Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20011007.htm

GOD'S GRACE AND THE BELIEVER
Part II: God's Grace And The Believer's Experiential Sanctification
C. God's Grace And Victory In The Angelic Conflict
(Ephesians 6:10-18)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

There is a lot of evidence that the secular realm and even believers in Christ are intrigued with the supernatural world:

(1) I have noticed at least two shows on the major television networks that either outright present demons versus good angels or that actually practices the sin of necromancy, contacting evil spirits who supposedly relay messages from the dead in opposition to what Leviticus 20:6 commands!

(2) Not long ago, on Sunday nights, there was a very popular show on one of the networks about angels.

(3) Several teens in our Church have shared either directly with me or through their parents of fellow teens they know who practice witchcraft. The ouija board is the most common vehicle of use, but they have told me of much more advanced, troubling occult practices!

(4) But, even believers in the Church have expressed heightened interest in the spirit world.

(a) Questions have come like, "Am I being pummeled by evil spirits at school?"

(b) I received an e-mail last week where the author claimed New York City's twin World Trade Towers appearing together like the number 11' and the terrorists' choice of American Airlines Flight 11' to crash into one of the towers seemed too coincidental not to imply the presence of occult involvement in the tragedy!



Well, ARE we believers in a conflict in our lives between evil and good spirits? IF so, HOW are we supposed to DEAL productively with this -- How would GOD have us respond to it?



(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )



Need: "With today's great interest in the spirit world, IS there a war between good and evil spirits? If so, how may I deal well with it?!"
  1. Paul did NOT question IF we Christians were caught in a war between good and evil spirits; he simply called us to ARM for it:
    1. Paul had no need to tell the Ephesians there were evil spirits: these believers burned their occult objects upon hearing that a demon in a demon-possessed man valued Paul's authority, Acts 19:1, 14-19.
    2. Accordingly, Paul simply announced to the Ephesian believers they wrestled against evil spirits as a part of life, Ephesians 6:10-12.
  2. To learn WHAT is involved in this conflict, and HOW we believers are to RESPOND effectively to it, we analyze Ephesians as follows:
    1. Step One - We believers are to identify pressures we face as coming via evil spirits by means of Biblically watching for them, 6:12a, 18:
      1. The Greek word palay rendered "wrestle" (KJV) or "struggle" (NIV) in Eph. 6:12a appears only once in the New Testament, so we view its secular usage to comprehend what Paul means by it.
      2. In doing so, we see the Greek tragedy plays used palay to picture the conflict man's spirit had with evil, T.D.N.T., vol. V, p. 721.
      3. Hence, in the context, Paul pictured our conflict against sin that demons pressure us to do, so Eph. 4-6 identifies some sins we are pressured to do: (a) demons press us toward pride, impatience and divisiveness, 4:2-6; (b) demons press us to be stunted in our spiritual growth by being "whirled around" in a confusing, hurtful way through our heeding false, manipulative teachers and beliefs, 4:14 [B.K.C., N.T., p. 635]; (c) demons press us to immorality, 4:21-24; 5:3; (d) demons press us to lie and steal, 4:25, 28; (e) Satan tempts us to store up our anger so we will violently erupt, 4:26-27; (f) demons press us to talk abusively or coarsely, 4:29-32; 5:4; (g) demons press us to fellowship with the ungodly resulting in unfruitful lives that do not carefully heed God for fruitfulness, 5:11-12; (h) demons press us to be indifferent about right living, 5:14-17; (i) demons press us toward substance abuse over leaning on the Spirit, 5:18, and (j) demons press us to ruinous behavior in our human institutions of marriage, family and business, 5:21-6:9.
      4. We believers are thus to "watch" for such pressures to SIN, 6:18.
    2. Step Two - Upon identifying demonic pressures toward sin this way, we believers are to pray persistently for God's help, Ephesians 6:18.
    3. Step Three - We believers are to avoid trying to battle such pressures in our OWN strength, but HIDE in God's SPIRITUAL provisions for EVERY thought and act in such pressing temptations, 6:10-17:
      1. Paul called for putting on God's armor in Eph. 6:13a, saying "be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might," Eph. 6:10.
      2. This call alludes to Isaiah 59:16-20 where God put on His own armor to defend Judah from His destructive judgment for her sin!
      3. Thus, putting on God's armor means relying on what God's grace offers to live sinlessly and thus above God's discipline; this way Satan's goal to see us harmed by God is thwarted (cf. Zec. 3:1-7)!
      4. In practical terms, this takes (a) trusting God's power to (b) be truthful (Ephesians 6:14a), (c) righteous (6:14b) and (d) ready to evangelize (6:15), and (e) trusting God's Word (6:16, 17b), (f) particularly His promises of saving help (6:17a), to avoid SIN.
    4. Step Four - Finally, we are negatively to (1) resist the demons' entrapping us (a) either to overstep our God-assigned duties (b) or to resign from them, but positively (2) to stay WITHIN God's will for all areas of life and God-assigned service functions, Ephesians 6:13b!
Application: Since there IS a conflict between good and evil in the spiritual realm that seriously AFFECTS us, for victory in this war, (1) we must trust in Christ to be saved and moved from Satan's unto Christ's kingdom, Jn. 3:16; Col. 1:13. (2) Then, we AVOID EXPERIENTIAL defeat by (a) confessing post-salvation sins (1 Jn. 1:9; Zech. 3:1-7), (b) by leaning on the Spirit for power to live righteously (Gal. 5:16) and (c) by obeying Scripture in life. (3) This latter will involve (a) identifying demonic movements by Biblically noting undue pressures to sin in our lives and in those of other believers, and (b) then steadily praying for needs and (c) hiding in God's gracious provisions to avoid sin in our lives. (d) In the process, we are also to rely upon God to RESIST demonically-entrapping temptations either to overstep God's assignments for us or to resign from them in intimidation!

