(A)
When we refer to spiritual warfare, some Christians take a view that behind “every bush is the devil”, and attribute everything that happens to the evil one and his minions. At the other extreme, some believers think that the devil is just a myth, someone created from our imagination.
When we shared that we are to expect opposition and persecution in the last days, a proper understanding of spiritual warfare is mandatory if the Christian is to “fight a good fight” and overcome because the enemy is deeply involved in opposing the Christian and the Faith and he not only can dress as an ‘angel of light’ to deceive believers, but he is also ‘a roaring lion’, seeking to devour (Note what apostle Paul and apostle Peter wrote in their epistles).
William Gurnall, the author of “The Christian in Complete Armour” (3 volumes), described the life of faith more accurately and vividly than many others, providing both wise counsel and lasting encouragement in his writings; he gave a biblical view of the principles of Christian living in relation to spiritual warfare.
The world is a battleground, the Christian life a warfare, the devil an enemy; sin makes us vulnerable, but Christ provides well-tested armour and assures His people of victory.
All too often, we believers forget this perspective; we forget that behind every trial, the devil is working and God is also working. We blame the problems on other believers, on the terrible circumstances, even on God who ‘seems to have failed us and abandoned us”, and also on the church and the negative vibes in the community. We recall the book of Job: Job’s friends blamed Job for being involved in some great sins; Job himself was not aware of an enemy and he questioned why he was the target of God’s ‘attacks’; Job’s wife told him to curse God and die. In many ways, we may respond like Job and his friends even though we are aware of an enemy and spiritual warfare – in that light, we fare poorly when compared with Job. It may be most helpful for us to ponder on the themes and work of Gurnall and learn from what God taught him to arm us adequately for the spiritual warfare which we would encounter, whether we are conscious of it or not.
It is important to know your enemy in a battle. We start here in examining the identity and character of the enemy. Of course, we can only summarise the writings of Gurnall as they cover three volumes in “The Christian in complete Armour”; hence we can only elicit some major points.
We need to acknowledge the existence of a diabolical kingdom and our ‘wrestling’ against such powers in this kingdom: (Eph. 6:12). Jesus calls the devil the ‘prince of this world’ (John 14:30); his rule, however, differs from that of earthly kings, who rule the bodies and purses of their subjects for a limited time – the devil rules the hearts of his subjects. The world is shown worshipping both the beast and the dragon, who empowers him in Rev. 13:4 – this is a true description of the wicked in relation to the devil. The wicked worship the devil, and in fact he will settle for nothing less than religious obeisance (yet Christians are not willing to obey God fully). Of course, the wicked may not even be conscious of their bondage to the devil – they think they are doing their ‘own thing’ when in fact, they are carrying out the will of their ‘evil master’. Religious homage to the devil is rendered whether wittingly or unwittingly; whether willingly or not. Religious service is given to the devil even if a person is not religious;; and religious people who seek to worship God outside or against the Christian revelation is in fact worshipping the devil (even if they reject this vehemently).
The hallmark of human sin is rebellion against the rule of God; the desire – and the conceit – of being a law unto oneself. Rather than bringing the autonomy men and women desire, it brings them under the arbitrary rule of the devil; rather than finding freedom, they are exposed to diabolical compulsion. The devil’s rule over human beings is effective because of the law of sin already present within them, which is responsive to Satan’s overtures.
Thus far, we can conclude that the enemy is a formidable one; he has power as prince of this world; he has his minions who are united with him; he can ‘use’ and ‘manipulate’ human beings for his evil intentions; in particular, he can marshal the wicked who are actually worshipping the devil (even without full consciousness in some cases) and he expects complete obeisance from them, who are actually under his bondage, and whose fallen state makes them so vulnerable to his deception and manipulation.
Because we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of darkness, we need to depend fully on God, expressed in humility, prayer, and in following God’s instructions and revelation conscientiously. We cannot do this on our own, depending on our own intellectuality and ability, without knowing fully God’s revelation and teaching in Scriptures and without the consciousness that we are truly vulnerable without God’s Spirit and His provision of His armour. We would look into this subsequently, God willing. Also, we must realise that behind wicked men and women, there is the devil working. If we retaliate against such individuals, we are not actually being effective in spiritual warfare; if we lose self control, become angry and bitter in such circumstances, we are being ‘victims’ of the evil one.
