Here
we stand in the midst of a fallen world, while the spiritual
battle rages all around. Satan and his fallen angels work night
and day to preserve their kingdom, from the advancing Kingdom of
God (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The battle is over the souls of
humanity, as Satan works to keep lost humanity from finding
salvation, blinding those who are perishing. He also works to
prevent the saints (the saved) from advancing the Kingdom of
God, through a catalog of weapons and tactics. For those new to
the faith, the reality of spiritual warfare can be a shock.
However, the Lord through scripture has prepared us to expect
the war and the attacks.
If God is so powerful, why doesn’t God just
eliminate Satan and his of fallen angels? Many of us ask this
question ourselves in the midst of the struggle. Why do we have
to struggle with Satan, and go through his attacks? Have you
ever found yourself asking this question? If you have, you are
not alone, when we struggle and feel helpless; sometimes it is
hard for us to see any good in the struggle.
One thing we need to remember is God does not
need angels or humans, to do His work or us. He is completely
able to accomplish His will. If he made the universe,
including the spiritual realms, at the command of His word, He
could finish it at the command of His word. However, God
chooses to use us, and allow us to participate in His work. In
the process, we the saints (believers in Christ) transform into
the image of Christ. Satan serves the purpose of the Lord,
because his attacks cause us to grow, being more like Christ ( 2 Cor 3:18).
Imagine if you as child growing, never
experienced pain, or failure, then as an adult you were expected
to cope with pain or failure. How do you think you would handle
the trials of adulthood, without having the trials of
childhood? When we fall off the bike, or struggle to learn to
walk, falling and crying we are being transformed into
adults, through trials. In the same way, when we struggle
spiritually we are being transformed, the Holy Spirit is
conforming us to the image of Christ. The Holy Spirit
intercedes for us, urging us to pray.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we
do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit
Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered.
Romans 8;26
Through the process of spiritual
warfare, the redeemed are tested and tried, learning
to trust and depend on the Lord. In the spiritual war Satan’s
hands are tied, he is limited in what he can do; God knows our
limitations too, not allowing more then we can handle.
The spiritual
war
As we see from scripture spiritual warfare is
very real, and involving both the physical and spiritual
worlds. In our physical world, we see the effects of this
spiritual conflict, between angelic and demonic realms. Through
scripture, God has revealed to us the supernatural world, vying
for the souls of humanity. This struggle involves us, whether
we want it or not, once someone comes to Christ they become
Satan’s mortal enemy, rather then his mortal victim. Satan
understands the stakes of a saved soul used by the Lord.
Before the person is saved Satan’s goal was to
keep the person in darkness, by blinding the lost from seeing
the gospel. All this changes when someone comes to the light,
Satan’s goal shifts from keeping a person lost, to defeating the
“new” believer, to keep them from living a victorious life. He
wants them to be defeated, in bondage, wallowing in the
struggles of their life. He (Satan) wants to keep them becoming
effective warriors for the Kingdom of God, he does this through
his attacks. God uses these same attacks to advance His
kingdom, through them the saved, learn to the way of the
spiritual warrior.
This war however is not primarily played out in
the physical world, but the spiritual as Paul
states in Ephesians chapter 6. It is imperative for everyone
who serves in the army of the Lord to understand just how and
why the enemy battles. For this reason, Paul makes a the
distinction between the two realms, the physical and the
spiritual. Our battle takes in spiritual places, even though it
may seem to be physical, the source is spiritual, in heavenly
realms.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in
the heavenly places. Ephesians
6:12
Before we continue to understand the spiritual war and the
role we play, we should have a clear understanding of the nature
of spiritual warfare. Let’s make sure we have a clear
understanding of the background of spiritual war, in relation to
the Christian.
1.Who is our enemy?
First our enemy is Satan, a fallen angel of the
cherub order (Ezk 28:14), who deceived 1/3 of the angels who
followed him in rejected their Creator (Rev. 12:4), the Lord God
of the Bible. He along with his horde of fallen angels (demons)
unite in their assault against humanity (Eph. 6:12). They work
through fallen humanity, who is deceived by Satan (John 8:44).
2. What is the spiritual war?
The Spiritual war is a war between the forces of
God, including angels and saved humanity versus Satan and his
fallen angels (Luke 4:8-9). The battle is for the souls of souls
of lost (I Cor. 4:3-4), to bring them to salvation. Satan has
blinded the eyes of those who are perishing, so they stay in
their lost condition. Our goal is to advance the kingdom of God
on Satan’s territory, through the power of the Gospel, which
transforms lives, bringing the lost to salvation (Matthew
28:18-20)
3. Where is the spiritual war fought?
The Spiritual war is being fought in heavenly
realms (Eph. 6:12), on the battlefield of the minds of humanity
(I Cor. 4:14). The physical world is merely a byproduct of the
events taking place spiritually. When souls come to salvation,
territory is taken away from Satan. He and his fallen angels
control geographic areas, keeping souls under in a lost
condition. When the Gospel is advanced on enemy territory,
Satan looses control.
