The Spiritual
Warfare of the Christian
Ephesians 6
August 11, 2013 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (Ephesians
6:12; Matthew 11:12)
A.
We Are in A Spiritual War
1.
There are TWO realms, two
kingdoms at war all around you! (Mt 11:12)
a.
Whether we like it or not
b.
Whether we are prepared for it or
not!
c.
Whether we believe in it or not!
2.
The apostle Paul refers to it as
WRESTLING – hand to hand combat:
a.
Not Remote control fighting
b.
Not shooting from a distance
c.
Not virtual like in computer
games
d.
But hand-to-hand, hand on neck,
blow by blow fighting!
3.
It is a fight for souls of men
and women
4.
It is a fight for dominion
5.
It is the most important event
going on right now! Forget about all that the newspapers and news programmes are
talking about!
B.
Five Spiritual Facts
1.
Every human being is more than
just flesh and bones – we are a body, soul and SPIRIT (1st Thes 5:23)
2.
God is not an alien living on
another planet – God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and He is not far from any one of
us!
3.
Not every illness or problem is
only physical – some, and even many are spiritual problems (Luke 13:11-16) – and
no amount of drugs, or therapy will cure them!
4.
This life is temporary – the next
one is eternal (Matthew 25:46)!
5.
Satan will win if we do
not put up a good fight!
C.
Rarely are Christians
ready for the ‘spiritual’ fight that they are in!
1.
We fight well in the flesh –
oftentimes too good!
2.
But we are wimps about spiritual
fights
a.
We have very little power with
God
b.
We get so few prayers answered
3.
Deep down we know that we are
supposed to be on the offensive – on the attack – not running for cover!
4.
Yet we only fight, and bite and
devour each other instead of our real enemy (Eph 6:12)!
D.
Satan and his devils are
VERY powerful
1.
Satan was Lucifer at first
(Isaiah 14:12)
2.
He was kicked out of heaven when
he became proud and rebellious
3.
But he is in no way weak or
powerless…
a.
He still is the second most
powerful being in the universe!
b.
He is at war with God – hates
everything good, and everything connected with God! Loves only to deceive and
destroy!
c.
He counterfeits everything that
is good and clean and holy!
d.
He damns most of the world
e.
He devises countless ways to
hinder the work of God
f.
He stirs-up troubles, problems,
tribulations
g.
He devours Christians
4.
Don’t ever underestimate your
enemy the devil folks!
E.
This Means War!
1.
Most of our daily battles in our
homes, and in our minds are really spiritual battles that we were either unaware
of or ill-prepared to meet head on!
2.
The unsaved are completely under
his dominion
a.
Without even trying, they do his
bidding!
b.
Like puppets (2Tim 2:24-26)
c.
Their spiritual father is Satan
(John 8:44)
3.
But a born again child of God is
different!
a.
We have changed sides
b.
We have a measure of protection
(Luke 22:31,32)
c.
We actually have ways to defeat
our enemy when he attacks
d.
Christians don’t HAVE to let this
happen (Romans 6:14)!
e.
We have some stronger weapons –
SPIRITUAL weapons!
F.
How can any selfish,
self-condemned sinner ever expect to resist the devil, except by a superior
power - a superior force?
II.
Message
A.
The Battles Belong to God
(1st Samuel 17:44-47)
1.
Every battle, every fight, every
struggle belongs to God – cannot just be fought like we are used to fighting
2.
We have to fight in GOD’S realm, and
using HIS ways
3.
Young David shows us this!
a.
Goliath only knows brute force – and he
has plenty of it!
b.
David knows there is a greater power in
the God of heaven and earth!
c.
He knows that the battle is won without
sword or spear, or gun, or army!
4.
Proves that anyone, no matter how
insignificant, or weak, can fight and win this war!
B.
The Weapons of our Warfare are NOT
physical (2 Cor 10:4,5) – they are
better!
1.
List some physical weapons: Fists,
Yelling, Tears, Fingernails, Silence, Poison!
2.
But a Christian’s weapons are ONLY
spiritual – just as real, but not made out of hands, metal, stone, wood,
explosives, etc. But rather, spiritual in construction
3.
If you feel powerless in the battle’s
you face as a Christian, it may be because you do not know just how powerful the
spiritual weapons really are that God has given you!!!
4.
You need a strength, a health, a
power that is NOT physical
5.
You need weapons that are not
carnal
6.
You need armour that is not
defeatable!
7.
We need spiritual weapons, and we
need to know how to use them!
8.
That is what our studies this
month are all about!
C.
Our Greatest Need is to Get
Strong in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10)
1.
God has Real Power
a.
He has power
1)
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God
created the heaven and the earth.
2)
2Ch_16:9
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to
shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.
3)
Eph 1:19,20
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe,
according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when
he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly
places,
4)
Eph 3:20
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we
ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us
5)
b.
He Created EVERYTHING
c.
Holds everything together – the
strong force! “by him all things consist”
d.
He is the very source of LIFE “in
Him was life…”
e.
He is Power of the resurrection!
Able to bring to life AGAIN!
f.
His very name is Almighty!
2.
We Are Pathetic! (Act 19:13-16)
3.
But that is okay – God loves
using weak things!
a.
Like He did Abraham - Rom 4:16-21
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the
promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but
to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him
whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things
which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he
might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So
shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body
now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of
Sara's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was
strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he
had promised, he was able also to perform.
b.
Like He did Paul (1Cor 2:1-5)
1)
1Cor 2:1-5
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech
or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to
know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with
you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my
preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of
the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,
but in the power of God.
2)
2Co_10:10
For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily
presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
3)
2Co_11:29
Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
4)
2Co_12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is
made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
5)
2Co_12:10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities,
in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I
strong.
c.
He will even use US (1Cor
1:26-29) For ye see your calling,
brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to
confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound
the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are
despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought
things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
D.
Next Week I will teach you
about ACCESSING God’s Power – it’s not for the flippant or timid, either!
III.
Conclusion
A.
We Are in A Spiritual War!
1.
It is a fight for souls of men
and women
2.
It is a fight for dominion
3.
It is the most important event
going on right now! Forget about all that the newspapers and news programmes are
talking about!
B.
Satan and his devils are VERY
powerful. Don’t ever underestimate your enemy the devil folks!
C.
Satan will win if we do
not put up a good fight!
D.
Every One of Your Battles Belong to God
E.
The Weapons of our Warfare are NOT
physical (2 Cor 10:4,5) – they are
better!
F.
Our Greatest Need is to Get
Strong in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10) In HIS Power
G.
We Are Pathetic!
H.
But that is okay – God
loves using weak things!
I.
But He must FIRST, SAVE weak
things! Sinners have to get born again, into the very kingdom you need power in
– the