SEVEN.
Our Victorious Conqueror.
World War II had been over for sixteen years, yet in the jungles, caves, and hill country of Guam a confused j.a.panese soldier was still in hiding. He defied capture and refused to surrender, mentally fighting a war that was over for his comrades almost two decades before. He did not know that World War II had ended, with his country going down in defeat.
Because of periodic sightings, there was some suspicion that a few j.a.panese soldiers could be left on the island of two-hundred-plus square miles. While Sergeant Ito Masashi was climbing over a rock near the American camp one day, the inevitable finally happened. He knew he was spotted. He froze. He thought he would be slaughtered when captured. Hoping there was a small chance that his life would be spared, he held a square of old trouser material in the air as an act of surrender.
Ito later wrote, "Now that the moment of truth had come; now that I was finally face to face, after sixteen years, with the enemy we had always dreaded, curiously I felt no panic, no fear. I watched almost dispa.s.sionately as one of the quartet detached himself and advanced down the slope toward me. I"d no time to wonder if he was going to kill me then and there-for an instant later I was engulfed, swamped, overwhelmed by a shock and a surprise as heart-stopping as anything I"d experienced in my whole life."1 Ito braced himself for whatever might happen, but one of the men approached him gently and said, "You"re all right now, are you?"2 There would be no slaughter, no darkness, no pain. They had compa.s.sion. He was given medical attention and hygiene care. (His hair had grown to almost two feet in length, and dirt was literally crusted on his body.) Ito was given a warm shower, fitted with new clothing, and given conventional food. In a short time he was flown back to his family in j.a.pan, who thought he had died years before. At home his tombstone read, "Killed in action on Guam Island, at the age of twenty-three."3 The story of Sergeant Masashi reminds us of the condition of most of the people in the world today. They are unaware that a "spiritual war" was fought and that the battle was won when Christ went to the cross two thousand years ago. Many people are so hara.s.sed, confused, and tormented by the activity of Satan that they live only for today-they just want to get by. So many live in fear of what they perceive to be inevitable, namely, that life will become hard and cruel. These people have given in to the idea that they will never really find the answers they are looking for.
After a recent speaking engagement, I was approached by a woman in her thirties who wanted to speak to me. Her little girl, who appeared to be five or six years old, gazed affectionately at her as the woman, whom we"ll call Kim, told me her shocking story. For more than eight months Kim had been living on the streets. Her daughter was living with a relative, and her twelve-year-old son was in a juvenile detention facility. Kim said that her father had severely beaten her while she was growing up and, as a result, she began developing relationships with men who abused her as well. She had suffered numerous rapes and severe beatings.
Kim cried out to me, "Where was G.o.d in all this? Why did this have to happen to me? Life hasn"t been fair! While living on the streets I tried praying, and anything else I could do to turn my life around, but nothing worked."
Now her life was beginning to "work," and she didn"t fully understand. Kim had just recently accepted Christ and was gaining some hope that her future would be different. But she had become discouraged. She said, "Maybe I should just go back to what I know life is all about-back to the people who abused me. That seems to be my life."
I said, "Kim, look at that little girl holding your hand. She adores you and wants you to be a mom to her. Because of your recent decision to become a Christian, Jesus has broken the power of sin in your life. The chain of bondage has been severed. And because of your decision, this little girl will not suffer the kind of life you have had."
Kim responded, "I know you"re right. I just don"t know if it will work. I"ve lived that other life for so long, and there are so many bad memories."
"I understand your fear and your apprehension about the future," I said, "but as you grow in the Lord and as He helps you settle down, you will see that He has a wonderful life for you and your children."
Kim has gotten involved in her church, and a Christian counselor is helping her work through her painful past. She is going to make it.4 The enemy of our souls has been very thorough in his work of keeping people blind to what Jesus did for them on the cross. Many people, even in churches, do not fully comprehend all that Jesus did when He died.
At times people even mock the crucifixion of Jesus. Some rock songs do this. In the Rolling Stones" song "Sympathy for the Devil," Mick Jagger sings, "I was around when Jesus Christ had His moment of doubt and pain, made [expletive deleted] sure that Pilate washed his hands and sealed His fate."
