Wednesday Service | Strengthen Yourself | Part 5: Our Battle

[1] Paul does not describe our battle to scare us but to us

Ephesians 6:10-12 New King James Version

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

• can be used to describe the ruler of a nation or a top general

Deuteronomy 32:8-9 English Standard Version

⁸ When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind,
he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. ⁹ But the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.

NLT – “according to the number in his heavenly court.”

NIV – “according to the number of the sons of Israel.”

• ELOHIM [gods] = heavenly beings

Psalm 82:1-2, 6-7 English Standard Version

God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:

² “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?… ⁶ I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; ⁷ nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”

• There is no Elohim like

1 Chronicles 17:20 English Standard Version

There is none like you, O Lord, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

• These spiritual beings who rebelled seek to be

1 Corinthians 10:20 Amplified Bible

²⁰ On the contrary, the things which the Gentiles (pagans) sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons [in effect], and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons [by eating at feasts in pagan temples].

Deuteronomy 32:16-17 New King James Version

¹⁶ They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger.
¹⁷ They sacrificed to demons, not to God, To gods they did not know, To new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear.

• Every plague on Egypt was a statement of on different gods they worshipped

Exodus 12:12 New Living Translation

¹² On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the Lord!

Daniel 10:20-21 Living Bible

^20-21 He replied, “Do you know why I have come? I am here to tell you what is written in the ‘Book of the Future.’ Then, when I leave, I will go again to fight my way back, past the prince of Persia; and after him, the prince of Greece. Only Michael, the angel who guards your people Israel, will be there to help me.

Luke 4:6-7 Living Bible

^6-7 and the devil told him, “I will give you all these splendid kingdoms and their glory—for they are mine to give to anyone I wish—if you will only get down on your knees and worship me.”

[2] We need to know our spiritual and

Matthew 28:18-20 New Living Translation

¹⁸ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

[3] Principalities and cosmic powers are by the destiny of faithful believers

1 Corinthians 6:3 Amplified Bible

³ Do you not know that we [believers] will judge angels? 

Matthew 24:45-47 Living Bible

⁴⁵ “Are you a wise and faithful servant of the Lord? Have I given you the task of managing my household, to feed my children day by day? ⁴⁶ Blessings on you if I return and find you faithfully doing your work. ⁴⁷ I will put such faithful ones in charge of everything I own!

Matthew 25:19-21 Living Bible

¹⁹ “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to him to account for his money. ²⁰ The man to whom he had entrusted the $5,000 brought him $10,000. ²¹ “His master praised him for good work. ‘You have been faithful in handling this small amount,’ he told him, ‘so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Begin the joyous tasks I have assigned to you.’

2 Timothy 2:12 New Living Translation

If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us.

Revelation 2:26 New Living Translation

²⁶ To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations.

[4] There is an ongoing war over our

Exodus 7:15-16 GOD’S WORD Translation

¹⁵ In the morning meet Pharaoh when he’s on his way to the Nile. Wait for him on the bank of the river. Take along the staff that turned into a snake. ¹⁶ Say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews sent me to tell you, “Let my people go to worship me in the desert.” So far you have not listened.

Colossians 2:14-15 New Living Translation

¹⁴ He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.