Today we’re continuing in our series on Spiritual Warfare. Last Sunday, we talked about temptation in the message “The Serpent’s Strategy.” We looked at the very first temptation in the garden of Eden, where the serpent tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. Many people today regard the story of the first temptation as a myth and think that it really didn’t happen. Yet the Bible records and comments on it as a very real event, the first instance of spiritual warfare. Who was involved in the spiritual warfare? Human beings, Adam & Eve, and the tempter or serpent, Satan.
Several weeks ago, we spoke on Jesus’ temptations by Satan himself. While many people don’t believe in Satan, the Bible tells us that Satan is a very powerful and cunning enemy who is bent on our destruction. We mustn’t be ignorant of his schemes
2 Corinthians 2:11 (NIV) in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
In other words, if we are not aware of Satan’s schemes, if we don’t believe that he is real and dangerous, we can be outwitted by him.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
This verse tells us to be alert concerning our enemy, to not be out-of-control, but to be self-controlled, as a warrior would be in battle. The devil is your enemy and he is intent on devouring you. He has and continues to devour people who fall into his clutches night and day. I pray that today’s message will warn and alert you to the danger of this enemy. Furthermore that it will prompt you to take measures to protect yourself and your family from his attack.
It is so easy to be lulled into a false sense of security. When we were on our vacation in Yellowstone a few weeks ago, we were privileged to see quite a few buffalo at close range as we drove on the roads there. On one particular day, we saw a lone buffalo near to road and we pulled over to watch, as did a number of other vehicles. As we watched, people began to get out of their cars to get a better look and take pictures.
One young man got about 20 feet away from the buffalo and turned his back to take a selfie with his phone. Apparently, he thought that wasn’t a good enough picture, so he got about 10 feet away and turned to take another selfie. Just at the moment, he was taking the picture, the buffalo charged him. The buffalo must have stopped just before hitting him, as the man escaped by running away as fast as he could up a hill. That buffalo was not a nice, gentle animal, he was dangerous and the result of not being alert may have led to tragedy. In the same way, we mustn’t play with sin or temptation, thinking that we are immune from danger. We must keep our distance and be protected.
Today, our message is “The Armor of God.” The armor of God can protect you as you put it on every day. As a believer, you are not automatically protected from Satan. You cannot stand up to him in your own power in strength.
Ephesians 6:10 (NIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Is this verse a statement or a command? It is a command, a command that can be obeyed or ignored. A more literal rendering the Greek would be “be empowered in the Lord and in the might of his strength.” We need to seek God’s power in the spiritual warfare that every believer is involved in.
Message Audio, Outline & Study Guide
Spiritual Warfare Message Series
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