John Lennon of the Beatles said, "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn"t argue about that. I"m right, and I will be proved right. We"re more popular than Jesus."5 The arrogance of Jagger, Lennon, and many of their counterparts proves that they have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. Eric Holmberg, who directs Real-to-Reel Ministries, has produced a video on what many contemporary rock music "philosophers" are saying about Jesus Christ. Holmberg states, "Jesus has become the focus of more ridicule in rock music than any other personality. Virtually every facet of His life and ministry is mocked and criticized."6 Noting that many rock stars like to wear a cross as jewelry, Holmberg says, How Satan must enjoy the irony. This type of desecration is virtually rampant in rock. With crosses the most popular jewelry choice of the stars, it seems as though the more perverted the artist, the larger, the more numerous or the more obsessive is their focus on the cross.... Crosses show up so often you would think that rock music was a Christian industry-until one looks at their intent, message, and lifestyle.7 What these rock musicians and most of the world do not realize is that the age-old conflict between G.o.d and the devil was finished on that ridiculed "old rugged cross." According to the Bible, there will come a day when rock stars such as Mick Jagger, John Lennon, and Madonna will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord and that and the cross is the greatest demonstration of G.o.d"s love and victory that history has ever known.
The effects of the crucifixion will one day be felt by everyone who has ever lived.
In his cla.s.sic book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis ill.u.s.trates this truth: This universe is at war.... it is a civil war, a rebellion.... we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel.
Enemy-occupied territory-that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church you are really listening-in to the secret wireless [radio] from our friends: that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going. He does it by playing on our conceit and laziness and intellectual sn.o.bbery.8 What Happened When Jesus Died?
PAUL PAINTS A VIVID word picture of a public execution to explain the absolute victory Jesus had over Satan when he suffered and died on the cross. If we understand the significance of this event, our confidence for battle with the enemy will greatly increase. Paul writes, When you were dead in your sins and in the uncirc.u.mcision of your sinful nature, G.o.d made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Col. 2:13-15).
Three major truths derive from this pa.s.sage that we need to understand as we prepare for spiritual warfare: Jesus gave us new life. When we come to Christ, we come alive. This new life is a gift from G.o.d and is what the Scripture means that calls us to be "born again" (John 3:3, 7). With this new life we have broken away from our past. We have been "set free from sin" (Rom. 6:18). Before we came to Christ we were hopelessly bankrupt in our sins and had no chance of getting out of spiritual debt. But on the cross the debt was canceled. We can say, "Jesus took the doc.u.ment that revealed our sins and, in public defiance to the powers of evil, He nailed it to the cross. On that day almost two thousand years ago, Christ paid in full all of our sin debt."
Arthur Stanton said, "We are not saved by theories, but by fact, and what is the fact? For whom did Christ die? Christ died for sinners. Well, then, He died for me."9 The great statesman Daniel Webster said, "If I might comprehend Jesus Christ, I could not believe on Him. He would be no greater than myself. Such is my consciousness of sin and inability that I must have a superhuman Savior."10 The employees at the a.s.semblies of G.o.d headquarters have a chapel service every Tuesday morning. After one recent service, a man I had not met asked to speak to me.11 He said he would be going to his attorney"s office that day to sign divorce papers. His wife had worked at our headquarters facility as a secretary. They had not lived together for many months. He said that for some reason he felt that he should drive by the building and come in- and he did, during the chapel service. He sat outside the meeting room and heard the singing, the prayers, and the message.
As the man talked to me, he began to cry. "I don"t know what"s the matter," he said. "I have a good wife and beautiful children. My life is a mess. I used to be a Christian, but I began to use drugs and alcohol, and I became very confused. Then, I got involved in all kinds of bad behavior."
I said, "Tell me how this all started."
He responded, "I stopped going to church, and in fact tried to keep my wife and lads away from church. My wife was strong, and she decided to attend on her own, with the kids."
"When did you leave her, and what made you decide to divorce her?" I asked.
"I lost my job, and my life just got more messed up. I decided it was better for me to leave the family-they would be better off without me. I have done so many things wrong, G.o.d couldn"t ever forgive me."
I responded, "Friend, Jesus already paid for your debt of sin. You can receive His forgiveness right now and start over again. With G.o.d"s help, you can stop the pattern of sin, and perhaps your family will even be willing to start over, too. G.o.d is the G.o.d of the second chance."
