Supernatural – Part 2

Ephesians 6:10-20 ~ June 3, 2018

           Supernatural. It means beyond the natural; unexplained by natural law or phenomena; abnormal.[1] The supernatural certainly is beyond the natural, but for a follower of Christ, it is not abnormal, it is foundational. So much so that without the supernatural, Christianity doesn’t exist!

• Without the supernatural, there is no virgin birth.
• Without the supernatural, there are no miracles.
• Without the supernatural, Jesus’ death didn’t pay the price for sin.
• Without the supernatural, there is no resurrection.

Without the supernatural, Christianity doesn’t exist!

          There is an interest in the supernatural in our culture—things such as ghosts and paranormal activity and even the occult. For many, there seem to be an innate sense of the supernatural—a world beyond us yet connected to us.

          There are others, however, who classify any belief in the supernatural as myth.

• Some dismiss it as a harmful tool used to control the uneducated and misinformed.
• Others see it as useful and maybe even necessary for people to make sense of and find hope for their lives in this world.

          Followers of Christ cannot subscribe to the idea of the supernatural as myth because without the supernatural Christianity doesn’t exist.

          Last week, we looked at four of God’s characteristics that point to the existence of the supernatural. We considered three proofs for God’s existence. This morning, we are turning our attention to the fact that the supernatural isn’t just about God. There is an enemy. A spiritual battle is going on in this world and you and I are part of it.

I am going to quote pastor and author Warren Wiersbe several times in this message. The first time is now: Sooner or later every Christ follower discovers that the Christian life is a battleground, not a playground and that we face an enemy who is much stronger than we are. Throughout the Bible, God instructs us about the enemy, so there is no reason for us to be caught off guard.^[2]

 Ephesians 6:10–20 (NLT)

¹⁰ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹² 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.

¹³ 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. ¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. ¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. ¹⁶ In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. ¹⁷ Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

¹⁹ And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. ²⁰ I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So, pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

          Let me share some background information before we dig into this passage of Scripture.

• Ephesians is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to Christians in the Roman city of Ephesus.
  • Ephesus was the most important city in western Asia Minor (now Turkey).
  • It was a commercial center at the intersection of major trade routes.
  • It was Paul’s base of operations for more than two years while he and his companions preached in western Asia Minor.[3]
• When Paul wrote this letter, he was in prison, chained to a Roman soldier. Because he was writing to a largely Roman audience, they would immediately understand the imagery of a soldier’s armor.

          Now, let’s look at this passage to see what we can learn about the supernatural war. We’ll look at three broad areas: (1) we have an enemy (2) we do not fight in our own power, and (3) prayer is part of our arsenal.

 (1) We have an enemy

Our enemy is called by many different names in Scripture. He is called…

• Devil which means accuser (He accuses God’s people – Revelation 12:7-11)
• Satan which means adversary (He is God’s enemy and the enemy of God’s people)
• Tempter (Matthew 4:3)
• Murderer (John 8:44)
• Liar (John 8:44)
• The god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4)

He is compared to…

• A lion (1 Peter 5:8)
• A serpent (Genesis 3:1; Revelation 12:9)
• A dragon (Revelation 12:3-13:11; 16:13; 20:2)
• An angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:1-15)

 Our enemy is a created being, so he not eternal (like God). He is not all-knowing, all-powerful, or everywhere-present… and, he is not alone.

Scripture speaks of an army of demonic forces that helps Satan with his attacks on Christ followers. In Revelation, John hints that 1/3 of the angels fell with Satan when he rebelled against God. Daniel wrote that Satan’s forces fight against God for the control of nations.

It’s important for us to remember that because of this reality, our battle is never really against people. It is against spiritual powers. We waste our time fighting people when we ought to be fighting the devil who seeks to influence or control people to make them oppose God’s work.^[4] Demons can oppress and possess people and even Christ followers can be influenced if we aren’t careful.

In the gospels, we read about the time Jesus predicted his death and Peter declared that he would never let Jesus die. Jesus rebuked him with a stinging, “Get behind me Satan!”

Peter was not demon possessed but his natural emotional response—which was not aligned with God’s will—opened the door for the enemy’s influence. Paul writes that we can do the same thing in our anger if we don’t deal with it properly.

