WEBVTT 00:00:03.300 --> 00:00:06.839 I think twins fever has infected whole new segments 00:00:06.839 --> 00:00:11.519 of our society. I, last night, was listening 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:14.900 to one of the channels. One of the newsmen was 00:00:14.900 --> 00:00:16.739 out on the street with this crowd of people. 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:19.500 And right in the front row was this little old 00:00:19.500 --> 00:00:24.399 lady who was really a rooter for the twins. And 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:26.679 so he turned to her and he said, Now, how do 00:00:26.679 --> 00:00:28.079 you think the twins are going to do? And she 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:31.000 said, Oh, just fine, just fine. And he said, 00:00:31.019 --> 00:00:33.320 Well... how many games do you think it will take 00:00:33.320 --> 00:00:34.939 them to wrap up the series? And she said, well, 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:38.359 I think they'll take it in, oh, in three games. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:49.979 And he said, that would be remarkable. Normally 00:00:49.979 --> 00:00:53.520 our services are 70 minutes in length here at 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:59.619 the church, more or less. Usually more than less, 00:00:59.619 --> 00:01:03.789 huh? But tonight we're going to get out right 00:01:03.789 --> 00:01:06.209 at 7 o 'clock because I have had death threats 00:01:06.209 --> 00:01:12.870 and so Not wanting to knuckle under anything 00:01:12.870 --> 00:01:16.709 but having a little bit of smarts We will end 00:01:16.709 --> 00:01:18.469 right at 7 o 'clock to give you plenty of time 00:01:18.469 --> 00:01:21.709 to get home and in your comfortable Easy chair 00:01:21.709 --> 00:01:23.569 to watch the game if that's what you want to 00:01:23.569 --> 00:01:28.420 do I hope you will be back with us tonight as 00:01:28.420 --> 00:01:31.420 we continue the series on the end of the age, 00:01:31.579 --> 00:01:34.859 tonight dealing with the coming kingdom and that 00:01:34.859 --> 00:01:37.640 particular aspect of it that deals with the judgments 00:01:37.640 --> 00:01:41.859 immediately preceding the millennial reign of 00:01:41.859 --> 00:01:44.060 Jesus Christ. There are a series of judgments 00:01:44.060 --> 00:01:47.180 that are not frequently talked about, and so 00:01:47.180 --> 00:01:50.799 we want to focus on those this evening in our 00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:57.480 study in the Word of God. in just about a month, 00:01:57.579 --> 00:02:00.920 on November the 7th, sponsored by the Berean 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:06.379 League of Minnesota. Its title is AIDS, Its Implications 00:02:06.379 --> 00:02:09.780 for You and Society. You've had a brochure about 00:02:09.780 --> 00:02:12.439 that in your worship folder on a previous occasion. 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:16.139 If you're planning to go to that, it might be 00:02:16.139 --> 00:02:18.759 helpful to you to turn that in to our information 00:02:18.759 --> 00:02:21.500 desk rather than mailing it directly to the Berean 00:02:21.500 --> 00:02:23.939 League. And in that way, if we can get as many 00:02:23.939 --> 00:02:26.039 as six people, and surely we can do that, we 00:02:26.039 --> 00:02:28.539 can get a group rate. So it'll save you a few 00:02:28.539 --> 00:02:30.960 bucks, too. So if you're going to register, you 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:33.099 can do it through the church here and then make 00:02:33.099 --> 00:02:35.080 out your check to the Berean League for the lesser 00:02:35.080 --> 00:02:38.259 amount, and we'll go as a group to that particular 00:02:38.259 --> 00:02:40.460 conference. If you want more details about it, 00:02:40.500 --> 00:02:43.219 you can call the church office or directly to 00:02:43.219 --> 00:02:44.939 the Berean League would be the best way, and 00:02:44.939 --> 00:02:47.479 they can send you some information regarding 00:02:47.479 --> 00:02:49.659 that conference. It has sparked a tremendous 00:02:49.659 --> 00:02:53.340 amount of interest here. In the upper Midwest, 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:55.759 we have people coming from all the neighboring 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:59.780 states for the conference that day. It's dealing 00:02:59.780 --> 00:03:03.020 with this infectious disease, AIDS, and its implications 00:03:03.020 --> 00:03:07.259 for all of us. Let's open our Bibles together 00:03:07.259 --> 00:03:10.780 to Ephesians chapter 6. The final three chapters 00:03:10.780 --> 00:03:15.580 of Ephesians brings into daily life the doctrinal 00:03:15.580 --> 00:03:20.020 truth of the first three chapters. The key verse 00:03:20.020 --> 00:03:23.099 is undoubtedly chapter 4 and verse 1 where he 00:03:23.099 --> 00:03:26.580 says, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord entreat 00:03:26.580 --> 00:03:30.419 you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling 00:03:30.419 --> 00:03:34.020 with which you have been called. That is the 00:03:34.020 --> 00:03:36.900 key truth that is developed in the last three 00:03:36.900 --> 00:03:41.900 chapters. The key word is walk, that is conduct 00:03:41.900 --> 00:03:45.520 yourself in a manner, he says, befitting of who 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:49.520 you are as a Christian. And so he tells us that 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:52.360 we are to walk in unity, chapter 4, verses 1 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:57.099 through 16. We are to walk in honesty, chapter 00:03:57.099 --> 00:04:01.219 4, verse 17 through verse 29. We are to walk 00:04:01.219 --> 00:04:04.599 in charity, chapter 4, verse 30 through chapter 00:04:04.599 --> 00:04:09.680 5, verse 2. We are to walk in purity, chapter 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:14.020 5, verses 3 through 14. And we are to walk in 00:04:14.020 --> 00:04:17.660 wisdom. Chapter 5, verse 15 through chapter 6 00:04:17.660 --> 00:04:21.480 and verse 9. That brings us up to our text for 00:04:21.480 --> 00:04:25.860 today, which is verses 10, 11, and 12 of Ephesians 00:04:25.860 --> 00:04:30.879 6. And we begin a series entitled Spiritual Warfare. 00:04:33.300 --> 00:04:36.399 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:40.899 of His might. Put on the full armor of God that 00:04:40.899 --> 00:04:44.730 you may be able to stand firm. against the schemes 00:04:44.730 --> 00:04:48.629 of the devil. For our struggle is not against 00:04:48.629 --> 00:04:53.769 flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against 00:04:53.769 --> 00:04:58.110 the powers, against the world forces of this 00:04:58.110 --> 00:05:02.949 darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness 00:05:02.949 --> 00:05:11.790 in the heavenly places. in our study of Ephesians, 00:05:11.790 --> 00:05:14.470 not only of the truth that we are to walk in 00:05:14.470 --> 00:05:17.910 the manner that God counts well -pleasing, but 00:05:17.910 --> 00:05:21.290 of the fact that there are hindrances that all 00:05:21.290 --> 00:05:26.430 of us face toward that kind of a lifestyle. Those 00:05:26.430 --> 00:05:31.810 hindrances are both internal and external. Internally, 00:05:31.810 --> 00:05:36.129 we all face the hindrance of our sinful pattern. 