Lesson: (1) There IS a WAR of SPIRITS we BELIEVERS face, one in which Satan's hosts can NOT DIRECTLY harm our SPIRITS (1 John 5:18), but where they CAN INDIRECTLY do so by urging US to SIN so we are DISCIPLINED by GOD! (2) Hence, WE must WATCH OUT for such PRESSURES to SIN and react by living in God's power and will! >

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 As I was preparing these very sermon notes, and had just finished typing up the first draft so it shown on my computer monitor, I received a telephone call from a believer. I had only briefly spoken with him before this though I had known him for some years. He relayed he had uncharacteristically felt impelled to CALL me because of a troubling belief he had heard a pastor share on television.

I could tell by his words this man had come to hold to some errant ideas! Anyway, our phone conversation lasted 1 hours!

The longer we talked, the more I sensed a strong pressure, and suddenly realized I needed to apply the sermon notes glowing on the monitor! (a) I needed to note the one with whom I was speaking had been deceived by errant teaching under angelic conflict pressures as "II,A,3,(b)" reveals, so I knew I was thus under pressure to sin by either under- or overreacting to him. (b) Thus, I applied "II,B" and went to prayer as he talked. (c) I also used the spiritual gift of the word of knowledge' God had given me in accord with point "II,C," and pulled a lesson out of my file I had written addressing the very issues we were discussing as a guide. (d) I then concentrated on not backing away from my stand, but intently staying within the confines of gently teaching the Scripture truth as 2 Timothy 4:2 tells me to do.

As soon as I had applied these notes and silently prayed, the conversation turned in a way that the other party on the line claimed he would examine the Scripture passages I had mentioned. He said, "Oh, I see where you're coming from . . ." Our phone conversation then ended on a friendly note! I have continued in prayer about the conversation since it first occurred!



I realized GOD had ALLOWED this event to occur to show ME the VALUE of what had been written down on this lesson, that I was NOT to CHANGE any of its basic content! GOD wants this lesson available for OTHERS to USE in facing the angelic conflict.