I spoke last night on the Doctrine of our spiritual Adoption. here's the audio on the blog ... =)
Nov 21, 2009
Nov 20, 2009
Who is Jesus?
Labels:
DOCTRINE,
Jesus Christ,
THEOLOGY
THE SON’S ETERNALITY
I believe that the Son of God has always existed as the second person of the Trinity (Jn 3:13). The Son created all things and upholds them by the sheer power of his will (Col 1:16-17; Heb 1:3).
I believe the Son existed in eternal communion with the Father and the Spirit before the event of the incarnation (Jn 17:5, 24), wherein the Son took on human flesh (Jn 1:14) and was born to the virgin Mary as the God-Man Jesus of Nazareth (Matt 1:18-25). The incarnation was completely voluntary and was ordained to come to pass by the Triune God in eternity past.
THE INCARNATION
I believe that the Son did not lose or diminish any of his deity when He took on the role of a servant (human) but rather He simply added humanity to His eternal deity (Phil 2:5-8). In Jesus, the divine and human natures are fully joined together in one person, without conflict or confusion. The divine and human nature are united together in the one person of Jesus Christ and yet they exist side by side, “without division, without separtation”, as the Council of Chalcedon worded it in 451 AD.
While Jesus was on earth, He was subject to hunger (Lk 4:2), thirst (Jn 19:28) and death and yet He was completely perfect in every way (Heb 4:15). Jesus was tempted (Lk 4:1-13) and yet He was without sin in any way and in fact was not even able to sin because He was not only fully man but also fully God and we know that God can not sin (Jas 1:13).
CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION
I believe that Jesus voluntarily suffered at the hands of wicked men – Jews and Romans alike – and was executed via crucifixion (Jn 19:30). After He died, Jesus was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimethea (Jn 19:38-42) but rose again on the third day (Jn 19:38-42). I believe that Jesus’ resurrection was literal and that his resurrected body was physical, albeit glorified, and therefore it was imperishable and incorruptible (I Cor 15:42-57).
I believe that Jesus appeared to many (I Cor 15:1-8) – mainly his followers – over a period of forty days before ascending back to heaven, where He is now, seated at the right hand of the Father in power (Acts 1:3, 9). I believe that one day soon Jesus will return to earth to execute judgment on His enemies, gather His followers to Himself and establish His eternal kingdom (Matt 25:31-46) on a new earth.
THE WORK OF CHRIST
I believe that Jesus functions in three different offices: that of prophet (Heb 1:1-2), priest (II Cor 5:15), and king (Matt 19:28). As prophet, He reveals God to the world and as king, He reigns and rules over all. As priest, Christ gave himself up to be a sacrifice for sin and is now interceding on the behalf of believers (Heb 7:25, 9:24).
In order to procure our salvation, it was necessary for Christ to die for our sins. The reason is because no human can meet the righteous standard of God, which is perfection; and no human work can ever satisfy the wrath of God against our sin (Rom 3:23, 6:23). Jesus’ sacrificial death on our behalf accomplished our salvation by his work.
I believe Jesus atoned for our sins; that is, he was our substitute on the cross (Is 53:5-6, 12). The sacrifice of Jesus was a propitiation (I Jn 2:2) in that it satisfied the wrath of God and brought us into a righteous legal standing before the Father (Rom 5:1).
THE ATONEMENT
I believe we cannot know with absolute certainty the Triune God’s intention as towards the extent of the atonement because this question probes into the inner council of the Trinity. I believe that what we can know with absolute certainty is that any one who comes to the Son will not be turned away and will consequently be covered under the blood of Jesus.
I believe we can also know that only those who call upon the name of Christ for salvation will have the work of the atonement applied on their behalf (Eph 2:8-9, Tit 3:5). I agree with the Synod of Dort (1619) here in that Christ’s death was “sufficient for all but efficient for the elect” (Jn 3:16, Rom 5:6).
Nov 19, 2009
THE HOLY SPIRIT "DESCRIBED"
Labels:
DOCTRINE,
Holy Spirit,
THEOLOGY,
TRINITY
THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A PERSON
I believe the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a person. The Holy Spirit is described as a person because He can be blasphemed (Matt 12:31), lied to (Acts 5:3), obeyed (Acts 10:19-21) and grieved (Eph 4:30). T
he Holy Spirit has the attributes of a person as well: will (Acts 16:6; I Cor 12:11), intellect (Rom 8:27) and emotion (Rom 15:30). Moreover, the Holy Spirit performs actions that only a person can perform: he restrains (Gen 6:3), teaches (Jn 14:26), testifies (Jn 15:26), convicts (Jn 16:7-8), sends (Acts 13:4), guides (Rom 8:14), intercedes (Rom 8:27) and leads (Gal 5: 18).
