24/9/17 3.40 am Warfare Series. Resist the devil and he will flee. Focus on each pieces a day and release power. Lion image on logo. Satan prowls a like a lion

3R’S OF BATTLE Rise, Realise, Resist. the Devil. “We can’t fight unless we realise we are in battle.” Rev. George Varughese

Warfare Series

Ephesians 6:12

The Premise:

1. The nature of the battle of the spirit

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,^[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

What it is not?

• Not a battle against flesh and blood

What it is?

• Battle against spirits

2. Satan’s tactics

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

• 3180. μεθοδεία. methodeia
• schemes / wiles
• (a way of search after something, an inquiry; a method), scheming, craftiness, deceit.

• HELPS Word-studies

• 3180 methodeía (the root of the English term, “method”) – properly, a predictable (pre-set) method used in organized evil-doing (well-crafted trickery).

• [3180 (methodeía) comes from methodos, a “way of searching after something, an inquiry; a method), scheming, craftiness” (Souter).]

3. Believers posture of battle

• In whom are we to be to be strong?
  • strong in the Lord
  • what does it mean?
    • we depend on the Lord
    • we depend on the personality of God
    • we depend on all that God says Himself to be
• In what are we to be strong in?
  • to be strong in God’s might
  • what does it mean?
    • we are to be full of God
    • we are to be full of God’s power and strength

4. Modus Operandi of the battle

• (a) against the the rulers
• (b) against the powers
• (c) against the world forces of this darkness
• (d) against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places

¹² For our struggle is not against ^[a]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 (NASB)

• (a) against the the rulers
  • 746. ἀρχή arché
  • (a) rule (kingly or magisterial), (b) plur: in a quasi-personal sense, almost: rulers, magistrates, (c) beginning.
  • 746 arxḗ – properly, from the beginning (temporal sense), i.e. “the initial (starting) point”; (figuratively) what comes first and therefore is chief (foremost), i.e. has the priority because ahead of the rest (“preeminent”).
• (b) against the powers
  • (a) power, authority, weight, especially: moral authority, influence, (b) in a quasi-personal sense, derived from later Judaism, of a spiritual power, and hence of an earthly power.
  • HELPS Word-studies. 1849 eksousía (from 1537 /ek, “out from,” which intensifies 1510/eimí, “to be, being as a right or privilege”) – authority, conferredpower; delegated empowerment (“authorization”), operating in a designated jurisdiction.
• (c) against the world forces of this darkness
  • 2888. κοσμοκράτωρ kosmokratór
  • ruler of this world, that is, of the world as asserting its independence of God; used of the angelic or demonic powers controlling the sublunary world.
  • HELPS Word-studies 2888 kosmokrátōr (from 2889 /kósmos, “world” and 2902 /kratéō, “to rule”) – properly, world-ruler, referring to Satan (demons) influencing the lives of worldly people (used only in Eph 6:12).
• (d) against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places
  • wickedness, iniquities.

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,^[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ 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.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— ¹⁹ and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:10-20