Preparation for War

Ephesians 6:10-13

How often do you think "life shouldn't be like this; it shouldn't be this hard, hurt this much, be this much hassle..." You're right; there's a sense in which it shouldn't; and it hasn't always been like this. In the beginning it was different, and in the end it will be different still; in the beginning it was perfect, in the end it will be more perfect. But here in the middle, it's war.

What I just articulated structures a biblical view of history, diametrically opposed to the majority view the culture holds of history. God began it and he has a goal in view. The first few days of human existence form the basis for that nagging feeling that "it shouldn't be like this"; the rest of history is the unfolding of God's plan to redeem and reconcile his people and then bring them to glory. But God isn't the only one with a plan - Satan and the forces of evil have a plan as well, to oppose God in all his acts.

At the Fall all the world came under the dominion of sin; that was the darkest day the world has ever known, darker even than Crucifixion Day. At the moment of the fall there were no saints, all of the world was corrupted and under the curse and slavery to sin and Satan. But also from that moment, God has been working his plan forward, recovering the ground that was lost one regenerated soul at a time. And at each step of the way he has been violently resisted by the forces of evil, forces at work in the world and within each individual.

The conflict is a cosmic one, extending to dimensions we are unable to perceive. It is not a physical but a spiritual conflict, waged in the spiritual realm but with temporal and earthly consequences. We must take heart, though; we are not alone in the conflict. The holy angels and even the very Son of God are engaged in the battle - see Dan_10:13-21

The conflict is not simply defensive - we are not to merely attempt to hold ground against the onslaught of evil and its agents. We are to be actively engaged in taking ground away from the forces of evil within ourselves and in the world.

1. be empowered (10)

a. this is a war that requires power

The opposition is real, it is widespread and it is powerful.

i. It has power over nature - Jesus stills the storm Mar_4:39
ii. It has power over creatures - the herd of swine Mat_8:32
iii. It has power over people - the demon-possessed boy Mar_9:22 Act_19:16

b. the power only comes from the Lord

i. empowered by the Lord
ii. strong in the Lord
iii. strong in his mighty power

c. it is a power that has already defeated the opposition

Eph 1:19-20 according to the working of His mighty (ischus) power (kratos) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong (endunamoo) in the Lord and in the power (kratos) of His might (ischus).

2. put on (11)/take up (13a)

a. requires action and effort

i. we aren't naturally armored or disciplined or spiritually fit (in shape)
ii. God doesn't automatically equip us

b. requires all the pieces of equipment

i. we can't pick and choose what we want - it's all or nothing
ii. the opposition is wily enough to seek out any unprotected/vulnerable area

c. as power, only comes from God; other "brands" will not protect

i. we can't substitute third-party items
ii. other tactics or protection are not sanctioned by God
iii. as the designer of all things He knows what will suit the soldier best

3. stand (11)/withstand (13b)/stand (13c)

a. implies opposition - not merely to slow forward progress but to force retreat

i. Satan and agents will not be satisfied to slow expansion of the church
ii. the pride that powered his fall continues to power his quest for total dominion
iii. accomplishing the goal means routing the church and her Commander

b. requires holding ground - can't run out of strength

i. to stand requires stability
ii. requires good footing
iii. it's a marathon, not a sprint
iv. will also necessitate re-supply

c. requires discipline - can't cave under pressure; must follow orders

War is a "team effort, wrestling is individual. All are involved in the conflict but each has his own struggle within the larger conflict. Each is there to support and encourage the others but they cannot fight for each other. The struggle has multiple elements - internal and external, individual and corporate. We can fight with one another in the larger conflict, encourage one another in the individual conflict. In the context of military action, we are soldiers, not the commander; thus, we must follow his leadership.

4. wrestle/struggle/fight (12)

a. close-in combat - not remote control!

i. it's not a simulator, a game, or computer-guided ordnance
ii. it's the real thing
iii. involves real commitment, real danger

b. the enemy is spiritual, not physical

i. a spiritual enemy requires spiritual detection/discernment
ii. will only be resisted with spiritual weapons
iii. the real enemy is the force behind the person
* the individual is Satan's agent
* we must direct our fire at the real enemy - no "friendly fire" casualties!!

c. his weapons are deception, seduction and false accusation

i. starts with the truth and poisons it, corrupts it without obliterating it Joh_8:44
ii. spins partial truths into what is desirable Gen_3:4-5
iii. brings false charges against the saints Zec_3:1-2
* guilt, discouragement, depression

d. his target is individual and corporate

i. his goal is to destroy the Church Mat_16:18
ii. he uses individuals to try to accomplish his purpose Act_22:4
iii. his ultimate goal is Christ Himself Luk_4:13

Let me get this right: we're supposed to be engaged in a warfare using invisible weapons against an invisible adversary who also uses invisible weapons. Yup. But invisible doesn't mean non-existent 'cause if it did then God doesn't exist either! If we can trust Him with our immortal souls, we can surely trust Him to equip us for a temporal conflict and be a good Commander. In fact, He's the only Commander who has no casualties to report.

So how does it work? It is God acting on individuals that releases them from the adversary's grip. But He uses means - the preached Word and prayer, both to be used in the context of the church, as God reconciles men to Himself and each other through Christ in the church. God requires those means to be ready and at His disposal, not because He needs them to fill up His lack but because that is how He has purposed to accomplish His plan.