1 Samuel Series Wk 24 - “Well Done, Isn’t for Steaks”

  The Olympics are a treasure trove of people who overcome odds to take home gold. Stories abound of athletes who have worked tirelessly over years to be able to prove themeless against some of the greatest competitors of their generation.

One such story was the runner, John Stephen Akhwari. Akhwari was a Tanzanian marathon runner, who represented his country in the 1968 Olympics, which were held in Mexico. Akhwari’s story begins like the other racers. He got up to the the starting line and took off with the pack. He wasn’t a favorite to win, due to the high altitude, but that didn’t stop him from trying. But, at around the ninth kilometer, something happened. Several of the runners jostled for position, and in the aftermath, Akhwari fell. Hitting the pavement with his shoulder and knee, be began to bleed. Medical attention was given, and though he was encouraged to stop, he kept going. Jogging, walking, and limping his way towards the finish line, Akhwari  kept going. In the end, out of the fifty-seven competitors who finished the race, he finished last. First place came in at 2:20:26, while Akhwari come in at 3:25:27. Though the crowd was small by the time he crossed the finish line, cheers erupted that he finished his race. Afterwards, when asked why he kept running, he answered with these famous words, “My country did not send me 10,000 miles just to start the race; they sent me to finish the race.”

And it’s this idea of fishing the race that brings us to our final chapter, and week in our summer series of First Samuel, where we’ll be reading through the final chapter, chapter 31, starting in verse 1. But before we get into that, let’s briefly talked about the three sections that we have covered through this book. 

The first section we covered focused on Samuel the final judge in the era before the monarchy. Through Samuel’s life, we saw a man who lived out the call of God even when it was difficult. From his first prophetic message to Eli about how he and his sons were going to be judged by God, to him watching as the nation of Israel turned away from God as their king to embrace a human, Samuel stayed focus on enacting the will of God through it all. It’s from this section that we understood that, God calls all of his people to abide in his holy will. No matter the situation, his will is what matters for our lives. 

In the second section, we saw the beginning of the monarchy with Saul. Saul started off good, but quickly began spiraling into sin. Instead of fulfilling his role as an under-king to God, Saul became more and more focused on solidifying his own power. He did this, not by his military might, but by taking credit and associating himself with whoever was seen by the people as doing well. We saw in Saul a person who rejected the will of God and rebelled against him. From this section we understood that, God calls us to freely accept his will, and not rebel against him, because there are consequences for being outside the will of God. When Saul rebelled against God, he did so on his own intuitive and today, we’ll see the final consequence of that rebellion. 

Finally, in the last section, we have seen the rise of David. From his anointing by Samuel, to his fleeing from Saul and living among the Philistines. Through David’s battles, his sparing of Saul’s life twice, and his ability to listen to wise council, we saw the good and kingly things David could do as he followed God. We also saw how his lies led to other people’s deaths. Through it all, we saw how, God desires us to eagerly follow him in humble trust that is confident that he will work things out as we seek and obey him, with a return mentality of repentance. David and Saul are not too different from each other, but the key difference was their desire to return to God and have his will be done. 

With the whole book of First Samuel summed up in our minds, we can read the final chapter. Let’s read, First Samuel 31:1 together. 

1 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 6 Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. 7 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them.

8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 11 But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. 13 And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

The book of First Samuel ends on a down note, much like the book of Judges. What started with Samuel seeking the will of God, ends with the chosen king of Israel dying at the hands of Israel’s enemies. And not only that, but Saul ends his life by falling on his own sword. But not only does the king die, three of his sons die as well. One of which, Jonathan, if his father was a better king, would have most likely led Israel in a godly way. But even this possible outcome falls, because of the sins of his father. Saul and his sons’ deaths conclude Samuel’s final prophecy from beyond the grave, which was uttered in First Samuel 28:19.

And with this conclusion, a glimmer of hope from the book of Ruth shines. The awaited king, David, can now take his place, and whose story we’ll pick up in, with the Lord’s allowance, next summer. 

