S.T.A.N.D. (Spiritually Trained and Not Defeated) on Who God Is

The Bible declares in Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” The Bible begins with a simple but profound truth. God exists, He created what we see and He is still involved with His creation. He is our loving and ever-vigilant Shepherd, as Psalm 23 (NIV) so beautifully describes.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

Satan believes in God and acts accordingly. We too need to believe in God and act accordingly. Jesus never debated the existence of either party. Jesus came with the confidence of a soldier. He was sure of His mission and His orders. Jesus is taking this planet back, one soul at a time: "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." (Luke 15:7)

When you are at war, you don’t sit around headquarters debating whether or not you are at war; the fact that Paul says that we need to put on the armor of God is proof enough. So, we are to stand on Who God is. This is not Theology 101. This is Be Confident in Whom You Serve 101.

Satan’s greatest tactic is to assassinate the character of God. If he can get you to doubt Who God is, he opens a door for you to question the very claims the Bible makes about God. Satan will flat out say the Word is lying about God or insinuate that most of it is unreliable. He will throw into your face this world with all of its horrors as proof that God is not as good as you think He is. The irony here is that this world is a result of his work with willing human participants. In other words, Satan will blame God for his own dirty work.

Or, Satan will quote Scripture, twisting it just enough to cause you to wonder. Don’t debate Satan. He’s better at it than you. He’s much more experienced at it than you. So, if you encounter his argument, state Scripture. No need to run and get a theological kitchen knife. The Sword of the Word is sufficient. We will unpack this rich psalm on who God is. Who He is directly impacts who you are.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He is the Shepherd and I am the sheep. Because He knows the landscape, He is more than capable of leading me through it. Because He knows me, He is more than capable of leading me to victory. He is my High Priest wrapped in a shepherd’s garb: "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Heb. 4:15 NIV)

That’s what this Shepherd does: He leads His flock: "…and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice." (John 10:3-4 NIV)

He walks where the sheep walk, and will not lead them anywhere He has not gone first. He surveys the landscape, seeing where the grazing is the best and where the danger is the least. He loves His sheep so much that He laid down His own life: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep." (John 10:11-13 NIV)

He knows the exact number in His flock. If even one goes missing, away He goes: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." (Luke 15:3-7 NIV)

Because this Shepherd truly cares, I will lack nothing. He is providing for me now in this earthly pasture and will provide for me when He returns: "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." (1 Pet. 5:4 NIV)

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

He knows exactly what I need to flourish in this life. He leads me to the places where I can grow. The green pastures of His Word, His presence and my sheep to Shepherd conversations (prayer) will sustain me. The quiet waters are refreshing as well. The waters aren’t just a place, they are a Person: "…but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14 NIV)

He desires to lead me to Himself, but I must choose to go with Him. I will come to my Living Water, and by staying in His Word, I will drink deeply.

[H]e refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

By following the Shepherd, and doing what He requests of me, I will be refreshed. When I dash out in front of Him, act as if I know better and fall into a ditch of my own choosing, I lose the peace only He can provide. The world claims it can provide peace, but underneath its alluring grasses crouches a lion: "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Pet. 5:8 NIV) As my brother Rob suggested, maybe a better spelling would be “lie-on.”

How can God guide me in the “right paths?” He has trampled down the grasses with His own feet. Look closely: His feet have nail scars and fang marks. Look further up the path: See that serpent with its crushed head? It is still moving, but it is far less powerful now. We are refreshed because Satan is a defeated foe. For the Word says, "[H]e will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." (Gen. 3:15 NIV)

Stray off the path and beware. Stay on the path and know that you are His, for His name is inscribed on your heart.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

The Shepherd is leading and the sheep are following. Of course, being by the still waters and lovely pastures are very appealing to the sheep. But that’s not where sheep wander off to. They wander off to a distant valley… If the Shepherd has to leave and look for one, He will look everywhere in that valley. Valleys are not frightening when the sun is high in the sky. It’s when the sun dips behind the mountains, the shadows lengthen and all sorts of predators lie in wait or start lurking about, that the sheep knows it is now alone. The valley where darkness has settled is truly frightening.

It’s no different with sin. It starts out all warm and sunny: No problem, I’ve got this.

Then, after being in the valley for awhile, the darkness begins to fall and the red glow of eyes in the shadows brings fear into our hearts: Lord, help me! This sin has taken over!

Our prayer of repentance brings the Shepherd and He arrives with His rod and staff to drive out fear, shame and guilt. The key here is don’t wander off. If you stick by Him, even a dark valley is no cause for fear. His strength is your comfort. Besides, your Shepherd is armed. If He has a rod and a staff, He is protecting and guiding you. If He only guides you, then when you see glowing eyes in the twilight on the path up ahead, you will be afraid. If He only protects you, then when you need to decide which way to go, you will be afraid. Your Shepherd does both, for real life is both. We need protection from the wolf of fear and we need wisdom to know how to proceed. The Shepherd does both with His love. How so? "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18 NIV)

“Perfect” means mature and maturity comes from trusting Him each day and remembering His faithfulness. The more His mature love grows in our hearts, the more our fear will tuck tail and run. But, we must be willing to receive that love. We need to stick close to our Shepherd, every day and in every way. If He seems far away, guess who moved?