The man asked me to pray with him. With heartfelt sobs he confessed his sins and re-dedicated his life to Christ. I called his wife at her office to tell her that her husband was in the chapel, praying. She immediately came down, and they sat, talked, and prayed together. She didn"t want a divorce-and most of all, the sin debt was paid for.
This man, like countless others, has discovered the amazing truth that all our sins have been covered. We need only to accept the gift of salvation.
Jesus canceled the written code that was against us. Jesus Christ canceled not only our debt of sin-for sins we know that we have committed-but also the sins based on the regulations of the law. To understand what this means, we can look at two of the original Greek words Paul used.
Written code. The Greek word cheirographon literally means handwriting. It refers to a signature agreeing to an indebtedness. If we want to buy an automobile and finance it through a bank, we will sign a doc.u.ment stating that we understand that we owe a certain amount of money to the bank and that the loan will be paid over a period of time at an agreed-upon interest rate. Our signature states that we understand the conditions of the agreement and that if we do not meet those conditions, we could lose the car, and have a negative mark on our credit rating.
Paul is saying that people understand that they have a debt of sin. The Bible teaches us, "There is no one righteous, not even one" (Rom. 3:10). We know we have done many things that G.o.d could hold against us-whether they be horrendous sins or an "everyday" kind. But we all know there is a sin debt that somehow needs to be paid. How do we know? Our "consciences" bear witness, and our "thoughts" are accusing (Rom. 2:15). In our hearts we have signed an agreement that we have a sin debt.
Canceled (exaleiphein). Paul then explains that this debt of sin has been canceled, or wiped out. G.o.d has mercifully paid the entire debt. In explaining the word exaleiphein, William Barclay writes, The substance on which ancient doc.u.ments were written was either papyrus, a kind of paper made of the pith of the bulrush, or vellum, a substance made of the skins of animals. Both were fairly expensive and certainly could not be wasted. Ancient ink had no acid in it; it lay on the surface of the paper and did not, as modern ink usually does, bite into it. Sometimes a scribe, to save paper, used papyrus or vellum that had already been written upon. When he did that, he took a sponge and wiped the writing out. Because it was only on the surface of the paper, the ink could be wiped out as if it had never been.12 When we receive the forgiveness of G.o.d, the slate is wiped clean. It is so complete that there is no record of any debt. "You will again have compa.s.sion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19). In the same way, David writes, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us" (Ps. 103:12).
A computer has a delete b.u.t.ton that will remove whatever the user has highlighted. We could work all day on a doc.u.ment, but i we hit the delete b.u.t.ton, it will all disappear. All that we have worked on will be removed. G.o.d in His incredible mercy has wiped our slate clean of sin. The sins we have committed were highlighted, and the delete b.u.t.ton was. .h.i.t at the moment we came to Christ for His forgiveness. This new "file" is now stored in place of the old. In Christ our sins are completely forgiven. We are "free from accusation-if you continue in your faith" (Col. 1:22-23). Evangelist Billy Zeoli said, "G.o.d has a big eraser."13 In his personal memoirs Charles Finney expresses his emotions when, in 1821, he finally realized that his sins were forgiven.
But how was I to account for the quiet of my mind? I tried to recall my convictions, to get back again the load of sin under which I had been laboring. But all sense of sin, all consciousness of present sin or guilt, had departed from me. I said to myself, "What is this, that I cannot arouse any sense of guilt in my soul, as great a sinner as I am?" I tried in vain to make myself anxious about my present state. I was so quiet and peaceful that I tried to feel concerned about that, lest it should be a result of my having grieved the Spirit away. But take any view of it I would, I could not be anxious at all about my soul, and about my spiritual state. The repose of my mind was unspeakably great. I never can describe it in words. The thought of G.o.d was sweet to my mind, and the most profound spiritual tranquillity had taken full possession of me.14 What a wonderful experience Finney had when he actually sensed in his emotions the truth that he was completely forgiven. Not all of us will have that kind of emotional experience, but we can always depend on G.o.ds promise, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousnes" (1 John 1:9). G.o.d"s Word is true, no matter what our emotions tell us.
Further on this matter of cancellation, Paul states that the written code was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:13). That is, G.o.d took our sins and nailed them to the cross of Christ.
Barclay writes,.
