The Battle Is Ours

The Bible makes it quite clear, that the church is in a battle against darkness. However, it is important for believers to see their position in Christ so that they can "fight the good fight of faith." (1 Timothy 6:12) Typically, there are three views that believers have of the church…

The Defeated Church: This view is based on experience, on what the five senses can comprehend and assimilate. Even though the Bible says it to be true, if I don’t experience it, then no matter what happens, good or bad, it must be God’s will. It comes out of ignorance of the believer’s position in Christ. When a believer does not know their position in Christ, their faith is neutralized.

The Militant Church: This view depicts the church as still battling and trying to gain our victory over an enemy. It acts as though the enemy has not been fully defeated by the Lord Jesus Christ. This view comes by taking Matthew 11:12 out of context and producing an unscriptural meaning or interruption.   

The Triumphant Church: This view is the Biblical view of the church. Believers know their position in Christ; that they are seated with Christ in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. (Ephesians 1:20-21, 2:6) The believer who knows their position in Christ is not defeated nor do they need to be militant. They simply uphold and enforce their redemptive rights and privileges in Christ.      

To some, this may be easily said, but most often difficult to carry out. Believers need to be fully convinced that what God’s Word says is absolutely true now and forever. "My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips." (Psalm 89:34) "Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89) "The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)

God's Word is just as powerful today as it was when it was first spoken. However, Satan does not want the church to know this fact. So, he uses the same tactic today as he used in the Garden of Eden, “Did God Say?” (Genesis 3:1) His tactic is for believers to question the integrity of God’s Word by getting them to reason, “Did God really say…Is it really God’s Will…You do not deserve God’s promises…If God really loved you this would not have happened…No matter what the devil says or how he says it, it is always an attacked against the integrity of God’s Word.

With all the demonic activity that goes on, it is vital that believers know what their redemption in Christ entitles them to. Believers need to be fully convinced that they have been given the same authority over all the works of the devil in the same manner and level that Jesus had when He walked this earth. "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) Matthew tells us what Jesus said after His resurrection and before His ascension. "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Matthew 28:18) If all authority has been given to Christ, then it stands to reason His church also has authority because we are His body.

The Bible lists 30 names given to Satan which reflects his nature, such as…
The adversary (1 Peter 5:8); A Thief (John 10:10); A murderer and liar (John 8:44); The accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10); The ruler of this world (John 12:31); The prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2); The god of the world system (2 Corinthians 4:4) It is Satan who is the author of all sin, all sickness and disease and all manner of evil, not God! Unfortunately, many believers have accused God of being the author of evil based on one verse of scripture."I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." (Isaiah 45:7 KJV) This tells us that God directs judgments, disappointments, trials, and calamities; he presides over adversity as well as prosperous events. The passage does not prove that God is the author of moral evil or sin, and any teaching that promotes such attacks the character and nature of a Holy God.

The Bible tells us that God is…
The God who sees (Genesis 16:13); God Almighty (Genesis 17:1); The Lord who provides (Genesis 22:13-14); The Lord who heals (Exodus 15:26); The Lord our Banner (Exodus 17:15); The Lord who Sanctifies (Exodus 31:13); The Lord who does not lie (Numbers 23:19); The Lord is Peace (Judges 6:24); The Lord who does not afflict (Job 37:23); The Lord our Shepherd (Psalm 23:1); The Lord who is good (Psalm 34:8); The Lord our deliverer (Psalm 34:17); The Lord who is merciful and gracious (Psalm 103:8); The Lord who is full of compassion and good to ALL (Psalm 145:8-9); The Lord our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6); The Lord who does not change (Malachi 3:6); The Lord who gives good things (Matthew 7:11); The Lord of life (John 10:10); The conqueror of Satan (Colossians 2:15); The Lord who is faithful (Hebrews 10:23); The God of love (1 John 4:16)…The conqueror of death and hell (Revelation 1:18)… To name a few…

Jesus said, "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 18:19)
The church has the keys; the church has the authority; the church has the name above all names, Jesus; the church has been endued with the power of the Holy Spirit; and the church has God's Word that is living and powerful. So, let’s take our position as the triumphant church and uphold and enforce all that Jesus did. Let us never again give Satan even an infinitesimal amount in our lives, our families nor the church and take our position in Christ as the triumphant church that we are…