Christian Living
The Conflict That Most People Are Unaware Of
●WHY DOES THE DEVIL WAGE WAR AGAINST BELIEVERS?
●HOW DOES THE DEVIL PREVENT CHRISTIANS FROM OBTAINING SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS?
WHY DOES THE DEVIL WAGE WAR AGAINST BELIEVERS?
Now that you are a believer you might think I’ve got it made. The devil can’t touch me. I am God’s adopted son. I have a new nature. My eternal destiny, heaven, is secure. I have one of the members of the trinity living inside of me. I’m all set. The devil can’t touch me. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Believe it or not we are his arch enemies here on earth. Before we answer as to the why this is, a better question would be what is our purpose now that we are a born again Christian? If we can determine what this is, this might help us to understand why the devil vehemently opposes us.
Now that we are a Christian what should we strive for in a godly sense?
To Be Conformed To The Image Of His Son
Rom 8:29-30
God the Father knew beforehand (foreknowledge), who would repent to Him and believe in his Son in their free will for salvation. Therefore, it is implied that God chose (elected) those beforehand, who he knew would believe in his Son, when they would be alive on earth, for salvation. God has a plan (called predestination) for those, who choose to repent and believe in his Son for salvation, that being to be conformed to the image of his Son.
What does it mean for a Christian to be conformed to the image of God’s son?
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
This conformity relates to a process known as sanctification, whereby the saint is transformed in his inner heart life to resemble the Lord Jesus, which inner change results in a change of outward expression that reflects the beauty of the Lord Jesus30.
A believer should strive to:
●Be transformed in their heart so that their outward expression will resemble the Lord Jesus.
What else should a Christian strive for?
Please go to 2 Peter.
Grow In Grace, And In The Knowledge Of Our Lord And Saviour Jesus Christ
2 Peter 3:18
The apostle Peter is instructing fellow believers to continue to make progress daily in grace (grace for daily Christian living, namely, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in the yielded saint, and the Christian graces which are the product of His work31 being evidenced in trials and suffering) and in knowledge (begins by knowing Christ initially in regeneration and it continues in one's deepening relationship with Him32to possess just views of Christ’s person, character, and work33)
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
So here is presented another example of what a Christian should strive for.
A Christian should strive to:
●Grow (to continue to make progress daily in grace (in being yielded to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, through whom will be produced in us his spiritual qualities being manifest to others while in the midst of trials and sufferings) and knowledge (possessing correct views of Christ in all aspects).
Is there anything else that a Christian should strive for?
Let’s take a look at Phil 3.
That I May Know Him
Suggested Reading: Phil 3:1-16
Paul is saying to the believers at Philippi; watch out for those, who have confidence in the flesh. Those, who I was like, at one time in my life when I was born as a pure blooded Jew, being circumcised on the eighth day, of Jewish parents, of the tribe of Benjamin, having become a Pharisee, which is the strictest sect of Judaism that observes the formal rules of the Law, without fault, and with zeal having persecuted the church.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Paul goes on to say that all of those things that he confided in, which he considered gain in self-righteousness, he now considered loss (rubbish, which can mean food scraps or dung34) in relationship to the righteousness that is in God, which is found only through the faith of Christ.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
His gain now is to know Christ more intimately by the apprehension of truth as an influencing power into the very being of him who knows them35, and the power (the power which the resurrection of Christ has, for instructing, reforming, elevating, tranquilizing, the soul36) of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings (an inward experience of identification with Christ in suffering for righteousness sake), being made conformable (a conformity to the spirit and temper, the meekness and submissiveness of Christ; to His unselfish love and devotion, and His anguish over human sin37) unto his death (with the result of there being death to self and to the world so that his life might be a blessing for others.
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Like Paul, Christians should strive for these things.
A Christian should strive to:
●Appropriate truth as an influencing power.
●Operate in spiritual power that instructs, reforms, elevates, and tranquilizes the soul.