Therefore, I do not believe the Holy Spirit is an impersonal “it” or simply an active energy force. I believe this is demonstrated further by the fact that the Holy Spirit is a person with power, not merely a power (Lk 4:14; Acts 10:38; Rom 15:13; I Cor 2:4).
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE GODHEAD
I believe that the Holy Spirit is the divine third person on the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is by definition a spirit and is consequently immaterial, invisible and non-corporeal (Lk 24:39; Jn 3:8). The Holy Spirit is also holy by definition and his holiness shows His sacred uniqueness (Ps 1:11; Is 63:10). The Holy Spirit is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son (Mt 28:19; II Cor 13:14) and was active during creation (Gen 1:2).
The New Testament authors associate the Holy Spirit with Yahweh of the Old Testament (Is 6:1-13 and Acts 28:25; Jer 31:31-34 and Heb 10:15-17). Another biblical evidence given for the Holy Spirit’s deity is that encounters with the Holy Spirit are seen as interactions with God Himself (Mt 12:31-32; Acts 5:3-4). Lastly, there is only one Holy Spirit (I Cor 12:13). This can be seen from the definite article in His name.
THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
I believe the Holy Spirit was present during creation (Gen 1:2) and He still gives and preserves all life (Ps 104:30). I believe the Holy Spirit’s work is universal and touches all creation, whether animate or inanimate. I believe the Holy Spirit’s work can be seen in the world today, primarily through God’s people, the church of Jesus Christ.
I believe that every undertaking of God is related to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Some important examples include the divine revelation and inspiration of the Holy Scriptures (II Pet 1:21), the virgin conception (Lk 1:35), empowerment for service (Jn 7:38-39), indwelling the saints (Jn 14:17) and miracles (Mt 12:28). Another key way He is active in our present age is by holding back (or restraining) evil (Gen 20:6; II Thess 2:7).
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SALVATION
I believe the Holy Spirit is active in salvation. As a member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit unites the work of the Father and the Son. This elective effort is initiated and completed by the Triune God alone and results in the believer's justification before God.
The Holy Spirit convicts the unbeliever of sin (Jn 16:8) and effectively calls unbelievers to Himself. This effectual calling enables the unbeliever to accept and believe the Gospel (Eph 1:18; II Thess 2:14). The Holy Spirit is also active in salvation by giving us a new nature. This spiritual begetting produces a rebirth (Jn 3:3-7) which is known as regeneration (Titus 3:5). Lastly, the Holy Spirit is also the believer’s guarantee (or down payment) of redemption (Eph 1:13-14).
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE BELIEVER
I believe the Holy Spirit sanctifies believers (Rom 15:16), setting us apart and making us holy (II Thess 2:13). The Holy Spirit is the agent who transforms us into the image of Christ. The Holy Spirit prompts worship (Jn 4:23), promotes fellowship (Phil 2:l-2), produces comfort (Acts 9:31) and joy (I Thess 1:6), prods love (Col 1:8) and provides us with power (Eph 3:16).
I believe the Holy Spirit empowers believers to serve in the Body of Christ (Num 27:18; Mt 12:28; Acts 1:2, 8; I Cor 3:4; Phil 1:19), each of us with different spiritual gifts (I Cor. 2: 12; 1 Cor. 12: 11). The Holy Spirit also empowers us to conquer sin (Rom 8:1-17; I Thess 5:19; Eph 5:18). The Holy Spirit provides both illumination and revelation for the Christian I Cor 2:12; Jn 14: 16-17; 16:12, I Jn 2:20, 27).
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND INSPIRATION
I believe the Holy Spirit moved the prophets and apostles to write the Scripture (Num 24:2; II Pet 2:21) and He enables believers to understand it (Eph 1:17-19). Lastly, I believe the Scriptures teach that the Holy Spirit provides believers with guidance (Mt 4:l; Acts 8:29; Acts 16:6-7; Rom. 8:14).
