Why people cannot properly understand themselves apart from Jesus Christ

Ephesians 4:21-24 "if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."

What is man?

Who are you? Whose are you? These are two questions that are fundamental to grasping one's identity. How people answer these two questions will determine how they understand themselves and for whom they live their lives. God's main aim in Christian growth is to transform a person from the inside to the outside to Christ-likeness.

Understanding "who you are" and "whose you are" entails answering a third related question: "what are you?" Secularists will tell us that people are nothing more than the sum-total of the electrical impulses traveling between the neurons in the brain. In short - man is only a physical, biological machine that has a consciousness emerging out of the sum of the parts. Man lives, dies, and no more.

The Bible itself asks this question "what is man?" in Psalm 8:3-4 "What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?" The key to understanding how to answer the question "what is man?" is implied in King David's question itself: "You take thought of Him". Scripture uniformly states that mankind cannot understand "what they are" nor "who they are" without identifying themselves in relationship with God. 

Man's true humanity cannot be properly understood apart from Jesus Christ

The goal of salvation is reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ. The marvel of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son, came to this earth and took upon himself the nature of those whom needed to be reconciled and transformed. As fully God - Jesus Christ perfectly reveals to us the God with whom we need reconciled and the God Who desires to be reconciled to us. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 states: "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation." 

Simultaneously as God, the Eternal Son is now also man. Therefore in answering the question: "what is man?", the only accurate answer to be given is by looking at the humanity of Jesus Himself. The writer of Hebrews takes the question of Psalm 8:3-4 and casts it in light of Jesus Christ's incarnation in human flesh in Hebrews 2:9 "But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone." 

More tomorrow....

Unleashing the power of God through prayer - 1 Timothy 2:3-8

1 Timothy 2:8 "Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension."

Introduction:
Yesterday we considered the importance of plugging into God's power through prayer. Our main point of application was: Plugging into God's power is done through prayer. We surveyed the Bible's teaching on this subject. In 1 Timothy 2:1-8, the Apostle Paul needed to remind Timothy and the church at Ephesus of the need to plug into God's power through prayer. 

Think of prayer as a rolling out the red carpet for God to come into and do His work. Prayer invites God to work where He wants and how He wants. 

So then in seeing what the Bible has to say about this important topic of "plugging into God's power through prayer", what specific areas can be affected when God's power is unleashed through prayer? 

Plugging into God's power through prayer leads to....

Powerful living. 1 Timothy 2:1-2
1 Timothy 2:2 says these words - "for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity." As God's people regularly pray for those in authority, the communities in which they live and the surrounding culture, God's favor works on their behalf. The words "tranquil" and "quiet" speak of a soul that is at rest as a result of improvement of outside circumstances (i.e the word tranquil) and the inward conditions of the heart. (1 Peter 3:4). 

Is Paul saying that plugging into God's power through prayer is going to lead to a life of ease and comfort? Not in the sense of the so-called "American Dream". The type of life which is spoken of here is a life that rests in the fact that God is in control. Notice the type of life that is being encouraged as a result of God's power unleashed through the connection of prayer: "life in all godliness and dignity." 

Powerful witness. 1 Timothy 2:3-4
1 Timothy 2:3-4 is one of the most important passages in the New Testament with regards to God's missionary heart. The text reads: "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,4 who desires all men to be saved and tocome to the knowledge of the truth." When we couple these verses to 1 Timothy 2:1 and 2:8, we see the clear linkage between prayer and evangelism. Mike Barnett, editor of the book: "Discovering the Mission of God", (IVP Academic, 2012 page 375), notes the importance of prayer and missions: 
"Why pray for God's missions and His missionaries? Because God always has and always will answer prayer. Whom should we pray for? The nations and missionaries. Pray for the nations to hear and understand the good news of Jesus Christ. Pray for missionaries to endure and develop Christlike character as they serve. How should we pray? For God's mission to be accomplished. Don't focus so much on plans, strategies, means and methods, but for God's will to be done - His Kingdom to come. These are the basics of praying strategically for God's mission and missionaries."

