Dr. Cecil A. Fayard
Spiritual Warfare Sermon Series  

If you are to be victorious in this day to day, hand to hand combat, you need to:

1. Pull down strongholds - II Corinthians 10:4-5.
   
2. Put off the works of darkness and reprove them - Ephesians 5:11-12.
   
3. Remove all provision for the flesh - Romans 13:13-14.

1. VERSE 12, THE ENEMIES WE FACE
   1. A wrestling match.
      
      1. The word "wrestle" is significant for it describes the intensity of the warfare in which we are involved.
         
         1. "Wrestle" is the Greek word pale, "a wrestling match."
            
         2. Kenneth Wuest describes this match as a contest between two in which each endeavors to throw the other. When we consider that the loser in a Greek wrestling contest had his eyes gorged out with resulting blindness for the rest of his days, we can form a conception of the Ephesian Greek's reaction to Paul's illustration. The Christian wrestling against the powers of darkness is no less desperate and fateful" (Volume 1, 141).
            
      2. That Paul switches from the imagery of the soldier (verse 11) to that of a wrestler (verse 12), and then back to the solider (verse 13) presents no problem, and is not surprising when we consider that at times in battle the warfare is hand to hand combat where the solider must also be a wrestler.
         
         1. The object of wrestling is to throw down the opponent and pin him.
            
         2. Spiritually the idea is of pinning the powers of evil and placing the hands around the neck.

   2. Our real enemies are not flesh and blood. Our real baffle is not against human beings.
      
      1. The greatest need in spiritual warfare is the Gospel. The war of drugs may be slowed down by arresting pushers; but to destroy, it you must get to the men in high places in the evil system. If not, other flesh and blood can easily be found to push dope.
         
      2. Likewise, to defeat Satan and bring victory, men must know Christ; sin must be exposed; and the Gospel preached.
         
      3. Remember these facts:
         
         1. Our enemy is spiritual, and our warfare is spiritual.
            
         2. People are instruments of Satan, tools in his hands (Romans 6:11-14). Our warfare is not with human beings.
            
         3. We are fighting Satan and his imps who seek to control people and make them oppose the work of God.

   3. The enemies we face are the Devil's helpers, the spiritual Mafia.
      
      1. Principalities and power- prince over a pality. An evil power with jurisdiction over a certain area.
         
         1. Municipality is an area of land under governmental jurisdiction.
            
         2. Principality is an area ruled by a evil prince over that pality, an area ruled by an evil ruler.
            
         3. Daniel tells us that the Devil's angels wrestled with God's angels for the control of national affairs (Daniel 10:10-13).
            
         4. To have spiritual victory in an area, the principalities must be overcome. As long as principalities control an area, the kingdom work will be hindered.
            
         5. We must pray; we must preach the Gospel; we must reprove evil forces; we must. "Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered" (Psalm 68: 1).
            
      2. Rulers of darkness of this world.
         
         1. This speaks of false philosophies.
            
            1. Astrology: “The art of predicting or determining the influence of the planets and stars on human affairs.”
               
            2. Secular humanism - tenets:
               
               1. "Humanism believes that man is a part of nature and that he has emerged as the result of continuous process" (2).
                  
               2. "Humanism asserts that the nature of the universe depicted by modem science makes unacceptable any supernatural or cosmic guarantees of human values" (5).
                  
               3. The foundation of humanism is godless
                  
               4. Humanists reject God, the Bible, and Biblical morality.
                  
               5. Humanism pushes a one world government, openly attacks American free enterprise.
                  
            3. New Age movement.
               
               1. Denies that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God.
                  
               2. New-agers believe people are gods and have the power of “the forever."
                  
               3. They believe people should let spirits from the spirit world direct their everyday actions.
                  
               4. New-agers reject the Bible.
                  
               5. New agers reject a literal heaven or hell because they believe in reincarnation.
                  
               6. They insist people should not feel guilty because of sin or evil. Instead they should feel good about themselves. No need for Christ's death.
                  
         2. The Devil uses the rulers of darkness to deceive people and blind them from the truth (II Corinthians. 4:4).
            
         3. The Gospel is the only hope for a dark world (II Corinthians 4:3).
            
      3. Spiritual wickedness in high places.
         
         1. This refers to the celestial sphere.
            
         2. The domain of the air (2:2).
            
         3. "Spiritual wickedness in high places are the demons in the heavenlies who have charge of religion" (McGee 279).
            
         4. There are spiritual conflicts taking place in the heavenlies that affect believers.

   4. Christians: What we must do.
      
      1. We must reclaim the ground lost to Satan (II Corinthians 10:4-5).
         
      2. We must reprove the works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11-12).
         
      3. We must remove all provision for the flesh (Romans 13:13-14).
         
         1. When we make provision for the flesh, we automatically give ground to Satan (4:27).
            
         2. What we read, see, and hear will affect our spiritual warfare.
            
      4. We must resist the Devil to retake ground (James 4:7).

2. VERSE 13, THE EQUIPMENT WE HAVE
   1. "Wherefore" "because of this." Because of the spiritual nature of the enemy, we need spiritual armor.

   2. Take up the whole armor necessary for baffle.

   3. The purpose for taking up the armor is that you may be able "to stand" fact to face with the Devil.

   4. "Day of evil" refers to the time of battle when the forces of evil are at their worst. The day of battle.

   5. "Having done all, to stand." Hold the ground gained and await further orders from the commander.

   6. NOTE: The victor is not lying on the ground; he is standing.