Nov 18, 2009
THE BEAUTY of ADOPTION sermon notes
Notes for my sermon tonight on Our Spiritual Adoption
• God graciously & lovingly seeks out unworthy people on His own initiative
•He makes them His children, solely on the basis of their trust in His true Son, Jesus Christ
•Because of their adoption, believers will share the full inheritance of the Son
ORDO SALUTIS
Election
Calling
Regeneration
Conversion
Justification
Adoption
Sanctification
Glorification
10 BENEFITS of OUR ADOPTION
1. FORGIVENESS
2. GUIDANCE
3. INTIMACY
4. ASSURANCE
5. SUFFERING
6. PROVISION
7. DISCIPLINE
8. A NEW FAMILY
9. NEW RESPONSIBILITIES
10. REDEMPTION
• FORGIVENESS
• EPHESIANS 1:3-14
• During the Roman Adoption Rite, the former life of the adopted person was completely wiped out.
• All debts were cancelled; they were erased as if they had never existed.
2nd Class Citizens?
“The term ‘adoption’ may smack somewhat of artificiality in our ears; but in the first century A.D. an adopted son was a son deliberately chosen by his adoptive father to perpetuate his name and inherit his estate; he was no whit inferior in status to a son born in the ordinary course of nature and might well enjoy the father’s affection more fully and reproduce the father’s character more worthily”.
» F.F. Bruce, The Epistle of Paul to the Romans, p. 166
The Roman Adoption Rite
• Because of its obvious great importance, the process of Roman adoption involved several carefully prescribed legal procedures
• After this rite was complete, the child was placed permanently into the new family; the child became heir to the new father’s estate
• In the eyes of the law the adopted person was literally & absolutely the child of their new father
• GUIDANCE
• ROMANS 8:14
• ILLUMINATION
• SANCTIFICATION
• INTIMACY
• ROMANS 8:15
• ACCESS!
• LIBERTY BUT NOT LICENSE
• GALATIANS 4:1-7
• ASSURANCE
• ROMANS 8:16
• For the transaction to become legally binding, it also required the presence of seven reputable witnesses, who could testify, if necessary, to any challenge of the adoption after the father’s death.
• SUFFERING
• ROMANS 8:17
• PROVISION
• MATTHEW 6:32-34
• LUKE 11:13
• DISCIPLINE
• HEBREWS 12:5-10
• A NEW FAMILY
• II CORINTHIANS 6:18
• JOHN 1:12
• GALATIANS 3:26, 28
• The first step in the Roman Adoption Rite totally severed the child’s legal and social relationship to their natural family.
• The adopted person lost all rights in their old family and gained all the rights of a fully legitimate child in their new family.
• THE FATHERHOOD of GOD ?
• “children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3)
• “sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:1-2; 5:6)
• John 8:41, 44 ... “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires”.
• NEW RESPONSIBILITIES
• EPHESIANS 5:1
• I JOHN 3:1-3
• REDEMPTION
• At the death of the father, a favored adopted son would sometimes inherit the father’s title, the major part of the estate, and would be the primary progenitor of the family name.
• GALATIANS 4:4-5
• ROMANS 8:23
A Biblical example of "adoption" ...
• II SAMUEL 9:1–13
• Mephibosheth
– crippled son of Jonathan
– sole remaining descendent of Saul
• When King David learned about him
– he gave him all the land that had belonged to his grandfather Saul
– He honored him by having him dine regularly at the king’s table in the palace at Jerusalem
• Moses, Mordecai & Mephibosheth
• Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses out of pity and sympathy-Exodus 2:1–10 & Esther 2:5–11:
• Although Mordecai dearly loved Esther, his adoption of her was prompted by family duty
• David’s adoption of Mephibosheth was motivated purely by gracious love
• David’s adoption of Mephibosheth pictures God’s adoption of believers! How?
• David took the initiative in seeking out Mephibosheth
• Although Mephibosheth was the son of David’s closest friend, he was also the grandson and sole heir of Saul
• Mephibosheth was helpless to render David any service; he could only accept his sovereign’s bounty
• Mephibosheth means “a shameful thing”
• Lived in Lo-debar, “the barren land” (lit, “no pasture”)
• David brought this outcast to dine at his table as his own son and graciously granted him a magnificent inheritance to which he was no longer legally entitled
Nov 16, 2009
THE TOP 8 LAME THINGS TO SAY TO AN ADOPTIVE PARENT, part 2
Labels:
FAMILY,
PERSONAL,
SOCIAL ISSUES
The following is Part 2 of a list of questions and words to remove from your vocabulary when talking about adoption. Dennae Pierre [http://exploringlove.blogspot.com] wrote most of this post with some input from my wife, Nicole Rieser. I have changed some of the wording a bit. Before I start, here are some verses that would be helpful to read to understand where we are coming from. There are easily 40 other verses I could list about the orphans/fatherless, poor/needy but this is a good starting point.