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:40.439 That sinful pattern that is still remaining from 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:43.579 the old self we were before we were converted, 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:47.319 before we were saved. The Bible calls that the 00:05:47.319 --> 00:05:53.040 flesh. We can be dominated by this sinful pattern. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:59.279 The potential to sin remains in all of us. We 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:03.500 can still involve ourselves in what the Apostle 00:06:03.500 --> 00:06:07.490 calls in these chapters, our former manner of 00:06:07.490 --> 00:06:13.230 life. However, we are warned that if anyone is 00:06:13.230 --> 00:06:17.470 characterized by that manner of life as a habit, 00:06:17.629 --> 00:06:22.189 as a complete pattern of his living, that it's 00:06:22.189 --> 00:06:25.410 evidence of the fact he has no genuine relationship 00:06:25.410 --> 00:06:29.310 with Christ. He has no inheritance in the kingdom 00:06:29.310 --> 00:06:33.810 of God. But all of us from time to time can revert 00:06:33.810 --> 00:06:38.779 to that pattern. And then we have the hindrance 00:06:38.779 --> 00:06:42.459 of sinful pressure from the surrounding society. 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:47.199 That is, peer pressure. The darkness of the pagan 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:52.920 world involves things like immorality, impurity, 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:59.600 and greed. It involves filthy and insinuating 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:04.680 language. What he terms as all sorts of unfruitful 00:07:04.680 --> 00:07:09.519 and disgraceful. actions. You and I face pressure 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:15.459 to conform ourselves to that. So we are exhorted 00:07:15.459 --> 00:07:19.339 to be careful how we conduct ourselves, not with 00:07:19.339 --> 00:07:24.120 foolishness, not with dissipation, but we are 00:07:24.120 --> 00:07:26.959 to conduct ourselves in the power of the Holy 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:30.759 Spirit so that we will not yield to the sinful 00:07:30.759 --> 00:07:34.220 pressure to conform or to the sinful pattern. 00:07:35.399 --> 00:07:39.699 that remains within us. But now today, we come 00:07:39.699 --> 00:07:44.560 to yet another hindrance to our holy walk. It 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:50.079 is spiritual powers. The Apostle asserts that 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:54.620 you and I are in a struggle. That word refers 00:07:54.620 --> 00:07:59.040 to a wrestling contest in its original context. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:03.779 Wrestling in that day was noted for trickery, 00:08:05.490 --> 00:08:10.069 cunningness, and strategy. Today, at least professionally, 00:08:10.209 --> 00:08:13.250 it's known for showmanship, for good acting. 00:08:14.610 --> 00:08:18.329 But in those days, genuine wrestling involved 00:08:18.329 --> 00:08:25.550 a great deal of cunning skill, of strategy, and 00:08:25.550 --> 00:08:28.769 trickery. And, of course, there are wrestling 00:08:28.769 --> 00:08:31.189 matches today that involve the same, at least 00:08:31.189 --> 00:08:34.279 on the collegiate and high school level. He says 00:08:34.279 --> 00:08:36.399 that you and I are involved in a wrestling match. 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:40.080 And, to put it in a little bit of a different 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:44.299 context, he says we are involved in a hand -to 00:08:44.299 --> 00:08:48.899 -hand combat. This word struggle that he uses 00:08:48.899 --> 00:08:57.820 has to do with an up -close fight. You and I 00:08:57.820 --> 00:09:00.809 are involved every day of our lives. in such 00:09:00.809 --> 00:09:05.950 a struggle with spiritual powers. Luis Palau 00:09:05.950 --> 00:09:09.549 wrote to his mailing list in recent days and 00:09:09.549 --> 00:09:13.669 said, Dear friend, I believe in spiritual warfare. 00:09:14.529 --> 00:09:17.950 I have, like you, fought the forces of darkness. 00:09:18.870 --> 00:09:21.610 Like soldiers who wrestle against the spiritual 00:09:21.610 --> 00:09:24.889 forces of evil in the heavenly realms, we have 00:09:24.889 --> 00:09:29.320 an implacable enemy. His name is Satan. and he 00:09:29.320 --> 00:09:31.919 is opposed to everything we do together in the 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:35.860 name of Christ. He challenged God in Eden, and 00:09:35.860 --> 00:09:38.600 Christ confronted him in the Judean wilderness. 00:09:39.559 --> 00:09:45.039 It's a constant, unrelenting attack. His battleground 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:49.460 is our hearts, our minds, our homes, our churches, 00:09:49.539 --> 00:09:54.100 and our ministry. Each of us who seriously seeks 00:09:54.100 --> 00:10:00.940 to serve Christ struggles in this fight. My friend, 00:10:00.940 --> 00:10:05.580 to be unaware of this struggle, to be forgetful 00:10:05.580 --> 00:10:10.840 of it, or to try to ignore it, is to play directly 00:10:10.840 --> 00:10:16.279 into the enemy's hands. It is to misread and 00:10:16.279 --> 00:10:20.600 fail to comprehend the true nature of life's 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:25.799 twists and turns. Every person who is a genuine 00:10:25.799 --> 00:10:29.179 Christian is in the midst of spiritual warfare. 