It used to be said that in the ancient world when a law or an ordinance was canceled, it was fastened to a board and a nail was driven clean through it. But it is doubtful if that was the case and if that is the picture here. Rather it is this-on the cross of Christ the indictment that was against us was itself crucified. It was executed and put clean out of the way, so that it might never be seen again.15 Before Christ, people were under the law and found they could not keep it perfectly. They were continually breaking the law on one point or another. But with the cross the law has been canceled and G.o.d"s grace has come.16 C. I. Scofield once wrote, G.o.d was not changed, for He had always loved the world; nor was the world changed, for it continued in sinful rebellion against G.o.d. But by the death of Christ the relationship between G.o.d and the world was changed.17 Thomas Drake said, "The cross is the ladder to heaven."18 What sins have you committed? Do you have a habit of lying? A recent poll disclosed that in the opinion of Americans, the clergy tell the truth 49 percent of the time, doctors 48 percent, best friends 26 percent, local newspapers 8 percent, the president of the United States 8 percent, and leaders of Congress 3 percent. Yet most adults would say that they do not lie and value personal integrity.19 Perhaps your sin has been cheating, adultery, p.o.r.nography, gossip, slander, envy, or anger. The type of sin makes little difference to G.o.d. Sin can be forgiven, because our sins have been nailed to the cross. By acknowledging our sin to G.o.d and asking Him for forgiveness, we can receive His cleansing.
Jesus disarmed all the demonic forces that take people captive. In regard to Paul"s words in Colossians 2:15-"having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them"-Barclay comments, The ancient world believed in all kinds of angels and in all kinds of elemental spirits. Many of these spirits were out to ruin men. It was they who were responsible for demon-possession and the like. They were hostile to men. Jesus conquered them forever. He stripped them; the word used is the " word for stripping the weapons and the armor from a defeated foe. Once and for all Jesus broke their power. He put them to open shame and led them captive in his triumphant train. The picture is that of the triumph of a Roman general. When a Roman general had won a really notable victory, he was allowed to march his victorious armies through the streets of Rome and behind him followed the kings and the leaders and the peoples he had vanquished. They were openly branded as his spoils. Paul thinks of Jesus as a conqueror enjoying a kind of cosmic triumph, and in his triumphal procession are the powers of evil, beaten forever, for every one to see.20 The demonic forces understand that once we have been forgiven in Christ they can no longer control us. Their ability to keep us in darkness is gone, and even their influence on us has been greatly damaged. Jesus disarmed them and publicly displayed their defeat.
What Did We Gain from the Cross?
PAUL WRITES, "FOR HE has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Col. 1:13). The work that Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross has many benefits that directly affect our spiritual warfare.
We have been rescued from Satan"s kingdom. When we become born again we are rescued from Satan"s dominion and brought into the kingdom of G.o.d. The Greek word translated "brought" is methistemi, which means to transport something or someone completely over to another place. As Christians we are no longer part of Satan"s kingdom. We might occasionally do things we did when we lived in that kingdom, but we are not a part of it. We have been rescued. We have been transferred.
We have been delivered from darkness. When we were without Christ, we were blind, without hope, and stumbling around looking for answers to life"s questions. Now we live in the light, and Jesus leads us where we are to go. We are children of G.o.d, not children of the devil.
Dr. James Dobson explains our basic sin nature this way:.
Many people believe that children are basically good, and they only learn to do wrong from their parents and culture. But if that a.s.sessment of human nature were accurate, it would contradict scriptural understandings. For Jeremiah wrote: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV). Jeremiah"s inspired insight into human nature is validated by the sordid history of mankind. The path of civilization is blotted by murder, war, rape, and plundering-from the time of Adam forward.
This record of evil makes it difficult to hold the view that children are pure and holy at birth. Greed, l.u.s.t, and selfishness characterize us all. Is this nature also evident in children? King David thought so, for he confessed, "in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51:5 KJV).
What meaningful difference, then, is made by the distinction between the two views of children? Practically everything! Parents who believe all toddlers are infused with goodness and sunshine are encouraged to get out of the way and let their pleasant natures unfold.
Parents who recognize the inevitable internal war between good and evil will do their best to influence the child"s choices-to shape his will and provide a solid spiritual foundation. They acknowledge the dangers of adult defiance as expressed in 1 Samuel 15:23: "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as worshipping idols" (TLB).21 The predominate desire of Satan is to control. Before we came to Christ, Satan had tremendous ability to influence us to do his will because of the condition of our hearts and because we were part of his domain. Once we had yielded to his desires, we became captive-habitual offenders-to a corrupt mind-set and behavior patterns. By ourselves it was impossible to break free.