God’s adoption of us: Romans 8:15, Romans 8:23, Galatians 4:5, Ephesians 1:5
God’s heart for orphans: James 1:27, Deut. 10:17-22, Psalms 10:14, Zec. 7:10, Proverbs 31:8-9
Things You Should Never Say To a Family With Adopted/Foster Children
5. "You’re a saint. I could never go through the pain of a child returning to the birth family or hearing their stories of abuse."
Foster parents aren't saints, I promise. When people allude to the fact that there is something “tough” about foster parents for being able to “handle” the stories of abuse, it just makes me think that they don’t have any close friends who are foster parents. The kids who don’t get to be adopted, especially when they are returning to unsafe homes; it breaks the hearts of foster parents.
We aren’t tough. It rips our hearts out, but the pain of a grown, healthy adult who fosters is nothing compared to an abused child having nowhere to live and no where to be safe.
This statement says that it is better to protect your own heart and life from pain then to alleviate the pain and suffering of an innocent, abused child. This is not the gospel we have been called to and I'm sure if we each really thought about it, would admit its better to risk our own pain then to let an abused child have no home to live in.
6. "God’s given you a special call"
Okay, this is my least favorite statement. I wasn’t “called” to adopt or foster children any more or less then every other Christian I know. Again, read the aforementioned verses; God's word is filled with a command to care for orphans and the poor and the New Testament gives a beautiful example of God adopting us into his family - we are all called to care for the orphans.
There are exceptions, if you have marital issues that need to be worked on, don’t want any children, or have legitimate reasons for not being able to, then that is fine. No one should do it out of guilt or obligation. But healthy, loving families who like children should be actively involved in supporting adoptions and fostering.
There are at least 5 churches that have more members in them then Arizona has kids in the foster system waiting for placement. We have no excuse. If we believe in caring for life and abortions ending, then it makes sense to start with caring for the orphans we have already.
Instead of thinking of these families who adopt as “selfless” and “special”, just think of them as normal. If couples don’t have to pray to make sure God wanted them to get pregnant in the first place…then why do couples need to be “called” to adopt? I never hear Christians say, “God called me to get pregnant.”
Too often we think/pray for God to “open the door” for us if he wants us to adopt. More of us should pray, “God, I know you’ve called us to care for the orphans and it would be an honor to do this! Please let me be one who gets to serve in such a great way! I’m going to start taking action toward this and if you don’t want it to happen, close the door.”
7. Racial Stereotypes
Please avoid stating any racial stereotypes you may have about my children or any other child. I have friends who have fostered or adopted children from many other races (Hispanic, Caucasian, etc) and all of them have stories of things people have said that would (hopefully) make your mouth drop open. Just apply the “if-you-wouldn’t-say-it-to-an-adult” rule.
The one I hear most often has to do with the assumption that black or Hispanic families are more likely to have their children in foster care (under that statement lies an assumption that black/Hispanic families are worse parents then Caucasian families). The fact is a majority of the children who enter the system in Arizona are Caucasian; however, most foster and adoptive families will only take white kids/won’t take minorities — that is why there are so many minority children waiting for adoption.
8. “Is it because of the drugs?”
I have had this said to me several times. When a toddler is running all over the place or doing something that seems a little different then the “average” child, sometimes well meaning people ask if it is because the child was exposed to drugs in the womb. It would be the same as me walking up to you during your 2-year old's screaming tantrum and saying, “your child is so abnormal, what on earth happened to them that made them so difficult?” Any parent would be taken aback by this statement.
===============================================
There have been many things said to our families about our children that make us feel very uncomfortable. We know everyone has the best intentions and we don’t believe anyone would say these things to be intentionally hurtful; however, in a culture where adoption is not common, sometimes it helps to be informed.
