Sermon Title: Spiritual Warfare #1 – Prepare for Victory; Put on your identity in Christ!
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
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.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Last week, we spoke to the most critical aspect of our entire life - our prayer life spent praying on our knees as the key to being “strong in the Lord and in His mighty power”.
To be true Christians, we must be kneeling, praying Christians; and only in that posture of faith may we find true joy, hope, and peace.
So if you are ever short of joy, hope and peace, come before God on your knees praying and drawing close to Him; and you will find that which you seek.
In our lifetime of troubles; it is imperative that we commit to a lifetime of prayer on our knees before the Lord our God; for that is how we are made strong in Him and in His Mighty Power – growing ever so deeply in faith, hope and love for our God.
If you are a Christian who kneels and prays to God in earnest, the Holy Spirit will carry your faith in Christ and you will experience the Presence, Peace and Power of God!
Our posture of faith is revealed in our life of prayer – on our knees before the Lord.
And our faith must result in the spiritual authority and supernatural ability - bestowed upon us by GOD - to take our stand against the devil’s schemes.
Indeed, kneeling before God in prayer is the most powerful weapon in the Christian arsenal against the forces of darkness and evil found in the world, and the evil found within each of us.
The Apostle Paul is emphatic, but very hopeful, in his language, making us understand that whilst we are at war with the darkness within our own hearts, we are at war with the evil one; a concurrent war that we would ultimately be victorious in, as long as we remain in Christ:
“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.
Here, we see the categorical and structural extent of evil that faces us daily.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:12-13)
In this spiritual war, Paul is equally clear what we must do, and accomplish, to be victorious.
It is precisely by putting “on the full armour of God” that we take our stand against the devil’s schemes – schemes which aim to rob us of our salvation and eternal destiny in the Kingdom of God.
In the next few weeks, we would look more deeply into the topic of Spiritual Warfare – a topic which must be one of the chief concerns of every true believer. There are spiritual mechanisms to the components of the armor of God – to which we would elucidate in the weeks to come.
For today, we need to understand that to “put on the full armor of God” is to firstly and essentially identify yourself as a member of the Lord’s Kingdom to the world around us; in modern language - it is to put on the “uniform” that clearly identifies you as a Christian; a member of God’s Kingdom, a disciple of Jesus Christ, and an agent of the Holy Spirit.
To this, we must have some basic understanding of what wearing a uniform entails.
Every army in the world has a uniform; and there are no two armies that wear the same uniform. The uniform serves to identify the wearer to both friend and foe.
Every person who wears a uniform now belongs to a body and a mission far greater than the person; and has agreed to undertake the task of representing the body and fulfilling its mission so long as the wearer dons the uniform.
Our identity and victory in Christ comes with putting on “the full armor of God”, literally putting on our uniform that identifies us as “Christian”, and reflects our utter commitment to representing God and fulfilling His Kingdom mandate.
There is no time clock on when we put on this armor; but we put on the armor of God the moment we truly gave our lives to Jesus and commit to His Commission of “making disciples of all nations” (Ref: Matthew 28:18-20) in the Power of the Holy Spirit (Ref: Acts 1:8)
Putting on – WEARING - our identity in Christ
Church, know this and know this well.
We are at war.
The world is in darkness.
The day of evil is upon us.
Have you put on your identity in Christ?
Have you clearly revealed to the world your identity in Christ?
Have you put on the armor of God – your Christian uniform – that clearly identifies you as a member of the Kingdom of God under Jesus Christ, our King?
The evil one has unleashed his demonic army into this world, pillaging and robbing most of her inhabitants of salvation and eternal life in Christ.
And we have been appointed, and sent by, Christ Jesus – our King and Savior – to “get up and stand” on our feet (Acts 26:16) - “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” (Acts 26:18)
We are tasked – in this war waged right here in the present age – to participate in the Holy Spirit’s campaign of opening the eyes of the world and turning them from darkness to light; from death to life in Christ.
Church, we are at war; whether or not we recognise this existential reality.
In the Old Testament, all wars were waged on the very basis of spiritual warfare – of proving whose God is more powerful.
Moses confronted the Pharaoh with the Power of God.
Joshua claimed the Promise Land with the Power of God.
David slayed Goliath with the Power of God.
