Waring or Ruling

Some may remember that during the period from about 1985 until about 1995 the idea of spiritual warfare had become the focus of teaching, preaching and music in many sectors of the church. However, in the same sectors of the church many have overemphasize it and have taught it from an extra biblical perspective resulting in one of two things. First, many believers become fearful and apprehensive if one mentions the devil, demons, and evil spirits and their activities, so this group of believers believe it would be better not to ever mention the devil or evil spirits. On the other hand other believers feel that the church should take a militant posture and wage warfare against principalities, powers, might and dominions over geographic areas. Now what I am about to say may shock some who have taken either of these positions, but is either of these positions biblically sound?

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices." (2 Corinthians 2:11) "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7) Well if the church does not teach believers from the Word of God how to deal with the devil, the enemy will just run rampant in their lives because they won't know that they have authority over the devil and his forces. Therefore, being fearful and not talking about or dealing with the devil and demons is certainly not biblically sound. So, what about taking a militant posture and waging warfare against principalities, powers, might and dominions, especially over geographic areas?

Interestingly enough, studying the New Testament, especially the epistles, it is amazing how seldom the words war and warfare are mentioned and when they are mentioned the devil is not spoken of in connection with either of these words. For instance, "Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?" (1 Corinthians 9:7) Paul isn't referring to combating the devil. In context with what Paul is conveying to the church, he is simply making the point that ministers should be adequately paid. Next, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,  and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

This is one of the passages of scripture that has been widely used and applied in battling demons over cities and countries, that is, geographic areas. But it's clear, when taken in context, Paul is talking about something different. The casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God are not over geographic area but over believers own thoughts and imaginations. Paul is admonishing believers to take control of their thoughts so they can prevent the devil's lies from getting a stronghold in their minds. He is telling the church that the truth of God's Word is a spiritual force mighty enough to overcome the lies and deception Satan tries to bring against the believers mind to bring them into bondage.

Looking on, we see, "This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck." (1 Timothy 1:18-19) Here, Paul is simply telling Timothy to stay in the fight of faith and fulfill the call of God in his life. Again, the devil is not mentioned in these scriptures. Next, "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier." (2 Timothy 2:3-4) Once again, this has nothing to do with the devil. Paul is simply instructing Timothy to stay committed to the call of God in his life regardless of the cost. To be a good soldier for Christ it takes discipline and dedication.

Finally, the other main text used and applied to battling demons over geographic areas is found in Ephesians. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore…" (Ephesians 6:10-14a) (Note: the rest of verse 14 thru verse 17 talks about the various pieces of spiritual armor which I will not address at this time)

As we can clearly see, first and foremost believers are "to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" by putting on the whole armor of God. Here Paul uses the word “wrestle.” There is a vast difference between wrestling and fighting a war. First, the word wrestle not only describes a struggle, but it describes it in a figurative sense as to the spiritual conflict engaged by believers over evil. To take the thought of wrestling out further, according to Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, the word "wrestle" here is, "to sway." So, the inference here is, if we let him, the devil will try to sway us away from “Fighting the good fight of faith,” to falling prey to doubt, and unbelief concerning God’s Word. This was the very tactic that the devil used in the Garden. The serpent swayed the woman from the truth, that is, what God said, by asking her, "Has God indeed said..." This created an argument as she reasoned in her mind, "Has God indeed said." Her mind now created arguments against the knowledge, the truth, of God. Simply put, the devil swayed the woman from believing God.

Believers do not have to overpower and overcome the devil, that is, wrestle with him in their own strength, we simply wrestle demonic forces by our faith in God's Word from a position of victory and triumph, not fear or being militant. Why? Because we are seated with Christ and have authority over them in Christ. (Ephesians 1:18-23, 2:4-10) Therefore, the only wrestling we engage in, is what Paul told Timothy, "fight the good fight of faith." Finally, Paul tells us "to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore…" This very posture is found throughout the Pauline Epistles. We see, "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13),  “…for by faith you stand." (2 Corinthians 1:24) "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand." (Romans 5:1-2) "That you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27) "Stand fast in the Lord, beloved." (Philippians 4:1)

Simply put, the believers posture against the wiles of the devil is to stand firm in faith, in grace, in one spirit, in the power of God’s might, that is, His Word, as victors, putting a stop to all the devils schemes in every circumstance that we may encounter. 

Let The Race Begin

Racing on any level is defined as, competing with another or others to see who is fastest at covering a set course or achieving an objective; to move or progress swiftly or at full speed. Toward the end of the Apostle Paul's life on planet earth, he tell Timothy, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:6-7) "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering," conveys the idea that for Paul, there was nothing more remaining to be done but to die. The fact that he was about to die, was his way to convey to Timothy the reason why Timothy should faithfully carry out the duties to which he was also called to fulfill in and through Christ. Paul was about to leave the work which he loved, to which he had devoted his life to, and he was anxious that they who were to succeed him should carry on the work with the same the energy and zeal that he had for Christ and the work which Christ called him to. 

"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering" also carries the idea that Paul was in the condition of a sacrifice on whose head the wine and oil had been already poured, and which was just about to be put to death. Every preparation had been made, and he waited for the blow which was to strike him down. Paul understood that Christ was the true sacrifice, he was simply saying that his death was about to occur and nothing more remained to be done but to die. Next, Paul says, "and the time of my departure is at hand." Departure; an unloosing (as of things woven); a dissolving (into separate parts). It is used as a metaphor drawn from loosing a ship from moorings in preparation to setting sail. The idea in the use of the word departure would be, that Paul had been bound to the present world, like a ship to its moorings, and that death would be a release. With such a view of death, why should a Christian fear dying?

Next, Paul says, "I have fought a good fight." The believers life is often represented as a conflict, or warfare. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 6:10-13) Paul tells us that in the conflict with sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil, he was able to maintain a strong front over them all in and through Christ and the power of His might. Paul was likening the fight in the natural sense of the contests at the Grecian games; I have wrestled that good wrestling; I have struggled hard, and have overcome, in a most honorable cause. "I have finished the race." The Christian life is often represented as a race to be run. (Hebrews 12:1) In a sense, for Paul, his life for Christ was a personal race, a mission for Christ, outperforming all the competitors, have crossed the goal line and winning the prize. He had completed the work that Christ had given him. "I have kept the faith." Paul was declaring that his course for Christ had no detours. That he steadfastly maintained his faith in Christ and his work of spreading the gospel, faithfully serving his Lord.

Like the Apostle Paul, all believers are in a conflict. The conflict is between two kingdoms that diametrically oppose one another. The Kingdom Of God; the kingdom of Satan; The Kingdom of Light; the kingdom of darkness; The Kingdom of life; the kingdom of death and every person will be a servant to one of them. Who do you really serve? Can you say the same things that we see the Apostle Paul saying in the above verses? Is our service to Christ one of works to gain something from Him, or is it a work of faith working through love (Galatians 5:6) with a willingness to lose everything for Him. This was the heart of the Apostle Paul. Paul tells us, "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:7-8) 

Do we desire to gain Christ over all or as Paul states, "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? His answer is, "For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bond servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10) The Lord is once again calling to His people to faith, that is...
Forsaking  
All
I 
Take  
Him
This is the very reason why the Apostle Paul could honestly say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." He let his life go, and identified solely with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I want to encourage us to do the same. Jesus said, "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25) So, let us let go of this life, and remember, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." (Hebrews 12:1-2) In doing so, we will find the abundant life that Jesus has for us...