Powerful focus on Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5-6
How is it that Christians can retain a thorough Christ-centeredness in their lives? by means of prayer! It is no accident that Paul would insert in a section on prayer one of the most Jesus' saturated texts in 1 Timothy 2:5-6 "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time." These two verses in and of themselves could easily turn into two or three blog posts, but for now we will confine ourselves to a few thoughts. 

First, Paul's words and thoughts veer into this focus upon Jesus Christ as the Mediator and is at the center of a section that begins and ends with the exhortation to pray. 

Secondly, the Mediatorship of Jesus, called by Bible teachers His "Session", has at its heart the purposes and power of prayer. The book of Hebrews is replete with reminders of how Jesus Christ is the Living Mediator who intercedes for us and makes such intercession possible. (Hebrews 7:25; 8:6; 9:15: 12:24). 

Thirdly, Jesus' role as Mediator means that He is both the source and goal of prayer. Fourthly, Jesus Christ as man has something in common with us and at the same time being God can connect us directly to the Father. The power of prayer truly means we are connected to that wonderous fellowship that exists between the Trinity through the ongoing Mediating ministry of the Son - Jesus Christ. These thoughts are all to say that when the power of God is unleashed in our lives, the goal of being Christ-centered will go from a duty to a delight, being that prayer itself is only possible through Jesus Christ.

Powerful church-life. 1 Timothy 2:7
We have seen what happens when the power of God is unleashed through plugging into His power through prayer. God's power at work through prayer can lead to a more powerful and effective Christian life, witness and focus on Jesus Christ. What happens when individual believers come together in the setting of the local church. What occurs when a local church body is caught up in a powerful prayer movement? Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2:7-8  "For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 "Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension."

In our churches, when prayer is made the priority, much like the individual Christian life, a red-carpet of invitation is opened up to God to come and do as he pleases in the church's ministries. Paul's mention of his calling and preaching to the exhortation to pray in 2:8 suggests firstly that plugging into God's power through prayer will yield power in the pulpit. The apostolic authority that comes through the scriptures will be refreshed and renewed and thus the church will once again be rekindled in its focus on the Word. The fact that Paul mentions teaching reminds us of the importance of the teaching ministries of the church such as Sunday School and Small groups. Then finally, when we plug into God's power through prayer, the people of God will be illuminated to a greater understanding of life-application. 

Too often our feet hit the ground running without any thought of prayer. The true work of the local church are not so much the works themselves, rather the work of the local church is the work of God at work. How else can God work freely and unhindered in our churches lest He be invited to do so through the church body as a whole seeking Him in prayer. 

Plugging into God's power through prayer - 1 Timothy 2:1-2

1 Timothy 2:1-2 "First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity."

Introduction:

Recently our oven at home stopped working. My wife had been preparing to cook supper and when she went to turn on the oven, sparks and flames came from inside the door. Thankfully she was able to get to the breaker box to shut off the power. The oven had cooked its last meal. When I arrived home that evening, I looked at the oven. By and large the oven looked the same as it had when I had used it earlier that morning to make some breakfast. By outward appearance things looked fine and yet, without power, the inside of the oven will remain ineffective and incapable of achieving what it was designed to do. 

When the Apostle Paul is writing to young Timothy who is getting ready to assume pastor leadership, much instruction is given. We discover in 1 Timothy 3:15 the primary intent of the letter: to teach God's people how they ought to conduct themselves in the church of the Living God. As one scans over the first chapter, Paul instructs Timothy about the importance of church membership (1 Timothy 1:1-11); the necessity of thanking Jesus (1 Timothy 1:12-17) and fighting the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 1:18-20). As we prepare to enter into the second chapter of this marvelous book of the Bible, Paul is going to push the urgency of plugging into God's power through prayer.

Point of Application: 

As we consider the significance of prayer in the life of the Christian and the church, we will aim to unpack the following main point of application: "Plugging into God's power occurs through prayer."