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

It takes utter confidence to set up a banquet in a war zone. Enemies are all about, and yet, there you sit. Your Shepherd has cast out your fear with His love, so your enemies do not sit at the table with you. Of course, they lurk on the outskirts, eyes aglow. But you dine in peace, resting in the work He has done: "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his." (Heb. 4:9-10)

Jesus laid down His life for His sheep; the war has been won by His blood. There is nothing you can do to earn a place at the table; you are invited because the Shepherd loves you and died for you. The Shepherd pours His healing oil over you; its sweet fragrance fills the air. Every breath you take is a reminder of His love and healing in your life. Your cup overflows with freedom from fear and shame: "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Cor. 3:17-18 NIV)

When you look into your cup, look carefully at the reflection: It’s your Shepherd’s face.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Follow your Shepherd with confidence. Why? He proved His trustworthiness by going to the cross, even before you knew Him: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8 NIV)

By following Him, goodness and love will follow you. How could it not? He is Goodness itself. He is Love itself. Your destination is not to wander endlessly over the hills, but to come to His house and live with Him there: "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3 NIV)

Now you know Who God is: Your loving Shepherd. Here are some verses to S.T.A.N.D. on and declare Who God is:

• God is love: "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:7-10)
• "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NLT)
• God is light: "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5)
• God is always on hand to help you: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Ps. 46:1)
• God is the Father/Daddy (Abba) Who will not fail you: "Doubtless thou art our father…Thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting." (Is. 63:1)
• "A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation." (Ps. 68:5)
• "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'" (Rom. 8:15 NIV)
• "And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, 'Abba, Father.'" (Gal. 4:6 NLT)
• God is the One you run to: "But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble." (Ps. 59:16)
• God is your Hope: "Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him." (Ps. 62:5 NIV)
• "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you." (Ps. 39:7 NIV)
• God is your soul/sole Support: "They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support." (2 Sam. 22:19 NIV)
• "Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle." (Ps. 140:7 NIV)
• God knows who you are: "She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’" (Gen.16:13 NIV)
• God is your Comforter: "You who are my Comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me." (Jer. 8:18 NIV)
• "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you... All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:18, 25-27 NIV)
• God’s joy in you will give you strength: "Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Neh. 8:10 NIV)

My Shepherd sees you, Satan, even when I can’t. I am in HisHis Good Hands. Always and forever. Because I am spiritually trained to see God as the only One upon whom I can depend, I am not defeated. I am standing on the ground that He won for me. I am standing by my Shepherd.

Take that, Satan.

S.T.A.N.D. on Who You Are Not

Now you need to know who you are not. The enemy will try to convince you of all sorts of lies in order to give you what I call, “spiritual vertigo.” Have you ever had vertigo? The room spins, you are sick to your stomach and all because of fluid in the middle ear.

Satan wants that same condition in you by whispering lies into your ear.  You feel disoriented, unsure if you can stand.  Then that sickening feeling kicks in that maybe, just maybe, God’s Word is a lie:  Is this “Christ in me” thing not as powerful as everyone claims?  Is it a lie?  Could I have been deceived? 

Well, that last part is true.  Deception begins with perception.  If you begin to perceive in any way that God’s Word is not the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth so help you, God, then you do start to wonder. 

Those who wonder too long wander.

Wandering off the ground given to you by Christ will make you vulnerable to any suggestion that Satan whispers in your ear.  Romans 8:1-16 provides powerful blows to Satan’s vertiginous designs on you.  Let’s begin.

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God…                                            

Here we go.  Ready?

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

You are no longer condemned by your sin and shame.  It has been removed.  You have been granted clemency, a reprieve from your death sentence.  Sin and death were taken care of by Christ’s death on the Cross.  So, you are walking off of Death Row, and nothing and no one can take you back to that cell.  Who is leading you out?  The Spirit.  Follow after Him.  Walk in Him.  His path takes you to freedom. 

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

How was the law of our flesh overridden?  Our flesh is a law unto itself, always first in line to sin and raise a fist of unbelief at God.  Only a new law can override an old one.  Jesus overrode “The Law of Sin and Death” with “The Law of Christ’s Life in Me”: "because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." (Rom. 8:1-2 NIV)

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

When I read the words of God, I quickly realize that I am a sinner.  What’s even more disturbing is, having been told what I should not do, then that’s all I want to do!  If you doubt me, just tell a toddler, “Don’t touch that!”  He will figure out some way to touch it, even if it’s dangerous to him. 

For a moment, think about a courtroom.  God’s words are the prosecuting attorney.  The attorney reads the charges against me:  Without Christ living in you, you cannot do what a holy God demands. 

