Series: Identity
Sermon: Spiritual Warfare 1
Bible Passage: Ephesians 6:10
Verse 10: Finally, be strengthened in the Lord, namely in the strength of His power
I. Introduction:
1. After teaching who we are in the “heavenlies,” Paul brings us to what we deal with presently as Jesus followers in Eph 6:10-17
2. Let’s look at some passages where Paul talks about the idea of “heavenlies”:
a. Eph 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ
b. Eph 1:20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms
c. Eph 2:6 God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus
d. Eph 3:10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms
e. The term/idea “heavenlies” refers to the spiritual world
f. The spiritual warfare happens in the heavenlies where were are as believers
i. Eph 6:12 In the heavenly places: “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, is against the rulers, powers, and world forces of wickedness located in heavenly places”
ii. Hosts of invisible enemies working in the spiritual realms against the children of God
3. The Scripture teaches that beneath the visual world, there is a spiritual force that is in constant/perpetual battle with believers
a. Eph 2:1-2 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
b. Eph 4:27 Do not give the devil an opportunity
c. Paul assumes that his readers knew the existence of Satan
i. Just as Satan disrupted the plan of God in the Garden of Eden, he continues to disrupt God’s work in believers
ii. He aims for families and local churches because God is working in them
iii. Anywhere God is advancing His interest, the adversary, Satan, is present
d. Believers who belong to God inevitably are drafted into the cosmic warfare
i. Spiritual warfare, in fact, started at the Garden of Eden
ii. The Triune God and His adversary, Satan, are the primary participants
iii. Instead of fighting God directly, Satan fights God’s people
iv. Those who are on the side of God must inevitably fight this battle
v. Jesus Christ and His Kingdom are the target
II. Let’s have a brief discussion about Satan
1. 1 Peter 5:8 Enemy:
2. John 8:44 Murderer:
3. Rev 20:3 Deceiver:
4. Eph 4:27 Intruder:
5. Eph 6:11 Schemer:
6. Satan often tries to prevent you from taking the spiritual realm seriously
7. One of the devil’s tricks is to cause you to miss the goodness of God (Pastor Evans)
a. As he did with Eve in the garden, Satan wants us to focus on the one tree God asked to avoid by staying away from all the other things
b. Satan wants you to complain about what you don’t have so you will lose sight of what God has given you
8. Satan attacks the believers in their vulnerable side
9. Satan pursues his agenda in four areas: individual, family, church, and society
10. Satan deceives you to believe that God is looking out to punish you
11. Satan deceives you to believe that you can somehow manipulate God by your deeds
12. The word “finally” of verse 10 would mean “henceforth” or “the remainder of the time”
13. That is, Christians live in perpetual conflict with the enemy!
a. The spiritual warfare has no end
i. It is waged until a believer leaves this earth
ii. So long as God’s interest is advanced through local churches
b. Paradox: the peace that God has brought to us through Christ is to be experienced in the midst of a conflict that lasts between His Resurrection and the Second Coming
c. While we have amazing blessings in the heavenlies, we have opposition on earth (we live in two realms!)
III. Let’s come to verse 10: “Be strengthened in the Lord, namely, in the strength of His power”
1 .“Be strengthened” is a passive verb that implies that the strength does not come from within, but it comes from outside
a. The expression “be strengthened” implies “growing strong”
b. It does not mean “to increase” in strength from one’s internal resources like spirituality, maturity, power, etc.
c. It happens when the believers are located “in” the Lord
i. No self-confidence
ii. No self-distrustful
d. It is divine enablement and believers’ cooperation
e. It is to mean “to draw strength” from God
2. What kind of power does Paul refer to? (cf. Eph 1:20-23)
a. This power he [God] exercised in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms 1:21 far above every rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 1:22 And God put all things under Christ’s feet, and he gave him to the church as head over all things. 1:23 Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all
b. The power that defeated the enemy that enables believers to defeat him
c. The power that subjugates rule, authority, power, and dominion
3. Believers are strengthened when they take time to remind themselves the truth and trust the Scripture
a. They are elected to be “holy and blameless” through His redemption through Jesus Christ
b. God’s election of them is not based on them but on God’s sovereign plan
c. God never retracts from His relationship with the believers
d. God has sealed them with the Holy Spirit to mark His ownership over them
e. God has made them to be His “masterpiece”—they are very special
f. God dwells among them
Take Away:
Grow strong by revisiting the truth of the Gospel continuously