Eph. 6:10-20; 2Cor.10:3-5
There is a battle, a
war, a conflict that has raged for generations, for thousands of years. It is
the battle between good and evil, with Christ representing the Good and Satan
the evil. It is a battle for the souls of men and women. In the Garden of Eden
just after the Fall, God passed judgement upon Satan and at the same time He provided
the means of salvation for fallen man (Gen.3:15). Jesus Christ is that Seed of
the woman. From that time forth, Satan became an adversary to all who
would call upon the name of Christ. Every leader, every Christian worker, every
Christian must face this spiritual warfare. In (2Cor.10:3-5) the battle is
described with terms such as strongholds, imagination, thoughts directed
against our knowledge of Christ. The conflict is intense, personal and
protracted. It calls for courage, determination and prayer. It is a
battle that can only be won in the strength of God.
Before we go further let's
read (Psalm 62:11; Mat.28:18). All power belongs God. All power has been given
to Christ.
Therefore every
Christian, every pastor, every leader can experience victory in spiritual
warfare. And if you we ask, “How can I do that?” “How can I experience daily
victory in spiritual conflicts?” I would respond by saying that you can be victorious
if you follow the guidelines set forth in our text.
Let’s go back to
(Ephesians 6:10-20). First we see a Description of the Spiritual Conflict
(Eph.6:12). It is a highly organised campaign. It is based on wickedness and
carried out by wicked spirits. Secondly we see a listing of the Divine
Armour for the Spiritual Conflict (Eph.6:15-17). We are commanded to put
on this armour in order to win the victory in spiritual battles. Towards
the end of the chapter we see Dedicated Prayer In Spiritual Conflicts
(verse 18-20). This leads us to my first point – The Description of The
Spiritual Conflict.
Description Of The
Spiritual Conflict
It Is Spiritual (Eph.6:12; Zec.4:6;
2Cor.10:3-4; 4:3-4)
It Is Personal (Luke 22:31-32; Rom.7:23;
2Tim.3:12)
It is Strenuous (Hebrews 12:4; John16:33;
Phil.1:29-30, cf. Acts16:22-23)
It Is Repetitive (Eph.6:13; 2Tim.2:3;
Rev.12:10)
A wrestling match involves two people each
wanting to throw the other. In Ancient Greece, the winner in a wrestling match
was permitted gouge the eyes of the loser, or to spear his back. The Christians
of Ephesus clearly understood the implication of this metaphor
of wrestling.
Every Christian must fight this spiritual
battle. No one is exempt, and we cannot afford to lose! Our enemy has no mercy.
His army is organized. Paul tells us to
envelop ourselves in the whole armour of God in order to win.
The Battle is spiritual (Eph.6:12; Zec.4:6; 2Cor.10:3-4). Satan opposes the Gospel of
Christ. So Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and teachers of the Gospel
are in direct line of fire of Satan's fiery darts (2Cor.4:3-4; Mat.13:19,
38-39; 1Thes.2:18).
The weapons of our warfare are
not carnal, fleshly weapons. They are mighty, impressive and impenetrable.
How can we fight spiritual battles seeing that we are flesh and blood? We need
God's complete armour.
This battle is also personal (Luke 22:31-32; Rom.7:23 2Tim.3:12). Satan sometimes directs his
attacks on individual believers. For instance he wanted to personally sift
Simon Peter like wheat (Luke 22:31-34), that is to shake his faith to the point
of overthrowing it! Had Jesus not prayed for him, Peter’s faith would have
failed. So many Christians do not even know that there is a spiritual war
taking place around them! Their eyes are blinded.
The conflict could come in the form
of temptations using members of your body, using your imaginations, your
thoughts, to war against you. The word of God is full of exhortations
such as,”Flee youthful lusts”, “Love not the world”, “Consent thou not” “Be ye
not unequally yoked”, “Resist (Satan) steadfastly in the faith…” Satan
brings the battle down to the personal level in these areas
The spiritual battle is strenuous (Hebrews 12:4; John16:33; Phil.1:29-30, cf. Acts16:22-23). The
conflict can reach the point where the blood of Christians and their
leaders is shed for the sake of Christ. This notwithstanding, we must stand
our ground like soldiers defending a territory.
Paul the apostle faced many life
threatening conflicts masterminded by Satan, but God delivered him from them
all. Conflicts and spiritual battles did not prevent him from fulfilling his
ministry. (2Tim.4:7-8). I pray we will fulfill our own ministries to the
Lord.
This battle is recurrent (Eph.6:13; 2Tim.2:3; Rev.12:10). After Jesus defeated Satan during
His temptation we are told that Satan left Him for a season (Luke 4:13). He
continued to attempt to subvert the ministry of Christ through the Scribes and
Pharisees and also through some of His own disciples. When the Church was
established, the devil stirred up persecution against her. Stephen was
martyred. James the brother of John was martyred. Saul wrecked made havoc of
the Church. After his own conversion, he suffered innumerable persecutions, out
of which the Lord delivered him. And God will deliver us from every evil
work and preserve us unto His coming.
Divine Amour For
The Spiritual Conflict
The Belt Of Truth (Eph.6:14)
The Breastplate Of Righteousness (Eph.6:14)
The Gospel Of Peace (Eph.6:15)
The Shield of Faith (Eph.6:15)
The Helmet Of Salvation (Eph.6:17)
The Sword Of The Spirit (Eph.6:17)
Prayer (Eph.6:18)
Paul the apostle used sports and military
metaphor to drive home the point of the believer being adequately prepared for
spiritual battle. A poorly dressed and ill-equipped soldier is a danger both to
himself and to his company. Christian soldiers must therefore put on this
special armour as shown in our text.