Elijah overcame the prophets of Baal with the Power of God.
Indeed, our God is greater!
Led by the Holy Spirit, our Lord Jesus Christ began his ministry confronting the devil in the wilderness (Ref:Matthew 4:1-11); and continued to systematically dismantle and break down the structured stronghold of evil until His climatic and ultimate victory over satan and his forces of evil through His death on the Cross and resurrection from the grave.
In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Paul teaches us:
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.
On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
According to Colossians 1:13-14, God “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
There is no doubt.
Through Christ, God has rescued us, and we have been given the authority and victory to demolish strongholds and to overcome the dominion of darkness; the question remains – do we live as rescued and redeemed People of the Lord, constantly found in His Holy Presence – exuding His Light, Holiness and Righteousness in our present lives?
Differentiating the darkness within, and without.
Church, do not be confused with the darkness that is wrought by the spiritual forces of evil, and the darkness of our own hearts.
We are tasked to struggle “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.” (Ephesians 6:12)
There are spiritual forces of darkness in the world that affects our circumstances; and concurrently works to amplify the darkness within the human heart.
Nevertheless, we cannot hide from the reality of our own darkness.
Today, we will speak to the darkness within the human heart.
At the present time, we are far from perfect. We are certainly ‘works in progress’ – as we freely surrender our lives to the consecrating and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
Yet in Christ, and by the Power of the Holy Spirit, we have been given weapons that have
“divine power to demolish strongholds” in the world, and within our own lives.”
And to that, Paul charges us to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and … take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Our identity in Christ begins with victory over darkness within our own minds.
But it is not meant to be a struggle; it is meant to be an abandonment.
If we are truly found in Christ, we need not struggle with sin in our lives; for our Lord Jesus said to us all in Luke 9:23: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
We are to simply die to self - abandon and reject sin; we are to simply decide to leave the world and have nothing to do with it any longer and in any way whatsoever.
We are not meant to struggle with sin; we are meant to abandon sin.
Sin belongs entirely to the devil; the domain of evil and wickedness is the devil’s alone.
As children of God, we belong to Jesus; His Holy and Eternal Kingdom is our destiny.
In all of life, He alone is our Shepherd.
He alone provides for our every need.
He alone leads us beside peaceful waters; and refreshes our souls.
He alone guides us in the right paths for His Name’s sake.
Even though we walk through the darkest valley, He alone walks with us; His rod and His staff comfort us, and for that we need not fear evil at all.
He alone prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies; anoints our heads, and makes our cups overflow – giving us “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).
For those who truly follow Jesus, it is a done deal: for surely, goodness and love will follow you all the days of your life, as you dwell in the house of the Lord forever; forever embracing God and His Kingdom, and forever giving up, and vehemently rejecting the ways of the world.
Our struggle is not against sin, it is against the darkness within our hearts and minds.
Our struggle is against our stubborn proclivities – our carnal tendencies - which still makes us think that we can find fulfillment in the world and its wickedness; and get away with it.
There is no fulfillment to be found in this world; none whatsoever.
This world is broken; broken and governed by a sinful human race.
From this world, no good can be found.
Romans 3:23 tells us that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
And so, our struggle is not against sin, it is against the darkness within our hearts and minds.
This struggle and confrontation against the darkness within ourselves undergirds our identity in Jesus Christ, and begins our faith journey, drawing ever closer towards God.
What must we give up?
Ours is not a question about giving up sin – for, as Christians we should have already abandoned sin - it is a question about giving up our rights to ourselves; to our carnal independence, and to our self-will.
This is where the darkness must be fought within ourselves – to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Jesus; in wearing our identity in Christ.
We have to give up the natural instincts within ourselves; even the ones we consider good, noble and righteous from our human perspective – for even those are “the desires of the flesh”; as Paul teaches in Galatians 5:16-25:
“16 … walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.
They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
From this passage, we take away three key points regarding putting on our uniform in Christ.
We begin to put on our identity – our uniform/armor of God - in Christ when:
1. We see ourselves as belonging wholly to Christ Jesus – having abandoned, rejected and “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24) – in denying ourselves, taking up our crosses daily and following Jesus (Ref: Luke 9:23);
2. We live by the Holy Spirit – being led by Him to manifest His form and measure of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23);
3. We keep in step with the Holy Spirit – in confronting the darkness of the world with the light of life given to us when we follow Jesus, in actively participating in the life of the body of Christ, and actively sharing the gospel as the Spirit leads and empowers us.