Since this final chapter is so short and to the point, what can we walk away from it with? The simple answer is to understand how God wants us to end our stories. 

Samuel ended his story by being faithful his whole life. He, unlike other judges, was what God desired from his people. To work justly with each other, to be humble, and to seek after God’s will over their own. Saul, on the other hand, ended his life with his will square in his face. In his last rebellious action, he did not even let those that were sent as a judgment against him to take his life. Instead, with an almost thumbing of the nose to God, Saul kills himself. And yet, even then, God’s prophetic word rings true. Saul died and so did his sons. Saul’s life ends in failure. His rule, which God called him to, ends without even a true seconded generation of heirs to take it over. And all that Saul had worked and bleed for, God has given to another. 

Saul is a tragic figure in the Scriptures. On the outside, he had all the looks of a king, but on the inside, he allowed his sin to run rampant, and it destroyed the people around him. Saul is a case study for the believer who desires to follow God. If we desire God, then we need to learn to seek him instead of rebelling. To submit to God’s word and his will. To look to God’s kingdom rather than our own.

Paul wrote these important words in Second Timothy 4:1-8 as he was coming to the end of his life, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. But as for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

Believer, we are called to be about our Father’s business. To think and focus on his kingdom. To be prepared at all times to speak the truth of his Gospel, and to stand unmoving, ready to die, for what we hold true in Christ Jesus. When we do this, we finish the race strong. 

Saul started off well enough. He did the things Samuel told him to do, but slowly Saul’s focus shifted from God to himself. As believers, it’s not simply how we start this walk with Christ, it’s how we end it that matters.

To the churches in Asian minor, Jesus used this phrase seven times, “To the one who conquers … (See Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21)” Christ doesn’t just call us to have a mental belief that he is God, or a mental belief that he rose from the grave. No, Jesus calls us to a life where his Lordship is over us. Where we live out his call. Where the conquering he did on the cross, is shown through our lives at our last breath. Where we face death as victors, because we have the Victor over us.

It is in that moment that, when the battle of this life ends and the dust settles, that those who have not just said they believe in Jesus, but have trust him with their lives, stand before him and hear the most important words a disciple of Christ could ever hear, “… Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. (Matthew 25:23)”

Today, as we reflect on the life of Saul, let us not get it into our mind that a simple cognitive belief is what Jesus desires from us. The word belief in the Scriptures does not lend itself to such a simplistic idea. Belief that Jesus calls us to is a life where our will is laid down, and his will is taken up. It is where his life was given that he may receive our lives. Where we look back with our dying breath and proclaim, “Not I, but Christ has lived my life.” 

Saul shows us that a life can be either submitted to God, or rebel against him. Let us, who proclaim to follow Christ, truly do just that. Live, not for self, but for Christ.

My challenge for you this week is to take your belief before Jesus and wrestle with him. Ask him if you merely have a head knowledge of him, and if you do, seek him to have that knowledge transferred to your heart. That his grace would abound in you, and his life and will would supplant yours.

Let us be a people who are faithfully running the race set out before us, and look forward to the words of our Savior, “Well done.” Amen.

1 Samuel Series Wk 23 - “God’s Invitation to Restoration”

  Mr. And Mrs. Burke were sitting in their family room one evening. The husband was reading the newspaper while, his wife knitted. Mr. Burke let out a little chuckle when he noticed that in the paper there was a man named Patrick Burke who was getting married. He shared this with his wife, and she laughed to. Their son was named Patrick, but they knew it couldn’t be their Patrick, because he was returning from military duty and they were to pick him up the next day. But they thought it was funny enough to clip the announcement out and take it with them when they picked up their son the next day. Their plan was to give him a hard time about the whole situation. However, their jaws dropped when they saw their son stepping out off of the plane with a newborn in his arms and an unknown lady standing next to him. 

The confusion was quickly cleared up when Patrick informed his parents that he was merely helping the new mother with the baby because the tarmac was wet. The parents were relieved and Patrick chucked at this little homecoming mix up.