●Identify with Christ in suffering for righteousness sake.
●Be inwardly conformed to the likeness of Christ (to his spirit, temper, meekness, submissiveness, unselfish love, devotion, etc.)
●Be daily set apart from sin, dying unto self and to the world, so that he/she may be a blessing to others.
As we strive for these spiritual realities both within and without something remarkable begins to happen.
What do you think that is?
Unbelievers begin to see Christ’s spiritual qualities evidenced by us. They no longer see the person who we used to be committing: fornication, adultery, lies, homosexual acts, slander, etc. Not only so, but something else begins to be manifest according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
What you ask might this be?
The gifts or spiritual endowments of the Holy Spirit. Unbelievers begin to see the supernatural be evidenced in the natural. People get healed of physical issues, miraculous events are brought forth, words of knowledge are declared, etc.
What does this open the door for?
For the presentation of the pure gospel. For the salvation of souls. For the reception of one of the members of the trinity. For the assurance of eternal life.
Why does the devil hate us?
Because of what Christians strive for and what would be the results if they were able to appropriate what they are striving for which would be to bring about into the lives of unbelievers’ the very perception that the devil rebelled against. This spiritual reality is one that he operated in at one time. If the human race chooses God’s life, then the devil will surmise that his sentencing by God the Father to the lake of fire is warranted.
The devil will do everything thing he can to prevent Christians from striving to obtain these spiritual blessings for themselves.
How does he do this?
You’ll find out by turning to the next chapter.
HOW DOES THE DEVIL PREVENT CHRISTIANS FROM OBTAINING SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS?
The devil wants to inhibit Christians from obtaining the spiritual blessings that God has made available for them to partake of.
A summary of these blessings are:
●To be transformed in heart so that their outward expression will resemble the Lord Jesus.
●To grow (to continue to make progress daily) in grace (in being yielded to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, through whom will be produced His spiritual qualities within so that they can be manifest without to others while in the midst of trials and sufferings) and in knowledge (possessing the correct views of Christ in all aspects).
●To appropriate truth as an influencing power.
●To operate in spiritual power that instructs, reforms, elevates, and tranquilizes the soul.
●To identify with Christ in suffering for righteousness sake.
●To be inwardly conformed to the likeness of Christ (to his spirit, temper, meekness, submissiveness, unselfish love, devotion, etc.)
●To be daily set apart from sin, dying unto self and to the world, so that he/she may be a blessing to others.
So how is the devil able to inhibit Christians from partaking in these spiritual blessings?
That’s a good question. As we shall see the devil has many different kinds of weapons at his disposal.
The first one that we will look at has the objective of totally destroying the believer.
What do you think this weapon is called?
PERSECUTION
The first weapon that we will look at that the devil has at his disposal is persecution. This is identified as such in the book of 1 Peter.
Your Adversary The Devil
1 Peter 5:8
Peter is instructing believers about a foe who is incessantly out to destroy them.
He is called their adversary (of an opponent in a lawsuit), the devil (one who brings a false charge against another with hostility), who is depicted as a roaring lion (setting out to destroy us by violent opposition, persecution, and death38). that goes to and from on the earth seeking whom he may devour (utter destruction). This is an allusion to the horrors of the Neronian persecution in the Roman Coliseum, in which lions mauled and devoured Christians. Satan desired to do the same thing spiritually, to defeat believers’ testimonies39.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
With this in mind what do the scriptures reveal to us as to who to look out for in this regard?
A. World Leaders
I Remained There With The Kings Of Persia.