Church, understand this.
The only course for victorious living – which is, victory over the darkness within – is to constantly wear your identity in Christ and never taking it off!
It is not about moral living, for morality according to the human heart is broken at best; and constantly seeks to oppose Jesus Christ and all that He has accomplished for humankind.
Such is the human brand of morality; rooted in self-idolatry, and rejecting our only hope of salvation.
Our incessant debates and conflicts over what is good for humanity opposes the best that God has in stored for us in His glorious and eternal Kingdom.
In ignoring the Sovereign Will and Rule of God through Christ Jesus, the world is ignoring the only pathway to life that it so desperately seeks.
Romans 6:23 tells us clearly: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
It is a done deal. To the true believer of Christ, sin has no hold in our lives whatsoever.
The gift of God – eternal life in Christ – is assured; for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is His promise fulfilled.
The struggle continues, but it is a struggle within the heart and mind which can only be won - when we fully put on our identity in Christ Jesus, living in the promise that those who belong to Christ Jesus have successfully “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
In Spiritual warfare, victory over darkness within, and subsequently, without - can happen only through the sacrifice of our natural selves; a sacrifice that Christ has made possible through His sacrifice for us.
We need to live by the Spirit, and keep in step with the Spirit!
Let us be even more assured of this victorious identity we have in Christ over the darkness that invades our hearts and minds - through Paul’s words in Colossians 2:6-15, entitled ‘Spiritual Fullness in Christ’:
“6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him,
7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.
He is the head over every power and authority.
11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ,
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ.
He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, this right here: is the single, most glorious, perfect and everlasting gift any human being may receive – to be made alive with Christ Jesus!
Beware of any slightest hint of doubt and unwillingness to die to self in abandoning even the smallest measure of sin; for those are the surest signs of insidious darkness making headway in your life.
Return immediately to Christ; fall on your knees in prayer and repentance.
Victory over darkness will be struggles that must mark our lives in Christ and serve to remind us constantly that we are never alone in this fight; that we are never meant to accomplish victory entirely in our own efforts but primarily with the power of the Holy Spirit upon us.
In every regard, we are given points for participation; and not progress – for progress in spiritual life comes with conscious and conscientious participation in the life of the Holy Spirit in ours.
To this, we accomplish the Will of our Father not through our works, but by our willingness to be filled with His Holy Spirit – which will ultimately result in His glorious and victorious work in, and through, our lives.
The moment we commit our lives to Christ, we will find ourselves in Spiritual warfare.
Scary as it may sound, let us prepare for war.
In fact, let us prepare for victory in this very existential war, by putting on our identity in Christ – believing that we are deeply loved by Him, and showing the world clearly, that we are His disciples!
In Christ, our victory is not later - it is now.
Put on your identity in Christ,
1. See yourself as belonging wholly to Christ Jesus – having abandoned, rejected and “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24) – in denying ourselves, taking up our crosses daily and following Jesus (Ref: Luke 9:23);
2. Daily live by the standards of the Holy Spirit – being led by Him to manifest His form and measure of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23);
3. Keep in step with the Holy Spirit and His work – in confronting the darkness of the world with the light of life given to us when we follow Jesus, in fully committing to actively participating in the life and ministry of the church, and actively sharing the gospel as the Spirit leads and empowers you.
Let us “fight the good fight of the faith”, and “take hold of the eternal life to which we were called when we made our good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12)
Let us put on the armor of God – proudly wearing our identity in Christ - and experience His victory in every battle of this Spiritual war.
Indeed, we belong to Jesus; so, let us daily live in the Power of the Holy Spirit, and believe in Jesus.
Let us be victorious over darkness by fully putting on, and living out, our identity in Christ Jesus, our Lord!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
We thank You O God, for giving us victory over darkness - through Christ Jesus, Your Son.
Lord Jesus, today, we declare that we have received You as our Lord and our God, and recommit our lives to you - resolving to continue to living our lives wholly and solely in You; rooted and built upon You, strengthened in the faith as we were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Holy Spirit, we ask for courage and wisdom to see to it that no one takes us captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
We believe that “in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ” we “have been brought to fullness.”