Homecoming stories are some of the most satisfying tales. No matter if it’s home for the holidays or coming back from war, the joy of returning to family is something that captures people’s hearts.

And it’s this idea of being able to return that brings us back to our series in First Samuel, where we’ll be picking it back up in First Samuel chapter 29, verse 1. As we jump back into First Samuel 29:1, let’s do a quick refresher on where we are.

As we entered the third section of First Samuel, we were introduced to David, God’s chosen king to lead Israel. Through David’s introduction, we walked away with understanding that, God desires us to eagerly follow him in humble trust that is confident that he will work things out as we seek and obey him.

Following David’s introduction we saw how Saul continued to spiraled into sin so deep that when he sought God, God was silent. This was because Saul was seeking God for his own purposes and not God’s. This is when Saul went to a medium to contact Samuel who had recently died. It was through this interaction that we walked away with the understanding that, God calls us to rely solely on him to experience the spiritual, because the spiritual realm is skewed to us, and his goals are for our benefit.

Then last week, we took a brief detour to understand the spiritual battle around us. We talked about the three foes: our flesh, the enemy, and the world, and the oppressive battle we all face. From last week, we came to the understanding that, God does not want us to be lackadaisical in the spiritual battle, but to seek him in preparation for it.

With all this refreshed in our minds, we can jump back into First Samuel, 29:1, where we’ll be looking at two of the final three chapters. Let’s read starting in verse 1 of chapter 29.

1 Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. 2 As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, 3 the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” 4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. 7 So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” 8 And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ 10 Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.” 11 So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

v.29:1-11

In the last chapter, the catalyst for Saul going to the medium was that the Philistines were coming out to war against the Israelites. Saul didn’t know what to do because God was silent. Now, we learn about what was happening to David at this same time. 

As the Philistines gathered people from their various cities, David and his men came out to help Achish who was kind of like their patron at this time. However, the other Philistine commanders were not comfortable with David being a part of their attack on Israel. This was because of David’s reputation as an effective warrior for Saul, and it caused them to reject him, especially as someone bringing up their rear.

One thing we need to see here is that Achish was blinded to what David was actually doing. Achish says he has seen nothing wrong with David, and yet, David has been raiding everyone except the Philistines and Israelites. That Achish doesn’t see that David hasn’t been truthful with him, is a testament to Achish not being able to see the obvious threat David posed that everyone else saw. The deceitfulness of David needs to be acknowledged as a bad point for David, because this bad and good of David becomes a cycle of his.

At the end of the chapter, when told of the situation, David agrees to return to the city he was working out of.

v.30:1-20

Following this, in the first twenty verses of chapter 30, we find out that the city that David had been working out of, was ransacked. All the people, livestock, and goods were carried off by a raiding party of the Amalekites. Remember, Saul was supposed to break the Amalekites early in the book, but he didn’t. So his sin has now affected David. But David had been raiding people like the Amalekites himself, so they’re just returning the favor. 

It is here that we get a good point from David. He seeks God to see if he should go after the raiders. It might seem like an obvious “yes,” but even in David’s loss, to seek God first is the answer. Something that Saul stopped doing, hence why God was silent to him.

We’re then told that six hundred men take off to go after the raiding party, but two hundred stayed behind at a brook because they were exhausted. The remaining four hundred capture an Egyptian servant of the Amalekites, who gave them their location, and David’s men recapture all that was lost to them.

v.30:21-25

It’s after the raiding party is defeated, and David and his men return, that we pick up the passage once again in verse 21 of chapter 30.

21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” 23 But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24 Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.” 25 And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day.

Upon returning to the other men, we’re told that “… wicked and worthless fellows …” who were a part of the victory did not want to give any spoils to those who stayed behind. Here’s that word again, “worthless.” These men had their sights set on evil things, in this case their distain for those who stayed behind. They went to battle, they put their life on the line, they won the fight, and so they should be the one’s who get the spoils.