He looses territory, when minds turn from his
control, to Christ.
4. When does the spiritual war take place?
The war started at the fall of the angels, and
the battle was transferred to earth when Adam and Eve fell.
Satan became the god of the age, he exercises their (Adam and
Eve) dominion over the earth. Satan works to prevent the lost
from being saved, by keeping them in blindness to the gospel.
When a person is “saved” by being “Born again”,
they are removed from Satan’s power, they now have Holy Spirit
power. At this point, Satan begins his battle to destroy the
testimony and walk of the newly saved believer.
5. How is the spiritual war fought?
Satan wages war on two fronts, the spiritual
and the physical front. In the spiritual front, Satan
controls areas of the physical earth, through the fallen angels
who rule over spiritual principalities (Ephesians 6:12,
Daniel 10). Satan is behind deceptive
teachings to keep regions under darkness.
This battle is also fought in the minds and
hearts of humanity. Satan opposes the advancing Gospel,
because it frees minds from satanic deception.
To summarize these five points:
-
Satan is
our enemy
-
Spiritual
warfare is the battle for souls
-
Spiritual
warfare takes place in the mind
-
Spiritual
warfare begins the day we are born
-
Satan uses
deception to blind the mind
What is our
position?
Having reviewed the state of the spiritual
warfare, next we need to understand where we stand in relation
to this conflict. When someone comes to Christ, he/she becomes
Satan’s mortal enemy. Satan is fearful and powerful, but he is
chained and limited in how he can wage war.
Deception is Satan’s weapon of choice; even
though he is limited, his goal for us (the redeemed) is to give
him control, even though we have victory. The Christian is not
fighting for victory; he/she is fighting from victory. Satan is
a defeated in enemy.
We fight from victory
Our battle against Satan is not for victory;
Jesus has already won the victory. Christians are already the
victors when they come to Christ. We are fighting from the
position of victors in Christ conquering enemy territory. Satan
knows our position, his goal is to deceive us, trying to
convince us we must still attain victory, rather then advance
forward in our victory through Christ. Jesus Christ has
guaranteed our redemption, He will complete our salvation, and
the Holy Spirit is the down payment. Paul writes about this in
Ephesians, the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance.
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having
believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the
redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His
glory. Ephesians 1:13-14
Therefore, we are conquerors taking territory,
not warriors fighting for victory. The war is already over, the
enemy is defeated Satan has lost. His goal is to take away our
victory, through deception. We need to remind Satan he is
defeated, and his only power over our lives is the power we give
him.
We have authority
Jesus sent out the seventy disciples, who later
returned with joy. Rejoicing they have authority over the
demonic realm, in the name of Jesus. Jesus replied, “I saw
Satan fall like lighting from heaven”. What did Jesus mean by
this statement? As the seventy went from village to village,
Jesus was watching another spectacle he saw Satan’s defeat.
Jesus saw territory taken away from him. At the loss of
territory, and the subjection of his “demonic realms” Christ saw
Satan fall, like a bolt of lighting from Heaven.
17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even
the demons are subject to us in Your name."
18 And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from
heaven.
19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and
nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:17-19
Not only do we fight from the position of
victory, we have the authority, which comes with the victory.
Satan’s agenda is to take away the strategic advantage of the
believer. For this reason, Paul admonishes us to put on the
whole amour of God. We can be prepared against the wiles or
scheme of Satan. Satan is not going to go down in defeat
without a fight.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the
power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:10-11
Satan wants to take away our power in Christ, he
wants to stop the authority we have, Satan’s kingdom is at
stake. Therefore, he uses methods or schemes to assault the
believer, causing them to not use the power, we have in Christ.
He wants us to live a defeated existence. The Greek word of
wiles is
meqodeiva
Methodeia,
meaning follow up or investigate by method. This is where
the English word, method is derived. Satan has a method
to his work, he knows what he is doing, he is not haphazard, but
methodical in his pursuit.
Again, Satan goal is to remove our authority,
take victory from our mind, and make us useless to the kingdom
of God. He can remove our authority, by causing us to fall. We
have authority to reprove the world of sins, in the power of
Christ. How much authority does a believer have, when he is
engaged in the same activity? Not much, at least in the eyes of
those reproved.
