DIGGING DEEP NO. 1055 October 8, 2024 THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER (PART 1) Ephesians 6: 10- 12.

Sooner or later every believer discovers that the Christian life is a battleground, not a playground, and that he faces an enemy who is much stronger than he is apart from the Lord. That Apostle Paul should use the military to illustrate the believer’s conflict with Satan is reasonable; we are dealing with a well-organized enemy. As Christians, we face three enemies; the world, the flesh, and the devil Ephe.2: 1- 3. “The world” refers to the system around us that is opposed to God, that caters to the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life 1Jh.2: 15- 17. Society apart from God is a simple, but accurate, definition of the world. The flesh is the old nature that we inherited from Adam; a nature that is opposed to God and can do nothing spiritual to please God. By His death and resurrection, Christ overcame the world Jh.16: 33; Gal.6: 14, and the flesh Rom.6: 1- 6; Gal.2: 20, and the devil Ephe.1: 19- 23. In other words, as believers, we do not fight for victory; we fight from victory! The Spirit of God enables us, by faith, to appropriate Christ’s victory for ourselves.

The Enemy – Ephe.6: 10- 12 the intelligent corps plays a vital part in warfare because it enables the officers to know and understand the enemy. Unless we know who the enemy is, where he is, and what he can do, we have a difficult time defeating him.

The leader – the devil. The enemy has many different names. Devil means “accuser,” because he accuses God’s people day and night before the throne of God Rev.12: 7- 11. Satan means “adversary,” because he is the enemy of God. He is also called the tempter, Matt.4: 3 and the murderer, and the liar Jh.8: 44. He is compared to a lion 1Pet.5: 8. A serpent Gen.3: 1, Rev.12: 9 and an angel of light 2Cor.11:13- 15, as well as the god of this age 2Cor.4: 4.

Where did he come from, this spirit-creature that seeks to oppose God?

Many students believe that in the original creation he was Lucifer, son of the morning Is.14: 12- 15 and that he was cast down because of his pride and his desire to occupy God’s throne. Since he is a created being, and not eternal (as God is), he is limited in his knowledge and activity. Unlike God, Satan is not all-knowing, all-powerful, or everywhere present. Then how does he accomplish so much in so many different parts of the world? The answer is in his organized helpers.

Satan’s helpers. Apostle Paul called them principalities, powers, rulers, spiritual wickedness in high places Ephe.6: 12. This suggests a definite army of demonic creatures that assist Satan in his attack against believers. It is believed that one third of the angels fell with Satan when he rebelled against God Rev.12: 4, and Daniel wrote that Satan’s angels struggle against God’s angels for control of the affairs of nations Dan.10: 13- 20. A spiritual battle is going on in this world and in the spere of the heavenlies, and you and I are a part of this battle. The important thing is that our battle is not against human beings. It is against spiritual powers.

Satan’s abilities – The admonition that Apostle Paul gave indicate that Satan is a strong enemy Ephe.6: 10- 12, and that we need the power of God to be able to stand against Him. Never underestimate the power of the devil. He is not compared to a lion and a dragon just for fun. The book of job tells what his power can do to a man’s body, home, wealth, and friends. Jesus called Satan a thief who comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy Jh.10: 10. Not only is Satan strong, but he is also wise. And subtle, and we fight against the wiles of the devil. We cannot afford to be ignorant of his devices 2Cor.2: 11. Some men are cunning and crafty and lie in wait to deceive Ephe.4: 4, but behind them is the arch-deceiver, Satan. He masquerades as an angel of light 2Cor.11: 14, and seeks to blind men’s mind to the truth of God’s Word. The fact that Apostle Paul uses the word wrestle indicates that we are involved in a hand-to-hand battle and are not mere spectators at a game.

In Conclusion – Satan wants to use our external enemy, the world, and our internal enemy, the flesh, to defeat us; his weapons and battle plans are formidable.