However, David sets a precedent here, that anyone and everyone will receive their share of spoils, because it’s not only on the front lines where battles are won. All those who play supporting roles, aid in their own way to bring about victory. In this case, those who stayed behind still helped by being a backup guard if the battle had gone poorly.

This interaction reminds me of Matthew 20:1-16 and Jesus’ Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. In that parable, Jesus talks about the owner of a vineyard who hired some people on at an agreed upon wage. Later in the day, the owner hires more people. At the end of the day, everyone gets paid the same amount. Those at the beginning protest that the others received the same pay, but it is the owner’s choice in what he pays. 

Here we see a similar situation. Though the two hundred men did not fight in the battle, they still did work, just a different type, and David was willing to share the spoils with them as well.

Here’s another good point for David as he shows that he makes a good king, by showing compassion and wise governing.

v.30:26-30

In the final five verses, we’re told that David not only shares the spoils with those that are around him, but also with others who were most likely affected by the raiders. David’s story in First Samuel, ends with a kingly action, which sets up his eventual coronation in the next book. 

Walking away from this passage, we can see the key characteristic that will cycle through David’s life. He does sinful things, and he does righteous things. He lied to Achish to save his own skin, but he sought God and shared the spoils. 

And this is why God is willing to use David for his purposes. David isn’t a perfect person. He lies, cheats, and steals. Yet, he turns back to God. He humbles himself before the Lord and the Lord uses him to work out the plans he has for the coming savior, Jesus. 

David’s life, is one that shows that God’s desire for his people is that they continually return to him, even when they mess up. This is the key difference between Judas and Peter. Both betray and reject Jesus in their own way. Judas for silver and with a kiss he betrays Jesus. Peter to save his own life, and with his words of rejection. The difference is, Judas doesn’t return to Jesus, but takes his own life. Peter, on the other hand embraces Jesus’ restoration and goes on to be a prominent leader in the early Church.

It’s a similar situation with Saul and David. Saul will not return to God, he just wants to use him. While David will return to God for God’s work.

And it’s this return that God wants. God desires that his people have a return mentality. When we sin, we return in humbleness, seeking the restoration of relationship. Later, through the prophet Joel, God would say this, “‘Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.’ Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster (Joel 2:12-13).”

No matter what we have done, or how far we have strayed, God’s intention is to restore us, that we may experience his freeing life. So this week, my challenge is that we each solidify a return mentality. Seek the Holy Spirit to break through any deceitful thoughts that tell you, “God doesn’t want you," or that, “You’ve done to many things wrong for his forgiveness.” No, if God could forgive David for his lying, which led to a whole town being killed, he can forgive, what we deem in our own lives, as unforgivable.

Let us rest this week in the great grace of God, whose desire is our restoration. Amen. 

1 Samuel Series Wk 22 - “Spiritual Fortification”

  When Marika and I we’re in college we were a part of a team called Redding Street Ministry. It was a group of college students from Simpson University that would go out into the community and share the Gospel and pray for people. The most interesting encounter I had was when we walked into a Barnes and Noble Bookstore. I went over to the religious and spiritual section and met a disheveled man. He had greying hair and was slightly hunched over. We began to talk about what he was looking at and the conversation was brought to Jesus. Never in my life up to that point had I ever seen the change in someone so drastically. The man’s eyes went from clear to dark, as if someone took a drop of paint and placed it in his eyes. His attitude towards me changed as well and the conversation abruptly ended. It was the first time that I had recognized the demonic in someone else.

 

This brings us back to summer series in the book of First Samuel, where we are taking a week to explore deeper into the spiritual realm that was brought up last week, when we read about how Saul met with the medium at En-dor.

Last week we talked about how mediums, diviners, and necromancers were outlawed in Israel because they were those who sought a power outside of God. However, we talked about how seeking that power opens us up to being manipulated by spiritual beings who only allow us to see glimpses of the spiritual as they call us away from God. 

This is why we need to seek the Lord, because he is out for our best interest. God seeks us to live his life, an abundant life, which will bring about true fulfillment. Whereas the spirits in rebellion against God, only seek our downfall. 