It’s true. I am condemned before the righteousness of God because of my flesh and all of its desires. 

So I cry out to the court, Help me! What should I do? 

Jesus then walks in as my Defense, and silences the court.  His voice, spoken to my heart, says, Only in Me can you please Me.  New wine (My Life in you) and a new wineskin (your heart made new) can satisfy what I demand.

It is my sin that is condemned.  I walk out of the courtroom, free from shame and condemnation because of Christ. The prisoner exchange is complete: His life for mine. His life in mine. My old sin nature is dead and now it is Christ Who lives in me: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20)

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Now, not only do I want to do what the Lord asks of me, I can do what the Lord asks of me.  How?  I am empowered by His Spirit.  Like walking in deep snow, I will place my feet only in His footprints because He goes before me. I can follow the Spirit not because I am suddenly “good” or have good intentions but the very thing that held be back—my sinful nature, my flesh—is now subject to a much more powerful force:  A heart made new in Him, empowered and sustained by Him.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

My heart made new in Him means I don’t want to follow me. I want to follow Him. I am no longer shackled to my flesh; I have been set free. Yes, the flesh calls my name, but His voice drowns out its call.  I can choose.  Prisoners have no choice; their chains do not allow it.  But because I am free in Him, I am free to choose.  I choose Life, because I choose Jesus.

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

The endgame of Satan is my death.  The endgame of my flesh is my death.  The world’s endgame is my death. I choose Life.  The result?  Peace. 

Know Him, know peace.

No Him, no peace. 

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

My mind has to come under His loving reign.  Otherwise, it is at war with God. If my mind, immersed in my sinful nature, is not transformed and made captive to the mind of Christ, I am at war with God.  War is not peace nor freedom.  His work in me is the work of: "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."(2 Cor. 10:5)

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Our flesh cannot ever please Him.  That is why His Son came: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  (Rom. 5:8)

Wow. God deserves my best. My flesh cannot deliver; only Christ in me can. 

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The Spirit in me is a promise from God: "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Cor. 1:21-22 NIV) 

I am in Christ and His Spirit in me is my most precious possession.  I am His most precious possession. 

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

I died with Him by giving Him my heart.  I was buried with Him by surrendering my will.  I am resurrected with Him by walking in this new life, as we saw earlier in Galatians 2:20.   

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

I live by His power alone: "I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms." (Eph. 1:19-20 NLT)

I will live in His power.  Once this life is over, I will hear His voice whisper my true name as I go to be with Him.  Forever.   

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

To pay my debt to Him is a simple payment plan:  Live each day in surrender and watch Him work out His will in the world through me.  

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

This flesh and this world means death.  Why do I not buy that?  It’s because I want to believe I am not all that bad.  “Did God really say?” echoes down the ages into all the ears of Adam’s children.  My response:  Yes, God did say. Yes, Jesus did pay. Yes, this is salvation’s day. Because only Jesus is the Way.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

If I am led by the Spirit of Christ, I am God’s son or daughter.  If the enemy starts mocking me, I will point and say, “I’m with JESUS.”  That is enough. 

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

I sit in the waiting room with Fear.  In comes the Spirit, waving adoption papers with Abba’s signature on it, signed with the blood of His precious Son.  Fear is shown the door.  I am His and He is mine.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God…                                           

“Yeah, right,” sneers the accuser.  “You’re His?  Prove it!”  The Spirit takes my hand and off we go, dancing to the melody of the Father’s love.  The worst music to Satan is the sound of shackles clanging to the floor.  I do not have to prove anything.  

Now, here are your key verses to S.T.A.N.D. (Spiritually Trained and Not Defeated) on to declare what you are not:

• I am not condemned: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom. 8:1)
• I am not in bondage: "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Cor. 3:17 NIV)
• I am not in fear: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7)
• "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."  (Deut. 31:6 NIV)
• I am not without choice: "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.  See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.  For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.  But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.  This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life…" (Deut. 30:11-20 NIV)

Done.  I choose life because I choose Christ. 

Take that, Satan.  

Sword Practice: Who You Are In Christ

To be good at swinging your sword, you must practice. We are going into training with Jesus to gain insight on how to wield the Sword of the Word. Then we will look at verses which are sharp and pack a punch with the accuser. Use these verses to strike back when Satan accuses you of being less than what the Word says you are.

First, let’s look at the temptation of Jesus to gain an insight on how to use the Sword of the Word.  Luke, chapter 4:1-13, sets the scene: 

1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

Many writers have done an excellent job unpacking this portion of Scripture. I will take it purely from a lie/truth angle.  If Satan is the father of lies, a murderer and a destroyer, his goal will be to:

• blunt your sword with his lies
• turn your sword against you by murdering the truth
• knock the sword from you hand and break it by destroying the integrity of God’s Word

So, let’s break it down.  The first insinuation is “If You’re the Son of God...” (4:3). Satan is lying.  Earlier, upon receiving baptism in the Jordan from John, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus and the voice of God said, "Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased." (Luke 3:22) 

Satan is trying to blunt the word Jesus just received from His Father and call its truth, that He is indeed the Son, into question. Satan will blunt your sword and call God’s promises into question every chance he gets.  Response?  Fight back.  Don’t shrink and think, “Maybe he’s right…”  Remember:  Satan is the father of lies, so if he speaks it, the truth is the exact opposite of what he said. 

