AN AN UNCONQUERABLE UNCONQUERABLE

ARMY!ARMY!

AN AN UNCONQUERABLE UNCONQUERABLE

ARMY!ARMY!

A study on spiritual warfareA study on spiritual warfare

ByBy

Ken chantKen chant

A study on spiritual warfareA study on spiritual warfare

ByBy

Ken chantKen chant

noticenoticenoticenotice

I have removed from this presentation any pictures that I have removed from this presentation any pictures that may still be under copyright.may still be under copyright.

As far as I know all the pictures that remain are in the As far as I know all the pictures that remain are in the public domain.public domain.

If you find a copyright picture, please let me know, and I If you find a copyright picture, please let me know, and I will remove it.will remove it.

Thank you.Thank you.

texttexttexttext

Isaiah 54:17Isaiah 54:17 – –

"No weapon that has ever been forged will "No weapon that has ever been forged will succeed against you. You will have a succeed against you. You will have a defence against anyone who accuses you. defence against anyone who accuses you. This is the inheritance of the Lord’s This is the inheritance of the Lord’s servants. Their victory comes from me," servants. Their victory comes from me," declares the Lord.declares the Lord.

introductionintroductionintroductionintroduction

Napoleon Bonaparte, in 1814, on the eve of Napoleon Bonaparte, in 1814, on the eve of the great battles that destroyed his empire, the great battles that destroyed his empire, boasted to his brother Joseph, the King of boasted to his brother Joseph, the King of Spain: Spain: "The bullet that could kill me has not "The bullet that could kill me has not yet been moulded!"yet been moulded!"

He had an overweening sense of destiny, He had an overweening sense of destiny, and felt that he was invincibleand felt that he was invincible his confidence was premature: within a his confidence was premature: within a

year he was imprisoned in lonely exile on year he was imprisoned in lonely exile on the island of St Helena, where he died.the island of St Helena, where he died.

High Knoll FortHigh Knoll Fort

St HelenaSt Helena

We, however, do not have to engage in We, however, do not have to engage in unsupported boasting when we claim the unsupported boasting when we claim the Lord's promise –Lord's promise –

"The weapon that can succeed against you "The weapon that can succeed against you has not yet been forged; the tongue that has not yet been forged; the tongue that rises against you in court will itself be found rises against you in court will itself be found guilty!"guilty!"

Notice how the verse Notice how the verse endsends (instead of begins) with the (instead of begins) with the strongly emphasising words, strongly emphasising words, "Thus says the Lord!""Thus says the Lord!" This is an oratorical device This is an oratorical device

called an "epicalled an "epi''phphōōnene''ma"; it ma"; it means that the passage means that the passage should be read as if it were should be read as if it were printed in printed in bold type, bold type, italics, underlined, and italics, underlined, and with an exclamation with an exclamation markmark!!

It was a device employed in Hebrew to give It was a device employed in Hebrew to give special weight or importance to what had special weight or importance to what had just been said.just been said. But if that is so, why then do we see so But if that is so, why then do we see so

many defeated Christians?many defeated Christians?

The reason is because God does not protect The reason is because God does not protect us from the enemy's weapons by locking us us from the enemy's weapons by locking us safely behind a high wall, but by sending us safely behind a high wall, but by sending us out to battle with resources that are stronger out to battle with resources that are stronger than anything our foe possesses!than anything our foe possesses!

Many Christians, however, do not like the Many Christians, however, do not like the thought of war; they would prefer God thought of war; they would prefer God simply to wrap them around with simply to wrap them around with impregnable ramparts, like fish in an impregnable ramparts, like fish in an aquarium, guarded from all trouble, and aquarium, guarded from all trouble, and endowed with unbroken peace and endowed with unbroken peace and prosperity.prosperity.

Or their image of Christian Or their image of Christian life is akin to that of people life is akin to that of people visiting a zoo, who stand visiting a zoo, who stand only a few inches away only a few inches away from a fierce tiger, yet feel from a fierce tiger, yet feel quite safe, because a wall quite safe, because a wall of thick glass stands of thick glass stands between them and the between them and the beast.beast.

