Grace Baptist Church

Grace Blog

November 18, 2008

The Arena of Our Warfare

One of the most important points in Pastor Tom’s two messages thus far is understanding the arena of our spiritual warfare. Because it is spiritual and the fact that our opponents are not flesh and blood but princes and principalities, it is tempting to conclude that we physical beings are rarely involved in the fight. The arena is in the heavenlies, right? Well, not if you take into the context Paul’s letter to the Ephesians as it leads up to the section on spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:10-18).

The first three chapters of Ephesians address our relationship to God in Christ, emphasizing our union with and identity in Jesus Christ. Chapter four brings out the implications of the gospel at work in the context of the body of Christ, such as unity, putting on the new self, and applying the virtues that cultivated through the graces of repentance and faith. In chapter five, we discover a key verse in Ephesians 5:18 which says,

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit”

From there, Paul launches into a series of relational contexts, beginning with the husband and wife (5:22-33), then to parents and children (6:1-4), and finally to masters and slaves (6:5-9). Not only is the Spirit-filled life to be lived out in these contexts, but it is also here that we find the arena of our spiritual warfare. The greatest battles we will face in our Christian lives will take place in the most ordinary places (such as home and work) with the most familiar people (spouse and children). While these contexts are not comprehensive, they serve to show that there is not an area of our lives where there is not a fight. Nowhere will you find neutral ground. The devil is out to wage war with an army arrayed that wants to destroy your home, ruin your children, lose your job, and ultimately shame the name of Jesus Christ.

As Pastor Tom shared with us, “The call to follow Christ is a call to fight,” so let us recognize the arena of our warfare, put on the whole armor of God, and fight the fight of faith in all of our relationships. The battle is not in the heavenlies; it is in our own living rooms and prayer closets. The way we love our spouse, raise our children, and live out our lives in the world will indicate whether we are by God’s Spirit waging a good warfare as more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. May the family of Grace be strong in our stand, submitted to our Savior, and steadfast in the simplicity of our devotion to God in all things for His glory!

Labels: Ephesians, Grace Baptist Church, Spiritual Warfare | posted by TimBrister at 9:36 am | Categories: Reflection and Review, Spiritual Warfare |