Jesus fights back.  He affirms that He is indeed the Son of God and His power is not for filling men’s bellies but filling their hungry hearts with the truth: God’s very words.  Jesus stands on the truth, which will be heart and soul of His ministry.  Jesus equally stands on the truth of His Father’s declaration of who He is:  His Son. 

Next, Satan tells Jesus that all power is his to give and the only price of admission is worshipping him.  He is trying to turn Jesus’ sword of truth—the proclamation that He is God’s Son—against Him. 

Satan wants to take Jesus’ sword from Him and drive it back into Him.  In essence, what Satan is saying is:  Fine then.  Be the Son.  Have the power.  But it’s limited.  In Heaven, fine, but You’re not there—You are here and here it’s mine to give, not God’s.  Worship me here and I will give You what You really need:  real earth-centered power.  Not some heavenly version, all lofty and out of touch, but the real deal:  earthly power for an earthly ministry.

Jesus fights back.  He didn’t come to redeem kingdoms.  He came to redeem us.  He didn’t come to wield power.  He came to reveal truth.  He didn’t come to receive glory.  He came to show the glory of His Father in all He said and did.  So, Jesus realigned the sword back to its rightful position:  Worship alone is God’s.  Period. Jesus stands on the truth of His relationship to His Father: He is the Son who pleases the Father because His heart is utterly devoted to Him. 

Now, Satan ups his aggressive stance.  He is not shrinking back, for he has one last thrust to make.  If he can knock the sword altogether from Jesus’ hand, Jesus will stand there helpless and defenseless.

Why?  The Word is our offensive weapon.  Armor protects and deflects Satan’s blows.  We can take charge and thrust back with the Word.  If Satan knocks it away, by making us doubt God and His Word, all we can do is take his blows and hope for the best. Satan now quotes Scripture in a clever way.  Dare I say it, but it is in a “truthful” way.  Lies don’t have to be 100% false to be lies.  If the lie is only 10% and the rest is truth, the truth is adulterated, poisoned, rendered false.  That’s like saying your lemonade is only 10% poisoned and the rest is fine! 

So, in Satan’s last thrust, he seeks to knock the truth right out Jesus’ hand by using it to justify his next suggestion. Let’s look at the original verses Satan is using:

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.  (Ps. 91:11-12)

Look at verses 10 and 11 from our passage in Luke.  Not bad, Satan.  He quotes them well. But context is everything.  Without context, a text becomes a pretext to do whatever you want. By isolating the text from the surrounding verses in Psalm 91, Satan is saying:  Hey! With all that power You have, Son of God, You are allowed to do anything. Epic demonstrations of Your power will make Your ministry flourish like no other. 

But Satan’s endgame is destruction.  He wants to knock the sword from Jesus’ hand by twisting it into something dark and sinister: It’s all about You, Jesus.  Turn all the attention to You…Your power, Your abilities.  All this “honor God” stuff is fine for other people; but You’re not like them, Jesus.  You can draw all men to Yourself by what You do.  Doing the work of Your Father (sounds a bit boring if you ask me) is not going to be nearly as captivating to Your audience as Your sheer displays of power. You will be unstoppable. 

But a twisted sword is no longer a weapon.  It’s a shadow of its former self.  So, Jesus sets the verses back into their proper context by His refusal to even acknowledge Satan’s logic.  Jesus stands on these verses taken from the beginning of Psalm 91:

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  (Ps. 91:1-2)

Jesus thrusts the sword back into Satan’s face by saying:  You want Me to take my Father’s words, which speak of truth and trust, and turn them into something dark and compromised. My Father’s words are too precious to use in that sinful and self-serving manner.  I dwell not in my own ego, my plans or my desires, but safely under the trustworthy wings of My Father.  His power is Mine, yes, but His desires and will are My only refuge. I dwell in Him, and He is absolutely worthy of My trust.  Any use of His Word to further the flesh is wrong.  Tempting God to prove Himself is not love nor trust.  End of debate, Satan.  Be gone.

Jesus stands on the truth of Who God is: God is completely trustworthy.

John joyfully declares in 1 John 1:5: "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

Think about it for a moment.  Satan is using the same ploy with Jesus that he used in the Garden of Eden.  Satan said to Eve in that same insinuating voice: “Did God really say…” (Gen. 3:1 NIV)  So, from the very beginning, Satan tried to strike down God’s very words.  His tactics have not changed.  He is still trying to get us to doubt the truthfulness of Scripture. 