Biblical pattern for plugging into God's power through prayer
Plugging into God's power by prayer for daily decisions
Why do we need God's power and why is prayer the way to connect to such power? Paul is urging this church to pray on behalf of others and to seek the face of God. A church and its membership that takes seriously the matter of prayer understands that God's power is needed when making decisions. In prayer the mind and the human spirit are linked together. (1 Corinthians 14:15) The mind that has taken in the words of God from the Bible knows the will of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10-13, 16) The human spirit that is home to the Holy Spirit of God knows the will of God intuitively enough to make decisions that match what God would choose to do in that given situation. All of these linkages are made possible by means of prayer. Remeber: plugging into God's power is done by means of prayer.

Plugging into God's power by prayer feeds the faith
When we deal with the matter of faith, it too requires the child of God plugging into God's power by prayer. Faith by its very definition in Hebrews 11:1 is the substance of things hoped for and the certainty of things not yet seen. Praying in the power of the Spirit is commanded in Jude 1:20  "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit." 

Plugging into God's power by prayer to overcome fear
Such praying is how we overcome the fear that so often tries to constrict the Christian's faith. Did you know that the Bible tells us to "fear not" over 200 times. The language of "faith" vs "fear" shows us the contrast between the two, and why powerful prayer is needed to break the yoke of fear. Fear says: "Maybe". Faith says: "God can". Fear says: "I'm not sure". Faith says: "I know He will". Prayer crosses over that invisible boundary between human half-hearted prayers vs Spirit-wrought powerful intercession by what we can call "certainty" and "knowing that we know that we know". Praying with power will lead to living with power, worshipping with power and preaching with power. 

Plugging into God's power by prayer is demonstrated by people in the scripture
In the scriptures we see Abraham praying with power in Genesis 18, resulting in Abraham's walk with God being made closer and closer with Him. In King Solomon's dedication of the Temple in Jersualem in 1 Kings 8, we see the glory cloud of God (The Shekinah) fill the temple, thus bringing God's power to bear on that ministry. Jesus' first words from the cross was a prayer that stayed the hand of God from destroying Jesus' executioners and really all of humanity from being wiped out by God's wrath at that given moment. Jesus was ever in touch with the Father in Heaven. He chose to willingly take upon Himself the wrath that we all deserved. The early church was a church of prayer and the power of God was said to had been so much so in those early meetings that when they prayed, the whole place was shaken. (Acts 4:31) The Bible's teaching about plugging into God's power is plainly taught. 

Four types of prayer: Entreaties, Prayers, Petitions, Thanksgivings - 1 Timothy 2:1

1 Timothy 2:1 "First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men."

Note to reader: For a more indepth version of this post, check out the other blogsite at: https://biblicalexegete.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/a-closer-look-at-four-different-types-of-prayer-in-1-timothy-21/

Introduction:

Today's post is interested in looking at four different types of prayer described in 1 Timothy 2:1. We will simply deal with each word in the order they appear in the passage, offering some brief observations and life application to the reader.

1. Entreaties = Desperate praying

According to New Testament scholar William Mounce, this word occurs 18 times in the Greek New Testament and can be translated "entreaty, prayer, supplication." The classic work: "Greek and English Lexicon" by Liddle and Scott suggests the meaning of this word as referring to prayer that results from a "wanting need". This blogger would suggest that this word is seen in contexts where a desperate situation or desperation for God has prompted the child of God to seek Him with an intentional resolve of prayer.

For example in Luke 2:37 we see the widow Anna serving God in the temple with "fastings and prayers". Clearly this widow's prayer-life was accompanied by a desperate sense of seeking God's face. In Luke 5:33 we see the prayer-life of the disciples of John the Baptist described with this word in the statement: "often fasting and offering prayers". Imagine following after a powerful figure like John the Baptist whose urgency to prepare the way for the Messiah wove its way through every teaching and activity.