Suggested Reading: Daniel 10:1-20 & Chapter 9
The captivity of the Jews under the Babylonians has ended by means of their conquest by Cyrus king of Persia. Two years earlier Cyrus made a decree to allow for the restoration of the Jews to their homeland in accordance with Daniel’s prayer in chapter nine. It’s interesting to note that there was a clear admittance by Daniel not only of his own guilt, but that of all of Israel in having not obeyed God’s directives. He decided to declare his sin and the sins of the nation to the Lord. After which He asked Him to remove his fury and anger from the city Jerusalem. While he was praying a vision (an altered state of consciousness in which extrasensory audiovisual experiences, usually revelatory in character, are perceived in private by individuals, often prophets or seers. The visions themselves may be experienced as occurring within an earthly setting or may involve apparent out-of-body experiences such as ascents to heaven or descents to the netherworld40) from the Lord came upon him whereby the angel Gabriel tells him about the state of affairs of the Jews at a significant time later in their future. However, specific information in regards to the Jews state of affairs in the near future had not yet been disclosed to him. It appears that the reason for this will be unveiled as we continue to read about this story.
Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. Daniel 9:21
Two years have gone by and Daniel has a heavy heart. Apparently only a small number of Jewish exiles had actually returned to their homeland. There was also a conflict in regards to the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem. The Samaritans (those who were both Jew and Gentile) were refused to be allowed to participate in this rebuild by the Jewish rulers.
Daniel it appears is still waiting for a reply to his prayer as relating to the state of affairs of his people in regards to their return and the temple rebuild. In this regard he decided to fast while in mourning (sadness). After three weeks of fasting had gone by Daniel received a vision as he was beside a great river called Hiddekel. In this vision he saw a certain man clothed in linen. The men that were with him didn’t see any man, however, it appears that they sensed a powerful presence and fled.
And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Daniel 10:7
Daniel observes within this vision himself being in a deep sleep lying on the ground and hearing the voice of this man’s words, who touches him with his hands thus causing him to get up upon his knees with the palm of his hands touching the ground. He then tells Daniel that he was sent to him in response to the words in prayer which he had spoken earlier.
12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
It appears that before this man, probably an angel, was going to convey to Daniel information in regards to Israel’s state of affairs in the near future, he had to confer with the rulers of Persia in this regard. While there he was resisted by a higher ranking evil angel, called the Prince of Persia, who was probably trying to influence this court in a manner that would be destructive to the returning Jewish exiles and their attempt to rebuild the temple. He requests another angel’s assistance called Michael, one of the chief angels, who comes to his aide and assists him.
What we are talking about here is a spiritual battle for the minds of the ruling elite of Persia.
Who would have thought that behind the visible was a war that was being engaged by the hosts of heaven for a rendering by this court in regards to the Jews.
Could it be that both of these angels appeared in human form and engaged in a dialogue with these rulers that would affect Israel’s future?
13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
It appears that a favorable outcome came forth because this man (angel) tells Daniel in the vision that he is now going to declare to him the words that will befall his people in the latter days.
14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.
What I wanted you to be aware of is, that what we as Christians witness as going on around us is not just happenstance. Our prayers do matter.
Am I going to conclude that every time Christians are persecuted by a world leader that this is because of angelic influence? No.
But am I also going to dismiss the idea that this might be the case? No.
Who else should Christians be on guard for concerning persecution?
B. Unbelievers – The Religious Crowd
Christianity is the only faith that declares that there is only one way to get to heaven and that is by repenting to God the Father and believing in Jesus Christ. Many faiths have different names for their gods. Some will use the name of Jesus, but will not ascribe to him the correct designation as being God, who pre-existed time, and came to earth in the form of a man, never having committed one sin, died on a cross to pay for the penalty for all of the sins that were ever committed by mankind, having forgave them (wiped away their record), rose again from the dead after three days, and ascended into heaven. Some will say that he is the son of God, but not God. Others say that he really didn’t pay the price for the debt of sin owed by mankind. There are those that say he never rose again, because there is no proof that he did. And still there are others who will profess belief in Christ while saying that there is another way to get to heaven such as being baptized in water. The result is that many who profess to be Christians are religious, never having received the indwelling Holy Spirit. Unfortunately without the indwelling Spirit a person cannot experience His divine love, peace, and joy, and subsequently will not have the assurance of eternal life.