Lord Jesus, we acknowledge that You are the head over every power and authority.
In You, we have been set apart and made holy.
That our whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you – Lord Jesus – consecrated and cleansed us, having been buried with You in water baptism, in which we were also raised with You through our faith in the working of God, who raised You from the dead.
We believe that when we were dead in our sins and in the uncircumcision of our flesh, God made us alive with You, Lord Jesus.
Thank You, almighty God, for forgiving us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; Lord, You have taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
We believe that you have disarmed the powers and authorities of the forces of evil at work in our lives and in the world, Lord Jesus, You made a public spectacle of them, victoriously overcoming them by the cross – for that we give thanks! (Ref: Colossians 2:6-15)
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for granting us victory over the darkness within our own hearts.
Today, we declare that we will put on our identity in Christ and never take it off!
(Church, let us make this declaration together…)
Lord Jesus, my identity is found firmly rooted and established in You; and through Your victory, I have victory over the darkness, sin and guilt in my life, and I have been given the power to glorify You and to make Your Name known in the world.
1. I declare that I belong wholly to You, Lord Jesus – having abandoned, and rejected all sin in my life, having “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24) – in denying myself, taking up my cross daily and following You (Ref: Luke 9:23);
2. I declare that I am willing to daily live by the Holy Spirit – to be led solely by You to manifest Your form and measure of “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23);
3. I declare my resolve to keep in step with the Holy Spirit – in confronting the darkness of the world with the light of life given to me at the moment I decided to follow Jesus; by Your Power, Holy Spirit, I commit to actively participating in the life and the ministry of the church, and actively share the gospel as You lead and empower me.
Lord, I pray that I would live my life finding favor in Your sight; that when I meet You face to face, I would be able to say to You,
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness You – O Lord Jesus, the righteous Judge - will award to me on this day – and not only to me , but also to all who have longed for Your appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
Thank You, Almighty and Victorious God – for Your absolute victory over darkness.
May I always be found wearing the armor of God – may I always be found proudly wearing my identity in Christ - and experience Your victory in every battle of this Spiritual war.
We thank You and pray all these – on our knees - in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
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.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Last week, we spoke to the most critical aspect of our entire life - our prayer life spent praying on our knees as the key to being “strong in the Lord and in His mighty power”.
To be true Christians, we must be kneeling, praying Christians; and only in that posture of faith may we find true joy, hope, and peace.
So if you are ever short of joy, hope and peace, come before God on your knees praying and drawing close to Him; and you will find that which you seek.
In our lifetime of troubles; it is imperative that we commit to a lifetime of prayer on our knees before the Lord our God; for that is how we are made strong in Him and in His Mighty Power – growing ever so deeply in faith, hope and love for our God.
If you are a Christian who kneels and prays to God in earnest, the Holy Spirit will carry your faith in Christ and you will experience the Presence, Peace and Power of God!
Our posture of faith is revealed in our life of prayer – on our knees before the Lord.
And our faith must result in the spiritual authority and supernatural ability - bestowed upon us by GOD - to take our stand against the devil’s schemes.
Indeed, kneeling before God in prayer is the most powerful weapon in the Christian arsenal against the forces of darkness and evil found in the world, and the evil found within each of us.
The Apostle Paul is emphatic, but very hopeful, in his language, making us understand that whilst we are at war with the darkness within our own hearts, we are at war with the evil one; a concurrent war that we would ultimately be victorious in, as long as we remain in Christ:
“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.
Here, we see the categorical and structural extent of evil that faces us daily.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:12-13)
In this spiritual war, Paul is equally clear what we must do, and accomplish, to be victorious.
It is precisely by putting “on the full armour of God” that we take our stand against the devil’s schemes – schemes which aim to rob us of our salvation and eternal destiny in the Kingdom of God.
In the next few weeks, we would look more deeply into the topic of Spiritual Warfare – a topic which must be one of the chief concerns of every true believer. There are spiritual mechanisms to the components of the armor of God – to which we would elucidate in the weeks to come.
For today, we need to understand that to “put on the full armor of God” is to firstly and essentially identify yourself as a member of the Lord’s Kingdom to the world around us; in modern language - it is to put on the “uniform” that clearly identifies you as a Christian; a member of God’s Kingdom, a disciple of Jesus Christ, and an agent of the Holy Spirit.