Thus when we see Paul urging Timothy and the congregation at Ephesus to offer up "entreaties", he is urging them to make sure their prayers are laced with an urgency and resolve to seek God in specific ways. This tone ought to accompany the Christian's prayer life. With the idea of "entreaty" in clearer view, we can now move onto the second word for prayer in 1 Timothy 2:1, namely...

2. Prayers = Purposeful praying

New Testament Scholar William Mounce lists this noun for prayer occuring 36 times in the Greek New Testament. The Greek Lexicon BAGD (Bauer, Ardnst, Gingrich, Danker) renders this term with the translation "prayer" and with the idea of this type of prayer said in the context of other acts of worship. So for example, this word is used to describe Jesus in a kneeling position on the ground in prayer in Luke 22:45. Oftentimes this word refers to a designated place of prayer, such as the place described in Acts 16:13,16 where the women would gather to pray. The Greek-English Lexicon by Liddle and Scott suggests the meaning of this word as referring to a specific form of address to God. There appears to be a tone of intentionality and expression, a purposefulness to one's prayer life.

As Christians living in this 21st century world, the temptation to be distracted is at an all time high. If anything, Paul's use of this word in 1 Timothy 2:1 suggests the idea of having "purposefulness" in our prayer life. So thus far we have seen with the word "entreaty" the idea of desperation for God in our prayer-life and with the common word translated "prayers" we have understood the need for purposefulness. Now lets consider the third word in this text...

3. Petitions = Personal praying

According to New Testament scholar William Mounce, this noun occurs only twice in the Greek New Testament. In the context of 1 Timothy 2:1 the word refers to intercession or praying on behalf of someone. BAGD Greek Lexicon assigns the meaning of "power of intercession". According to the Greek and English Lexicon by Liddle and Scott, the idea of "conversation" or "closeness" is implied in the meaning of this term. In the first two words used by Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1, prayer is conceived of mainly in public settings. With this particular word, the closeness of fellowship with God is emphasized, with the idea of praying for others and bring their names and situations to God for the sake of discussion.

As Christians, there ought to be a sense in which God is not viewed as some remote, abstract person. Certainly God is Sovereign and All-powerful (Omnipotent), however He is, in the words of Jeremiah the prophet, not only the God who is far off but the God who is near. (Jeremiah 23:24). God is the Father of the Christian by adoption and by His Holy Spirit with Whom He shares the same eternal essence, Christians cry out "Abba, Father". (Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 4:6). Is it no wonder that when Jesus taught his disciples to pray He began the prayer with "Our Father". Thus what Paul is telling Timothy and Christians today is that when praying, pray with desparation for God, purposefulness and a desire for closeness with God in intercession for others. Now lets consider the fourth word for prayer in 1 Timothy 2:1, namely....

4. Thanksgivings = Thankful praying

William Mounce defines this word and lists some appropriate key verses wherein the word appears: "gratitude, thankfulness, Acts 24:3; thanks, the act of giving thanks, thanksgiving, 1 Cor. 14:16; conversation marked by the gentle cheerfulness of a grateful heart....".(http://bible.theopedia.com/1timothy/2/1/9).

Perhaps the reader is familiar with the word "eucharist" which is used in some Christian circles as a name for the celebration of the Lord's table. In the Supper we give thanks to the Lord for His substitutionary death on behalf of His people. Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich and Danker (BAGD) in their Greek Lexicon list the additional meeting of "gratitude".

Certainly Christian people ought to not view prayer as only asking things from God. Without thanksgiving, prayer grows stagnant. Just as the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, certainly the shortest distance between the heart of the Christ-follower and worship is that of thanksgiving.

Closing thoughts:
This post has attempted to sketch out the distinctive meanings of the Greek words behind the English words for prayer that are found in 1 Timothy 2:1. It has been learned that prayer needs to be a desperate seeking after God (i.e entreaty). Secondly, prayer needs to be purposeful and intentional (i.e prayer). Thirdly, prayer needs to be aimed at closeness with God and interceding for other people (i.e petition). Then finally, prayer needs to include thanksgiving so as to raise prayer to the level of true worship (i.e thanksgiving).