00:10:29.950 --> 00:10:34.370 whether he realizes it or not. For every Christian 00:10:34.370 --> 00:10:39.809 is in the crosshairs of the enemy's aim. He is 00:10:39.809 --> 00:10:43.669 carefully scrutinized to gain some advantage 00:10:43.669 --> 00:10:48.450 over him. Satan's ultimate aim being to destroy 00:10:48.450 --> 00:10:53.009 that Christian's life's effectiveness for Jesus 00:10:53.009 --> 00:10:57.850 Christ. Let's think for a moment regarding who 00:10:57.850 --> 00:11:02.539 the enemy is. Notice that the Apostle says first 00:11:02.539 --> 00:11:07.519 that it is not flesh and blood. He is saying 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:11.940 to you and to me that our primary struggle is 00:11:11.940 --> 00:11:18.360 not with political movements. It is not with 00:11:18.360 --> 00:11:24.039 human organizations. It is not with individuals 00:11:24.039 --> 00:11:30.740 as individuals themselves only. But rather he 00:11:30.740 --> 00:11:39.419 says that our struggle is with the devil. That 00:11:39.419 --> 00:11:45.820 term means the slanderer or the accuser. It was 00:11:45.820 --> 00:11:49.019 used previously in Ephesians in chapter 4 and 00:11:49.019 --> 00:11:54.460 verse 27 where he warns us not to give the devil 00:11:54.460 --> 00:12:00.940 an opportunity. There is no question as to the 00:12:00.940 --> 00:12:03.879 identity of this one that is called the accuser 00:12:03.879 --> 00:12:08.519 or the slanderer or the devil. It refers to that 00:12:08.519 --> 00:12:12.519 being that is called elsewhere as Satan or as 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:19.600 Lucifer. There are those who like to think of 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:24.799 this being as a figment of the imagination of 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:29.470 fundamentalists. or of religious fanatics through 00:12:29.470 --> 00:12:36.669 the centuries. If that is the case, then we who 00:12:36.669 --> 00:12:41.169 are fundamentalists are in good company, because 00:12:41.169 --> 00:12:45.429 Jesus Christ believed in the devil, spoke with 00:12:45.429 --> 00:12:52.269 him, and conquered him. But where did the devil 00:12:52.269 --> 00:12:58.559 come from? There are those cults which try to 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:01.299 tell us that the devil is but the brother of 00:13:01.299 --> 00:13:05.259 Jesus, that they are both created by God. One 00:13:05.259 --> 00:13:11.740 good, one evil. Is that true? Is the devil, on 00:13:11.740 --> 00:13:16.320 the other hand, only an idea, a feeble attempt 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:19.919 by overly religious people to explain the wickedness 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:26.909 that exists in the world? Where did this devil 00:13:26.909 --> 00:13:33.549 come from? We do not have in the Word of God 00:13:33.549 --> 00:13:37.029 the kind of definitive answer that some would 00:13:37.029 --> 00:13:39.830 like, but I do think we have an answer to that 00:13:39.830 --> 00:13:43.350 question. Would you turn into the Old Testament, 00:13:43.409 --> 00:13:48.190 please, to the book of Ezekiel first, and then 00:13:48.190 --> 00:13:50.549 we will go to the book of Isaiah, but we will 00:13:50.549 --> 00:13:55.440 begin in Ezekiel. And go to the 28th chapter. 00:13:56.700 --> 00:14:03.320 We have here a word from God to the king of Tyre. 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:11.039 The words that are given to the king of Tyre, 00:14:11.139 --> 00:14:15.000 however, are such that they cannot refer merely 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:21.059 to him as a human being. There is a supra -human 00:14:21.059 --> 00:14:24.809 element in the paragraph that we are going to 00:14:24.809 --> 00:14:32.309 read. Son of man, verse 12, take up a lamentation 00:14:32.309 --> 00:14:36.570 over the king of Tyre and say to him, Thus says 00:14:36.570 --> 00:14:39.669 the Lord God. And so now God is going to directly 00:14:39.669 --> 00:14:44.809 speak to this person who is called the king of 00:14:44.809 --> 00:14:49.009 Tyre, but who is more than a mere human sovereign. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:56.100 You had the seal of perfection. The word seal 00:14:56.100 --> 00:15:00.500 means pattern. The idea is you were the consummation 00:15:00.500 --> 00:15:07.240 of created perfection. That's the thought. Full 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:12.919 of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in 00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:18.440 Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone 00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:23.159 was your covering. The ruby, the topaz, and the 00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:26.299 diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:31.179 the lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald, 00:15:31.179 --> 00:15:34.320 and the gold, the workmanship of your settings 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:38.559 and sockets, referring to those places in the 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:41.000 garment where those stones were laid, the sockets 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:44.679 and the settings for the precious gems mentioned. 00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:50.179 The gold was in you. On the day that you were 00:15:50.179 --> 00:15:53.659 created, they were prepared. So notice that this 00:15:53.659 --> 00:15:58.340 being is a created being. You were the anointed 00:15:58.340 --> 00:16:04.799 cherub who covers. Now in verse 16, he is again 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:09.440 called the covering cherub. The word in the Hebrew 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:14.919 means the one who leads or the one who guards. 00:16:17.710 --> 00:16:20.210 And so he is saying, you were the anointed cherub 00:16:20.210 --> 00:16:23.690 who leads or guards, and I placed you there. 00:16:23.809 --> 00:16:28.370 God is speaking. You were on the holy mountain 00:16:28.370 --> 00:16:31.350 of God. You walked in the midst of the stones 00:16:31.350 --> 00:16:36.590 of fire. Undoubtedly a reference to the holy 00:16:36.590 --> 00:16:43.450 presence of God. You were blameless in your ways 00:16:43.450 --> 00:16:48.830 from the day you were created. until unrighteousness 00:16:48.830 --> 00:16:53.789 was found in you. By the abundance of your trade, 00:16:53.889 --> 00:16:57.490 you were internally filled with violence, and 00:16:57.490 --> 00:17:02.769 you sinned. Therefore I have cast you as profane 00:17:02.769 --> 00:17:07.109 from the mountain of God, and I have destroyed 00:17:07.109 --> 00:17:12.730 you, O leading, O guarding cherub, from the midst 00:17:12.730 --> 00:17:16.609 of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted 00:17:16.609 --> 00:17:19.950 up because of your beauty. You corrupted your 00:17:19.950 --> 00:17:23.589 wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you 00:17:23.589 --> 00:17:28.250 to the ground. I put you before kings that they 00:17:28.250 --> 00:17:33.250 may see you. And so we have what I think is a 00:17:33.250 --> 00:17:36.690 very enlightening text regarding the origin of 00:17:36.690 --> 00:17:43.079 this one that we call Satan or the devil. in 00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:47.559 the highest order of the angelic beings, the 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:55.880 consummation of created perfection, one of indescribable 00:17:55.880 --> 00:18:01.359 beauty and of wisdom, who it seems guarded the 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:09.500 very throne of God, but in whom there was found 00:18:09.500 --> 00:18:15.950 sin ultimately, and violence, and because of 00:18:15.950 --> 00:18:19.829 the wickedness within that created being, he 00:18:19.829 --> 00:18:23.410 was cast out and down to the ground, it says. 00:18:24.769 --> 00:18:28.150 Now let's go back to the book of Isaiah, and 00:18:28.150 --> 00:18:31.589 we see a little more information here regarding 00:18:31.589 --> 00:18:33.950 what was happening internally in this being. 