(B)
God has delivered the world over to Satan – but not as his possession to use as he will. Rather, Satan is prince of the world, not by God’s grace, but by God’s permission. But why? For what purpose would God permit such a usurper and destroyer access to His own creation?
First, the devil’s rule is an act of judgment, a pouring out of God’s wrath because of humanity’s revolt. The fall was not just a matter of disobedience – it was in fact a rebellion against God the Creator, and a desire to be one’s own god. God’s sovereignty extends even over evil; the devil is God’s slave, man the devil’s. Sin has set the devil on the creature’s back. God makes use of the devil’s power ‘as an executioner of wrath against His enemies.’
Second, God uses Satan to test and build HIs own people. God is absolutely sovereign, even over affairs in our lives when we experience the attack of the evil one. The devil and his minions, with all their scheming, end up serving ends opposite to what they intend; they actually serve as ‘tools’ for the building up of God’s people.
Hence good and evil will always be found together in the world, and also in the professing Church. until the end of this age. The visible church is set before us as a mixed body; it is a vast ‘field’ in which ‘wheat and tares’ grow side by side.This state of affairs existed in every age – it was the experience of the early church; it was the experience of the reformers; it is the experience of the best ministers at the present hour. The devil, that great enemy of souls, has always taken care to sow ‘tares’, and God has allowed it so that at the end of the age, the wheat would be separated from the tares. Christ has concern for the bruised reed; those who care not what happens to the wheat, provided they can root up the tares, show little of the mind of Christ, for after all, those who are tares today, may be wheat tomorrow. In HIs wisdom, God allows the devil to do his work; and He works to ‘mature’ the wheat and causes it to grow in the midst of the evil doings of the enemy who concentrates on destroying the wheat, but also causes the tares to be more prominent in the sight of God. Thus God sets the devil to catch the devil, and lays, as it were, His own counsels under Satan’s wings, and makes him hatch them.
Third, God also permits the evil principality because of the glory which will be brought about through redemption. Achieving redemption against devilish resistance ‘adds to the nuptial song the triumph of a conqueror, who has rescued His bride out of the hands of Satan, as he was leading her to the chambers of hell.’ The crucifixion of Jesus Christ appears to be a triumph for the devil, but in fact, it is his worst defeat, for Jesus, in fulfilling His mission, destroyed the work of the devil, and the last enemy – death. God, in allowing such a principality of evil, brings about a greater good. He did not trivialize or assimilate or justify the evil; rather, He overcomes the evil as evil, and in so doing brings about His own greater purpose. Herein is the great wisdom of God and His glorious sovereignty and power!
(C)
Satan’s attacks on the bodies of men and women, with the intention of damaging or destroying their souls, is a diabolical mirror on the work of Christ. Christ’s mercy to people in healing their diseases is directed to the end of the healing of their souls, that they may more willingly receive mercy for their souls from Him who had been kind to their bodies.
The devil is a ‘copycat’. As Christ is meek, the devil is cruel; and his cruelty to the body shows his plan for the soul as well. He is well aware of human enfleshment; he knows that body and soul are vitally interconnected. Distress to the body disturbs also the repose of the soul ‘under whose very roof it dwells.’ Thus the saints are vulnerable, and should not consider it strange if for lack of sleep ‘the tongue talks idly, so the soul should break into some sinful carriage, which is the bottom of the devil’s plot.’
Other people, experiencing distress brought on by the devil, are pushed by him into superstitious fear; and not only in areas of the world without the Gospel. There are many who, instead of seeking help and cure from God for their material and physical problems turn to the devil and ‘go …to his doctors – wizards I mean.’
Yet, though the devil uses the body’s frailty and vulnerability to illness, his access to the soul is not only through the body. The devil, as a spirit, has access to the human spirit; and as a superior spirit, he has power over human beings as lower creatures. Satan uses as God’s imitator to emulate wickedly that which God does righteously. If God works effectually in the saints (Gal. 2:8), the devil works effectually in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:2). The Spirit enlightens, the devil ‘blinds the minds of them which believe not (2Cor. 4:4). The Holy Spirit fills the Christian; He comes with love, and is called the comforter (John 14:16,17; Eph. 5:18). Satan, in contrast, is a molester and a rapist. The subjects of Satan’s power are the unregenerate. Yet the saints are the chief objects of his wrath, and they are no match for the devil if God steps aside.