An example of unbelievers persecuting Christians is found in regard to this next story in the book of Acts.
For These Causes The Jews Caught Me In The Temple, And Went About To Kill Me.
Suggested Reading: Acts 21:17-40 Chapters 22-26
The apostle Paul finally arrives at his sought out destination, Jerusalem.
While there he meets up with the apostle James along with the elders of the church.
He tells them about what things God had done in regards to the Gentiles.
They respond by telling him that there are many Jewish Christians who are upset with him, because they believe that he advocates that they should no longer follow their customs.
Paul’s stance concerning the Jews following their customs was two-fold.
First there was no observance under the Law that could procure their salvation.
Secondly a Christian cannot become mature by keeping the Law.
However, the Jews could continue to observe their Jewish Heritage as long as they understood that the Law can’t save or sanctify them.
And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. Acts 21:18,21
As a way to indicate to the Jewish Christians that he was not teaching as such, he was instructed to: identify himself with four men, who were under a Nazarite vow, to pay for their sacrifices, and be with them in the temple for their time of purification. Paul agreed to this plan. All seemed to be going well until certain Jews from Asia saw Paul in the temple. They proclaimed to all of the Jews present, who would listen to them, that here was the man, who was forbidding the Jews to practice their customs. An uproar ensued. Paul was apprehended and beaten. Fortunately for him Roman soldiers came and intervened. Paul was brought by them to Caesarea for trial.
As he was being led up the stairs of the castle, he was allowed to address those Jews, who had just inflicted harm on him, in order to give a defense for himself. Paul, in his defense, stated that he is a Jew, who was under the tutelage of Gamaliel. Following this, he recounted his journey to Damascus, the purpose of which was to find Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem, in order that they might be punished. After which, he talked about his conversion to Christ, and subsequent return to Jerusalem.
The Jews, who were listening to him, decided that they had heard enough, and restated their sentiment that he should be killed. The chief captain decided to bring him into the castle intending to inflict more punishment on him, so that he might learn what he had actually done to the Jews, which caused them to be provoked.
After a few years had gone by a man named Festus Porcius, succeeds Felix (60 AD) as procurator (an employee of the Roman emperor in civil affairs, especially in finance and taxes, in the management of imperial estates and properties, and in governing minor provinces.) of Judea. A few weeks after he had entered this office, the case of Paul, then a prisoner at Caesarea, was reported to him.
The high priest along with others came to Caesarea before Festus to testify against him, but none of what they said could be proved. Following this, Festus asked Paul if he would go with him to Jerusalem to be judged there, but Paul refused saying that he had done nothing to deserve death, and being a roman citizen, proceeded to appeal his case to Caesar in Rome.
On the following day, Festus heard Paul defend himself in the presence of Herod Agrippa II (the son of Herod Agrippa I and the great grandson of Herod the Great, who was appointed by the Roman Emperor Claudius as ruler of Abilene, which is part of Galilee, along with Iturea, and Trachonitis) and his sister Bernice. Paul stated that he was a member of the Pharisees, which is the strictest religious sect of the Jews in doctrine and morality. He was commissioned by the chief priests to have Christians be placed in prison, giving consent that they should be killed. When Jesus made himself known to him, as he was on his way to Damascus, he believed in him as the promised Messiah/Savior, who was raised from the dead and is now sitting as the right hand of God the Father. Instead of persecuting Christians, he is now sent to unbelievers, to enlighten and instruct, to turn them from the darkness of paganism and sin to the light and purity of the gospel, and also to turn them from the dominion of Satan, that they may receive purification of the heart, and heirship among the saints.
But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. Acts 26:20
Then Paul says that it was because of these causes that the Jews sought to kill him.
21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
Herod after having listened to Paul didn’t find anything in his defense worthy of death or bonds and would have set him free had he not appealed his case unto Caesar. In consequence of this appeal, Paul was sent to Rome for trial.