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:44.339 If we look in Isaiah 14 and verse 12, where it 00:18:44.339 --> 00:18:48.259 says, How you have fallen from heaven, O star 00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:52.680 of the morning, sun of the dawn. You have been 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:56.200 cut down to the earth, you who have weakened 00:18:56.200 --> 00:19:01.480 the nations. But you said in your heart. So now 00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:05.160 there is a going back into the past. And here 00:19:05.160 --> 00:19:07.940 is what was happening internally in this creature 00:19:07.940 --> 00:19:10.559 that was mentioned. in the previous passage we 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:14.740 looked at. He was saying this, I will ascend 00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:19.380 to heaven. I will raise my throne above the stars 00:19:19.380 --> 00:19:23.819 of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly in 00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:27.559 the recesses of the north. I will ascend above 00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:30.779 the heights of the clouds. I will make myself 00:19:30.779 --> 00:19:37.180 like the Most High. So we have five strong assertions 00:19:37.180 --> 00:19:41.880 of self -will. by this same creature that was 00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:45.160 mentioned in the book of Ezekiel. Here under 00:19:45.160 --> 00:19:47.460 a different heading, a different name, but the 00:19:47.460 --> 00:19:51.420 same superhuman creature being spoken to directly. 00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:57.420 Because of the self -will, the pride, and the 00:19:57.420 --> 00:20:00.720 desire to be as God, not being content with where 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:05.619 he was placed in God's created order. Therefore, 00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:10.420 God says, you will be thrust down to Sheol, to 00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:15.660 the recesses of the pit. And so where his sin 00:20:15.660 --> 00:20:18.460 is mentioned, his judgment is mentioned, although 00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:21.079 it has not been fully executed even yet to this 00:20:21.079 --> 00:20:24.200 day, but will be one day. And we'll talk about 00:20:24.200 --> 00:20:29.079 that briefly in this evening's message. So who 00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:34.319 is this one? He is a created angel. who because 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:38.079 of sin was cast out of heaven down to the earth 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:42.900 sometime before the six days of creation, so 00:20:42.900 --> 00:20:47.220 that he was present in the garden in the form 00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:52.000 of a serpent there to tempt Adam and Eve. It 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:56.039 was he that brought sin into the human race through 00:20:56.039 --> 00:21:03.349 Adam and the sin of Eve as well. Now I'd like 00:21:03.349 --> 00:21:05.210 you to turn one other passage, please, in the 00:21:05.210 --> 00:21:08.569 book of Revelation to the twelfth chapter, where 00:21:08.569 --> 00:21:13.750 we look into the future and we see one more movement 00:21:13.750 --> 00:21:19.769 that will take place in time before the final 00:21:19.769 --> 00:21:26.269 judgment upon Satan. There is in Revelation chapter 00:21:26.269 --> 00:21:29.210 12 a description of certain events that will 00:21:29.210 --> 00:21:34.440 take place surrounding the earth in the days 00:21:34.440 --> 00:21:40.440 of the tribulation. In terms of a calendar, it 00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:42.859 seems that when we come to chapter 12, we are 00:21:42.859 --> 00:21:46.619 about one half way through that seven year period 00:21:46.619 --> 00:21:50.420 that we call the tribulation. In other words, 00:21:50.420 --> 00:21:53.299 what we read here occurs about in the middle 00:21:53.299 --> 00:21:57.039 at the three and a half year point of the tribulation. 00:21:58.539 --> 00:22:03.230 Now it says in verse 7, And there was war in 00:22:03.230 --> 00:22:09.250 heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with 00:22:09.250 --> 00:22:13.750 the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged 00:22:13.750 --> 00:22:16.829 war, and they were not strong enough, and there 00:22:16.829 --> 00:22:19.990 was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 00:22:20.829 --> 00:22:25.630 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent 00:22:25.630 --> 00:22:40.640 of old, who is called the devil. At the present 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:43.400 time, Satan, as we will see in a moment, has 00:22:43.400 --> 00:22:50.920 access to heaven. He is able to use the spiritual 00:22:50.920 --> 00:22:54.779 realm. He is able to gain, apparently, an entrance 00:22:54.779 --> 00:22:57.900 into the very presence of God, at least on occasion. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:02.339 But there is a day coming in the midpoint of 00:23:02.339 --> 00:23:05.059 the tribulation when he will be barred at access 00:23:05.059 --> 00:23:10.000 and will be limited in his activity to the earth 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:13.880 itself. And that will create tremendous anger 00:23:13.880 --> 00:23:17.859 and frustration on his part, which we see then 00:23:17.859 --> 00:23:19.880 carried out here in the rest of this chapter. 00:23:21.880 --> 00:23:24.720 Ultimately, then, he will be consigned to the 00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:34.279 lake of fire forever and forever. It is important 00:23:34.279 --> 00:23:37.359 for you and me to understand that Satan is not 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:42.599 an eternal being. By that I mean he was created. 00:23:43.220 --> 00:23:48.160 He is not like God who had no beginning. He will 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:54.640 exist forever, but he has not been from forever. 