The devil’s power is a derived power, and only a derived power. ‘The devil’s power is limited, and that two ways – he cannot do what he will, and he shall not do what he can.’ The power of the evil one is not infinite, but is curbed by God’s all-ruling providence; he is only able to do those things that God permits him.
The devil’s rule is limited as to time: in this present world and not hereafter (Titus 2:12). ‘At the end of this world Christ shall down his authority and power.’
In Matt. 9:29, we see that the devil and his minions are aware of their time limitation:
“And, behold they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” This very time limitation spurs the devil in his ‘desperate and audacious’ attacks on God and God’s people.
Second, the devil’s rule is limited as to place: this world, not heaven. The evil one must thus ntent himself with working mischief here, bothering the saints on their way to the place where they will be finally and forever out of his reach. The saint’s final goal, where their everlasting happiness lies, is safe forever from the devil’s meddling. The Christian heart is already with Christ in heaven; the plots and snares of Satan encountered on the journey there will not affect the final outcome. Therefore, despite the suffering and failure a saint may experience here at the devil’s hands, the enemy can never disturb the treasure a Christian has under safekeeping in heaven.
Thirdly, the devil’s rule is limited as to subjects, – to those that are in a state of sin or ignorance, not over those who are sinful or ignorant. Christians are both sinful and ignorant, and yet not in a state of sin and ignorance. Christians are no longer under Satan’s dominion; those who have not received God’s in Christ are subject to the devil in a most profound and total way.
Sin is not only darkness within the soul; it also brings darkness into the soul. Progress in sin can be said to increase the darkness.The darkness of this state of sin has also a judicial aspect; it is part of God’s judgment on rebellion against the truth. The final outcome of remaining in this state of darkness leads to final and utter darkness; an irrevocable state where sin and torment become permanent and inextinguishable.
(D)
We noted previously that the subjects of the devil’s manipulations are those in a state of sin and ignorance. Although believers are not in such a state because they are already ‘in Christ’, they can still be subjected to the sin of ignorance – these are those with ‘no light of spiritual understanding’ and this makes them vulnerable to the devil. This ignorance, as distinct from the ‘blindness’ spoken of as a general state of darkness and sin, specifically refers to a lack of instruction. Without thorough teaching of the biblical revelation, people have uninformed minds and consciences. The person who is ignorant of spiritual reality, ignorant of God (as well as the enemy of God) is undone and in real ‘troubles’. Such a one is absolutely open and unguarded, defenceless before the onslaught of the evil one. Ignorance is a most lamentable condition (‘ignorance is not bliss’ as some advocate); this is perhaps the most common and sad situation in the church today – Christians are generally not aware of their status in God, the revelation of God in Scripture, the ministry of the Holy Spirit – and on top of that, they prefer not to know and be instructed. It is too much work for them and requires spiritual discipline (which is not ‘palatable’ to the majority).
Effectively disarming one against attack, and opening the door to welcome the enemy, ignorance also locks the soul in sin once it has entered. ‘Ignorance lays the soul asleep under the hatches of stupidity.’
For the ignorant, conscience is silent. It is only active when it has been informed, as conscience can only be a witness to that which it knows.
Moral relativism is a species of ignorance. More than relativism (the ‘scourge’ of postmodernism), satanic ignorance actually constitutes an inversion: evil becomes good, dark becomes light. Satan’s power of darkening the mind is graphically shown in the inversion of values that accompanies worldly power (this is seen starkly in what is happening among those in power in this world today – indeed power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, not only in the secular world but among religious institutions). Not only are natural fear and shame silent when people are ignorant, the devil himself (to his delight) is dismissed as innocuous or imaginary. People who are ignorant see no need to resist the devil, as they are unaware of his great power, malice, and deception.
Ignorance also shuts our hope of recovery. Not perceiving the true situation,t he soul does not resnd to promises or threats.
(E)
Vulnerability to Attacks
All Christians are in need of God’s sustaining grace until they die – and are thus always ‘weak’ creatures – they do not then excuse Christians from the duty to strengthen and to exert themselves. The fact that the saints are weak and needy is never an excuse for laziness or lack of effort in Christian living. As regenerated people, with the divine life newly planted and growing within them, all believers are to exert themselves to the fullest of their powers (in cooperation with, and dependence on God), and not be passive or ‘paralysed’ just because there is lack of perfection here on earth. Laziness and indifference are closely tied up with ignorance and passivity in Christian living, and this makes us more vulnerable to the attacks of the evil one.