A soldier fights the enemy from a deep belief that God’s Word is just that:  God said it, and because He is Truth, His words are as well. So, to summarize this Sword Practice, you must:

• Stand on His declaration of who you are: His son or daughter.
• Stand on your relationship with Him, having given Him your heart.
• Stand in the light of Truth knowing that the enemy’s lies are a quick trip into darkness.
• Stand on God’s utterly reliable character, by knowing and believing His Word.

Now that Sword practice is over, go hit the shower. Oh, wait a minute. You’re cleansed by His Word, so you’re good. Now, here are your key verses to S.T.A.N.D. (Spiritually Trained and Not Defeated) on:
 

• I am a child of God in Christ: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God…" (Rom. 8:14-16)
• I am an heir in Christ: "Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Gal. 4:7)
• I am free in Christ: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36)
• I am blameless in Christ: "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love…" (Eph. 1:4)
• I am strong in Christ: "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy…" (Jude 24)
• I am forgiven in Christ: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
• I am living in Christ: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."  (Gal. 2:20)
• I have hope in Christ: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Rom. 8:28)
• I can never ever be separated from Christ’s love: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:35-39)

Take that, Satan.

S.T.A.N.D. On Who You Are in Christ

 If we are Spiritually Trained and Not Defeated, (S.T.A.N.D.) then we can approach this topic of spiritual warfare without fear.  Ignorance and knowing Who we stand upon drives away that overwhelming sense that Satan is all-powerful  No, he is not, and don't let him tell you otherwise.  

These verses from Ephesians 1:3-11 summarize who we are in Christ. Putting on the “whole armor of God” is accepting this identity of being in Christ and surrounding yourself with it. When your enemy comes, he sees your armor, which is really God’s. You are immediately identified as a soldier in God’s army. That makes you a tempting target for Satan.  If you are not wearing the armor of God, you don’t stand a chance. Satan has never fought fair, and because his days are numbered, he isn’t going to start now.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

Let us examine the treasure these verses hold for us.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

You are blessed (and dressed) because you confess that Christ is Lord.  You now possess “all spiritual blessings.”  Thus, you have a dual citizenship:  You possess all that God has for you in the heavenly realms, but you still walk on this planet.  You are encased in His armor, but underneath you are still in a physical body.  Point?  Don’t take off God’s armor.  To maintain your position in Him, stay arrayed.  Stay in Christ.  Pray, walk and talk with Him. A soldier out of uniform looks no different than a civilian.  A Christian out of armor looks no different than a non-believer.  We know how Satan treats his own.  Don’t look or act like his own.  You are emphatically not when you are in Christ.  So, look that way!

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

You are one of His chosen.  God loves you and chose you.  Why?  Ask Him, and He will open His hands and show you His scars: "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands…" (Is. 49:16) 

There was nothing you did or said that made Him call you.  There is nothing you can do or say that can make Him let you go.  You are His.  You are holy.  That means you have been set aside for His special use.  You have purpose. You are without blame. Your sins have been washed away by the blood of Christ.  You are clean in His eyes.  God sees you standing in Christ. His Son’s sacrifice is your new life.  You now live as His child.   When God sees you, He sees His beautiful Son.  God loves His Son without measure; He loves you that way as well.

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

God signed your adoption papers long before the universe was set in motion.  His signature was written in Christ’s blood.  You are Christ’s; you weren’t adopted only to be abandoned.  His will for you to be His gives Him great delight.  He has always been thinking about you.  He will never stop thinking about you.

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

His grace shows you He loves you without measure.  His grace is glorious because He is.  He offers Himself to you for no other reason than He loves you.  God sees you standing in His beloved Son.  He loves His Son with an unfathomable love; because you too stand in Him, He loves you equally as much.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

His grace alone—not who you are, what you are doing, or what you have done—is what saves you, forgives you and enables you to walk tall in Him, richly arrayed in the finest armor possible: His Son’s blood.  When God sees His Son’s blood, He sees you in a garment white as snow: "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Rev. 7:14)

Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Jesus is all we need: "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption…" (1 Cor. 1:30) 

Know Jesus, know Wisdom, for wisdom is not what you obtain, it is Who you know. Righteousness is also Who You know.  You are now in a position to know Him:  He has redeemed you and set you aside for holy use and to fill you with Himself.  It is only by knowing Him that you will be able to navigate life. Wisdom and Righteousness are not just treasures to pursue.  They are the ultimate Treasure: Jesus Christ Himself.

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

It is His will for you to be arrayed in His armor.  He wants you to be His, fighting the good fight and resting solely on His power and provision.

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

We are a gathered people.  First, we are gathered in Him.  Secondly, we are gathered with each other in Him.  We are an army.  We are a body of people set aside to enact His will on this planet:  that all should come to know Him and walk in Him. We are His Body animated by love, for God is love.  His love, embodied in His Son, reached out and died for us.  We must also act in that kind of love.

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

We have received an inheritance which makes us heirs.  We are His family.  Only a family member can be designated as an heir:

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Rom. 8:14-17) 

You have purpose and a calling, which He saw in you long before you were even born.  You are precious to Him.