00:23:55.400 --> 00:23:59.339 He had a beginning point as a created cherub 00:23:59.339 --> 00:24:06.099 of God. Satan is neither omniscient. He does 00:24:06.099 --> 00:24:10.420 not know everything. He knows what his plans 00:24:10.420 --> 00:24:14.799 and schemes are. He knows his course for this 00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:19.960 age. That is why those who represent him are 00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:24.579 at times able to predict future events, because 00:24:24.579 --> 00:24:28.869 he knows what he wants to do. But they cannot 00:24:28.869 --> 00:24:31.289 predict them perfectly because he may change 00:24:31.289 --> 00:24:34.670 his ideas or God may intervene and disallow them. 00:24:36.470 --> 00:24:39.549 But people can predict the future because of 00:24:39.549 --> 00:24:42.029 Satan's knowledge of what he wishes to do in 00:24:42.029 --> 00:24:45.730 the future, if he is allowed, and decides to 00:24:45.730 --> 00:24:52.609 continue and carry out his ideas. Satan has some 00:24:52.609 --> 00:24:54.910 idea of what the future holds because he is a 00:24:54.910 --> 00:24:58.890 student of the Bible. He knows what the Bible 00:24:58.890 --> 00:25:00.569 says, and there are people who say, well, if 00:25:00.569 --> 00:25:03.930 he knows what the Bible says, then he will ultimately 00:25:03.930 --> 00:25:07.970 be judged and cast into the lake of fire. Why 00:25:07.970 --> 00:25:12.630 does he not amend his actions? Well, the answer 00:25:12.630 --> 00:25:14.849 to that is, in the first place, he is completely 00:25:14.849 --> 00:25:20.069 evil. There is no redeeming grace about this 00:25:20.069 --> 00:25:26.369 creature. And secondly, he is so thoroughly deceived, 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:32.640 by his own pride, that he actually thinks that 00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:39.220 he will in the end outwit God. That is why he 00:25:39.220 --> 00:25:42.380 does not amend his ways. But he is not omniscient. 00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:47.920 He is not omnipotent, as God is. He has limitations 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:50.140 to his power. As we have just read in Revelation 00:25:50.140 --> 00:25:53.740 chapter 12, he could not overcome Michael, the 00:25:53.740 --> 00:25:56.849 archangel, and the hosts of heaven. and was cast 00:25:56.849 --> 00:26:00.730 down to the earth. He is not sovereign. Yes, 00:26:00.849 --> 00:26:03.789 he does rule over the course of this age, over 00:26:03.789 --> 00:26:07.430 this world system, but that is within a carefully 00:26:07.430 --> 00:26:10.930 prescribed boundary that God has set for him. 00:26:11.009 --> 00:26:14.089 He is not absolutely sovereign, as God is sovereign. 00:26:15.269 --> 00:26:20.730 Nor is he omnipresent. God is everywhere, present 00:26:20.730 --> 00:26:26.269 at all times. Satan, not so. He is like you, 00:26:26.349 --> 00:26:31.509 like me, limited to one place at a time. It takes 00:26:31.509 --> 00:26:34.069 you and me a while to get to a different place. 00:26:34.109 --> 00:26:37.390 It takes him much less time because he is spirit 00:26:37.390 --> 00:26:43.549 and perhaps is able to move from one place to 00:26:43.549 --> 00:26:46.349 the other at the speed of light or the speed 00:26:46.349 --> 00:26:52.329 of thought. But he can be only in one place at 00:26:52.329 --> 00:26:54.369 a time. Now the question is, then why does it 00:26:54.369 --> 00:26:59.470 seem that he's everywhere at once? Because at 00:26:59.470 --> 00:27:01.529 the same time he's tempting you, he's tempting 00:27:01.529 --> 00:27:04.250 me, and that fellow and that lady and that young 00:27:04.250 --> 00:27:09.049 person. How is it that he seems to be everywhere 00:27:09.049 --> 00:27:12.670 at once? The answer to that is, he seems to be 00:27:12.670 --> 00:27:16.210 everywhere at once, though he is not, because 00:27:16.210 --> 00:27:20.039 of those powers that are aligned with him. in 00:27:20.039 --> 00:27:26.299 his struggle against God. These are also fallen 00:27:26.299 --> 00:27:31.059 angelic beings of lesser rank than he. They are 00:27:31.059 --> 00:27:34.039 described to us in the words in verse 12, the 00:27:34.039 --> 00:27:41.400 rulers. That seems to refer to the highest rank 00:27:41.400 --> 00:27:45.980 of fallen angels under Satan himself, the rulers. 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:52.960 Then the authorities, which appears to be yet 00:27:52.960 --> 00:28:01.920 a lesser rank. The world forces. The kosmokrotoras 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:07.640 is the Greek word. Literally, it means the lords 00:28:07.640 --> 00:28:13.079 of the world. And then finally, the spiritual 00:28:13.079 --> 00:28:16.960 forces of the wickedness, the pneumatica of wickedness. 00:28:17.980 --> 00:28:23.339 the many, many, many wicked spirits who are under 00:28:23.339 --> 00:28:28.059 these authorities in Satan's chain of command. 00:28:29.700 --> 00:28:31.880 You say, how many of them are there? We do not 00:28:31.880 --> 00:28:35.440 know. There is some hint in the Bible that as 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:37.759 many as a third of the angelic creatures may 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:40.779 have followed Satan in his rebellion against 00:28:40.779 --> 00:28:46.960 God. But there are undoubtedly... multiplied 00:28:46.960 --> 00:28:56.259 millions of them. What is your name? Boaz, Boam, 00:28:56.299 --> 00:29:03.680 Beelzebub. Who are you? Boaz, God of death. Boam, 00:29:03.799 --> 00:29:11.539 God of sex. Beelzebub, God of lies. Missionary 00:29:11.539 --> 00:29:14.529 Royal Peck writes, Three demons responded to 00:29:14.529 --> 00:29:16.910 the questions as a young man in his early twenties 00:29:16.910 --> 00:29:21.470 convulsed. His eyes rolled and his facial features 00:29:21.470 --> 00:29:23.730 contorted. He threw his head violently against 00:29:23.730 --> 00:29:28.089 the backrest of his chair as he convulsed. Five 00:29:28.089 --> 00:29:30.569 elders from several brethren assemblies stood 00:29:30.569 --> 00:29:34.369 around Gasparri, the young man. We prayed, imploring 00:29:34.369 --> 00:29:36.390 God through the power of the cross and the blood 00:29:36.390 --> 00:29:40.470 of Jesus to set him free. Had one not known, 00:29:40.609 --> 00:29:42.130 it would have been difficult to believe that 00:29:42.130 --> 00:29:44.369 here were a group of non -charismatic and committed 00:29:44.369 --> 00:29:48.190 dispensationalists who were involved in the exorcism 00:29:48.190 --> 00:29:51.970 of a demon -possessed man. Occult practices have 00:29:51.970 --> 00:29:54.750 been spreading throughout Italy so widely that 00:29:54.750 --> 00:29:57.130 local church leaders have to come to grips with 00:29:57.130 --> 00:30:00.970 the problem. In the name of Jesus Christ, come 00:30:00.970 --> 00:30:07.130 out. No, was the reply in deep, growling voice. 00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:10.359 that we had not heard Gasparri speak in when 00:30:10.359 --> 00:30:13.039 he gave us his testimony and told us his story. 