Spiritual warfare's 3 common enemies: The Flesh

Ephesians 6:10-11 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."1 

John 2:16-17 "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."

Introduction:

Today's post will conclude where we ended yesterday regarding the 3 enemies of the Christian in spiritual warfare. In the opening passage above we see them underlined: the Devil, the world and the flesh. The contexts of both scriptures indicate the following:

1. Common Enemy in spiritual warfare is The Devil.

2. Context in which our warfare occurs is the world. 

3. Cravings that contribute to our spiritual warfare is the flesh.

Today's post will explore that enemy that works within every Christian - the cravings of the flesh. 

The cravings that contribute to our warfare is the flesh
Notice what the Apostle John writes in 1 John 2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world." What is meant by the term "flesh"? The term "flesh" can have one of two meanings in the New Testament. The first meaning of "flesh" refers to the physical body of a person, whereas the second meaning describes the expression of our soul's drives in cooperation with the remnants of sin in the soul. Galatians 5:19-21 gives the fullest definition of the flesh in the New Testament: "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

The flesh is an "expression", a "reaction" to certain conditions whereby the inborn drives of a person are set aflame and decisions are made to feed the hunger. The indwelling Holy Spirit aims to teach the child of God to "put on Jesus Christ, make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts." (Romans 13:14) 

Therefore when we are dealing with spiritual warfare, the flesh and the inward desires that go unchecked are among the most damaging of the three enemies. Unlike the Devil and the World, which attacks from the outside, the flesh works inward to outward. 

Years ago I worked at a plant where periodic training was given on the subject of fire safety. In that training the employees were taught what was called "the fire-triangle". The fire-triangle described three elements needed for a fire: fuel source, heat source and oxygen. To put out a fire of any type, all someone had to do was to remove one of the elements. 

When we apply the above idea of the "fire-triangle" to spiritual warfare's three common enemies, we discover the following: Satan functions as the heat source, ever tempting and put on the pressure; the world is likened unto oxygen, ever supplying and always ready to feed every drive; and the fuel is the "flesh". In spiritual warfare, if we are to be effective, we must remove one of the three enemies. Just as in a real fire, if the fuel source is cut off, the fire is quenched. Certain fleeing from Satan or avoding the world can and must be done, however unless the flesh is dealt with, flare-ups will continue. Only the Holy Spirit and the power of the scriptures can effectively deal with the flesh. (1 Corinthians 2:10-13; Hebrews 4:13-16). 

Closing thoughts:

In this series we have considered spiritual warfare's 3 common enemies: the world, the flesh and the Devil. In this series we have discovered:

1. Common Enemy in spiritual warfare is The Devil.

2. Cravings that contribute to our spiritual warfare is the flesh.

3. Context in which our warfare occurs is the world.

We also concluded that since Jesus came and overcame the world through His perfect life of active obedience in resisting the Devil, the world and the flesh, by faith we can access that victory and apply to our own life. May we be aware of these 3 common enemies and realize that Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

Spiritual Warfare's 3 Common Enemies: The World

Ephesians 6:10-11 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."

1 John 2:16-17 "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."

Introduction:

Today's post continues this short series that we have entitled: Spiritual Warfare's 3 common enemies. In the opening passage above we see them underlined: the Devil, the world and the flesh. The contexts of both scriptures indicate the following:

1. Common Enemy in spiritual warfare is The Devil.

2. Cravings that contribute to our spiritual warfare is the flesh.

3. Context in which our warfare occurs is the world. 

Today's post will explore that enemy that is the context of the battle: the world

What in the world is meant by the "world"?
1 John 2:16 warns us about not loving "the world". The Greek word behind this word (kosmos) is the word from whence we get our terms "cosmetics" and "cosmology" and "cosmopolitan".  A "kosmos" or "world" refers to a certain orderly arrangement or system, hence for example, cosmetics are products designed to help someone arrange the colors and appearance of their face. I someone were to take up the study of "cosmology", they would be concerned about studying the arrangement of things in our universe. When reference is made to a "cosmopolitan person", that person is typically a traveler, a "person of the world" who dresses in the finest clothes and keeps up with the trends of things worldwide. 

