Good morning,
“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:11-12)
This week we will be looking at the topic of Spiritual Warfare.
The forces of good and the forces of evil are in a battle for the souls of men and women, of boys and girls. Satan and his demonic cohorts seek to make evil acceptable.
Have you ever wondered why there is so much evil in our world today? Where did it come from and why?
It goes back to Genesis 1-3. Genesis 2:16-17, God commanded Adam not to eat of the “…tree of the knowledge of good and evil…” Genesis 3:6 records Adam’s rebellion to God’s command. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”
It has been a downhill spiral from there.
Introduction:
First Adam had dominion over the Garden of Eden. Gen 1-2 (Read 1:26, 28)
First Adam gave up dominion when he sinned. Gen 3
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)
Second Adam (Jesus Christ) bought back sinful man through His blood. (Read John 3:16)
HOW KINGDOM AUTHORITY SOVEREIGNLY ESTABLISHED
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 [And] having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:13-15)
V13 Jesus set us free from spiritual death.
Situation dire: DEATH We deserve DEATH. Quickened=made alive Forgiving ALL our trespasses
V14 Jesus set us free from our staggering debt for our sin.
Heaven has sued us for damages. We are GUILTY before God.
In olden times criminals accused of a crime were given a handwriting of ordinances which stated the charges against him. This was taken to the judge, a trial held and if the person was found guilty, the crime and sentence would be written on the handwriting of ordinances. This would be then posted to the door of his jail cell for all to see. When the sentence was completed and all time served and all debt paid, the handwriting of ordinances would be taken back to the judge. The judge would ask, Has all the sentence been carried out? The jailer would say YES. The judge then writes one word on the handwriting of ordinances:
TETILESTI=It is paid or paid in full. This was same word Jesus used on the cross.
Imagine God writing out handwriting of ordinances on each of us detailing all our sins. The trial is held and the verdict is read GUILTY. Then HE nailed each handwriting of ordinances to the cross. Jesus paid the debt for our sin on the cross. When Satan comes to God to accuse the believer, our attorney the Lord Jesus Christ will show the judge, God, the handwriting of ordinances which has written upon it PAID IN FULL!
V15 Jesus set us free from Satanic dominion.
Principalities and powers are Satan’s dark kingdom.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)
Spoiled=stripped When Jesus Christ died on the cross, shedding His blood for our sins, He stripped Satan of his dominion of this world and shamed Satan openly and made Satan a laughing stock. A king with no clothes, no kingdom.
Triumphing=subdued Satan was subdued by mighty Calvary. The blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ.
SATAN IS A DEFEATED FOE!!!! He does not want you to know this!!!
If we as Christians believed this truth, we would not be so vulnerable to Satan’s enticements.
Trust what Christ has done for you.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001
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