To this, we must have some basic understanding of what wearing a uniform entails.
Every army in the world has a uniform; and there are no two armies that wear the same uniform. The uniform serves to identify the wearer to both friend and foe.
Every person who wears a uniform now belongs to a body and a mission far greater than the person; and has agreed to undertake the task of representing the body and fulfilling its mission so long as the wearer dons the uniform.
Our identity and victory in Christ comes with putting on “the full armor of God”, literally putting on our uniform that identifies us as “Christian”, and reflects our utter commitment to representing God and fulfilling His Kingdom mandate.
There is no time clock on when we put on this armor; but we put on the armor of God the moment we truly gave our lives to Jesus and commit to His Commission of “making disciples of all nations” (Ref: Matthew 28:18-20) in the Power of the Holy Spirit (Ref: Acts 1:8)
Putting on – WEARING - our identity in Christ
Church, know this and know this well.
We are at war.
The world is in darkness.
The day of evil is upon us.
Have you put on your identity in Christ?
Have you clearly revealed to the world your identity in Christ?
Have you put on the armor of God – your Christian uniform – that clearly identifies you as a member of the Kingdom of God under Jesus Christ, our King?
The evil one has unleashed his demonic army into this world, pillaging and robbing most of her inhabitants of salvation and eternal life in Christ.
And we have been appointed, and sent by, Christ Jesus – our King and Savior – to “get up and stand” on our feet (Acts 26:16) - “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” (Acts 26:18)
We are tasked – in this war waged right here in the present age – to participate in the Holy Spirit’s campaign of opening the eyes of the world and turning them from darkness to light; from death to life in Christ.
Church, we are at war; whether or not we recognise this existential reality.
In the Old Testament, all wars were waged on the very basis of spiritual warfare – of proving whose God is more powerful.
Moses confronted the Pharaoh with the Power of God.
Joshua claimed the Promise Land with the Power of God.
David slayed Goliath with the Power of God.
Elijah overcame the prophets of Baal with the Power of God.
Indeed, our God is greater!
Led by the Holy Spirit, our Lord Jesus Christ began his ministry confronting the devil in the wilderness (Ref:Matthew 4:1-11); and continued to systematically dismantle and break down the structured stronghold of evil until His climatic and ultimate victory over satan and his forces of evil through His death on the Cross and resurrection from the grave.
In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Paul teaches us:
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.
On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
According to Colossians 1:13-14, God “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
There is no doubt.
Through Christ, God has rescued us, and we have been given the authority and victory to demolish strongholds and to overcome the dominion of darkness; the question remains – do we live as rescued and redeemed People of the Lord, constantly found in His Holy Presence – exuding His Light, Holiness and Righteousness in our present lives?
Differentiating the darkness within, and without.
Church, do not be confused with the darkness that is wrought by the spiritual forces of evil, and the darkness of our own hearts.
We are tasked to struggle “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.” (Ephesians 6:12)
There are spiritual forces of darkness in the world that affects our circumstances; and concurrently works to amplify the darkness within the human heart.
Nevertheless, we cannot hide from the reality of our own darkness.
Today, we will speak to the darkness within the human heart.
At the present time, we are far from perfect. We are certainly ‘works in progress’ – as we freely surrender our lives to the consecrating and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
Yet in Christ, and by the Power of the Holy Spirit, we have been given weapons that have
“divine power to demolish strongholds” in the world, and within our own lives.”
And to that, Paul charges us to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and … take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Our identity in Christ begins with victory over darkness within our own minds.
But it is not meant to be a struggle; it is meant to be an abandonment.
If we are truly found in Christ, we need not struggle with sin in our lives; for our Lord Jesus said to us all in Luke 9:23: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
We are to simply die to self - abandon and reject sin; we are to simply decide to leave the world and have nothing to do with it any longer and in any way whatsoever.
We are not meant to struggle with sin; we are meant to abandon sin.
Sin belongs entirely to the devil; the domain of evil and wickedness is the devil’s alone.
As children of God, we belong to Jesus; His Holy and Eternal Kingdom is our destiny.
In all of life, He alone is our Shepherd.
He alone provides for our every need.