Occasionally people seeking pastoral help have said, "I don"t want to do what I am doing. I can"t seem to get free of it." They might be addicted to alcohol, drugs, cursing, smoking, p.o.r.nography, s.e.xual perversions, or thinking patterns that continually depress them. There is a struggle for control going on. These people are living in darkness.
G.o.d has raised up many professional Christian counselors who are a gift to the body of Christ for the help they provide. However, it takes more than commonsense advice or refined counseling techniques to set people free from Satan"s control. Only Jesus Christ can do that. Christian counselors need to utilize this truth as they endeavor to help people.
We have been set free from sin. When we are converted to Christ, Satan"s control is broken. F. F. Bruce writes, "This redemption was procured by Christ for His people once for all, but it is received by them individually as they become united with Him by faith."22 On countless occasions people have suddenly become free of devastating and tyrannical behavior patterns at the moment of coming to Christ. They have experienced this miracle because they are a part of G.o.d"s kingdom now.
It seems that everywhere we turn, people are being transformed and the bondage of sin is being broken as they come to Christ. A tough gang leader named Nicky Cruz, who heard about Jesus through David Wilkerson"s ministry in New York City, now preaches the gospel to thousands of young people in crusades throughout the world.
Charles Colson, who was once Richard Nixon"s "hatchet man" to do the "President"s Dirty Work,"23 went to jail for Watergate-related crimes. Not long after Colson"s life hit bottom, Jesus Christ got ahold of him. Since his conversion Colson has developed an important ministry to prisoners-Prison Fellowship-and has written numerous Christian books.
Jim Elliot and four of his friends went to Ecuador to tell the Auca people about Christ. Within months, the five men were found speared to death along the Curaray River. Kimo and Komi, two men who partic.i.p.ated in the ma.s.sacre, were so affected by the testimony of the men they had killed that they gave their lives to Christ soon after the tragic event. They learned from the witness of these men that Jesus had power over evil spirits.24 William J. Murray, who grew up in the home of the famous atheist Madalyn Murray O"Hair, gave his life to Christ while reading the gospel of Luke.25 D. James Kennedy writes that since that event, Murray "is a powerful evangelist and also an advocate of allowing G.o.d back into the public schools-this is the very man who, as a boy, had been at the center of Murray v. Curlett (1963), one of the key Supreme Court school-prayer decisions."26 Jeff Fenholt, a former vocalist for the rock group Black Sabbath who played the role of Jesus in the opera Jesus Christ Superstar, realized his life was empty, confused, and meaningless. He gave his life to the real Jesus Christ and now sings Christian songs and appears frequently on Christian television programs.27 Sy Rogers, a committed h.o.m.os.e.xual who dressed and acted like a woman for a year and a half, wrote, "Achieving much desired acceptance in my role as a woman, I was considered attractive and even popular in gay circles."28 Sy knew his life was abnormal and empty. He decided to become a Christian, and with his salvation experience he became free of h.o.m.os.e.xuality. Sy now helps h.o.m.os.e.xuals and transs.e.xuals come out of bondage by counseling them to come to Jesus Christ.29 We could name countless others who have been unmistakably transformed by the power of G.o.d when they gave their lives to Christ.
We have been forgiven. As committed Christians, we are free of accusation. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). When our sins are forgiven, we are no longer under the judgment of G.o.d. We might remember the sinful things we have done, and the devil might accuse us and try to intimidate us, but we can be as sure as G.o.d"s inerrant Word that we are no longer condemned.
We belong to Jesus Christ. A transfer has taken place. We are no longer under the ownership of Satan, but belong to Christ.
Many American missionaries travel around the country to raise their budgetary support before they go overseas. Often they also raise funds to build churches or schools or to provide medical services or relief programs. Seldom do the missionaries physically take the funds with them. The money can be transferred by wire from a bank in the United States to a bank in their new country. Once the transfer has been made, no funds remain in the original bank-they are in the new bank and under new management.
Similarly, those who come to Christ have been transferred. Satan no longer has the right, or the ability, to manage people who are not part of his kingdom. We are citizens of the kingdom of G.o.d, a kingdom of righteousness, holiness, and light.