That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

Our trusting in Him is the greatest gift we give back to Him.  He gives Himself as the greatest gift to us. Thus, who are we?  We are the children of God, whom He long ago sought out and pursued with love.  We are arrayed in white and glow with our praises which brings Him glory. 

Point to His armor lovingly encasing you and say to the enemy, “I am my Beloved’s and He is mine!”

Spiritual Warfare: Get in Gear!

 Let’s begin our journey to understanding spiritual warfare by reviewing Ephesians 6:10-18. The verses are very familiar. They get us thinking about how to prepare to face our foe, what we need to be wearing when we do and Who we are to rely upon.

"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere."

Now, let’s look at each verse from our passage in Ephesians. 

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

We need strength and power from God.  Whatever we think our strengths are, whatever talents we possess, whatever our spiritual track record is, we cannot do this Christian life alone.  We cannot do this spiritual warfare alone. 

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 

We need armor to do this Christian life.  Why?  It’s a war we are in—pure and simple.  No other garment will do.  Someday we will be arrayed as His bride, but while we inhabit Earth, we are in a battle zone, and we need to be outfitted appropriately.  We must have armor on to survive.  Why?  So we can STAND.  If you are lying on the ground, the battle is over and you have lost. 

We need to put on the whole kit and caboodle. Not one or two pieces, thinking that will suffice.  Paul declared we need “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) and we are to wear the “whole armor of God.”  If we are outfitted correctly, we are then able to stand against the schemes of Satan. 

Don’t bring your knife to a gun fight.  Don’t wear your ball gown in the trenches.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 

The armor fits the battle itself: You must be arrayed in spiritual power, provisioned by God for this expressed purpose, because the battle is in the spiritual realm with spiritual foes.  You wouldn’t bring a crossbow when the enemy has an AK-47.  You don’t fight with your flesh what is in the spiritual realm. 

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

Paul repeats for us put on the whole armor of God.  It’s God’s armor, and we are to put it on, not our own.  We don’t accessorize His armor with our flesh; it is His and His alone. 

God invites us to put it on.  We can either choose to put on what He provides, or we can walk away (a perilous choice).  Evil days are coming and we need to be suited up before they arrive.  Our “having done all” is putting on His armor willingly and standing in His power and might.  No snoozing.  No complacency.  No taking a nap behind the tent.  Armored up and standing.  That’s what He expects of us.

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

Again, Paul says, “Stand.”  A fallen soldier is either dead, MIA, or wounded.  A fallen solider is now out of battle, and this is part of Satan’s game plan.   Being properly armored allows us to withstand the onslaught.  Though we may take many hits, we will still be standing. 

How? We possess God’s strength and His mighty power. Where?  We stand only on His truth.  Truth provides the only sure footing, for no matter how the winds of warfare blow, truth takes a beating and keeps on ticking.  Why?  Because you are standing in Christ.   

• He is The Truth: "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) 
• He is The Rock: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." (Matt. 7:24)

Jesus is the only solid ground upon which we stand. 

Your heart will be protected by the breastplate of His righteousness as you stand. Why? You are facing your foe, and he will strike at your heart. Because you standing in Christ, He has given you His heart. Because He is standing, so are you: 

• "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." (Ezek. 36:26-7)
• "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." (Luke 6:45)

The Word says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (Prov. 4:23 NIV)  Good advice.  A guarded heart is a protected heart. You are not just protecting your own; you are protecting His, for He dwells within you.  His heart in you is far too precious to not protect.

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 

People who stand need shoes.  People who sleep can afford to be barefoot.  A soldier must be booted up, for the mission of declaring the Good News of Jesus Christ requires movement when ordered to do so.  So, standing or marching, you need shoes.  Nikes will do for battle, for Nike in Greek means, “victory.”  Flip flops?  No.

In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 

Faith is not just your response to God’s lovely offer of grace.  It is your shield that you wave around you, showing your enemy that you are serious.  The armor is on you; the shield is around you.  The bigger your faith, the larger your shield. 

A dinky shield means an arrow or two will get passed it.  Upgrade.  Faith itself is a gift, so ask for more, and trade up to a larger shield.  Your shield will grow in proportion to your faith and your knowledge of the Word.  Less will get by that greater shield and you will feel bolder as you go forth.   

But you must stay strong in Christ to wield it.  Faith not only protects, it extinguishes.  How so?  Your faith says, “No!” to Satan’s lies and to those who perpetrate his agenda. 

 You are clothed in righteousness because of Christ’s finished work on the cross.  You respond with faith by actively moving your shield and flashing it before the enemy.  Your faith protects you from all sides when the arrows of lies, deceit, temptation and condemnation come flying in. 

Faith:  Don’t leave home without it. 

Faith:  Don’t go to war without it.