More vulnerable at certain times
The new converted Christian is a prime target of the devil. The young Chrisian, newborn and gullible, is thus an easy target. Weak also in the development of Christian character, both in the growth of Christian graces and the mortification of indwelling sin, the young believer then succumbs to the labours of the devil to weigh the young saint down with guilt, and to plunge him or her into the pit of despair. The young believer may be filled with zeal one moment and falling prey to pride and old habits the next.
Christians are also targets of the devil in times when things seem to be going well. Worldly security often brings with it spiritual insecurity, and that wealth makes one vulnerable to the devil. One’s ‘prosperity’ may lead to an elevated view of one’s own importance (and thus a lowering of one’s view of God); the devil can lead a wealthy saint to a misplaced dependence on material things.
Another ‘season’ when the saints are particularly likely to be assaulted is in the midst of affliction, which may come from a number of sources (from severe persecution, physical illness and pain, or the loss of material goods). The devil will use such afflictions to persuade the saints to fall into unbelief, turning from trust and dependence on God to unlawful remedies. The devil will try to convince the saints that the way to relief is through the sin he is presenting.
Death is the final affliction, and at the hour of death, when the Christian is physically spent, ‘now this coward Satan falls upon him.’ Satan seeks to snatch dying saints for himself, or else makes their going as miserable as possible (robbing the dying of their peace and joy, and filling them with fear and doubt).
Pleasure presents another area of potential weakness for Christians. The devil knows how to lure ino sin when an object of desire is nearby. This approach is as old as the Garden of Eden. Lust in the heart of the Christian is dangerous enough in itself, doubly so when the object of that lust is near at hand. The Christian is therefore in a most critical position if overly self-confident, and careless regarding exposure to sources of temptation.
Times of idleness also expose the believers to the devil’s temptation (remember king David and his sin with Bathsheba). But dangerous temptations are also present at times when Christians engage in ‘good works’. Satan is not necessarily opposed to good works. On the contrary, he can actually be behind them, encouraging the saints to keep busy., if by doing he can ‘jostle out a better work, or…draw in with the good some greater evil. The more public the good works, the greater the danger, the greater the devil’s opportunity to wreak astonishing havoc, in individual Christian lives, as well as in families, the church, and the world at large. Christians are warned that the more public their place, the more eminent their service, the more they must look that the devil will have some more dangerous design against them – hence leaders are in a more dangerous position if they are not prayerful or spiritually vigilant. People who occupy positions of power and influence are vulnerable, especially Pastors or teachers or parents, and those in ruling authority.
Also persons who are gifted with intelligence, and skill in the art of persuasion, are especially vulnerable to the devil. Intellectual prowess can be a marvellous tool for diabolical use – the more sophisticated and intellectually convincing an argument is, the better – especially if it is not true. ‘Experts’ often receive an adulation bordering on idolatry, playing into the devil’s hands (remember the Pharisees and learned teachers).
The next element is pride. The impressive thinker-speaker, as Satan’s mouthpiece will be a purveyor of teaching that exalts human goodness. Satan encourages the doctrines that are flesh-pleasing. He knows the flesh needs to be gratified. The listening audience will tend to respond positively, since such ideas appeal to pride. “Be proud of your gifts’ – the devil would encourage, drawing them to rest upon their gifts and abilities – leading to a form of self-worship. Fleshly liberty often follows, ignoring God’s teaching on morality, and persons with a holy reputation are vulnerable to this and can be led astray and also lead others into perverse sin, by seducing them.The devil can work through those to whom they are in close relationship.
(F)
THE CHRISTIAN’S BATTLEGEAR (ARMOUR) – EPHESIANS 6:10-20
INTRODUCTION
We have seen that we have a formidable enemy; but Christians are not left in weakness in spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6 gives a picture of the Christian’s armour for this war against the devil; this armour is not to be seen as a sort of superior spiritual technology, but rather the arming of the soul in relation to Christ, as Christ imparts His graces to that soul. This emphasis is important especially when people often want quick solutions to problems; it is only living in friendship and obedience to God is there true growth, and healing of dysfunctional aspects of life.
