“Thy Kingdom Come” Session 4 – spiritual warfare
“… to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins
and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”
(Acts 26:17–18, NKJV)
How would you react if you heard this news alert? “A criminal has escaped and is on the loose in your neighborhood. He is a convicted murderer. Be alert and on guard. He is a master of disguise. Do not open the door.”
My guess is you would be on high alert.
That is precisely our situation as we live in what Paul calls “this present evil age” (Gal. 1:4). Peter urges us to “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
It’s been like this since the beginning, not the creation of the world but the beginning of existence in a fallen world. After Adam and Eve succumbed to the wiles of the serpent, they were exiled from the Garden of Eden. What would life be like on the other side of the fall? The account of Cain and Abel acts as a case study to show us the intrusion of sin into man’s relationship with God and his fellow man. There God alerts Cain and us: “…sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it” (Gen. 4:7, NASB95).
We find reconnaissance on our enemy the devil and instruction on the conduct of spiritual warfare throughout the Bible. We are provided glimpses in the Old Testament but it is in the New Testament that we are given details of our enlistment, equipment, and engagement. Every NT writer says something about spiritual opposition as part of Christian discipleship and mission.
Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and has freed us from his grasp. Paul prays that we know this in increasing measure. “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13–14).
The heart of spiritual warfare has to do with seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness as opposed to seeking the kingdom of the world from which we have been delivered. That warfare takes place in our walk with Christ, and our work for Him. Paul explains: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)” (Eph. 5:8–9; see also Titus 2:11-14; 1 Thess. 2:18).
Our Lord Jesus prayed not that the Father would take us out of this world but that He would protect us from the evil one (John 17:15). Kingdom vision accounts for that threat and rests on God’s answer.
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This course will involve self-paced study under the direction of a mentor. Each lesson will feature a video interview related to a book I have written and will include a study guide. Links to books and supporting materials will be provided.
The course is free. Watch for an announcement about the availability of Thy Kingdom Come later this summer.
The featured book for this session of Kingdom Vision is Warfare Witness: Contending with Spiritual Opposition in Everyday Evangelism (Stanley D. Gale, Christian Focus Publications, 2005). Click here for an article on “What is Spiritual Warfare?”.