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:16.859 You are defeated. The blood of Jesus Christ on 00:30:16.859 --> 00:30:19.039 the cross has won the victory. Do you not know 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:24.039 that you are defeated? Yes. The voice responded 00:30:24.039 --> 00:30:29.039 slowly and gruffly. Then come out in Jesus' name. 00:30:30.380 --> 00:30:37.599 No. The demons responded. Five and a half hours 00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:41.160 the struggle went on. He goes on to describe 00:30:41.160 --> 00:30:49.660 the struggle. We prayed, commanded, and wrestled 00:30:49.660 --> 00:30:54.039 to the point of physical exhaustion. At 11 .30 00:30:54.039 --> 00:30:56.339 p .m. when the question was asked, Who are you? 00:30:57.319 --> 00:31:00.339 No demon responded. Instead, the response came 00:31:00.339 --> 00:31:06.380 back, Gaspari. His eyes were clear, no longer 00:31:06.380 --> 00:31:09.180 rolling. A smile was on his face. His convulsions 00:31:09.180 --> 00:31:11.859 ceased. I am free, he said. I am really free. 00:31:12.420 --> 00:31:17.319 And he wept, and we wept also. When I met Gasparri 00:31:17.319 --> 00:31:19.279 earlier that evening, I had the feeling that 00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:22.799 he was a mental patient. Unredeemed eyes and 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:24.960 minds would have simply concluded this young 00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:28.619 man was a psychotic. But in battling the forces 00:31:28.619 --> 00:31:32.089 of the unseen world, we have learned that the 00:31:32.089 --> 00:31:36.470 demonic agents of Satan are really there and 00:31:36.470 --> 00:31:41.250 are destroying the minds and souls of men and 00:31:41.250 --> 00:31:45.490 women. My friend, do not think that that is isolated 00:31:45.490 --> 00:31:51.910 to Italy. It is a battle that takes place in 00:31:51.910 --> 00:31:59.190 our own culture, although less visibly. And I 00:31:59.190 --> 00:32:01.109 have pondered the reasons for that and will not 00:32:01.109 --> 00:32:04.750 go into them this morning. But it is a literal 00:32:04.750 --> 00:32:08.589 battle that takes place. And indeed there are 00:32:08.589 --> 00:32:11.269 those within our fellowship who have been involved 00:32:11.269 --> 00:32:20.250 in exercising demons from people here in the 00:32:20.250 --> 00:32:30.119 Twin Cities. What is the dimension of the activity 00:32:30.119 --> 00:32:36.059 of these beings? Where do they operate? The Apostle 00:32:36.059 --> 00:32:39.500 says, in the heavenlies. Do you notice that? 00:32:40.880 --> 00:32:44.380 In the heavenly places, he says at the end of 00:32:44.380 --> 00:32:48.220 verse 12. What is that? That's a phrase that 00:32:48.220 --> 00:32:50.759 is unique to Ephesians, and we have seen the 00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:54.240 phrase several times. It is used in chapter 1 00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:56.720 and verse 20 of the realm where Jesus Christ 00:32:56.720 --> 00:33:00.279 is presently seated on his throne of authority. 00:33:01.079 --> 00:33:04.700 It is used in chapter 2 and verse 6 of the realm 00:33:04.700 --> 00:33:08.099 of our enthronement with Jesus Christ, where 00:33:08.099 --> 00:33:11.279 we are seated with him. It is used in chapter 00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:15.220 3 and verse 10 of the place where angelic creatures 00:33:15.220 --> 00:33:21.880 who observe the church of Jesus Christ. And it 00:33:21.880 --> 00:33:25.319 is used here in chapter 6 of the place of the 00:33:25.319 --> 00:33:30.759 warfare with demonic forces. Beloved, you and 00:33:30.759 --> 00:33:35.960 I live in a tension between two realities. One, 00:33:36.180 --> 00:33:40.660 the earthly. The other, the heavenly. The earthly 00:33:40.660 --> 00:33:42.940 we know well because that is what our senses 00:33:42.940 --> 00:33:46.660 are attuned to. Perhaps we don't know it as well 00:33:46.660 --> 00:33:50.700 as we should because the earthly, is affected 00:33:50.700 --> 00:33:55.559 by the heavenly. The realm of the heavenly is 00:33:55.559 --> 00:34:00.259 the realm of the supernatural. It is the domain 00:34:00.259 --> 00:34:08.659 of God and of angelic creatures. Around us this 00:34:08.659 --> 00:34:11.860 morning in this auditorium, there are angelic 00:34:11.860 --> 00:34:17.119 beings who observe us. They see us get sleepy 00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:22.210 and snooze a few seconds. They see us get restless. 00:34:22.329 --> 00:34:25.909 They see us take notes. They see us keen in interest 00:34:25.909 --> 00:34:32.869 or yawning. They observe us intently. And they 00:34:32.869 --> 00:34:37.449 are both good and evil. The heavenlies is not 00:34:37.449 --> 00:34:40.489 a realm that is out there somewhere far removed 00:34:40.489 --> 00:34:43.789 from us, but the heavenlies is right here in 00:34:43.789 --> 00:34:50.510 the atmosphere of this room. We live in a tension 00:34:50.510 --> 00:34:54.010 between the physical world where you and I are 00:34:54.010 --> 00:35:01.130 very attuned and the metaphysical, the heavenlies, 00:35:01.309 --> 00:35:06.289 the realm of the supernatural. Now there are 00:35:06.289 --> 00:35:08.110 people who say, well, the demons work in the 00:35:08.110 --> 00:35:10.550 heavenlies. That has nothing to do with me. I 00:35:10.550 --> 00:35:14.269 live in the physical. But the fact is that what 00:35:14.269 --> 00:35:18.849 happens in the heavenly realm The realm of the 00:35:18.849 --> 00:35:22.329 heavenlies affects what happens in the world 00:35:22.329 --> 00:35:26.949 where you and I live. They affect world history. 00:35:29.289 --> 00:35:33.469 That is clear from the book of Daniel, where 00:35:33.469 --> 00:35:37.750 Daniel is given just ever so brief a glimpse 00:35:37.750 --> 00:35:41.230 at the warfare that is going on in the heavenlies 00:35:41.230 --> 00:35:47.739 around the world powers. behind the United States 00:35:47.739 --> 00:35:53.639 and Russia and Libya and Iran and Great Britain. 00:35:57.260 --> 00:36:01.420 We do not understand fully how all of this works, 00:36:01.480 --> 00:36:06.019 but we do know this, that behind the nations 00:36:06.019 --> 00:36:10.019 of the world there are angelic creatures who 00:36:10.019 --> 00:36:14.380 are battling for dominance and control. and it 00:36:14.380 --> 00:36:17.519 affects what happens in the history of the world. 