The armour is seen to be Christ Himself, and the gifts and graces He imparts to believers, appropriated and applied to the heart and life. The pieces of armour are the belt of ruth, sincerity and truth of heart and mind; the breastplate of righteousness, a life of sincerity and godly obedience; the soldier’s footgear, which is the secure footing provided by the Gospel; the shield of faith, that is, justifying faith, the most important piece of armour and that which guards all else; the helmet of salvation,which is the grace of hope, that is, certainty of victory in Christ; and the Sword of the Spirit, the truth of Scripture, applied to the believer by the Holy Spirit, and given as the only offensive weapon to drive Satan away, as Christ did in the wilderness.
The armour being metaphorical for the graces of Christ, it is put on by means of believing prayer. Prayer also maintains the armour, and enables the believer to use the armour effectively. A life of spiritual success is not attained through ritual, spiritual mechanics, or magic; it is relational, not technological – it is a life lived in fellowship with God, with others, and with oneself. In the spiritual battle, the Christian is not called to battle alone – he is part of God’s army, consisting of the brethren in the Church of God, and Christ Jesus is the captain.
The Christian soldier has only one basic position: stand (Eph. 6:14). Surrender or retreat in face of Satan’s attacks is not a tactical tool for Christians; there is to be no yielding, only resolute resistance, steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:9). This stance is to be maintained regardless of the cost. Such resistance may come to a point of shedding one’s own blood (Hebrews 12:4), but for all that it alters not the case, nor gives a reason to choose to sin rather than to suffer.
The Christian has declared total war on sin and Satan; the nature of the warfare, considering the enemy, is unavoidable. The devil is not an enemy with whom one can negotiate. The Christian has no safety except in resistance. God and the devil are not busily negotiating in the background. The devil is the foe of righteousness, and surrender means destruction. Christians have no freedom of choice in this matter; they must stand and fight. The weakest Christian, with an active faith, is enough to put the devil to flight – resistance is effective (James 4:7).
The devil is persistent; constant resistance is the only strategy Christians have, since if one area is defended but another neglected, Satan will be sure to enter at the weak point. If the saints yield in any sin, the evil one is there instantly to push them further than they ever intended to go. ‘Our best way, therefore, is to give him no hand-hold, not so much as to come near the door where sin dwells, lest we be hooked in.’
The devil’s persistence in the attack indicated the duration of the combat. It is permanent throughout this life; there is no time at which the Christian can say ‘I have arrived and can now relax;’ there is no ground in this life where the Christian can live as though the battle has ceased – this is an illusion and a dangerous one. Thus the Christian is to stand and resist from the beginning of spiritual life until the last breath. The Christian is called to a life of constant vigilance, of constant combat; a life filled with intrigue, attack and counter-attack, occasional defeats, but (by God’s grace) increasingly frequent victories, assured that ultimate victory will be won. To this end, God has provided His people with appropriate weaponry, in order that they may successfully prevail in the fight.
The ‘whole armour of God’ which the Christian is instructed to put on is not to be thought of mechanically as a ‘thing’ to do, a series of steps to take, a set of actions or rituals that, once completed, allow the Christians to say “I am now clad in my armour.” The pieces of armour are figures describing a relationship with Christ. We can say that the armour is Christ (Romans 13:14 – “Put on the Lord Jesus” where Christ is set forth under the notion of armour). Thus the whole armour (the complete armour) made available to Christians is Christ Himself, and the graces of Christ.
THE BELT OF TRUTH
The apostle Paul says that Christians are to have their loins girded with the belt of truth (Eph. 614). This belt served to secure the armour and hold it fast, and also to keep the soldier’s body steady.
There are two aspects in the belt of truth: ‘sincerity’ and knowledge of the word of truth to direct us in the right way to the end. There must be sincerity – that is honestly, truthfulness – of heart and life; and truth for the mind. The loins to be girded are the loins of the mind (as in 1 Peter 1:13). If the loins of the mind are not girded with truth and sincerity, the person will be a weak Christian indeed. As the warrior’s belt is intended to stabilise him in battle, so the girding of the loins of the mind is intended to give the Christian stability: truth of doctrine for the mind, truth of heart for the will – to ‘unite and establish both these faculties’.
As the serpent often comes in the form of false teachers, it is important for Christians to have their minds secured with the belt of truth. Thus it is every Christian’s obligation to labour for a sound grasp of the truth. Error rarely tries to come in directly at the door of understanding, but will disguise itself appropriately to its target. Intellectual corruption is a present danger for the Christian, and thus a grasp of sound doctrine is critical in order not to be ensnared by a learned kind of wickedness.
