Empowered for Victory: Strength in Spiritual Warfare

Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might and we are considering how this can be done how this is to be interpreted in actual practice and our main contention is this that this does not just mean a kind of passivity in which we do nothing and as it were hand it all over to the Lord and leave it to him it isn't that we find rather that it's a call to Great activity on our part but in his strength and in the power that he gives us. [00:00:57]

In other words the fundamental contention is that according to the teaching of the New Testament in the New Birth we are all given power we are given life from God we are made partakers of the divine nature and in that gift there is power the seed of eternal life in us all is power it's the analogy of course of a newborn Babe the Babe is very weak but the Babe has life and because of that has power and what is needed is that this should be fostered and developed that it should be encouraged to grow. [00:01:38]

Now it's exactly like that in the Christian Life it's no you saying that the Christian has no power and that the power is entirely in the Lord and that apart from the Lord the Christian is powerless that's not the teaching the Christian has this new life which is power and what is needed therefore is that this should be developed and that is the meaning of this exhortation and we've been considering the ways in which this can be done we've seen the need of food and drink the need of exercise and the need of practical application. [00:02:20]

There are times and seasons in the Christian life the Apostle talks here about the evil day of course life is always evil but there are some days that are worse than others there are evil days there are times and occasions when the fight is particularly hot when the enemy makes an unusual attack upon us it's always a Warfare but there are times when he concentrates and masses his attack upon us now at such times I say in addition to what we are always doing there are certain other things that we can do. [00:03:58]

The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe and I gave you other examples and illustrations of this same thing in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up walk said Peter and John to that impotent men at the beautiful gate of the temple the sword of the Lord and of Gideon that's it now there is one other word about that which I'd like to add because it's such a striking one a notable one you find it in the book of Jude in verses 8 and N. [00:04:45]

Yet Michael the Archangel when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses do not bring against him a railing accusation but said the Lord rebuke me now that's a very striking example because it's something we are told about Michael the Archangel in this tremendous contest between the Archangel and the devil concerning the body of Moses Michael the Archangel realized the power that was confronting him and the greatness of the power and uh he didn't speak evil of dignities. [00:05:42]

The active realization of his nearness and of his presence now here I say is something that is most exalted and yet most comforting for us all something which is taught in the Bible very fre frequently found in the Old Testament and in the New Testament and something thank God which appears very prominently in Christian history in the history of the church and in the biographies of men whom God has used notably in the advancement of his kingdom. [00:07:14]

Now the fundamental promise with regard to this is to be found in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 33:25 where we are told this as thy days so shall thy strength be now what that means is this that we shall always be given the Grace and the strength that is adequate to whatever situation that we are in whatever our day May chance to be the our strength will be corresponding to them as thy days so shall thy strength be now that was the promise of God you see to his ancient people to the church in the Old Testament. [00:11:37]

Let Us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need now then there it is again you see this time of need you can translate that if you like timely help timely help well the suggestion is that all times are not the same time and what we stand in need of is the grace to help in our time of need just what we need at that point we we need timely help we're always being helped we're always being given Grace we couldn't live for a day without it but there are times when we need something extra. [00:15:21]

We are told that we receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit and this anointing of the spirit is a very practical matter and particularly in this very context in which we're looking at the Battle of the Christian Life what's it mean well let's see what we are told about our Lord himself in Acts 10:38 Peter is preaching in the to Cornelius and his household and he says how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil for God was with him he anointed him with the Holy Ghost and with power. [00:17:32]

Now then this is something that happens in two main ways and we must look at both of them I'm emphasizing that it is unusual it is not the regular it is not the normal this can be put into the same kind of category as Miracles Miracles are not constant and not usual Miracles are unusual Miracles are exceptional well this kind of experience I say goes into that category and is something which is unusual you mustn't expect this to happen to you every day or many times during a day this is something that is given to us when we need it most all and it it comes in two ways. [00:10:49]

He himself makes his presence known to us you don't see him but you know that he's there this is more than the strength he gives this is more than the grace that he gives he comes himself you aware that he's by your side he's he's surrounding you don't forget the teaching about the Angels Hebrews 1114 tells us that the angels are ministering Spirits sent by God to help us who are the Earth of Salvation you don't see them but you feel their presence you know that you're not alone you're given words you're given Assurance you're given peace you're given certainty. [00:43:27]