In the spiritual dimension there is no such In the spiritual dimension there is no such wall; we are right out there on the battle field wall; we are right out there on the battle field where our protection lies in the armour of where our protection lies in the armour of God, and our best defence is to attack!God, and our best defence is to attack!

Two irresistible weapons have been put into Two irresistible weapons have been put into our hands by the Lord.our hands by the Lord. They are –They are –

An invincible swordAn invincible swordAn invincible swordAn invincible sword

Our first weapon is Our first weapon is "the sword of the Spirit""the sword of the Spirit" (Ep 6:17).(Ep 6:17). That sword has two edges –That sword has two edges –

1)1) The Word of GodThe Word of God the the WordWord becomes a becomes a SwordSword only when only when

two things are true of our use of it; it two things are true of our use of it; it must be –must be –

a)a) believedbelieved there can be no effective there can be no effective

use of the Word of God in use of the Word of God in spiritual warfare unless spiritual warfare unless that Word is heartily that Word is heartily believedbelieved

that is, the user must have that is, the user must have unwavering confidence in unwavering confidence in the integrity and authority, the integrity and authority, the God-breathed the God-breathed character, of scripture character, of scripture (1 Jn 5:9-10).(1 Jn 5:9-10).

b)b) spokenspoken Faith that remains Faith that remains

unexpressed is just pious fairy unexpressed is just pious fairy floss; true faith is always floss; true faith is always known by boldness of known by boldness of confessionconfession cp. He 13:6, which is cp. He 13:6, which is

actually a strong actually a strong affirmation made in affirmation made in response to the promise response to the promise contained in vs. 5contained in vs. 5

2)2) The Authority of ChristThe Authority of Christ See Luke 10:19.See Luke 10:19. Note three things –Note three things –

1.1. We have We have authorityauthority ( (exousiaexousia) ) over the over the powerpower ( (dunamisdunamis) of the ) of the enemyenemy authorityauthority is always a better is always a better

thing to have than thing to have than powerpower cp. a girl riding a horse: cp. a girl riding a horse:

how much more powerful how much more powerful the animal is, yet it yields the animal is, yet it yields obedience to the authority obedience to the authority of its riderof its rider

cp. a military commander, whose cp. a military commander, whose authority over-rides the massive authority over-rides the massive firepower of his troops; or watch a firepower of his troops; or watch a policeman controlling traffic; etc.policeman controlling traffic; etc.

2)2) Jesus used an Jesus used an emphatic double-emphatic double-negative to stress negative to stress how great is the how great is the authority he has authority he has given us – given us – ""NothingNothing, , notnot nothingnothing, can , can ever hurt you!"ever hurt you!"

In English a double-In English a double-negative is usually negative is usually forbidden, because it has forbidden, because it has the effect of nullifying the effect of nullifying what the speaker was what the speaker was intending to say.intending to say. But Greek grammar But Greek grammar

allows the double-allows the double-negative as a way of negative as a way of strongly re-inforcing a strongly re-inforcing a statement.statement.

““I don’t know I don’t know nothing!”nothing!”

““I don’t know I don’t know nothing!”nothing!”

3)3) Jesus also strengthened Jesus also strengthened his promise by using the his promise by using the perfect tenseperfect tense That is, he said, That is, he said, "I have "I have

given you"given you",, which in which in Greek has the sense of Greek has the sense of once for all, absolutely, once for all, absolutely, without qualification or without qualification or mitigation.mitigation.

Since we do have such Since we do have such authority, let us use it!authority, let us use it!

AN INCONTESTABLE RIGHTAN INCONTESTABLE RIGHTAN INCONTESTABLE RIGHTAN INCONTESTABLE RIGHT

Whatever voice rises against us, said the Whatever voice rises against us, said the Lord, will itself be accused and condemned!Lord, will itself be accused and condemned! see Ro 8:31-34; 1 Jn 2:1-2; Re 12:10.see Ro 8:31-34; 1 Jn 2:1-2; Re 12:10.

Note that we have this right simply as Note that we have this right simply as Christians, solely on the basis of the merits Christians, solely on the basis of the merits of Christof Christ notice how strongly Paul speaks in notice how strongly Paul speaks in

Galatians 2:16 . . . Galatians 2:16 . . .