If the devil’s assault on truth is not effective through deception, he will often employ force and intimidation. Thus the belt is necessary when Satan comes in the form of persecution.
THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
The breastplate is seen as imparted righteousness, wrought by Christ within the Christian. It is a supernatural principle of a new life planted in the heart of every child of God by the powerful operation of the Holy Spirit, whereby they endeavour to approve themselves to God and man, in performing what the word of God requires to be performed to both. This piece of armour protects the vital organs of the body: heart, lungs, liver, and so on: ‘the whole upper part of a man’s body before, even from the neck to the thighs.’ Thus, as long as breast and heart (the centre of one’s being) are armed with righteousness – that is, a good conscience and a godly life – Satan’s darts will not do mortal damage. The saints will receive wounds when, at times, the devil is successful in drawing them to some sin; ‘but they are not wounded at the heart, because they do not sinned with full consent of will.’ The breastplate of righteousness functions something like a bulletproof vest does today. A person can receive wounds in the extremities and yet live, but a wound in the vital organs, particularly the heart, usually means certain death. Sin is the weapon the devil uses to stab Christians in the soul; righteousness is the defence of the conscience against sin. Thus the person who means to truly be a Christian ‘must endeavour to maintain the power of holiness and righteousness in his life and conversion. This requires strenuous exertion in one’s daily walk of faith, in such a manner walked the early Christians. This righteousness does not entail sinless perfection, nor is it a Pharisaical ‘works righteousness’ focussing on external appearances. Its centre is an interior realtity, the Spirit-wrought new heart, out of which pours the energy that results in visible godliness.
This righteousness does not consist simply in obeying a prescribed list of rules, but is a matter, first of all, of the heart. The heart is the fountainhead, out of which flow evil deeds. In the same way, the active righteousness of the Christian is not first of all the good deeds, but the changed heart, which will then produce a working and active and lasting practical righteousness. Real holiness of heart and life in a believer is intolerable to the devil; it is a statement of absolute defiance to its former master.
True holiness is suffused with beauty and pleasure. People who have been touched by the grace of God are fitted to experience pleasures beyond any they had known, or could know. A holy life deepens and enhances legitimate pleasures immeasurably. So a holy life not only protects the saints from lethal assault by the evil one; it also opens for them a world of pleasure which the devil can never counterfeit. This experience of blessedness and beauty is itself a kind of protection; those who have experienced the real thing can never be deceived by the pretty poison the devil presents as though it were fine wine.
(G)
THE GOSPEL OF PEACE (THE CHRISTIAN’S FOOTGEAR)
Christians are to have their ‘feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace ‘ (Eph. 6:15). Soldiers are in particular need of good footwear because of the rigours involved in war – long marches, rough terrain, bad weather. Poor footwear exposes the soldier to injury and inhibits the success of the army in battle.
The foot is to the body what the will is to the soul. ‘The foot carries the whole body, and the will the soul.’ Thus the proper spiritual shoe prepares the will of the Christian to face any circumstances. The gospel of peace is the great instrument by which God works the will and heart of man into the readiness and preparation to do or suffer what He calls us (the Gospel calls men to the service of God, to stand ready for His service, whatever it costs them).
The Gospel prepares Christians to face any hardship, and infuses them with joy and good cheer that is not dependent on circumstance, but on the reality of restored fellowship with God.
‘Stand therefore’ (Eph. 6:14) – this is the stable foundation from which the saint can effectively fight.
THE SHIELD OF FAITH
Earlier, sanctifying faith is assigned to the breastplate of righteousness; justifying faith is now under consideration – assigned to the shield of faith. Justifying faith is that act of the soul whereby it rests on Christ crucified for pardon and life, and that upon the warrant of the promise. This faith is not simply mental assent to truth, though it includes that. It entails commitment (2 Timothy 1:12). ‘A drowning man will not be saved by the sight of a man’s arms stretched out to him, but by seizing hold of it.’
Faith’s security is found in the promise of God to pardon those who trust in His Son, but faith must observe the terms of the promise – the promise presents Christ to be leaned on as Saviour, presents Him at the same time to be chosen as Lord and King!
Justifying faith, then, is that act by which the whole person trusts wholly upon the whole Christ for pardon from sin and eternal life. Faith, as receiving Christ and the benefits of redemption, is compared to a shield…as being a sort of universal defence covering the whole person, and guarding even the other parts of our spiritual armour.