(I) The Belt of Truth (Eph.6:14) – Truth counters Satan's error. Sound teaching is
important. A good understanding of God’s truth will counter Satan’s deceit
(Eph.4:14-15; Col.2:8)
(ii) The Breast Plate of Righteousness (Eph.6:14) – Righteousness is a state of moral perfection required
to enter heaven. Human righteousness without Christ is insufficient to enter
heaven and cannot avail in spiritual warfare. Jesus Christ became sin for us
and was offered as a sacrifice to God so that we may become the righteousness
of God in Christ (2Cor.5:21). The assurance that we are righteous in Christ
will counter Satan’s accusations (Rom.3:21-22; Proverbs 13:6; Zech.3:1-4;
Prov.11:4; 11:15; 12:28; 16:31). Put on this robe of righteousness in Christ
Jesus. Righteousness will deliver from death.
(iii) The Gospel of Peace (Eph.6:15) – Hold up the Gospel of Christ, the gospel of peace
(Rom.5:1). When we are at peace with God, our faith, trust, dependence and confidence
in Him are boosted. Fear is cast out. And like David against Goliath, we can
stand our ground in the face of satanic conflicts.
(iv) The Shield of Faith (Eph.6:16) – Fiery darts represent temptations, imaginations,
thoughts and every high thing exalting itself in opposition to our
knowledge of Christ. When we exercise faith we draw strength from God. This
will help us overcome temptation and other forms of satanic deception
(Rom.1:17; 1Peter 5:8-9; 1John 5:14).
(v) The Helmet Of Salvation (Eph.6:17) – Not only are we saved in the present time but we have
the future hope of eternal salvation as a solid anchor for the soul in the face
of severe conflicts (1Thes.5:8-9; Tit.2:11-14; 1John 3:1-3).
(vi) The Sword of The Spirit (Eph.6:17) – the Word of God is truly the sword of the
Spirit. It is a sure defense against the evil one (Psalm 119:11; 2Tim.3:16-17;
Heb.4:12). With this panoply, this impressive array of armour, we are assured
of victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dedicated Prayer In
Spiritual Conflicts
Pray with All Prayer (1Tim.2:1)
Pray At All seasons (2Tim.1:3; 1Thes.5:17)
Pray With All Perseverance (Acts 12:5; Luke
18:1)
Pray For All Saints (Eph.6:18)
Pray With Watching (Col.4:2; 1Peter 4:7)
Prayer is a major weapon of the spiritual
warfare. Without it which victory will be impossible. R.A. Torrey gave an
exposition on prayer based on Ephesians 6:18. He asked some very searching
questions. “Why is it” many a Christian is asking, “I make so little progress
in my Christian life?” Then he answered, “Neglect of prayer…” Ye have not
because ye ask not (James 4:2). “Why is it” many a minister is asking, “I see
so little fruit from my labours?” The answer, neglect of prayer. Ye have not
because ye ask not. “Why is it”, many a pastor, many a search the scripture
teacher, many a children/youth worker is asking, I see few people converted in
my ministry?” The answer still is neglect of prayer.
What is PRAYER? Asking and receiving things
from God! There are many things a believer can ask from God in prayer -
personal revival, promises of God, power of the Holy Ghost, power over
spiritual forces of darkness, material provision. So then what is prayer?
(i) Personal
Revival At Your Express Request
What is Prayer?
(ii) Promise
Received At You Express Request
What is Prayer?
(iii) Power
Renewed At Your Express Request
What Is Prayer?
(iv) Powers
Routed At Your Express Request
What is prayer?
(v) Provision
Replenished At Your Express Request
It is impossible to calculate the power of
prayer. All things are possible through prayer. The apostle Paul enjoins us to
pray with all prayer - a Hebrew language expression meaning all kinds of
prayer. He tell us to be watchful as we pray. Pray in the Spirit - pray
according to the Spirit's leading. Pray with perseverance.
This is the testimony of how one pastor's wife won the battle of prayer:
[As I stood [alone] between two large stones, the presence of God overshadowed me, and I acknowledged His presence with tears, and a delighted "Good morning, Jesus." I said:
"Lord, if You will bless my husband in the place You sent him to establish Your name, if You will break the bonds and destroy the middle wall of partition, if You will give him a church and congregation—a credit to Your people and all Christendom—I will walk with You for three years in prayer, both day and night. I will meet You every morning at 9 a.m. sharp; You will never have to wait for me; I will be there to greet You. I will stay there all day; I will devote all of my time to You.
"Furthermore, if You will listen to the voice of my supplication and breakthrough in that wicked neighbourhood and bless my husband, I will fast 72 hours each week for two years. While I am going through the fast, I will not go home to sleep in my bed. I will stay in church, and if I get sleepy, I'll rest on newspapers and carpet."
As soon as I had made a covenant, the heavens opened, and the glory of the Lord fell from heaven all around me. I knew He had prepared me to enter into prayer ministry.
At 9 a.m. each day the door knob of the church would turn, and I would greet the Lord with a hearty, "Good morning, Jesus." I would kneel and pray until I wore all the skin off my knees on those hard floors. I suffered. The flesh on my bones was numb, and I fasted, not eating or drinking natural food—but I had a direct supply from heaven.
Soon the mission was too small to accommodate the people...]
It is very encouraging to note that many
have been very skillful in using the weapon of prayer. Like King David we can say (Psalm 55:16-18). In (Hebrews 4:16) we are admonished to come
boldly to the Throne of Grace to obtain mercy! The effectual fervent prayer of
a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16). Fear not for those who are with us are more than those who are with them (2Kings 6:15-16).
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