The sermon from Matt Mason yesterday (listen online) was really great. It was on spiritual warfare. Here’s Matt’s logic:
- God is omniscient.
- God never lies.
- Therefore, reality is what God says it is.
The bible has been proved to my satisfaction historically, archeologically, scientifically, and prophetically. If you believe the premise that the bible is true, then the logical path Matt took is true also.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world’s rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
(Eph 6:12 MKJV)
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary to one another; lest whatever you may will, these things you do.
(Gal 5:17 MKJV)Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(Jam 4:7 MKJV)
It helps that the kind of spiritual warfare described in the bible and by scholars (C.S. Lewis for example) is observable and logical. C. S. Lewis wrote The Screwtape Letters which read as if from an older, wiser demon teaching his apprentice how best to keep man in bondage. A very entertaining read, and one that everyone I know can relate to. Distraction, deceit, temptation and delay are some of the enemy’s best tools.
Distraction: So, then, be careful how you live. Do not be unwise but wise, making the best use of time because the days are evil.
(Eph 5:15-16 ISV)Deceit: For such ones are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. Did not even Satan marvelously transform himself into an angel of light? Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. Again I say, Let no one think me foolish. If otherwise, yet receive me as foolish, so that I may also boast a little.
(2Co 11:13-16 MKJV)Temptation: And Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to take a census of Israel.
(1Ch 21:1 MKJV)Delay: That is why we wanted to come to you. Certainly I, Paul, time and again wanted to come, but Satan blocked our way.
(1Th 2:18 ISV)
Every day I’m tempted to do other things than a bible study in the morning. I could sleep – God doesn’t want me to be overtired, does he? When I’m really tired my judgement isn’t as good and I’m more prone to sin. I’d better just check my email real quick… Hmmm that’s interesting, I’ll just take a minute to visit the website and read the whole article. It’s getting pretty late, I’d better get some work done… seen through the lens of spiritual warfare, these things make a lot more sense. I *never* find excuses to not read the latest Tom Clancy or Harry Potter, or re-read an old favorite like anything from Tolkien, Douglas Adams, Anne McCaffrey… no struggles there whatsoever. It’s not a struggle to make myself watch CSI. The only things I struggle with are the ones that benefit me most. The ones that bring me peace and calmness, that help me make unselfish decisions, and love my neighbor as myself. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
As for you, my friends, you were called to be free. But do not let this freedom become an excuse for letting your physical desires control you. Instead, let love make you serve one another. For the whole Law is summed up in one commandment: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” But if you act like wild animals, hurting and harming each other, then watch out, or you will completely destroy one another. What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants. These two are enemies, and this means that you cannot do what you want to do. If the Spirit leads you, then you are not subject to the Law. What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God. But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death their human nature with all its passions and desires. The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives.
(Gal 5:13-25 GNB)