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

A blow to your head can be fatal and down you go.  A blow to your mind is where you believe the enemy’s lies, fall into deceit, yield to temptation or wallow in condemnation.  All or one of these can be fatal to your ability to stand and down you go.   

Your salvation is your covering.  You have been adopted into God’s family as His son or daughter because of Jesus’ sacrifice.  He paid the price so you could enter in God’s presence, cleansed of your sin and made right with God.  You are covered in the blood of Jesus and it’s a powerful covering. 

To insure that the foe doesn’t get too close, mightily wave that sword at him.  The Word of God is the weapon of choice in spiritual warfare.  Jesus used it to vanquish Satan in the wilderness.  Take a lesson from the Master.

But you must know the Word.  You read the Word and the Word reads you.  So, with the SPIRIT  + WORD, you get S/WORD. 

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Pray.  All the time. Every chance you get. 

In other words, continuously monitor the intel from HQ.  Listen for Jesus’ voice and run everything you hear by His Word.  His voice and His Word will never contradict each other.  A soldier out of touch with his Commanding Officer is a soldier in danger. So, persevere.  Fight the good fight.  In other words, STAND. 

But how do you STAND? 

It's simple: S.T.A.N.D.: Spiritually Trained And Not Defeated.  Training for warfare is everything.  But we equally need to know that Satan is a defeated foe.  We are training not to gain ground, but to stand on what Jesus already won for us on the cross.  What did He do on the cross?  He defeated sin and death: 

• "'O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?' The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."  (1 Cor. 15:55-57 NIV)

So, the ground we stand on is given to us by Jesus.  His blood secured it and we stand on it.  He fought and defeated the enemy on the cross.  Satan is a vanquished foe, although he will try to convince you otherwise.  (Remember, he’s a liar, so whatever he tells you is automatically false.)

God Himself is arrayed in His Helmet of Salvation—if we follow Him, how can we dress any less?  His foe is our foe, and His battle is our battle.  By dressing in His armor, we will have the wisdom in Christ to follow orders and carry out His desires:

• "Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.  The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice.  He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.  He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head…" (Is. 59:16-17 NIV)

We’ve establish that we need to gear up.  Not for a run to the market but for each day we wake up and face the challenges ahead.  His grace awaits us as we rise to go forth:

    Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
    They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
    I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.” (Lam. 3:22-24)

What’s next?  You need to know who you are.  You will then practice with this knowledge. 

You will learn what you are not.

You will learn Who God is, and what He is not. 

You will again practice with this knowledge.

You will learn who Satan is, and what He is not. 

We will learn what Satan’s ultimate goal or endgame is.

You will see what God’s gear is, what your gear is, and how the two are not compatible. 

We will then follow Jesus through the Gospels, seeing how He conducted His encounters with evil. 

We will then use Joshua, Chapter 6, as our guideline to taking down a stronghold. 

The Word of God will be our sole guide.  We are going to stay focused on Scripture, for it alone guides us as we face our foe.  But we must put it into practice for us to be effective warriors:

"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (James 1:22-25)

Excited? We have a new journey ahead!  Out of the desert into being a soldier! Let’s go!

 

Spiritual Warfare: Soldier Up!

“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. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.” –C. S. Lewis

I am on a quest to more fully understand spiritual warfare. I have studied it for awhile, read some books, had a few experiences, and yet I am still unsettled about the issue.

Why? So much of what I have read about spiritual warfare has some scripture in it, but a lot of the information was driven by the author’s experiences. Does that invalidate an author’s conclusions about spiritual warfare? No, but I found that sometimes the author’s own experiences began to take precedence over the scriptural references. The author used the Word, of course, but the author’s experience became its own evidence. A person’s experience may be compelling, but they may lack a clear-cut parallel in Scripture.

As writers and readers, we run the risk of a having a “Can You Top This?” kind of exchange. We may share the author’s reading of the Word and see spiritual warfare’s reality. But what if we didn’t have the same experience the author did? We may question what we went through. We may even doubt that it was a legitimate encounter with evil. We may downplay what happened, because it seems rather insignificant when we compare it to what the author said.

That’s when confusion steps in. Confusion is not what the Lord wants for us as we study this: “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” (1 Cor. 14:33)

Scripture should be the only basis for our theology. I have read books where the author has developed quite a theology in areas that are not directly addressed or contradicted by the Word. Thus, it was hard to disprove or prove the ideas scripturally. It may be satisfying to plug in the gaps in the Bible with well-intentioned and reasonable ideas, but if the Bible does not specifically address it, should we?

Must the gaps be filled in to have a better understanding about spiritual warfare? I do not think so. What God’s Word says about spiritual warfare will keep us informed enough to do battle.

I am also trying to understand how the spiritual realm effects us. For example, I have read books and have friends who say that every disease is caused by Satan. Mental illness is especially subject to being diagnosed as a purely spiritual condition; though some will not argue as vigorously about say, diabetes being demonically caused. But sickness, for some, is understood as being dominated solely by demons. The cure, consequently, is only spiritual.

