provides a way out of temptation.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.  1 John 2:15-17 (ESV)

Turn off that TV. Close the magazines and “gimmie books” and stop focusing on keeping up with the Joneses. You don’t need to fornicate or have an adulterous relationship. God will provide your needs: you don’t need to steal. That car you love? Is it an idol? How do the words of that song uplift you and remind you of God’s goodness?

God’s stuff lasts for eternity. The stuff we are tempted by leads to idolatry, immorality, removal of inhibitions, improper thoughts and other things that will fade away.  I am reminded of the old song:

Only one life, so soon it will pass,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one chance to do His will.

So give to Jesus all your days

It’s the only life that pays.

When you recall you have but one life.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Romans 16:20 (ESV)

See you Monday.

Spiritual Warfare - November 7

Jesus knows all about the devil – from a human perspective. He gives us an example of how to prepare for and be aware of the devil’s schemes.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Matt 4:1-4 (ESV)

First, let’s talk about this fasting thing. Most of us can’t go a whole day without saying, “I’m famished.” Jesus just spend more than a month without food. He had lost a lot of weight. His body strength was down. He looked skinny and bedraggled. He was physically at the lowest point of His life, and Satan taunts Him and tells Him to make bread from stones. Satan hit below the figurative belt, finding the biggest chink in the Savior’s armor.

Jesus took it all in stride and quoted Deuteronomy 8:3. Satan was talking about the temporary feeling of hunger from physical food. Jesus reminded Satan that real, eternal food comes from the mouth of God.

Jesus – 1 : Satan – 0

Satan’s not stupid. He responded to Jesus by quoting  the “word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”  Matt 4:5-6 (ESV)

Why did Satan take Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple? Why not to a mountain, or the ocean?

Jesus responded in kind by citing Deuteronomy 6:16 (remember how physically exhausted and depleted He was as He fought this battle!)

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Matt 4:7 (ESV)

Jesus – 2 : Satan – 0

Third and final try:

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.  Matt 4:8-11 (ESV)

Jesus – 3 : Satan – 0

Satan couldn’t appeal to Jesus’ hunger. He couldn’t appeal to His pride. He couldn’t shake Jesus’ belief that God reigns supreme.

If Satan had “won” this final skirmish, God’s plan to save the world would have been lost and prophecy would have remained unfulfilled.

Satan knows Scripture – probably better than you do. How do you match wits? How will you respond if Satan twists Scripture as he tempts you? How does knowing Scripture help you to resist the devil?

On Friday, we’ll wrap this up with a few Scriptures that you can place in your arsenal to help you when Satan finds you at a point of temptation. See you then.

Spiritual Warfare - November 5

Last week we were reminded that we have an enemy – Satan. When a nation has an enemy, they [presumably] learn all they can about their operations and tactics before engaging in battle. Now that we’ve identified our enemy, we need to do the same.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV)

A roaring lion is quite a fearsome creature. Like a lion, Satan wants to devour us – and if we are firm in the faith, we can resist him. But we are human, and we make mistakes. Some of those mistakes are serious, and may even result in our excommunication from fellowship (Matthew 18:15-17). However, once an individual has repented (and shown evidence of repentance), s/he must be allowed to re-enter the fellowship. We cannot hold a grudge.

Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. 2 Cor 2:5-11 (ESV)

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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. Eph 6:11-12 (ESV)

Satan will use anything to trip us up. He is a schemer. I find it interesting to see that unforgiveness can lead to us being outwitted by Satan! He is only interested in confusing believers and throwing them off track. When we harbor resentment, anger, and bitterness, we are playing into his hands. When we justify our unrighteous behavior, we lose focus on the Savior and are falling for Satan’s schemes.

These last two verses remind me that we need to always live in love and harmony.

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Romans 12:18 (KJV)

Is there someone you need to forgive? God isn’t interested in your justifications for being angry at that person. He wants you to forgive. When you’ve forgiven, you can stand stronger against Satan. But more important…

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Eph 4:31-32 (KJV)

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matt 6:14-15 (ESV)

Take some time to go through your list of friends and acquaintances and find out who you need to forgive. If you aren’t forgiving, Jesus tells you that God won’t be forgiving. We can’t resist the devil with a “chink” of unforgiveness in our armor!

It doesn’t matter what they did. It only matters that you let go of all resentment or bitterness toward everyone.

Please “pray up” and forgive. It’s the first step!

Speaking of prayer, for those of you in the United States, tomorrow is a momentous day. Please pray for our nation as we go to the polls. PLEASE VOTE. Be a part of the process. See you Wednesday.