That is why Christian leaders, who fall, become mocked. Their
fall not only takes their authority away, but the whole kingdom
of God suffers. Satan hunts Christian leaders and Christians
his goal is to remove authority, hurting the kingdom of God in
the process.
We advance the kingdom
Satan rejoices in the destruction of humanity.
Souls who come to Christ remind him of his loss and eventual
judgment. Therefore, Satan’s goal is taking away our victory
and authority, to stop the advance of God’s kingdom. We are the
advance team; through us, God advances His kingdom in enemy
territory. Think about it! God could by very word advance His
kingdom, but he chooses to allow us to participate in the war.
We are warriors in the Lord’s army, taking dominion from Satan.
Whatever our profession whatever the world thinks
of us, does not matter, as children of God, we are soldiers of
God. If we are CEO of a major fortune 500 company, or the clerk
in a Wal-Mart, both stand on equal footing in the kingdom of
God. The CEO, who fears what his colleagues think of Christ and
fails to advance the kingdom of God, has fallen to Satan
schemes. He has allowed the deception of pride and honor in
this world, keep him/her back from what God offers.
God will take us where we stand, and use us if we
are willing to be used, He does not need the prestige offered by
the world. He (God) rejoices in uses the things despised of by
the world. If we are willing to commit to Him, He will take us
beyond anything we could imagine of ourselves.
Remember, when Jesus chose the disciples, they
were not world’s all-stars. They were fishermen,
tax-collectors, prostitutes and plain ordinary folk. What you
and I see is the power of the Spirit in their lives. This same
power of God’s Spirit dwells in us if we are saved. God
reminded Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah not to rely on human
power or effort but on the Spirit of God.
6 So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the
Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My
Spirit,' Says the Lord of hosts.
Zechariah 4:6
Therefore, wherever we stand in this world, does
not matter, it is who we are in Christ, that’s all that
matters. Our goal is to be faithful with the work we have at
hand, God will take care of the rest. We can take comfort, in
that the Lord rejoices in confounding the ways of the world. He
rejoices in taking the simple and despised in this world, and
using them to show His greatness.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who
are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of
God. 19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the
wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the
disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of
this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom
did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the
message preached to save those who believe. I Corinthians
1:18-21
So let’s rejoice in our simplicity! We are
warriors of the Lord operating in enemy territory, taking
dominion away from Satan. If we are a clerk at Wal-Mart, or the
CEO of a multi-billion dollar company we have the same calling.
God rewards the faithful, and despises the ways of the world.
Put n our armor and go to war!
What can Satan
do to us?
Since we have victory, authority and we are to
advance the kingdom of God on Satan’s territory what can Satan
do? Paul reminds us to put on the armor of God to be able to
resist the schemes of Satan. Satan is not without resources, he
has a whole catalog of methods to take down believers.
Remember, by taking down a believer he removes their authority,
securing his kingdom.
Before we examine Satan’s tactics, let us review
Satan’s position is in relation to the believer.
1. He is limited
Satan requires permission before he can “sift”
us. We see this in Job where he complains Job has a hedge around
him (Job 1:10). Jesus also tells Peter, Satan has requested the
permission to “Sift” him as wheat (Luke 22:31). Satan is the
accuser, who stands before the throne of God accusing, the
redeemed (Revelation 12:10).
2. He is defeated
Jesus beheld Satan falling like lighting (Luke
10:18). Our job is to take his territory from him, advancing
the Kingdom of God. Satan’s end is already declared in and
seen in scripture. John taken into the future, saw the day when
Satan was cast into the Lake of Fire, for the rest of eternity.
10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of
fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.
And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Revelation 20:10
Satan operates from the position of defeat, he
wants us to think otherwise. He knows his time is limited, he
knows were his eternity is.
3. He attacks causes us to grow
Satan’s existence must be a frustrating one,
because God uses his attacks to transform His church into the
image of Christ. Satan is limited, and when he is allowed to
attack its for our growth. We need to keep this in mind when we
suffer; God takes our sufferings and causes us to grow.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil
walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9
Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same
sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal
glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect,
establish, strengthen, and settle you. I Peter 5:8-10
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while,
if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more
precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire,
may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of
Jesus Christ,
I Peter 1:6-7
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is
working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Corinthians 4:14
Satan’s Tactics
Satan’s tactics for the lost are different then the saved,
for the lost the goal is keep them in blindness. For the saved
person, Satan has a multi pronged approach,
·
Remove victory from their mind
·
Distract us from the Lord’s work
·
Take away our authority
·
Stop the advance of the Kingdom of God
