VICTORY OVER SATAN
We are continuing our series on Spiritual Warfare. We
have exposed our enemy's lies and insidious nature. We saw how he relentlessly
roams around like a lion to devour God's people. We came to recognize and learn
how to protect the three strategic battlegrounds from our enemy: The
Mind, heart, and mouth. Today we will learn about the
remaining weaponry in the Full Armor of God, how to ensure victory over Satan,
and his final destination.
I.
Spiritual Warfare is Defensive and Offensive.
The Apostle Paul's final words to the Ephesian
believers were, "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." This scripture advises that when
facing the enemy's supernatural power, we have to be strong in the Lord and His
mighty power. It also tells us that every piece in the Armor is essential and
has its place, and none of them should be forgotten.
The call to "put on" God's Armor recalls a
similar appeal in 1Th 5:8. This Armor is provided by God and modeled on what he
wears himself (Isa 11:5; 59:17). It is a complete outfit ("full
armor," also v.13). The soldier must be protected from head to foot. His Armor
consists of various pieces, both defensive and offensive.
"Stand" is a keyword in this passage (cf.
vv.13-14). It is a military term for holding on to one's position. The
equipment enables the soldier to ward off the enemy's attacks and make a stand
against him. Before any offensive can be launched, one must, first of all,
maintain his own ground. We began with the first critical piece of the Armor, the
belt of truth.
The belt of truth here is not about just knowing the
truth about something but knowing the one who said, "I am the Truth,"
and His name is Jesus. Putting on the belt of truth means putting on Jesus.
Why? Because Spiritual Warfare has always been His fight. Jesus severely
bruised the Devil's head on the Cross. He gives us strength to fight our
battles against Satan.
II.
Three defensive weapons: The Breast Plate, Helmet, and Shield.
The Apostle Paul calls them "the Breastplate
of righteousness, the Shield of faith, and the Helmet of salvation. A.
Breastplate of righteousness: The "breastplate" covers the
body of a soldier from the neck to the thighs. It was made of bronze, though
more affluent officers wore a coat of chain mail. What does the breastplate of
righteousness mean?
It means to live a life of uprightness and integrity. When
we are tempted to do or say things contrary to God's standards, we resist the
Devil by doing what is right. For instance, Wilma was given a card to sign at
her workplace to congratulate a gay colleague on her wedding.
Though Wilma loved her colleague, she didn't sign it
because her conscience didn't allow her. Was it frowned upon by people? Yes!
Was it the right thing to do? Yes! Sometimes doing the right thing in God's
eyes is not well-liked by people, but regardless we do what is right.
B.
The helmet of Salvation. In NASB, it says, "And take the helmet
of salvation." The
"helmet" covered the head. It was made of bronze with leather
attachments. In Isa 59:17, the Lord wears "the helmet of salvation" and
the "breastplate of righteousness." We share that divine equipment.
The verb "take" reflects that
the helmet and sword were usually handed to a soldier by his armorbearer. This
verb is appropriate to the "givenness" of Salvation. In other words,
God freely gives us the gift of Salvation, and we have done nothing to earn it.
All we need to do is to put it on as a helmet that protects us from doubts of
whether we are saved or fears of losing it.
C.
The Shield of Faith: Vs. 16, In
addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows
of the Devil." A
Roman
soldier held a large shield in front of him for protection. It consisted of two
layers of wood glued together, covered with linen and hide, and bound with
iron. Soldiers often fought side by side with a solid wall of shields. But even
a single-handed combatant found himself sufficiently protected. For the
Christian, this protective shield is "faith."
The function of the shield of faith
is to stop the fiery arrows of the Devil. What might be the fiery arrows? They
could be self-doubt, accusations, condemnation, or conspiracy theories. When
the enemy hurls these fiery arrows, we can lift our personal and collective
shields of faith in Christ. Our individual faith alone, at times, may not get
us through. We need others' faith as well. That is why it is essential that we
belong to a Bible-believing and practicing Church to grow in our faith
collectively and face any fiery arrows that the enemy might throw at us.
III.
Two offensive weapons: The Shoes and the Sword.
D.
The gospel shoes: Vs.
15, "For shoes, put on the readiness to preach the Good News of peace with
God." Once
the breastplate has been fitted into position, the soldier puts on his strong
army boots; these ensure a good grip. The military successes of Alexander the
Great and Julius Caesar were due in large measure to their armies being well-shod
so they could undertake long marches at incredible speed over rough terrain.
What does "readiness" suggest? It signifies
a prepared foundation, that is, "the gospel of peace" We were the
enemies of God, but through Christ, we have made our peace with God. Our
position of being reconciled to God gives us a sure foothold to walk into the
enemy's territory by preaching the Gospel of Peace. As Paul encouraged Timothy,
we are to "Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is
favorable or not." II Tim 4:2.
E.
The Sword of the Spirit: The final weapon is the "sword," the short
two-edged cut-and-thrust sword wielded by the heavily armed legionary. The
"sword of the Spirit," the word of God, is the Christian's weapon of
offense. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus used God's word, the
sword of the Spirit, effectively to overcome Satan. All believers are given the
same Word of God. Let's use it effectively to thwart the schemes of the Devil.
With this, the Armor is complete. Knowing about it will not make us victorious,
then what or who will?
IV.
VICTORY OVER SATAN.
By knowing and seeing what the Devil can do, one
wonders whether it is even possible to stand against him, let alone defeat him,
to claim a victory. Jesus had fought all the battles and won the war against
our chief enemy Satan when He triumphed over sin and death on the Cross.
Jesus built His Church upon himself; no one, including
Satan, can overcome it. In Ephesians 2:20, the Apostle Paul reminded the
Ephesian believers they were God's house, built on the foundations of the
apostles and prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself."
All those who believe in Jesus become part of God's
glorious Church worldwide. Over the centuries, the Devil tried to destroy the
Church, but He failed and will never succeed. We know how his story is going to
end. Revelation 12:12 tells us he has little time left.
So he is intensifying persecution of God's Church. The
Lord has not abandoned His Church; He has given us tools to combat and overcome
the Devil. Part of those tools is "The Full Armor of God." Now you
know the truth about every piece of the Armor, what will you do?
On the final judgment day, the Devil will be thrown
into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet.
There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Rev 20:10).
How can we ensure victory over Satan? By applying the three R principles.
Recognize: Recognizing
you're in a war is a big part of the victory. Our enemy has already been
defeated, and his destiny in hell is sealed. Refuse: Refusing
Satan is passive Warfare. Once you recognize what he is up to, ignore it and
avoid it. Turn away and begin to worship the Lord, and lift Him up. Refuse to
be hurt. Refuse to be angry. Just let it go by.
Resist: This is active
Warfare. We are told to humble ourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he
will flee from us. (James 4:7). God won't resist him—you have to. Put on
the whole Armor of God and firmly stand your ground against the enemy,
and he will flee from you.