"We know that no one can "We know that no one can be justified by keeping some be justified by keeping some law, but only by trusting in law, but only by trusting in Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus Christ. That is why even we apostleseven we apostles have put have put our faith solely in Christ our faith solely in Christ Jesus, so that we may be Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the and not by observing the law. This much is certain: law. This much is certain: no one will ever be justified no one will ever be justified by keeping the law!"by keeping the law!"

If not even Paul (cp. Ro 15:17-19; 1 Co 15:10; If not even Paul (cp. Ro 15:17-19; 1 Co 15:10; 2 Co 6:4-10; 11:23-28) could offer anything 2 Co 6:4-10; 11:23-28) could offer anything meritorious to the Father, what folly it is for meritorious to the Father, what folly it is for us to suppose that we have any personal us to suppose that we have any personal claim upon his favour!claim upon his favour!

We must learn to stand in grace alone, We must learn to stand in grace alone, recognising that grace never allows that we recognising that grace never allows that we owe any debt to God (except that of love and owe any debt to God (except that of love and trust), nor can we ever place God in debt to trust), nor can we ever place God in debt to us.us.

For those very reasons, For those very reasons, Satan exerts every Satan exerts every cunning wile to turn us cunning wile to turn us away from total away from total dependence upon dependence upon Christ, and to draw us Christ, and to draw us into two errors –into two errors –

1.1. the error of self-righteousnessthe error of self-righteousness that is, of presuming to add some good that is, of presuming to add some good

work of our own to the merits of Christ, work of our own to the merits of Christ, proudly supposing that this will give us proudly supposing that this will give us better access to the throne of God and a better access to the throne of God and a higher claim upon his goodness.higher claim upon his goodness.

I have heard it said that a dog, I have heard it said that a dog, unless it is trained as an attack unless it is trained as an attack dog, will always seek to get dog, will always seek to get behind a person; as long as you behind a person; as long as you keep turning your face toward it, keep turning your face toward it, the animal will not attack.the animal will not attack.

So as long as you turn So as long as you turn the face of Christ's the face of Christ's righteousness toward the righteousness toward the enemy he is rendered enemy he is rendered powerless over you!powerless over you!

2.2. the error of self-loathingthe error of self-loathing that is, allowing the enemy to call into that is, allowing the enemy to call into

question our righteous standing in question our righteous standing in ChristChrist

but against every false accusation we but against every false accusation we must return a faith-response –must return a faith-response –

"You are a sinner""You are a sinner" --"But I am washed in the blood of the Lamb!""But I am washed in the blood of the Lamb!"

"You are mere flesh""You are mere flesh" --"I am actually God's new creation!""I am actually God's new creation!"

"You are unclean""You are unclean" --"I am the righteousness of God in Christ!""I am the righteousness of God in Christ!"

"You are a weakling""You are a weakling" - - "I am strong in the Lord and in his might!""I am strong in the Lord and in his might!"

"Who are you anyway?""Who are you anyway?" - - "I am God's royal priest and prince!""I am God's royal priest and prince!"

"What can you do?""What can you do?" - - "Everything God gives me to do in Christ!""Everything God gives me to do in Christ!"

"What do you have?""What do you have?" - - "All authority over all your power!""All authority over all your power!"

The enemy of your The enemy of your soul is adept at lies soul is adept at lies (Jn 8:44), and many (Jn 8:44), and many people foolishly people foolishly allow him to bluff allow him to bluff them by his deceitsthem by his deceits He is like the IRA He is like the IRA

assassin in assassin in Ireland . . . Ireland . . .

Our enemy is like a toothless tiger! Don't let Our enemy is like a toothless tiger! Don't let his empty roar frighten you away from the his empty roar frighten you away from the glorious promises of God. Take up that glorious promises of God. Take up that invincible swordinvincible sword; exercise that ; exercise that incontestable incontestable authorityauthority; defeat the foe in Jesus' name!; defeat the foe in Jesus' name!

conclusionconclusionconclusionconclusion