Sunday – August 11, 2013 “Why Christians Must Fight (Part 1)”

August 11, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Why Christians Must Fight (Part 1) from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Paul concludes the Book of Ephesians with the clearest definition of the spiritual war that we find in Scripture. Most assuredly there is a spiritual battle to be fought and without utilizing the weapons God has provided, we will find we are hopelessly underpowered. Our study into this topic over the next few weeks will inform us on what those weapons are and why they are so essential to the battle we fight. These are weapons designed by our Heavenly Father which best repel the attacks of Satan. Join us this week as we begin a new series on Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God.


Word On Worship – August 11, 2013 Download / Print

Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against 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.

Paul concludes the Book of Ephesians with the clearest definition of spiritual war that we find in Scripture. Most assuredly there is a spiritual battle to be fought and without using the weapons God has provided, we will find we are hopelessly under-powered. Our study into this topic over the next few weeks will inform us on what those weapons are and why they are so essential to the battle we fight. These are weapons designed by our Heavenly Father which best repel the attacks of Satan.

Many come to faith in Christ without ever realizing they have now stepped into a battlefield. We are told of entering into every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3) but we hear very little about the commencement of a great struggle against Satan and his forces. With few exceptions, our enemies are invisible to the human eye, but are very real indeed. They take on many names: rulers, powers, world forces of this darkness and spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. I doubt we can fully understand the variety and number of forces which oppose us and if we did, many might lose heart. But the armor we have been given has been designed to prevent us from being devoured and for our stand against these assaults.

It is true that the days we live in are evil and we must be careful how we walk in this world if are to make the most of the days God has given to us. But we know from Scripture that for as bad as things seem today, they will get worse. Man continually hopes that things will get better, and that is reflected by many in the Church who falsely assume that Christ will return when we have prepared the world for Him by our good deeds. The Bible is very clear in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 and Revelation Chapters 12 and 20 that satanic opposition will only increase until the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for the final destruction of Satan and his hosts. This will require the Christian to be a vigilant warrior, prepared for the schemes of the enemy in order to stand in these, the final days of confrontation.

I am excited you are here to join us in this new study of spiritual warfare and the armor of God. This will not be a study about taking the war to enemy, for that is Christ’s job. Our task is defensive, not offensive. It is our duty to resist the devil, not remove him. From the Scripture, my prayer for us in this study is that we will stand because God is the One who wins the battle. Satan’s ultimate defeat is not at the hand of the saints, but from the hand of God. May we learn the victory is the Lord’s and our part is to put on the full armor of God and stand!

What do you think?