Word@Work Eph78 - Ephesians 6:12
Published: Thu, 01/22/09
Word@Work from BeaconLight
DEVIOUS OPPOSITION
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (NIV)
Spiritual warfare is real. The Apostle Paul was used to being opposed (because of the Gospel); that was why he was writing from prison while waiting trial on false charges. But he knew that his real enemies were not the human faces that put him there, but unseen powerful beings orchestrated by Satan (cf Eph 6:11). These dark forces seek to defy the authority of God at every level, and try to disrupt the worship and ministry of the church; so that fear replaces faith. Although Satan cannot pull Christians out of God's hand, he tries hard to make us give up living for Christ, and to abandon our confidence in Him. These demonic tactics may involve people who are used to disturb our peace, but those people are not the cause of the problems. Therefore we cannot win through by human means against people: neither logical argument nor physical force can deal with this spiritual opposition.
In guerrilla warfare today, it is impossible to know where to locate the terrorists or resistance fighters. The only thing you can predict, is that you cannot predict where the next attack will come from. The same is true of the spiritual struggle that every God-hungry Christian experiences. Although we may not know the place and time of the next assault, Paul is clear that it is likely wherever human power is found. There is ample cover there for dark activity as people's egos may be manipulated so that the devil achieves his purpose. Such people should not be hated, but rather pitied and prayed for, witnessed to and loved - because you may be sure that although Satan may use people, he does not love them. That is such a contrast to the way God is: He loves and respects people, not callously using people ... but pouring His power through those who want to be His servants.
Each day, we will be wise to take note of what Paul has written. If we do, then we will be ready for our faith to be challenged, and our character to be ridiculed, even when this comes through the most unexpected people. Instincts of self-preservation are not helpful at all, lashing out against people will achieve nothing. We are best prepared by putting on the armour that God supplies (the next few verses will give the details), and standing still as the enemy does his worst - confident that the Lord will win the day. If these verses were not available to us, we might think that every challenge was a personal insult or that we have failed because we do not meet their expectations: but we now know that neither they nor we are the cause of the aggression or seduction. It is just another attempt of God's enemy to ruin our fellowship with our Lord, to pull us off track and disable us from effective service. Of course, God knows every power game against His Kingdom, and He has provided effective protection for us - if only we will put it on.
Prayer: Dear Lord. When the challenge of opposition comes to me, help me to understand what is happening. Help me to place my confidence in Your defence rather than thinking I have to fight the battles by myself. Also, please help me to love and pray for those who are being used in the devil's power games, as Jesus did. For His Name's sake. Amen.
You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and Spanish
Spiritual warfare is real. The Apostle Paul was used to being opposed (because of the Gospel); that was why he was writing from prison while waiting trial on false charges. But he knew that his real enemies were not the human faces that put him there, but unseen powerful beings orchestrated by Satan (cf Eph 6:11). These dark forces seek to defy the authority of God at every level, and try to disrupt the worship and ministry of the church; so that fear replaces faith. Although Satan cannot pull Christians out of God's hand, he tries hard to make us give up living for Christ, and to abandon our confidence in Him. These demonic tactics may involve people who are used to disturb our peace, but those people are not the cause of the problems. Therefore we cannot win through by human means against people: neither logical argument nor physical force can deal with this spiritual opposition.
In guerrilla warfare today, it is impossible to know where to locate the terrorists or resistance fighters. The only thing you can predict, is that you cannot predict where the next attack will come from. The same is true of the spiritual struggle that every God-hungry Christian experiences. Although we may not know the place and time of the next assault, Paul is clear that it is likely wherever human power is found. There is ample cover there for dark activity as people's egos may be manipulated so that the devil achieves his purpose. Such people should not be hated, but rather pitied and prayed for, witnessed to and loved - because you may be sure that although Satan may use people, he does not love them. That is such a contrast to the way God is: He loves and respects people, not callously using people ... but pouring His power through those who want to be His servants.
Each day, we will be wise to take note of what Paul has written. If we do, then we will be ready for our faith to be challenged, and our character to be ridiculed, even when this comes through the most unexpected people. Instincts of self-preservation are not helpful at all, lashing out against people will achieve nothing. We are best prepared by putting on the armour that God supplies (the next few verses will give the details), and standing still as the enemy does his worst - confident that the Lord will win the day. If these verses were not available to us, we might think that every challenge was a personal insult or that we have failed because we do not meet their expectations: but we now know that neither they nor we are the cause of the aggression or seduction. It is just another attempt of God's enemy to ruin our fellowship with our Lord, to pull us off track and disable us from effective service. Of course, God knows every power game against His Kingdom, and He has provided effective protection for us - if only we will put it on.
Prayer: Dear Lord. When the challenge of opposition comes to me, help me to understand what is happening. Help me to place my confidence in Your defence rather than thinking I have to fight the battles by myself. Also, please help me to love and pray for those who are being used in the devil's power games, as Jesus did. For His Name's sake. Amen.
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