Think of it, here are the very Jews to whom Christ came as their Messiah and was rejected by them, but when given another chance by one of His messengers they also rejected him.
This is religion at its finest. Kill those who bring a message of abundant life now. Religion advocates its followers to keep on worshipping God in one’s own power, by one’s own merit, hopefully desiring to eventually win His favor.
There is one more group of people that I believe will shock you, when you find out who they are, who will also persecute believers. I bet that you will never guess who these are?
C. Born Again Christians
Say it is not so. I have to admit, that when I began to notice this it was quite disturbing. In the early days of the Christian church the Jewish apostles would go into the Jewish synagogues and proclaim the gospel of Christ. Eventually the synagogue doors became closed to them. They didn’t go into the synagogue and hear the rabbi teach on the Mosaic Law and then as they walked out after the worship service was over proclaim what the rabbi had said was a good message. This is the dilemma that I found myself in when I was conducting a Sunday morning assembly where I live.
Some of the Christians who attended were also attending other faiths whose messages were centered on ritual and ceremony. Their mindset was that if they stayed in said church then God would use them to proclaim the gospel to the church members in His time and in His manner.
I looked at this in a totally different light. By staying in a religious church, I believe that what will eventually happen to the born again Christian is that they will become religious. The pure gospel of repentance to God the Father and belief in his son will be changed to another gospel that involves some act of human merit.
The apostle’s mission was to proclaim the gospel of Christ and help the newly converted to rely on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. They were not interested in religion, and neither did they decide to settle for it. There were repeated warnings in the epistles, the book of Acts, and Revelation to watch out for those teachers, who focus on human philosophy, who focus on good works of the flesh, who focus on human merit, who focus on adhering to the Mosaic Law for salvation and sanctification, who proclaim that salvation can be obtained through human merit and obedience to church traditions.
I was told by one member of the assembly that I was no longer teaching Christ when I would make the proclamation to beware of religion.
This reminds me of something that Paul said to the born-again believers at Phillipi.
For many walk
Phil 3:17-19
The apostle Paul is instructing the brethren, to become fellow imitators of him, and to fix their attention on those who walk in such a manner as they have us for the right example.
He says that there are many Christians, who live as the enemies of the cross (of the death) of Christ. There are two schools of thought as to whom Paus was referring to. Some say that they are Judaizers (Christian Jews) who taught that an unbeliever is made righteous by the observance of the Levitical sacrifices. Others say that they are Christian Greeks of Epicurean tendencies. The Epicureans represented a Greek school of philosophy which taught that the satisfaction of the physical appetites was the highest aim of man. They had allowed their Christian liberty to degenerate into license. They did not understand God's grace and thus thought lightly of continuing in sin41. Based on the way they have chosen to live, this destroys the meaning of Christ’s death on the cross.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
No matter who Paul is referring to, he goes on to say that their end (inevitable outcome) is that they will suffer destruction, whose God is their belly (worshipping their own appetites, sexual gratifications, and self-indulgences; they live not in any reference to eternity; … but only to eat, drink, and be merry42), whose glory is in their shame (being proud of sensuality and carnality, but these things are what they should be ashamed of43) who mind earthly things (to depend on earthly things to gain favor with God; their whole study and attention are taken up with earthly matters44; they were holding on to earthly rituals and beliefs that God had given to Israel, and they were opposing the heavenly blessings that the Christian has in Christ45).
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. Philippians 3:19
It says that Paul was shedding tears in regards to these believers. How sad it is to have the Holy Spirit and not enjoy his presence, teaching, and guiding. How sad it is to continue to live according to the dictates of the flesh instead of the dictates of the Spirit. How sad it is to reveal the same life you lived before you were saved after having received the indwelling Holy Spirit. How sad it is to not have any fellowship with these believers in Christ.
Remember the devil has many weapons at his disposal to disrupt a Christian’s walk with God.
What do you think his next weapon is?
Let’s take a look by proceeding to the next chapter.
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