The darts of the evil one inflame the appetites of the body, lure the Christian into greed or covetousness, or set afire pride and ambition for worldly prestige and honour. Without faith, there is no defence against such things. By faith, spiritual reality (once a closed door) has come near – faith provides a tremendous defence against those temptations which are immediately visible and temporal.
Faith not only reveals sin in its essence; it also shows the transient nature of those pleasures that accompany sin – sin at last will be revealed to the sinner in all its falsity and bitterness. Faith sees all this beforehand, and thus repels the dart. Pride lifts the soul up into the line of fire; faith humbles the Christian and enables the saint to expect all his honour from Christ, of which source there is none higher. Faith is the means by which human beings lay hold on God Himself.
(H)
THE HELMET OF SALVATION
The helmet refers to the hope of salvation (1 Thess. 5:8). Hope in modern usage is often a very doubtful thing; to have a ‘hope so’ attitude means one is hoping against hope. But ‘hope’ for the believer is rather the opposite way – a robust expectation and certainty. Our hope is in Christ Jesus; He is our hope – our hope in Him is one of confidence and firm assurance. This hope does not mean simply expectation of heaven at the end of warfare; it points out the present effectiveness of hope in the Christian’s warfare. Christians do not turn from the fight – seeing by the Lord’s assistance we do assuredly hope for victory, and through His mercies and the merits of Christ do we, through Christ, expect and wait for all the good things of the promise of God. In that light, this hope of salvation shall not only be in the last day, but one that expresses confidence of all temporal deliverances from evil.
As the Christian warfare is continuous and not sporadic, the helmet of hope is to be worn throughout life, until at the end God Himself removes it to replace it with a crown of glory. Hope expands the horizons of the Christian. The endpoint of the Christian’s vision is located in eternity; worldly pursuits seen in that light are shown to be temporal and relative. People know, but are loath to admit, that this life and its treasure is passing away.
THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT
The sixth weapon of the Christian warfare is ‘the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:17). The ultimate principle is the doctrine of the unique and complete authority of the Bible; the reason for this absolute and universal supremacy is the divine nature of the Bible. ‘It is not only the pure word of God but the ‘Scripture of God.’ the writing of the most High.’
The word of God is, whatsoever out of the written word we have by reading and hearing, or what God does teach us by experience, agreeable with that which is in the word written. The Word of God is inseparable from its source and ultimate author; thus it is called the sword of the Spirit. The passage in Ephesians does not simply say ‘take the spiritual sword’,but refers to the Holy Spirit personally; and the Spirit is the author of Scriptures. The sword is a weapon which His hand alone formed and fashioned; and only the Spirit of God can make the Word of God efficacious and powerful; He it is who causes the inspired written word to inspire the heart of the child of God. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, the Scriptures, authored, given, and empowered by the Holy Spirit; the sword is both defensive and offensive – the Word of God is the supreme weapon for routing Satan and putting him to flight (recall Jesus using the Word of God in the wilderness when Satan sought to tempt Him).
All Christian, to the best of their ability, are to engage themselves fully in the study of the Word of God, equipping their minds and spirits to be fully ready in their part of the battle. The Bible is not only to be used to rout the devil; the sword is to be used for self-surgery – it is the instrument of death to indwelling sin, and will mortify and kill those lusts and corruptions that are latent there in the heart. The sword is directed to the perfecting of each soul; the hewing down and destruction of indwelling sin is not purely a negative work – it is the work of the Holy Spirit in clearing the way for the growth of the new creature in Christ, working inwardly to transform heart and character into the image of our Lord Jesus.
Ponder over what was written by J.C. Ryle: “Where there is no ‘fruit’ of holiness of life and conduct, there is no life…..It is a vain notion to suppose that we are living members of Christ, if the example of Christ is not to be seen in our character and lives…Where there is no fruit of the Spirit to be seen, there is no vital religion in the heart. The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus will always make Himself known in the daily conduct of those in whom He dwells.”
In the use of the sword of the Spirit, the apostle Paul asked especially that the believers pray for him to have courage and clarity in his communication as he preached the gospel. We need to pray for those who preach and teach the word of God. What was written by John Stott in this regard is helpful:
“Clarity and courage remain two of the most critical characteristics of authentic Christian preaching. For they relate to the content of the message preached and to the style of its presentation. Some preachers have the gift of lucid teaching, but their sermons lack solid content; their substance has been diluted by fear. Others are bold as lions. They fear nobody, and omit nothing. But what they say is confused and confusing…What is needed at the pulpits of the world today is a combination of clarity and courage”.