Nov 15, 2009
THE TOP 8 LAME THINGS TO SAY TO AN ADOPTIVE PARENT, part 1
Labels:
FAMILY,
PERSONAL,
SOCIAL ISSUES
The following is a list of questions and words to remove from your vocabulary when talking about adoption. Dennae Pierre [http://exploringlove.blogspot.com] wrote most of this post with some input from my wife, Nicole Rieser. I have changed some of the wording a bit. Before I start, here are some verses that would be helpful to read to understand where we are coming from. There are easily 40 other verses I could list about the orphans/fatherless, poor/needy but this is a good starting point.
God’s adoption of us: Romans 8:15, Romans 8:23, Galatians 4:5, Ephesians 1:5
God’s heart for orphans: James 1:27, Deut. 10:17-22, Psalms 10:14, Zec. 7:10, Proverbs 31:8-9
Things You Should Never Say To a Family With Adopted/Foster Children
1. "Are you going to have children of your own?"
This is perhaps one of the most offensive things I hear, yet I hear it on a weekly basis. Any sentence with “children of your own” included in it (referring to biological children) is incredibly offensive and hurtful. Adopted children are children of our own — there is no difference between an adopted and biological child for parents who adopt.
If you have never adopted and cannot understand loving a child as much because they don’t have your DNA — please, keep those thoughts to yourself. This statement implies that biological children belong to me more than my adopted child. This is ludicrous! How can the loves of my life, be anything less then my children? Are you less of God’s child because you are adopted by him?
Read some of the above verses for a short overview on how the Bible beautifully talks about Christians being “adopted by God.” If God can see me as a “child of his own” then you should be able to see my children as “my own.”
2. "Are you infertile?"
There are many things wrong with this question. Two of those things are:
First, the question implies that the only reason you would adopt is because you cannot get pregnant. It makes adoption seem like a second-rate version of having children. Several of our friends wanted to adopt long before we even met our spouses and knew if fertility was an issue or not. It is something we felt passionately about and we chose to do it instead of getting pregnant.
If you make the mistake of asking this question and get the above response, PLEASE DO NOT try to convince the person to change their mind. The person will instantly start thinking of how ignorant you are and will be very hurt or angry. They haven’t made this decision lightly, so nothing you can say will change their mind. I’ve heard terrible reasons for needing to get pregnant like:
"Don’t you want to see what a kid looks like that you create?"
... or ...
"You can’t possibly understand how special that attachment is between mother and child until you’ve carried them in you and delivered them."
I could write about why those are ridiculous statements, but to keep this from getting too long — I’ll just let you ask me personally.
Secondly, I have friends who tried for years to get pregnant and couldn’t—they really don’t like sharing this information with everyone. For some couples this is a private and painful issue and they don’t want to share it with everyone.
Also, once they have adopted, many of them regret not doing it sooner, wishing they would have realized that a child is a child — regardless of DNA. Any implication that their now adopted child was a “second choice” to biological children is hurtful.
3. "Do they have the same fathers - or are they siblings?"
There are certain close friends (especially those who understand and support adoption) that I may chose to discuss this with. However, this is can be an inappropriate question to ask a family for several reasons.
A. If someone has adopted them — then OF COURSE they have the same mother and father.
B. This question again goes back to DNA and really doesn’t matter—if they really are biologically half siblings, does that make any difference since they were raised together from birth? Do you think their little minds process that they are “half siblings?” Of course not!
C. The answer very well may give you a bad opinion of the birth mother and my children may not want you to know the answer to that. Their life story belongs to them and how they chose to share it will be up to each one individually. Would you randomly ask a single mom if her three children all have the same father?
If you wouldn’t ask an adult a question about their life because it might be embarrassing or hurtful for them, then it probably isn’t an appropriate question to ask about my children (since they will be adults too at some point).
4. “You know what I mean”
Whenever someone says some of the above things to me and I explain to someone that Malachi is “my own” and that I am happy only adopting; this is usually the response I get.
My answer to this statement is almost always, “no, I don’t know what you mean.” A better way to respond is, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have worded it that way." :)
===============================================
There have been many things said to our families about our children that make us feel very uncomfortable. We know everyone has the best intentions and we don’t believe anyone would say these things to be intentionally hurtful; however, in a culture where adoption is not common, sometimes it helps to be informed.
Nov 11, 2009
HOW TO BEAT SATAN & LIVE TO TELL ABOUT IT
As we become more aware of Satan’s snares, we must be equally eager to take hold of God’s method of protection against demonic attack. This is something a mature counsellor can help a Christian who is under demonic attack do, as it is imperative for their long-term success and well-being in this area. Here are five suggestions for the attacked (and the counsellor, too).