We ended with the quote from C.S. Lewis, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”

We don’t want to become obsessive with the realm of evil sprits, yet we do not want to be blind to it either. What God wants us to be, is right where he decides: Trusting him, and standing firm against the enemy. Because of this we’re going to look briefly at what the Scriptures reveal about the enemy and how we are to respond.

First, let’s get to know our enemy. Teams watch film before going against an opponent so nothing surprises them on the field. That’s what we’re doing here.

There are three foes that we need to be aware of. The first is the most prolific, it’s the closest, and it’s what the other two use to undermine our lives. 

Foe one is our flesh. Paul writes extensively about what the flesh is in the Book of Romans, which we’re only going to read a portion of. Starting in Chapter 7, verse 13, we read, “7:13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

“21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

“8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

“9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”

Our flesh, which are the sinful desires that call to us from within us, are the greatest battles we face. The desire to do the things that God says not to, is a struggle that we face moment by moment. Too often we give credit to Satan or a demon for what is really our own wants apart from God. Outside of Christ, the flesh runs rampant. Our desires grow into cravings, and those cravings lead to perpetual sin. This is what we see in Saul’s life. Desire for a kingdom, leads to cravings of hoarding his own power, and he experiences a spiral of sin. We are powerless against the flesh, falling prey to it time and time again.

When we accept Christ, however, the power of the flesh over us is broken. The Holy Spirit of God dwells in us and now battles the flesh. We aid in this battle through prayer, worship of God, and practicing other spiritual disciplines as we bring our lives as a living sacrifice before God (Rom. 12:1-2).

The second foe is Satan and his demons, what I like to simply call the enemy. The Scripture condenses the terminology and exemplifies it into focusing on the devil. 1 Peter 5:8 reads, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Jesus in John 8:44, calls the religious leaders, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

James the half brother of Jesus writes in James 4:7-8, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

And John the Apostles writes in his first letter, “Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother (1 Jn. 3:7-10).”

Satan and his fallen angels are at work in the world. They are deceivers and liars, and they play off of our flesh to tempt us into following anything other than God. The enemy’s goal is not to make us Satanists, but to keep us away from God. Whether it be one of the many other religions of the world, or a rejection of the supernatural in general, or just someone who is apathetic towards God. Any position other than in the fold of God is the enemy’s goal.

But the enemy knows that their time is short, for as Revelation 20:10 states, “… and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” This is why, as we draw closer to Christ’s return, the demonic will unleash itself more and more, to take as many down as it can.

The final foe is the world. Paul is his spiritual battle call in Ephesians 6:10-12 writes, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” The enemy is in the world. Behind the corruption we see, or the wars that rage. Behind the drug and slave traffickers. Behind the local, state, and nation governments. Behind petty squabbles of neighbors and civil unrest, it is the culmination of the flesh of the individual and the enemy, which create unseen puppeteers guiding this world away from God.

Jesus said this of the world in John 15:18-21 - “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. iIf they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”

John the Apostle adds to this thought, “Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you (1 Jn. 3:13).”

The world, as a culmination of the work of our flesh and the work of the enemy hates the God who made it and stands in rebellion against its Creator and yet, God has not yet abandon it. The words of Christ state his love, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (Jn. 3:16).” Though the world is in rebellion, God is still working to bring all those who would accept into his eternal life. That they would be in the world but not of it (Jn 17:16).

With the three foes we face understood, let’s briefly talk about the battle. Three are two stages of the battle: the oppression and the possession.

Every single human is under oppression in some way. For the non-believer it’s an unrecognized pressing of the enemy, utilizing the flesh to manipulate as they are being led further away from God. Oppression in the non-believer’s life can come out as them saying, “I don’t want to hear about Jesus,” “I have my own beliefs,” “Everyone has their own thing.” They are like those, who at the end of the Book of Judges states as, “… Everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Jdgs 21:25).”

