Table Of Content

Winning Battles in The Spiritual War Dr. Bob Suggs Battles • Bunker Hill • Attack on Canada • Siege of Boston Revolutionary • Battle of Trenton War • Battle of Germantown • Valley Forge Victorious Christian Life (Ephesians 6:10-20) R.C. Suggs 2 • The ruler (prince) of this world is Satan, the father of evil (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) • Satan has declared war on God, His will, and all who follow Him • We live in this fallen and wicked world • Jesus, our forerunner, also experienced trials • Trials bring about growth and maturity. (James 1:1-12) What Satan does for evil, God uses for good. (Consider both Job and Joseph) • Also, we are fighting against our “selves.”(Rom. 7:15) Victorious Christian Life (Ephesians 6:10-20) R.C. Suggs 3 Understanding the passage Victorious Christian Life (Ephesians 6:10-20) R.C. Suggs 4 Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Victorious Christian Life (Ephesians 6:10-20) R.C. Suggs 5 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Victorious Christian Life (Ephesians 6:10-20) R.C. Suggs 6 Paul was at the end of the letter. He carefully presented our place in Christ Jesus. He also put forward the basics of the Christian walk. At this point he inserts; Finally, given… • all that God has done for you. • the glorious standing you have as a child of God. • His great plan of the ages that God has made you part of. • the plan for Christian maturity and growth He gives to you. • the conduct God calls every believer to live. • the filling of the Spirit and our walk in the Spirit. • all this, there is a battle to fight in the Christian life. Victorious Christian Life (Ephesians 6:10-20) R.C. Suggs 7 It is a spiritual thing! Victorious Christian Life (Ephesians 6:10-20) R.C. Suggs 8 DEVIL (Greek) "the accuser" or "the slanderer" (Job 1:6-11; 2:1-7; Revelation 12:10). In Hebrew Satan means "adversary." The two- fold designation marks the two-fold objects of his malice-the Gentiles and the Jews. • There is only one Devil, many "demons― (KJV uses ―devils‖ 55 times) . • He slanders God to man & man to God (Genesis 3; Zechariah 3:1). His misrepresentation of God as; arbitrary, selfish, and envious of human happiness. He is to be feared lest He should hurt [His creatures.] This falsehood runs through all pagan idolatries. • Demons, "knowing ones,‖ are spirits who tremble before, but love not, God (James 2:19), incite [humans] to rebellion against Him [God] (Revelation 16:14). "Evil spirits" (Acts 19:13,15) recognize Christ the Son of God (Matthew 8:29; Luke 4:41) as absolute Lord over them, and their future Judge; and even flee before exorcism in His name (Mark 9:38). As "unclean" they can tempt man with unclean thoughts. They and their master Satan are at times allowed by God to afflict with bodily disease (Luke 13:16): Victorious Christian Life (Ephesians 6:10-20) R.C. Suggs 9 Who‘s Our Enemy? • Scripture teaches that in idolatry the demons are the real workers behind the idol. Compare 1 Corinthians 10:19-21; 1 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 9:20. • Idolatry is part Satan's engines for holding dominion. • Our word "panic," from the idol Pan, represented as Satan is, with horns and cloven hoofs, shows the close connection there is between the idolater and Satan his master. (Fausset's Bible Dictionary) Victorious Christian Life (Ephesians 6:10-20) R.C. Suggs 10