Memorize scripture – As Gerry Breshears notes
“Our primary weapons against demonic stratagems are faithful application of the funda¬men¬tals of the faith”, and “[t]he only spiritual information to be trusted is from God Himself. This comes through the Bible interpreted naturally. All other knowledge, information, experience is guilty until proven inno¬cent and suspect even then. Be particularly cautious about deeper meanings or uses of passages out of context”. [1]
This can most clearly be seen in Satan’s head-on confrontation with Satan himself. The devil twisted the Scripture towards his own evil purposes and Jesus responded with Scripture, in its true context to defeat him. Jesus is our model and this means we absolutely must commit Scripture to memory so that we can wield the sword of the Spirit against Satan when he attacks. Also, all the means by which to combat Satan are to be found in Scripture.
Pray – Of course we should always be in prayer but when it comes to defeating Satan prayer is part and parcel of the battle. If we are the one being attacked by the demonic underworld, there are some great truths we can pray to vanquish our foe. Moreover, if we are in a believing community (which we should be) we can ask that our brothers and sisters would combine their prayers in corporate prayer so as to intensify this weapon God has given us. If we are helping someone else in this area, here are some things we can do (per Grudem):
In actual practice, this authority to rebuke demons may result in briefly speaking a command to an evil spirit to leave when we suspect the presence of demonic influence in our personal lives or the lives of those around us. We are to “resist the devil” (James 4:7), and he will flee from us. Sometimes a very brief command in the name of Jesus will be enough. At other times it will be helpful to quote Scripture in the process of commanding an evil spirit to leave a situation.[2]
Paul speaks of “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17) and Jesus, when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, repeatedly quoted Scripture in response to Satan’s temptations (Matt. 4:1–11). Appropriate Scriptures may include general statements of the triumph of Jesus over Satan (Matt. 12:28–29; Luke 10:17–19; 2 Cor. 10:3–4; Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8–9; 1 John 3:8; 4:4; 5:18), but also verses that speak directly to the particular temptation or difficulty at hand.
Fast – There is a textual gloss at Mark 9:29 found in many later and less reliable witnesses. It says that Jesus told the disciples at certain times prayer and fasting were needed to cast out a demon. We already discussed the prayer part and even though I recognize the addition of “and fasting” (καὶ νηστείᾳ ) as an insertion, I still believe there is some truth to it!
Mainly I would fall back on personal experience that confirms when I fast I am much more aware of the reality of the spiritual world and I feel a much closer communion with God than at most other times. This would most certainly be an aid if fighting off demonic attacks. Scripture teaches that fasting adds an extra dimension of immediacy and seriousness to our prayers (Joel 2:12–13a).
Lastly, we can see many times in Scripture when fasting is connected to times of intense intercession (Neh. 1:4; Esth. 4:3; Dan. 9:3).
Worship – The brightest light displaces the darkest dark. By this I simply mean that as we focus on the grandeur of God’s character, Satan has less and less of a place to put a foothold (Eph. 4:27). As God becomes bigger to us, Satan’s power becomes more obviously inferior in every way. We see Satan as the defeated foe he is as we praise Jesus for His victory on the cross. David singing songs to the Lord before King Saul may be the best example of this principle (I Sam. 16:23).
Put on the whole armor of God – Ephesians 6:10-11 tells us this: “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil". If we truly put on this armor daily we are invincible in spiritual battle.
Of course, the source of our strength is in Christ and His finished work, not anything we have done. We are not the source of this power or authority and would do well to never forget that. This is why we have to "submit therefore to God” and “resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7)". If we do this and are “of sober spirit” as we “be on the alert” because our “adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” But we must “resist him, firm in your faith” (I Pet 5:8-9).
Ultimately, the victory comes from God. All of the weapons of our warfare are supplied by Him to us through His Son. Even though the victory has already been won, we are still to be active and alert in this warfare. After all, it is a battle! We should praise God daily that He has enabled us to be “more than conquerors through him who loved us.” We can be sure that neither “angels nor rulers” … “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:37-39).
NOTES:
[1] Gerry Breshears, “Basic Principles for Dealing with the Demonic”. Unpublished notes, Western Seminary (Portland OR), April, 2007.
[2] Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994), 429
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