Oppression unchecked can eventually lead to possession. Possession happens when the life of the oppressed removes itself from the light of Christ. This possessive state can happen to a person, or because of their actions as authority in another’s life, it can happen to those under their care, such as children as can be seen in the boy’s life in Mark 9:14-29. Yet, there is still hope in either case. No one is without hope as long as they still have breath to confess Jesus as Lord.

However, for the believer, possession is off the table, for as the Apostle John states, “… he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 Jn 4:4).” But oppression is still there. There are two types of stances to be in the oppression of the believer. First is the lackadaisical stance. Here we allow our flesh to be fed, while starving the Spirit. The enemy has room to tempt and manipulate. That is a dangerous place to be as it mars our witness and brings shame upon God. When the believer is lackadaisical in the battle against the enemy’s oppression, they are seen as hypocrites. They are more focused on rules, and grace seems to be a foreign concept.

The second stance is where God wants us. John the Apostles writes, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error (1 Jn 4:1-6).”

There is only one Spirit that matters and that’s the Holy Spirit. Any other spirit, that presents itself to us, whether angel or demon, has no place if they try to usurp the position of God’s Spirit. To know the difference, one way is to see if the spirit we are dealing with will confess that Jesus’ came in the flesh and is from God. If a spirit or person cannot proclaim this central truth, they are not from God.

But asking questions isn’t all that we do, we prepare daily for the battle. We do this by following Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:13-20, “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 firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”

We employ the truth of God in the spiritual battle. What God says we must believe, or we will fall to the enemy’s lies. We wear the righteousness of God on our chest, for it is he that covered us and took away our sin. If we think it is our own goodness that brings about our salvation, we become enticed by the enemy to take our eyes off Jesus. We prepare ourselves to share the Gospel with others whenever the opportunity is given to us. If we do not, then the enemy will use that to degrade our faith, and make us think we are unusable for the kingdom. We shield our lives with faith, which trusts God in every circumstance. When we begin to doubt God’s work or his goodness, the enemy uses this wavering to bring doubt, which leads to apathy and discouragement. We cover our mind in the reality of Christ salvation given to us. We stand firm in the assurance that Jesus has saved us, for if we don’t the doubts and questions of, “Am I really saved,” become nagging thoughts that turn us to works and not to grace. Every piece of armor so far is defensive, preparing us for the enemy’s attacks. But the sword of God’s word is our offensive weapon. Just Jesus utilized God’s word against Satan, we use God’s word to deal with every attack of the enemy and counter it. Finally, we pray. Constant communication with our commanding officer is needed to deal with the enemy’s attacks. Both prayer for ourselves and for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

There is one point of caution I want to say here. Too often I will hear Christians say things like, “We rebuke the devil.” Listen to the words of Jude, “But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you (v.1:9).’” As believers, we are under Christ’s authority. If we try to undermine or step outside of that authority and take God’s position upon ourselves, we will find ourselves battle the enemy on our own. The Book of Acts records such a situation, “But the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you (Acts 19:15)?’” 

When we engage in spiritual battles, whether it be with our own flesh, satan and his demons, or the world, we are to engage it fully under the authority of Jesus. Because who am I, who are we, without the Lord? So we call upon Jesus to rebuke the flesh, the devils, and the world in his mighty name and by his authority over them!

We are not called to focus on the foes of God, but to recognize that we are in a battle against spiritual forces whose time is winding down. They will continue to get bolder, so we must be ever vigilant. This is where God wants us, fortified in our faith. This is why we, in this ministry, focus on equipping the saints to do the work of God. We do this on Sunday mornings, we do this with our Apologetics class on Wednesdays. We do this by teaching the spiritual disciplines. And the more we press into God, the more we will see and be prepared for the attacks of the spiritual foes. 

My challenge for you this week, is to take one aspect per day from the armor of God passage in Ephesians 6:13-20, and seek the Holy Spirit to build you up in that area. Everyday ask God to strengthen you in his truth, his righteousness, preparation of sharing the Gospel, firm in your faith, solid in your salvation, knowledgeable in his word, and steeped in prayer. 

Let us be a people who are prepared for the spiritual battle that rages all around us. Amen.