00:36:19.619 --> 00:36:22.679 What happens there also affects the answers to 00:36:22.679 --> 00:36:26.039 prayer that we have. Again, Daniel gives us that 00:36:26.039 --> 00:36:29.079 insight. Daniel probably tells us more about 00:36:29.079 --> 00:36:33.300 this than any other writer of Scripture. An answer 00:36:33.300 --> 00:36:35.739 to prayer was held up for Daniel for three weeks 00:36:35.739 --> 00:36:39.500 while two angels fought it out. You can read 00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:42.199 about it, I believe, as Daniel chapter 10, as 00:36:42.199 --> 00:36:46.099 I recall. My point is this, that what happens 00:36:46.099 --> 00:36:49.579 in the realm of the heavenlies impacts where 00:36:49.579 --> 00:36:52.579 you and I live every day of our lives. And though 00:36:52.579 --> 00:36:57.840 our battle is not against flesh and blood, nonetheless 00:36:57.840 --> 00:37:02.500 Satan employs flesh and blood to fight against 00:37:02.500 --> 00:37:05.400 us and against the purpose of God. John Calvin 00:37:05.400 --> 00:37:09.239 said, quote, Wherever the ungodly cause us trouble, 00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:12.300 they are fighting under the banner of Satan. 00:37:12.969 --> 00:37:17.809 and are his instruments for harassing us. Close 00:37:17.809 --> 00:37:22.969 quote. An example. Jesus began to reveal to his 00:37:22.969 --> 00:37:26.530 disciples that he must suffer and die, be raised 00:37:26.530 --> 00:37:33.650 again. And Peter said, Lord, far be it from you. 00:37:33.730 --> 00:37:38.389 God forbid that will never happen to you. And 00:37:38.389 --> 00:37:40.809 Jesus turned to this friend of his and said, 00:37:41.289 --> 00:37:45.889 Get thee behind me, Satan. Do you see at that 00:37:45.889 --> 00:37:49.670 moment, Satan was using Peter. And Jesus recognized 00:37:49.670 --> 00:37:53.429 it. That that thought had not come from Peter, 00:37:53.550 --> 00:37:57.369 but it was given to him by Satan. And Jesus directly 00:37:57.369 --> 00:38:05.510 addressed Satan when he spoke to Peter. Judas. 00:38:07.139 --> 00:38:10.039 schemed and planned to betray Jesus. But on that 00:38:10.039 --> 00:38:12.800 night when he went out, it says in Luke 22, verse 00:38:12.800 --> 00:38:21.179 3, and Satan entered into Judas. He possessed 00:38:21.179 --> 00:38:27.400 Judas to carry out the scheme. Flesh and blood 00:38:27.400 --> 00:38:29.940 is not what we fight against, but my point is 00:38:29.940 --> 00:38:32.420 that flesh and blood is what Satan often uses. 00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:38.690 Not always, but often. In 1 Thessalonians 2 .18, 00:38:38.809 --> 00:38:40.769 Paul writes to these beloved people and he says, 00:38:40.809 --> 00:38:43.469 I tried to come to you once and then again, but 00:38:43.469 --> 00:38:49.530 Satan hindered us. Now, we're not told how Satan 00:38:49.530 --> 00:38:52.750 hindered, but likely it was through those who 00:38:52.750 --> 00:38:56.050 were trying to kill Paul, the enemies of the 00:38:56.050 --> 00:39:00.690 gospel, flesh and blood. In Revelation 3 .9, 00:39:00.809 --> 00:39:03.670 Jesus addresses his beloved church and he warns 00:39:03.670 --> 00:39:08.340 them of the synagogue of Satan. Those who say 00:39:08.340 --> 00:39:12.079 they are Jews but are not, he says. The synagogue 00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:18.780 of Satan. False religion. False religion is the 00:39:18.780 --> 00:39:24.639 most severe persecutor of the true faith. Apostate 00:39:24.639 --> 00:39:28.260 Christianity is the greatest threat that we have. 00:39:28.420 --> 00:39:33.400 Not communism. But liberal apostate Christianity. 00:39:34.599 --> 00:39:37.659 will do more to damage the cause of Jesus Christ 00:39:37.659 --> 00:39:40.980 than all the communists in the world put together. 00:39:43.000 --> 00:39:46.300 The synagogue of Satan is still here today. Those 00:39:46.300 --> 00:39:53.559 who say they are Christians but are not. We do 00:39:53.559 --> 00:39:55.619 not struggle against flesh and blood, but it 00:39:55.619 --> 00:39:57.800 is flesh and blood that the spiritual forces 00:39:57.800 --> 00:40:01.639 of darkness use often to advance their cause. 00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:06.019 Now let me give you a word of warning. We are 00:40:06.019 --> 00:40:09.420 not to perceive that every interference to our 00:40:09.420 --> 00:40:16.320 plans is Satan. Indeed, the Apostle Paul and 00:40:16.320 --> 00:40:18.940 his party were seeking to go in a certain direction. 00:40:18.940 --> 00:40:21.119 You recall in Asia Minor, they were trying to 00:40:21.119 --> 00:40:24.800 go back to the north and to the east, and they 00:40:24.800 --> 00:40:29.139 were hindered. And on that occasion, he had identified 00:40:29.139 --> 00:40:31.780 that which hindered not as the spirit of Satan, 00:40:32.320 --> 00:40:38.139 that is the Spirit of Jesus. And so don't identify 00:40:38.139 --> 00:40:41.119 every hindrance in your life as Satan. Don't 00:40:41.119 --> 00:40:43.739 be turning over every stone looking for the devil 00:40:43.739 --> 00:40:50.300 because he won't always be there in every difficulty, 00:40:50.400 --> 00:40:53.440 in every trial, in every hindrance that you have 00:40:53.440 --> 00:40:59.099 in your life. But he will be there at times because 00:40:59.099 --> 00:41:01.590 he struggles against you. Now what are we to 00:41:01.590 --> 00:41:04.929 do? Well, it's dangerous to think that you and 00:41:04.929 --> 00:41:08.369 I can deal with this enemy in our own strength 00:41:08.369 --> 00:41:12.829 or our own intellect. Likewise, it is unnecessary, 00:41:13.269 --> 00:41:15.610 and please hear me, it is unnecessary for us 00:41:15.610 --> 00:41:20.809 to be fearful. And it is foolish for us to become 00:41:20.809 --> 00:41:27.369 overly obsessed with the devil. What are we to 00:41:27.369 --> 00:41:30.230 do then? He tells us. Number one, be strong. 00:41:30.780 --> 00:41:34.519 You notice that? Verse 10. Finally, be strong 00:41:34.519 --> 00:41:39.579 in the Lord. It's passive and it's present, which 00:41:39.579 --> 00:41:44.739 means be continually strengthened in the Lord. 00:41:44.820 --> 00:41:48.179 That is the only name that Satan will recognize 00:41:48.179 --> 00:41:54.880 and submit to. In Jude 9, we are given a brief 00:41:54.880 --> 00:41:59.059 glimpse. of a struggle that took place over the 00:41:59.059 --> 00:42:04.460 dead body of Moses. Now what Satan had in mind 00:42:04.460 --> 00:42:06.840 with that corpse, we do not know, but he wanted 00:42:06.840 --> 00:42:13.119 the body of Moses. And Michael, the archangel, 00:42:13.260 --> 00:42:17.119 fought against Satan for it. But it says there 00:42:17.119 --> 00:42:19.860 that Michael did not dare to come against Satan 00:42:19.860 --> 00:42:24.179 in his own strength, but rather even an archangel. 00:42:25.420 --> 00:42:28.699 who has power in the spirit realm that's very 00:42:28.699 --> 00:42:33.719 high. Even he said, the Lord rebuke you because 00:42:33.719 --> 00:42:37.900 it is the name of Jesus that has the power. Therefore 00:42:37.900 --> 00:42:41.119 be strengthened in the Lord and in the power 00:42:41.119 --> 00:42:44.139 of his might. How do we appropriate that power? 