He alone leads us beside peaceful waters; and refreshes our souls.
He alone guides us in the right paths for His Name’s sake.
Even though we walk through the darkest valley, He alone walks with us; His rod and His staff comfort us, and for that we need not fear evil at all.
He alone prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies; anoints our heads, and makes our cups overflow – giving us “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).
For those who truly follow Jesus, it is a done deal: for surely, goodness and love will follow you all the days of your life, as you dwell in the house of the Lord forever; forever embracing God and His Kingdom, and forever giving up, and vehemently rejecting the ways of the world.
Our struggle is not against sin, it is against the darkness within our hearts and minds.
Our struggle is against our stubborn proclivities – our carnal tendencies - which still makes us think that we can find fulfillment in the world and its wickedness; and get away with it.
There is no fulfillment to be found in this world; none whatsoever.
This world is broken; broken and governed by a sinful human race.
From this world, no good can be found.
Romans 3:23 tells us that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
And so, our struggle is not against sin, it is against the darkness within our hearts and minds.
This struggle and confrontation against the darkness within ourselves undergirds our identity in Jesus Christ, and begins our faith journey, drawing ever closer towards God.
What must we give up?
Ours is not a question about giving up sin – for, as Christians we should have already abandoned sin - it is a question about giving up our rights to ourselves; to our carnal independence, and to our self-will.
This is where the darkness must be fought within ourselves – to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Jesus; in wearing our identity in Christ.
We have to give up the natural instincts within ourselves; even the ones we consider good, noble and righteous from our human perspective – for even those are “the desires of the flesh”; as Paul teaches in Galatians 5:16-25:
“16 … walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.
They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
From this passage, we take away three key points regarding putting on our uniform in Christ.
We begin to put on our identity – our uniform/armor of God - in Christ when:
1. We see ourselves as belonging wholly to Christ Jesus – having abandoned, rejected and “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24) – in denying ourselves, taking up our crosses daily and following Jesus (Ref: Luke 9:23);
2. We live by the Holy Spirit – being led by Him to manifest His form and measure of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23);
3. We keep in step with the Holy Spirit – in confronting the darkness of the world with the light of life given to us when we follow Jesus, in actively participating in the life of the body of Christ, and actively sharing the gospel as the Spirit leads and empowers us.
Church, understand this.
The only course for victorious living – which is, victory over the darkness within – is to constantly wear your identity in Christ and never taking it off!
It is not about moral living, for morality according to the human heart is broken at best; and constantly seeks to oppose Jesus Christ and all that He has accomplished for humankind.
Such is the human brand of morality; rooted in self-idolatry, and rejecting our only hope of salvation.
Our incessant debates and conflicts over what is good for humanity opposes the best that God has in stored for us in His glorious and eternal Kingdom.
In ignoring the Sovereign Will and Rule of God through Christ Jesus, the world is ignoring the only pathway to life that it so desperately seeks.
Romans 6:23 tells us clearly: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
It is a done deal. To the true believer of Christ, sin has no hold in our lives whatsoever.
The gift of God – eternal life in Christ – is assured; for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is His promise fulfilled.
The struggle continues, but it is a struggle within the heart and mind which can only be won - when we fully put on our identity in Christ Jesus, living in the promise that those who belong to Christ Jesus have successfully “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
In Spiritual warfare, victory over darkness within, and subsequently, without - can happen only through the sacrifice of our natural selves; a sacrifice that Christ has made possible through His sacrifice for us.
We need to live by the Spirit, and keep in step with the Spirit!
Let us be even more assured of this victorious identity we have in Christ over the darkness that invades our hearts and minds - through Paul’s words in Colossians 2:6-15, entitled ‘Spiritual Fullness in Christ’:
“6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him,
7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.
He is the head over every power and authority.
11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ,
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ.
He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, this right here: is the single, most glorious, perfect and everlasting gift any human being may receive – to be made alive with Christ Jesus!
Beware of any slightest hint of doubt and unwillingness to die to self in abandoning even the smallest measure of sin; for those are the surest signs of insidious darkness making headway in your life.
Return immediately to Christ; fall on your knees in prayer and repentance.
Victory over darkness will be struggles that must mark our lives in Christ and serve to remind us constantly that we are never alone in this fight; that we are never meant to accomplish victory entirely in our own efforts but primarily with the power of the Holy Spirit upon us.