Jesus explained to Paul in these terms what his life work would be: "I am sending you to them [the Gentiles] to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to G.o.d, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me" (Acts 26:18). Paul was being asked to tell the world what Christ had done for them. They no longer had to live in darkness or be bound by Satan, but could live in the light and be forgiven.
When Christ died on the cross, Satan thought he had finally defeated the Son of G.o.d and foiled G.o.d"s purposes. In his sickening arrogance, however, he lost the battle forever. E. K. Simpson and F. F. Bruce put it this way: The very instrument of disgrace and death by which the hostile forces thought they had Him in their grasp and had conquered Him forever was turned by Him into the instrument of their defeat and captivity. As He was suspended there, bound hand and foot to the wood in apparent weakness, they imagined they had Him at their mercy, and flung themselves upon Him with hostile intent. But, far from suffering their a.s.sault without resistance, He grappled with them and mastered them, stripping them of all the armor in which they trusted, and held them aloft in His mighty, out-stretched hands, displaying to the universe their helplessness and His own unvanquished strength. Had they but realized the truth, those "archons of this age"-had they (as Paul puts it in another epistle) known the hidden wisdom of G.o.d which decreed the glory of Christ and His people-"They would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (1 Cor 2:8). But now they are disabled and dethroned, and the shameful tree has become the victor"s triumphal chariot, before which His captives are driven in humiliating procession, the involuntary and impotent confessors of their overcomer"s superiority.30 Because of the death, burial, and physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can turn from darkness to light. We can be rescued from the power of Satan and come under the control of G.o.d. We can be forgiven of the sins that would have condemned us and can become holy. The cross of Jesus Christ changed history for everyone, forever. This cruel execution, which at the time seemed to pa.s.s without much notice, became the centerpiece of human civilization past, present, and future. Because of the cross, mankind has hope.
The Battle has been won.
EIGHT.
Our Invincible Armor.
If anyone was likely to suffer from an extreme case of battle fatigue and delayed stress syndrome, it was the apostle Paul. There is good reason why he has more to say on the subject of spiritual warfare than any other biblical writer. Simply put, he experienced it. In a biography of Paul, John Pollock writes, The ancient tradition of Pauls execution site is almost certainly authentic but the details cannot be fixed.... They marched him out through the walls past the pyramid of Ces-tius which still stands, on to the Ostian Way toward the sea. Crowds journeying to or from Ostia would recognize an execution squad by the lictors (a Roman Officer) with their fasces (a bundle) of Rods and axe, and the executioner carrying a sword, which in Nero"s reign had replaced the axe; by the escort, and by the manacled criminal, walking stiffly and bandy-legged, ragged and filthy from his prison:...
He is believed to have been put overnight in a tiny cell, for this was a common place of execution. If Luke was allowed to stay by his window, if Timothy or Mark had reached Rome in time, the sounds of the night vigil would not be of weeping but singing: "as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as dying and, behold, we live."
At first light the soldiers took Paul to the pillar. The executioner stood ready, stark naked. Soldiers stripped Paul to the waist and tied him, kneeling upright, to the pillar which left his neck free. Some accounts say the lictors beat him with rods; a beating had been the usual prelude to beheading but in recent years not always inflicted. If they must administer this last, senseless dose of pain to a body so soon to die, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation ... or sword?
"I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with"-the flash of a sword-"the glory."1 Before his conversion, Saul (later Paul) was one of the greatest persecutors of the early church. He watched the blood flow from Stephens stone-inflicted wounds. Stephen was perhaps the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:57-58). Before Stephens death, Saul saw this innocent young man fearlessly look toward heaven and say, "Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of G.o.d__Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (vv. 56,60).
With vicious zeal Saul "began to destroy the church" (Acts 8:3). He went from house to house with the determination of a Gestapo agent, looking for evidence of sedition. To Saul"s way of thinking, people who made Jesus "the Nazarene" their Lord were a threat to the Jewish faith and guilty of treason. He would arrest men and women and parade them in front of the high priest, demanding that these Christians curse or deny Jesus. If they would not disclaim their faith they were punished-usually by public flogging-incarcerated, and possibly put to death.