00:42:44.300 --> 00:42:47.400 By putting on the full armor of God. That's a 00:42:47.400 --> 00:42:51.760 second command in verse 11. He says, as a decisive, 00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:55.400 urgent action on your part, recognizing the battle, 00:42:55.519 --> 00:42:59.599 put on that armor of God. It provides complete 00:42:59.599 --> 00:43:03.159 protection. To be without it leaves you vulnerable 00:43:03.159 --> 00:43:08.019 to the enemy. You say, what is the armor of God? 00:43:08.820 --> 00:43:13.760 Essentially, it is living an obedient life. It 00:43:13.760 --> 00:43:16.199 is living obediently to the lordship of Jesus 00:43:16.199 --> 00:43:18.780 Christ. My friend, there is no substitute for 00:43:18.780 --> 00:43:23.579 obedience. When you and I live in disobedience 00:43:23.579 --> 00:43:28.119 or in partial obedience, which is really disobedience, 00:43:28.260 --> 00:43:32.619 then we do not have on ourselves the armor of 00:43:32.619 --> 00:43:36.440 God to do warfare in the spirit realm. It is 00:43:36.440 --> 00:43:39.239 the life of obedience to Jesus Christ that provides 00:43:39.239 --> 00:43:42.760 us with that full armor. And it is only when 00:43:42.760 --> 00:43:45.340 we have that armor on that we can be strengthened 00:43:45.340 --> 00:43:48.760 in the Lord. And the result is when we do that, 00:43:48.840 --> 00:43:54.599 we will stand firm against Satan's schemes. To 00:43:54.599 --> 00:43:57.380 stand firm means to hold a critical position 00:43:57.380 --> 00:44:04.300 on the battlefield. There have been multiplied 00:44:04.300 --> 00:44:10.179 examples of soldiers who courageously... have 00:44:10.179 --> 00:44:13.340 stood by that position assigned to them, and 00:44:13.340 --> 00:44:18.760 because of their bravery and standing firm, the 00:44:18.760 --> 00:44:23.340 battle was won because they did not give up. 00:44:23.400 --> 00:44:25.340 And that is what you and I are exhorted to do. 00:44:25.760 --> 00:44:30.280 We're not to run from Satan. We are to stand 00:44:30.280 --> 00:44:34.619 firm in that assigned place by the Lord. We're 00:44:34.619 --> 00:44:38.449 not to give up. But we are to hang on to that 00:44:38.449 --> 00:44:41.070 critical position on the battlefield because 00:44:41.070 --> 00:44:45.489 others are counting on us. And when you and I 00:44:45.489 --> 00:44:49.809 flee, when we run, it may leave others in a weakened 00:44:49.809 --> 00:44:54.550 position. You and I have no reason to experience 00:44:54.550 --> 00:44:57.809 defeat because we have the name of Jesus Christ, 00:44:57.929 --> 00:45:01.610 we have the armor of God, and can be strong in 00:45:01.610 --> 00:45:05.010 the Lord to stand firm against Satan and his 00:45:05.010 --> 00:45:09.929 schemes. If you and I choose to do so, we can, 00:45:10.010 --> 00:45:13.110 however, live defeated lives. We can be fruitless, 00:45:13.190 --> 00:45:19.710 cold, critical, discouraged and indifferent to 00:45:19.710 --> 00:45:24.429 the things of the Lord. When we are so, we are 00:45:24.429 --> 00:45:26.849 being robbed of the blessing that God wants us 00:45:26.849 --> 00:45:34.199 to experience. We are wasting our lives. We are 00:45:34.199 --> 00:45:37.079 set on the shelf as far as the advance of God's 00:45:37.079 --> 00:45:40.519 work is concerned, and we are gaining no reward 00:45:40.519 --> 00:45:44.159 in heaven. Therefore, how foolishly to live defeated 00:45:44.159 --> 00:45:50.980 lives by choice. We can choose to be victorious 00:45:50.980 --> 00:45:55.940 by doing what God tells us to do here. Because, 00:45:55.960 --> 00:45:59.840 you see, we have already won the war in Jesus 00:45:59.840 --> 00:46:12.179 Christ. Through his death and resurrection, the 00:46:12.179 --> 00:46:17.039 war is done. Satan has yet to be convinced of 00:46:17.039 --> 00:46:25.739 that, but it is over. Bless God. However, there 00:46:25.739 --> 00:46:29.760 are still ambushes that he sets. He has not conceded 00:46:29.760 --> 00:46:33.400 yet, and you and I can be taken in in the ambushes, 00:46:33.400 --> 00:46:37.320 or we can share the victory. God has provided 00:46:37.320 --> 00:46:42.590 so much more. than defeat. God has provided for 00:46:42.590 --> 00:46:46.489 us victory in Jesus Christ. We need not be victims 00:46:46.489 --> 00:46:50.409 of this enemy that we struggle against. We can 00:46:50.409 --> 00:46:55.869 be victors through Jesus Christ. My plea to all 00:46:55.869 --> 00:46:58.610 of us today is this, to examine our lives and 00:46:58.610 --> 00:47:03.329 wherein we are living disobediently or in partial 00:47:03.329 --> 00:47:07.340 compromised obedience. that we immediately go 00:47:07.340 --> 00:47:09.840 to that area of our lives and we confess what 00:47:09.840 --> 00:47:14.159 we're doing. And ask Jesus Christ then to be 00:47:14.159 --> 00:47:16.500 the Lord of that area of our lives so that we 00:47:16.500 --> 00:47:20.800 can walk in obedience and thus have on the armor 00:47:20.800 --> 00:47:24.059 of God for our protection so that we can be strong 00:47:24.059 --> 00:47:32.199 in the Lord and the power of His might. My friend, 00:47:32.260 --> 00:47:39.110 the youngest Christian, who is walking that way, 00:47:39.250 --> 00:47:44.469 causes Satan to tremble. And don't you ever forget 00:47:44.469 --> 00:47:49.429 it. Because the strength is not ours. It's Jesus 00:47:49.429 --> 00:47:53.210 Christ's. And when we are walking with him as 00:47:53.210 --> 00:48:00.110 our Lord, his victory is given to us. Let's walk 00:48:00.110 --> 00:48:03.489 that way this week in our spiritual warfare. 00:48:04.269 --> 00:48:10.780 Let's bow together. What is that area of life 00:48:10.780 --> 00:48:12.980 that you may need to talk to the Lord about, 00:48:13.099 --> 00:48:20.739 my friend? You know that area where Satan has 00:48:20.739 --> 00:48:25.219 scrutinized you and has found an opening. Will 00:48:25.219 --> 00:48:28.800 you at this moment, right where you are, say 00:48:28.800 --> 00:48:32.619 to the Lord, Jesus, I acknowledge the advantage 00:48:32.619 --> 00:48:36.239 I've given to Satan in this area of my life, 00:48:36.260 --> 00:48:43.699 and name it. Will you then submit that to His 00:48:43.699 --> 00:48:48.400 Lordship? And if you cannot honestly say, Lord, 00:48:48.480 --> 00:48:50.900 I will obey in that area, will you at least say 00:48:50.900 --> 00:48:59.639 this, I am willing to be made obedient. I surrender 00:48:59.639 --> 00:49:06.360 that to you. I pray that there will be some commitments 00:49:06.360 --> 00:49:09.519 made here today that will cause hell to gasp. 00:49:10.570 --> 00:49:13.090 because of the depth of the commitment to Jesus 00:49:13.090 --> 00:49:19.409 Christ. Father, I thank you for the enlightening 00:49:19.409 --> 00:49:23.610 work of the Holy Spirit as he teaches us through 00:49:23.610 --> 00:49:27.550 the word. And may the result of our study this 00:49:27.550 --> 00:49:32.030 morning be a walk in victory, the victory of 00:49:32.030 --> 00:49:38.409 Jesus Christ over this enemy, the devil, and 00:49:38.409 --> 00:49:46.340 all of his We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.