Sermon Tone Analysis

There are three things that a person needs to know when faced with war.

The first is to know where their strength is, their might.

The second thing a person needs to know and to have is armour and weapons.

What are my armour and my weapons?

The third is they need to know who they are fighting who is the enemy.

Paul is going to address all three of these areas in relation to the war every Christian faces.

A. Our position – v 10 – 12

a.

Be strong – 36 times in the Bible we are told “Be strong” – the Message

God is strong, and he wants you strong.

The devil says – “Be Fearful, look around at difficulty and dangers.

Give up, for you can never win.

But God says.

Be strong!

i.

In the Lord – it is in union with Him – Good News

- build up your strength in union

Amplified - In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provide].

Deau 31:6 - Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

– Message the same today!!

The Lord – the sovereign, kingly one, the ruler.

Paul says: - I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me!

It is not the amount, it is the source of strength that we have!

ii.

Mighty Power – Paul often referred to God’s power in the Epistles -.

Look at chapter 3 – Paul’s prayer for the people is that they would know the reality of the mighty power available to them in their lives!

Eph 1:19 - - and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Eph 3:16 – prays that he may be strengthen by his power - I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit

Act 1:8 – You will receive power – the Holy Spirit dwelling in us!

Do we try to do things in our own power?

Zech 4:6 - This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

Amplified bible - In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provide].

b.

Take your stand

John Stott – Wobbly Christian have no foothold and are easy prey for the devil!

Refuse to be pushed backwards, or continue to hold your beliefs in a an arguments

Stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something

Stand up for your rights

To rests or attack

- Not a massive invasion but individual soldiers withstanding an assault.

Note how many times in these verses

V 11 – take your stand.

V 13 – able to stand your ground

V 13 – after you have done everything … to stand

V 14 – Stand firm then.

i. Ready for battle – Unmoveable – will not budge from the position.

ii.

NLT – says – “Be ready”!

1 Cor 16:13 - Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

Gal 5:1 - Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Phil 4:1 - stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

c.

Remain standing after the battles v 13 – THE message - so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet

When you have finished the whole fight, you will be still be standing!

Psalm 16:8 - I keep my eyes always on the Lord.

With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 112:8 - Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;

In the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

B. Our Battle – v 12

Who is Enemy?

When World War I broke out, the War Ministry in London dispatched a coded message to one of the British outposts in the inaccessible areas of Africa.

The message read: “War declared.

Arrest all enemy aliens in your district.”

The War Ministry received his prompt reply: “Have arrested ten Germans, six Belgians, four Frenchman, two Italians, three Austrians, and an American.

Please advise immediately who we’re at war with.

a. Against the devil’s

i.

Our battle is against the devil – two forces – evil and good

ii.

Not just the devil, but his agents – in the heavenly places – spiritual powers at work at this time.

It is a reality –

Sooner or later a Christian will discover that the Christian life is a battlefield and not a playground!

We face three enemies:-

a.

The World – people around us

b.

The Flesh – ourselves – the tendency to sin

c.

The Devil – this is what Paul is dealing with here.

In Paul’s time – it was not unusual for them to believe in the spiritual wold as well the physical world.

They lived in a time when it would be talked about.

Danger of the occult, worshiping idols and so one.

Roms 8:38 - For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, [a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

But remember – that Christ has overcome them all –

Eph 1:21 - far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

iii.

Evil forces – their aim is evil – not good.

iv.

Uses the powers and rulers – but not earthly ones

They are powerful and worldwide.

Personal demonic.

Supernatural beings

v.

It will come – note v 13 – When the day of evil comes i.e. prepared at all times.

Only one way – that is through Christ –

Col 2:13 -

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[d] alive with Christ.

He forgave us all our sins, 14 having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.