In every regard, we are given points for participation; and not progress – for progress in spiritual life comes with conscious and conscientious participation in the life of the Holy Spirit in ours.
To this, we accomplish the Will of our Father not through our works, but by our willingness to be filled with His Holy Spirit – which will ultimately result in His glorious and victorious work in, and through, our lives.
The moment we commit our lives to Christ, we will find ourselves in Spiritual warfare.
Scary as it may sound, let us prepare for war.
In fact, let us prepare for victory in this very existential war, by putting on our identity in Christ – believing that we are deeply loved by Him, and showing the world clearly, that we are His disciples!
In Christ, our victory is not later - it is now.
Put on your identity in Christ,
1. See yourself as belonging wholly to Christ Jesus – having abandoned, rejected and “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24) – in denying ourselves, taking up our crosses daily and following Jesus (Ref: Luke 9:23);
2. Daily live by the standards of the Holy Spirit – being led by Him to manifest His form and measure of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23);
3. Keep in step with the Holy Spirit and His work – in confronting the darkness of the world with the light of life given to us when we follow Jesus, in fully committing to actively participating in the life and ministry of the church, and actively sharing the gospel as the Spirit leads and empowers you.
Let us “fight the good fight of the faith”, and “take hold of the eternal life to which we were called when we made our good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12)
Let us put on the armor of God – proudly wearing our identity in Christ - and experience His victory in every battle of this Spiritual war.
Indeed, we belong to Jesus; so, let us daily live in the Power of the Holy Spirit, and believe in Jesus.
Let us be victorious over darkness by fully putting on, and living out, our identity in Christ Jesus, our Lord!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
We thank You O God, for giving us victory over darkness - through Christ Jesus, Your Son.
Lord Jesus, today, we declare that we have received You as our Lord and our God, and recommit our lives to you - resolving to continue to living our lives wholly and solely in You; rooted and built upon You, strengthened in the faith as we were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Holy Spirit, we ask for courage and wisdom to see to it that no one takes us captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
We believe that “in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ” we “have been brought to fullness.”
Lord Jesus, we acknowledge that You are the head over every power and authority.
In You, we have been set apart and made holy.
That our whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you – Lord Jesus – consecrated and cleansed us, having been buried with You in water baptism, in which we were also raised with You through our faith in the working of God, who raised You from the dead.
We believe that when we were dead in our sins and in the uncircumcision of our flesh, God made us alive with You, Lord Jesus.
Thank You, almighty God, for forgiving us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; Lord, You have taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
We believe that you have disarmed the powers and authorities of the forces of evil at work in our lives and in the world, Lord Jesus, You made a public spectacle of them, victoriously overcoming them by the cross – for that we give thanks! (Ref: Colossians 2:6-15)
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for granting us victory over the darkness within our own hearts.
Today, we declare that we will put on our identity in Christ and never take it off!
(Church, let us make this declaration together…)
Lord Jesus, my identity is found firmly rooted and established in You; and through Your victory, I have victory over the darkness, sin and guilt in my life, and I have been given the power to glorify You and to make Your Name known in the world.
1. I declare that I belong wholly to You, Lord Jesus – having abandoned, and rejected all sin in my life, having “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24) – in denying myself, taking up my cross daily and following You (Ref: Luke 9:23);
2. I declare that I am willing to daily live by the Holy Spirit – to be led solely by You to manifest Your form and measure of “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23);
3. I declare my resolve to keep in step with the Holy Spirit – in confronting the darkness of the world with the light of life given to me at the moment I decided to follow Jesus; by Your Power, Holy Spirit, I commit to actively participating in the life and the ministry of the church, and actively share the gospel as You lead and empower me.
Lord, I pray that I would live my life finding favor in Your sight; that when I meet You face to face, I would be able to say to You,
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness You – O Lord Jesus, the righteous Judge - will award to me on this day – and not only to me , but also to all who have longed for Your appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
Thank You, Almighty and Victorious God – for Your absolute victory over darkness.
May I always be found wearing the armor of God – may I always be found proudly wearing my identity in Christ - and experience Your victory in every battle of this Spiritual war.
We thank You and pray all these – on our knees - in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.