Saul watched and listened to person after person speak of love and commitment to Jesus "the Christ." Some witnessed the flogging of husband or wife, an ordeal worse than their own beating, and perchance they would cry out their agonizing curse on the Jesus they loved. Saul may have shaken his head in disgust over what he perceived as the naivete of misguided people taken in by a religious sect.
Saul had heard that some of these "who belong to the way" were in Damascus. He received permission from the high priest to go to the synagogue of Damascus, and take these "disciples of Jesus" as prisoners to Jerusalem. While traveling to Damascus, Saul experienced something he had not antic.i.p.ated.
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied (Acts 9:3-5).
Saul knew that the resurrected Jesus had spoken to him. When he opened his eyes he was physically blind but spiritually able to see. He now knew that the Christians were right: Jesus is both savior and Lord. Within a few days Saul was healed of the physical blindness, too. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and was baptized (see vv. 17-18). The persecutor became the preacher, and now he became the target of those who wanted to destroy this infant church.
Pauls G.o.d-given gifts were many, and over the years his faith grew. This apostle wrote thirteen books of the New Testament, began numerous churches, and mentored countless leaders. He also understood what the weapons of spiritual warfare are. He wrote about spiritual warfare from a deep theological background and personal experience. He wrote, Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked (2 Cor. 11:24-27).
What was it that kept Paul going? What kind of strength did he have? What courage? Where did he turn when the enemy"s attack seemed bigger than life? He knew there was an invincible armor that G.o.d gives to every believer. That armor is only one absolute safeguard against the attack of the enemy.
Pat Robertson reminds us that "Jesus Christ came to destroy all the works of the devil. He has given His disciples power over all the works of the enemy."2 When the enemy tempts us to moral compromise, we can depend on the armor G.o.d has given us. When we are weak emotionally, we can trust that the armor of G.o.d will withstand the sniper attack of Satan and his demonic forces. When we wonder whether we have enough spiritual strength, we can rest behind the shield of faith that we have in Christ.
Our heritage and our experiences, as wonderful as they might be, are not a safeguard against the attacks of the enemy. In fact, the Scriptures warn that "if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don"t fall!" (1 Cor. 10:12). Why is that? Because when we think we can win the battle in our own strength and we think we have learned or experienced all that we need, then Satan will take advantage of our pride and come in to blast away and knock us off our feet. Robertson says, All men of faith in the church have recognized that in us there dwells no good thing. Without Jesus, we can do nothing. We can"t go against Satan with great confidence saying that we can do something, but what we say is "in the name of Jesus, in the authority of that Name (that Name applies a Power-of-Attorney)... in His Name, we go, and in His Name we have a grant of authority and that is equivalent to a Power-of-Attorney. "3 One of Satan"s favorite weapons is intimidation. He will scheme, threaten, bring fear, and accuse in order to discourage or inhibit us. But we have armor. We have weapons, and we can go boldly on the attack and win the battle against the enemy of the soul. Paul defines the armor we have as Christians and gives us the keys to winning the battle.
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of G.o.d so that you can take your stand against the devil"s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of G.o.d, so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of G.o.d. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and request. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints (Eph. 6:10-18).
William Barclay writes, The words which Paul uses, powers, authorities, world-rulers, are all names for different cla.s.ses of these evil spirits. To him the whole universe was a battleground. The Christian had not only to contend with the attacks of men; he had to contend with the attacks of spiritual forces which were fighting against G.o.d- Paul suddenly sees a picture ready-made. All this time he was chained by the wrist to a Roman soldier. Night and day a soldier was there to ensure that he would not escape. Paul was literally an envoy in a chains. As he writes, the soldiers armor suggests a picture to him. The Christian too has his armor; and part by part Paul takes the armor of the Roman soldier and translates it into Christian terms.4 Let us look at the various parts of this armor and the purpose each part serves.
The Belt of Truth.
THE BELT OF A Roman soldier served several purposes. The soldier"s tunic was tucked into it. The belt, some six to eight inches wide, had to hold tight and be strong enough to carry the weight of a sword and any other weapons needed for hand-to-hand combat. If the belt became loose or fell off in battle, the soldier became vulnerable to the enemy"s attack.
Paul likens the soldiers belt to Christian truth. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6). Because Christ dwells in believers, the truth is in them. Jesus is the embodiment of truth, and His words are absolute truth.