We must understand that Satan is a strong enemy and we need God’s power to stand against him. We cannot underestimate his power. Job’s story tells us how it can affect a person’s body, home, wealth, and friends.

Not only is Satan strong, but he is also wise and subtle. We cannot afford to be ignorant of his methods. He wants to use the world and our sinful nature to defeat us. ^[5]

 (2) We do not fight in our own power

God has provided the armor we need to stand up to our enemy. Twice in this passage, Paul admonishes us to use all the armor. Not a single piece is unimportant. The armor consists of…

Belt of truth

I love the way Warren Wiersbe describes it in his commentary: A person of integrity, with a clear conscience, can face the enemy without fear. The belt also held the sword. Unless we practice the truth, we cannot use the Word of truth.^[6]

 Body armor (breastplate) of righteousness

          When Satan accuses us, it is Christ’s righteousness that answers the charges against us. We must be careful here because we open a door to attack if we don’t live rightly according to God’s word. ^[7]

 Shoes (boots) of the Gospel of peace

          The idea here is that of being ready. Ready to stand in the power of the gospel and ready to share the message of the gospel.

Shield of faith

          This is not saving faith, but living faith, trust in the promises and the power of God. Faith is a defensive weapon and protects us from Satan’s fiery darts. In Paul’s day, arrows, dipped in a flammable substance and set afire, were shot at the enemy. Roman soldiers carried shields covered in leather that could be soaked in water to extinguish those arrows.

Satan shoots “fiery darts or arrows” at our hearts and minds: lies, blasphemous thoughts, hateful thoughts about others, doubts, and desires for sin.^[8] But they can be extinguished!

 Helmet of salvation

          When God controls our mind, Satan cannot lead us astray. When we study the Bible and learn the meaning of its teachings, we will not easily be led astray.^[9] Memorizing Scripture helps us battle temptation.

 Sword of the Spirit

          This is the offensive weapon. Let me again quote from Warren Wiersbe: A material sword pierces the body, but the Word of God pierces the heart. The more you use a physical sword, the duller it becomes; but using God’s Word only makes it sharper in our lives. A physical sword requires the hand of a soldier, but the sword of the Spirit has its own power…. A physical sword wounds to hurt and kill, while the sword of the Spirit wounds to heal and give life.

When we use the sword against Satan, we are out to deal him a blow that will cripple him and keep him from hindering God’s work.^[10]

 (3) Prayer is part of our arsenal

In this passage, Paul makes five admonishments about prayer:

1. Pray in the Spirit – with guidance and understanding from the Holy Spirit; with tongues (I’ll talk a lot more about that on June 24)
2. Pray all the time
3. Pray with your eyes open – stay alert to what’s going on around you
4. Pray persistently – don’t give up
5. Pray for God’s family and its leaders – I’ll quote Wiersbe one last time: The Lord’s Prayer begins with “Our Father”—not “My Father.” We pray as part of a great family that is also talking to God, and we ought to pray for the other members of the family... If my prayers help another believer defeat Satan, then that victory will help me too.^[11]

          Here’s the bottom line takeaway from this message: Don’t bring natural weapons to a supernatural fight! Don’t bring natural weapons to a supernatural fight!

           I want to read Ephesians 6:10-20 again. This time I want to read it from the Message paraphrase. I love the plain and rugged language.

  Ephesians 6:10–20 (The Message)

¹⁰ And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. ¹¹ So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. ¹² This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

¹³ Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. ¹⁴ Truth, righteousness, ¹⁵ peace, ¹⁶ faith, ¹⁷ and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. ¹⁸ In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

¹⁹ And don’t forget to pray for me. Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that I, ²⁰ jailbird preacher that I am, am responsible for getting out.

Remember: Don’t bring natural weapons to a supernatural fight!

Conclusion & Response

          What should we do with this message? Here’s what I suggest. (1) Read this passage of Scripture during your devotional time each day this week. (2) Think about what it means and write out specific ways it needs to be applied to your life right now. (3) Make the passage and those needs an outline for prayer. (4) Share your thoughts and needs with a friend.