On the other hand, I know people who say Satan isn’t really needed to mess human beings up; we are all perfectly capable of doing that ourselves. Satan is a minor player (if even a player at all) on this planet, and talking about his influence only leads, in many people’s thinking, to diminishing our personal responsibility for the chaos we see.

I have experienced only a handful of times when I knew Satan was lurking in the situation, because I sensed his malevolent presence. However, as I mature in Christ and my spiritual discernment increases, I sense Satan’s involvement more and more. I agree humans need very little help in destroying their lives, but I now know they are not alone in doing so.

Let's journey together to understand Satan’s influence, what the Word teaches and our response to all of it. Scripture is my starting point. We will be driven by Scripture alone.

If I cannot find a scriptural basis for my statements, I won’t comment.

I am using the KISS model: Keep It Simple Saint. I take spiritual warfare seriously, but I do not need to recoil in fear or put on a big display to drive Satan out. Jesus spoke and it was enough. The Word is our authority. Jesus did not, in His encounter with Satan, engage in debate. He quoted the truth and the father of lies had to leave. Why should we try to do any more or any less? “In Christ” is the only way for us to live. We all know He came and died for us. We equally need to know He wants to live His life in and through us. This verse is the key to walking victoriously:

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20)

Join me as we explore this topic. Having clarity of mind and purpose is essential to being a good soldier. We need to be better informed soldiers in these troubled times.

 

 

Roll Up for the Majestical Mystery Tour, Part II

God's glory is on display when He initiates the exodus and as the children of Israel enter the desert, He continues to show them who He is. 

He is the Great I Am...such a label implies that His children have to get to know Him.

He isn't the god of the storm, the land, or the sun.  His identity is not tied to any natural phenomena. 

If it rains, the Canaanites say, "Oh, see how Baal is providing us rain to water our crops!"

When the sun rises and sets, the Egyptians say, "There goes Amun-Ra.  He rises every morning, dies at the close of day, journeys through the underworld and rises again, all due to our Pharaoh's obedience to the rituals prescribed to us."

A one-to-one correspondence exists between some natural force and the presiding god's characteristic.  

Yahweh is fair too majestic and lovingly complex for any such correspondence.  Instead, He has a one- to-one correspondence with love and mercy to His creation--especially us. 

His characteristics are revealed in how He interacts with His people.  We get to know the Great I Am by interacting with Him and He shows us the many facets of who He is.

He judges the gods of Egypt by subverting the supposed kingdom they preside over.  Egypt's sun god is  trumped by darkness.  The frog god multiplies to disgusting levels.  The cow god can't prevent the livestock from dying.  The center of the Egyptian universe is the pharaoh himself, who holds the universe together with his devotion to the gods through ritual and rule; he is a god himself.  But his son dies.  This supposed giver of life cannot save his own son. 

God allows death to be His agent--a dog on a cosmic leash--to cause the firstborns to die.  He is not the god of death; actually, He presides over life and death, for the children of Israel survive that night called Passover. 

He demonstrates not only His superiority to the gods that the Israelites had lived under for over 400 years, He pronounces these gods null and void.  He is the Great I Am who holds the universe and everything in it in His hands. There are no gods before Him, beside Him or around Him: "Shema Israel!  The LORD our God is the God, the LORD is one." (Deut. 6:4)

How He presents Himself shows different aspects of His character, so His children can grasp a deeper understanding of who He is.  He isn't just an ancestral god--the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob--for His reach touches the Egyptians, the dwellers in Canaan, as well as the Israelites.  He is sovereign over all creation, and is not bound to any one location.  The earth is His footstool.  Heaven is His court.   

Let's look at the ways God revealed Himself as the children of Israel wandered in the desert:

He is the Shepherd who leads His people with a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day; He provides water and food for His flock; He protects them from the wolves that gather (the Amalekites); He uses a human being to lead, all the while giving him wisdom and strength and He never leaves him alone to do the work He's called him to do. 

He is the LORD God when Moses ascends the mountain and He gives him the Law; He appoints His people to be a holy nation and royal priesthood; He demands that Moses go down from the mountain to talk to the people, for He is holy and not to be approached without humility and deep respect. 

Then He gives His people the Law--the covenant written on stone--that will create a society where His people will be those priests, showing God's holiness in how they act and what they believe.

Do you hear an echo here?

Jesus reveals Himself in our desert by being our Good Shepherd who guides us with His Word; He provides for us; defends us against the wolves (Satan and those who listen to him); He became a human being to die for us and then sent His Spirit to lead us and give us wisdom and strength; He speaks lovingly to us and never leaves us alone to do the work He's called us to do.

Jesus is also the Son of God, the Messiah, the mighty One who went up on a mountain and revealed His majesty; He came down from the mountain and talked with His people; He is holy and mighty to be praised and we can approach Him, through His blood, in humility and deep respect.  

He writes the Law on our hearts, and we move through society, showing God's holiness in how we act and what we believe.

Amen.