Whenever the Apostle John refers to the term "world", he is talking about the organized system of thought that is under the authority of Satan. We have seen in this study that The Devil is the common enemy of the believer. Other than Adam, Job, King David and Jesus, no other person has ever had to deal with Satan directly, but moreso indirectly. Satan wields his influence through his vast network of demonic hosts (Ephesians 6:12) and through the network system known as the world.

The physical body gathers its understanding of reality through the five senses, and this is how the influence of the world makes its way through if unchecked by the vigilent Christ follower. This is why John warns his readers to "not love the world". Elsewhere in the New Testament we read about the influence of the world and the need to be cautious of it. Romans 12:2 states -  "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." James 1:27 gives this insight: "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." Jesus gave this simultaneous warning and encouragment in John 16:33 - "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

At this point it is important for us to realize that we have not been called to compete with the world. The world and all it has to offer caters to the flesh. The flesh, if you will recall from yesterday's posting, has to do with the cravings that work in our spiritual warfare. Just as a magnet can influence a piece of iron, the clever machinations of the believer's common enemy, Satan, has orchestrated the world's resources to appeal to and influence the flesh. Thus the world is the arena and context of our warfare. 

Jesus in Matthew 4:8-10 dealt head-on with Satan with regard to worldly temptation - "Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” Jesus underwent this battle and won for the believer's sake. The resources available to the Christian to defeat the influences of the world are straight from Jesus Christ by faith. 1 John 4:4 "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

More tomorrow...

Spiritual warfare's 3 common enemies: The Devil

Ephesians 6:10-11 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."1 

John 2:16-17 "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."

Introduction:

Today's post is all about identifying the three common enemies every Christian faces in the daily spiritual warfare talked about in scripture. In the opening passage above we see them underlined: the Devil, the world and the flesh. The contexts of both scriptures indicate the following:

1. Common Enemy in spiritual warfare is The Devil.

2. Cravings that contribute to our spiritual warfare is the flesh.

3. Context in which our warfare occurs is the world. 

So with those 3 common enemies identified and their roles in the daily spiritual warfare of the Christian, let's briefly consider the believer's common enemy, the Devil, and discover how Jesus Christ gives victory not only against him but against every enemy.

The Common Enemy in spiritual warfare is the Devil
Ephesians 6:11 warns the reader of the "schemes" or "methodologies" of the Devil. Who is the Devil? A brief sketch of his personage and career reveals the following:

1. He was originally a powerful angel named Lucifer (Ezekiel 28; Isaiah 14), perhaps an archangel, who got his eyes off of God and instead focused on his own beauty. Shortly after the creation week scripture records Lucifer, now Satan or the Devil, leading 1/3 of the angelic hosts astray, who in their fall became the myriads of demons occupying the various orders of the kingdom of darkness. (Revelation 12) 

2. The Devil or Satan is a creature who is a liar (John 8:44), a deceiver and prince of the power of the air who blinds the hearts of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:1-4). As a creature, the Devil communicates his malevolent intentions through the vast network of demonic hosts we see mentioned in Ephesians 6:12.

3. We know the Devil tempted Jesus on three occasions in Matthew 4, and the Devil's aim is to do all he can to discourage and divide the church. (Matthew 16:18)

4. According to 1 Peter 5:8, The Devil is a roaring lion prowling about seeking whom he may devour. 

This sketch lays out for us why it is the Devil is the believer's common enemy in spiritual warfare. In 1 John 2:14 we see John encouraging his readers as those who "overcame the Evil One". Even in the Lord's prayer we see Jesus teachings His disciples to pray for protection from "evil" or "The Evil One". Scripture is clear, the common enemy in spiritual warfare is the Devil. Tomorrow we will consider a second enemy that contributes to the Christian's spiritual warfare - the cravings of the flesh.