G.o.d has also given us His inspired Word. David said, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word" (Ps. 119:9). Jesus prayed, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one" (John 17:15). How are we protected? Jesus said, "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth" (v. 17). We must take advantage of G.o.d"s Word-read it, study it, and apply it in everyday living. As G.o.d"s Word explains, we must tell the truth and live a life of integrity. We cannot wait until the day of battle; we need to appropriate it today.
When a soldier is suddenly asked to perform on the battlefield, he has already spent much time in preparation for combat. He has disciplined himself to encounter an attack not only defensively- so as to survive-but also offensively-so as to win. So it is with Christians. G.o.d the Father has enabled us to come to His Son, Jesus Christ (John 6:44)-at which moment we comprehended eternal truth. Now we must walk in that truth and consistently obey it.
Because the devil understands our weaknesses, he knows exactly what might tempt us to be dishonest. He tries to persuade us to compromise our commitment to telling and living in the truth. Living a life of dishonesty is bondage. When we shun truthfulness, we have to tell one lie after another to cover our tracks.
Paul says that because the first weapon of our armament is to know the truth and to walk in it, we must keep the belt of truth well buckled.
The Breastplate of Righteousness.
THE ROMAN SOLDIER"S BREASTPLATE was made of bronze, backed with tough pieces of leather. This protected the soldier"s vital organs. A penetrating blow in the front of the torso was likely to be fatal.5 Our most vulnerable spiritual areas are protected by Christ"s imputed righteousness as we serve Him and live for Him.
Someone said, "I can"t hear what you are saying because your actions are speaking so loud." After being accused of certain crimes, Plato said, "Well, then, we must live in such a way as to prove that his accusations are a lie."6 We must demonstrate to a world that is deceived by the father of lies that we can obey the truth and live righteously. G.o.d will help us live as we should.
There is an imputed righteousness that we receive because of what Jesus did on the cross. The word impute means "to regard or esteem, to consider, to attribute to a person something he does not have, to reckon or credit to one"s account." Paul writes, "G.o.d made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of G.o.d" (2 Cor. 5:21). We cannot earn this righteousness; it is a gift imputed to us through our faith in Jesus Christ. David Wilkerson said, If you don"t have this truth, the devil will play havoc with your feelings. He"ll lie to you and push you around. Unless you have this truth as a foundation under everything you believe, nothing will be right in your doctrine, your theology, your life. You can"t even obey G.o.d until you understand it!7 Many Christians are confused and bound by guilt over particular sins. The devil has struck a paralyzing blow with the arm of guilt, shame, and doubt. These believers need only to go to G.o.d for forgiveness and cleansing. They cannot "work up" righteous feelings. They must understand that Jesus paid the price for their sins and therefore they are considered righteous. Does this mean that we do not need to be concerned about living righteously? No. When we understand what Christ has done for us, we will have an increased desire to live a life that is holy and pleasing to Him.
The breastplate of righteousness shields us from false pride. It protects us from error. We cannot resist these faults on our own. "Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me" (John 15:4). The breastplate also protects us from our insecurities. Nothing "will be able to separate us from the love of G.o.d that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:39). To "stand our ground"-to stand firm in our righteousness-means to do what is right. If we have to ask our family members to forgive us for being harsh, we do it. If we must apologize to an employee for treating him or her unfairly, we do it. If doing the right thing is more difficult than doing wrong, we always do the right thing anyway. Our righteousness comes from knowing Christ, yet we must progressively walk in righteousness day by day and situation by situation.
The Footwear of Readiness.
ANY SOLDIER KNOWS THE importance of having shoes that fit well and have good traction with the ground. A man who has to move quickly or suddenly could fall if the shoes slip.
Sure footing is even more important in our battle with the devil. He knows how to take advantage of any slip that throws us off balance.8 He will try to divide believers from one another over seemingly insignificant things. He will encourage envy, jealousy, gossip, and disunity in churches. Pastors do well to encourage their congregations to stay focused on the essentials and their reason for being-to win the lost and disciple the found. Some people become more concerned about the color of the wallpaper in the nursery than the fact that their neighbors are dying and going to h.e.l.l.
The Christian is to wear the right shoes (the gospel) and must always be ready to share the good news with anyone who has not heard it. This good news is a gospel of peace. The world is full of confusion. So many people are lost, disillusioned, and blindly searching for answers in all the wrong places.