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Following his exhortation to put on the whole armour of God, the apostle Paul concludes: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Eph. 6:18).
The emphasis is on prayer, perhaps more important than any other single activity of the Christian life. Prayer is not so much another piece of armour, it is the context in which the armour is to be used. ‘The spiritual armour will only be effective so long as it is treated with the oil of prayer’; the armour needs to be maintained by prayer. Prayer is necessary even to put the armour on in the first place. The armour is God’s gift, ‘the graces of God’s Spirit’. God sends the Holy Spirit in response to prayer (Luke 11:13) – prayer must buckle on all the other parts of our Christian armour. The prayer-oriented Christians are God-oriented – they recognise that their learning, their service, even their diligent attention to Scripture, counts for nothing if they do not genuinely enter into the presence of God.
The Christian outfitted in armour lacks nothing now as a soldier except for the presence of his general. Without the living presence of God, a Christian in armour is ‘all dressed up with no place to go.’ As every Christian is a warrior, the work of prayer in order to be properly armed is to be engaged in by everyone.
The Lord Jesus Himself exhorted His disciples to “watch and pray!” The most important command for the Christian soldier is to be vigilant and alert. We need to remember that we fight as an army of God: we do not fight alone. The devil never sleeps; the Christian puts himself in grave danger by falling asleep spiritually. A little chink in the armour can spell disaster in mortal combat. The Christian must ensure that his armour is in pristine order. We are to be especially careful to watch ourselves in those areas where we know we are weak.
The Christian soldier must not break rank or flee in battle. If he remains courageously in his place with the rest of the army, then the army, having done all, shall stand. To stand implies to stand as conquerors, defending the ground that the Lord Jesus has secured. The soldier who stands in order is conscientious toward the whole duty that lies on him in regard to God and man.
Prayer, like holiness, is something that though Christians have an instinct for it through their new birth, they have to learn in and through experience. Christians must, and do, learn prayer from their struggle to pray, and also learn holiness in their battles for purity of heart and righteousness of life.
Prayer and holiness are learned as commitments are made to practise the routine, which is grueling, to one of doing prescribed things over and over again against a real enemy, in order to get them right. As these commitments are made, habits are formed,and battles are fought against a real opponent, Satan, who with great cunning, plays constantly on our weak spots. Self-reliance and proud overreaching on our part serve the devil well as do paralysing timidity, habits of harshness and anger, lack of discipline, whether inward or outward, evasion of responsibility, lack of reverence for God and wilful indulgence in what one knows to be wrong. ‘Satan is as good at judo throws as he is at frontal assaults, and we have to be on guard and vigilant against him all the time.’
The basis of all our asking in prayer, as of all of our trusting in God, is and must be knowing His promises, claiming them, relying on them, and holding fast to them whatever happens, in the confidence that they will always be kept. ” All the promises of God find theri “yes” in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). Receiving God’s promises and trusting those promises is an integral building block, a truly foundational activity in a Christian life.
Promise-trusting faith is indeed at the centre of the biblical prayer pattern. The New Testament views Abraham’s prayer, as he waited for the predicted son and heir, as the classic model of saving faith, and Paul declares that trusting God’s promise with praise was the essence of Abraham’s prayer: “No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what He promised” (Rom. 4:20-22).
When we look at the prayer-life of individual Chrisians in the church, and as we consider the commitment to the prayer meetings in the church, we would realise why the church is so impotent in spiritual warfare; this also points to the lack of quality of Christian discipleship and the lack of vigilance among those who are supposed to be in Christ’s army. The devil is not afraid of Christian’s activities and ‘good works’; he fears the conquering ‘stand’ of a united army which wields the Christian armour in unity, fully closing ranks and preventing the darts of his own army to even penetrate in any way; there is no chink in the armour, the warriors join their shields together (like the Roman army) not allowing arrows to penetrate from above or in frontal attack, and they use their swords effectively at close combat. They obey the orders of God, their General, and look to the captain (Christ) to marshal them in effective battles that cause much damage to the enemy and their tactics. This is a picturesque illustration of the true spiritual reality in spiritual warfare.