INSIGHT
 

   Angels surround us.  They are all over: some protecting and helping us, others attempting to deceive us and lead us astray.  Sometimes angels allow themselves to be seen, but most of the time, if not all the time, those who see angels don’t even know what they’ve seen!

 

   There are good angels and bad angels, but all angels share in common the following:

 

1- They are not like people. Jesus, as the son of God is superior to angels, but when He became a human he accepted a position inferior to the angels (Heb.2:7). Angels and us are completely different beings (Col 1:16; Psalm 148).

 

2- They are not like God.  Angels cannot do what God does.  They are servant beings made by the most high God, and none of them was made His equal. They have limitations, though they aren’t nearly as limited as we are. They are not omnipotent. God can do anything (Jeremiah 32:27).  Jesus, along with the Father and Spirit, created everything (Col 1:16; Gen 1:1-2). Neither angels nor man have that power. They are not omnipresent. God is everywhere (Psalm 139). He isn’t limited to a specific location or a specific point in time. Angels, on the other hand, like the angel Gabriel, left the presence of God to visit Zechariah (Luke 1:19). He couldn’t be on Heaven and on Earth simultaneously. Angels can even be delayed in their journey to Earth to answer our prayers! (See Daniel 10) No angel has the power to transcend space and time like God can.

 

3- They cannot procreate.  God gave humans the ability to procreate (Gen 1:28). Angels apparently don’t have the ability to have “baby” angels.  They were created when God, Jesus and the Spirit made them (John 1:3; Col 1:16). From what Jesus shared with a Sadducee about the next life in Mark 12:25 and Matt 22:30, we get the idea that in Heaven there is no such thing as procreation. There is no marriage¾no sexual union¾no different sexes!

 

4- What angels look like.  Angels apparently can appear to humans in any form they wish. Invisible, visible, disguised or in all their glory.  One thing is consistent, though.  When angels have appeared undisguised to people in the Bible, the experience has been somewhat terrifying for the human!  (See Daniel 10:7-11; Rev 1:10ff)  And these are the good angels!

 

   The Hebrew writer (Heb 13:2) therefore encourages us with these words:

 

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Spiritual Warfare: Seeing The Unseen
Forces at Work Against Us...

 

Key Text:                       Ephesians 6:11-12

 

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

 

Theme:

 

The battle we fight in this world is a battle against the power of Satan, who is the prince of this world (1 John 5:19; John 14:30). He has established authorities and dominions throughout the Earth to battle against us.  He doesn’t own the planet, but he controls a lot of the action in it.  Particularly the actions designed to lead people away from God, to hurt people, and to hurt God. Our weapons against this sort of war have to be of the spiritual kind, for the fleshly ones hold no promise against evil.

 

Application:

Here are some practical suggestions:

 

1. Don’t rely on yourself! Satan is using any means necessary in his domain (this world) to try and deceive you. Always seek advice and involve yourself with the church.

 

2. Don’t be ignorant! Don’t think that because you know the Scriptures you are immune to Satan’s schemes. Don’t be futile in your thinking (thinking about vain things¾unproductive). Be sure you are not lacking in God’s Wisdom, which is pure and comes from the Scriptures. (James 3:17)

 

3. Remember God is on your side! Despite all the troubles you go through remember that nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:37-39)! We are more than conquerors!

 

 

May the Lord richly bless you!

 

Sermon Outline

Spiritual Warfare: Seeing the Unseen

 

I.      Last Week: Satan’s master Plan

 

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.   Ephesians 6:11

 

1. It is a battle of the heart and of the mind.

2. It is deception vs. truth

3. Learn to delight in Heavenly things!

 

II.  Forces at Work Against Us

      A. The Devil is real and He’s out to get you!

         1. Ezekiel 28:12-17

             a. He was the most beautiful angel created.

             b. He was the captain of the angels.

      B. His pride led him to his fall.

         1. He apparently was very powerful; many other

            angels followed him. Mat 25:41

             a. Hell was originally prepared for the Devil

                and his angels!

             b. When Satan sinned he was cast down to

                Earth with his angels. Jude 6; 2 Pet 2:4

 2. Now he rules the world. 1 John 5:19

             a. He doesn’t own it! Psalm 24:1

             b. But he controls a lot of it. Eph 6:11-12

  3. He also rules the air. Eph 2:2

             a. The air is the atmosphere, the first heaven.

             b. The third Heaven is God’s realm. 2 Co 12:2f

      C. His angels do his bidding! Eph 6:12

         1. There are angels assigned to different geogra-

             phical areas. Dan 10:12-13; 20-21

         2. They are the “eyes” and “ears” of Satan.

         3. They carry out the work of the devil himself.

     D. The power of the devil. This week’s Quiet Times

          will focus on the particular powers the devil can

          use to deceive you and entice you. Don’t miss

          them!

III. JESUS WILL RULE!!!

       A. Jesus is sovereign! Mat 28:18

       B.  Everything will be subject to Him at a certain

            time. 1 Co 15:24-27

       C. At present, we do not see everything subject to

   Jesus even though He has all authority. Heb 2:8-9

       D. And at present, even though you are exposed to

            the powers of this dark world, you are

            conquerors through Jesus! Romans 8:37-39
Small Group Study

 

Warm-up:

Bring the drawing and analogies of the armor of God you drew up from last Thursday’s Quiet Times. We will be using it for Wednesday’s class.

 

See To It                                   Ephesians 6:11-18

 

1-     What is the purpose of armor? Physically and Spiritually.

 

2-     How did you describe what the belt of truth is? How is it an effective piece of armor? How did you rate on wearing your belt of truth?

 

3-     How did you describe the breastplate of righteousness? How is it an effective piece of armor? How did you rate on wearing your breastplate of righteousness?

 

4-     How does the shield of faith protect you? How do we wear this shield? How do you rate on this?

 

5-     What is the helmet of salvation for? What is a helmet used for? How is salvation analogous to wearing a helmet?

 

6-     What is the only defensive piece of armor described in this passage? What is it used for? Is it a dangerous piece (Heb 4:12)? Are you training to be able to use it well? Is there any other piece you can use for your defense?

 

7-     How does a soldier communicate with his commanding general on the battle field? How do we communicate with our commanding general? How do you rate on this important part of your armor of God?

 

Getting To It:

 

Brothers and sisters, WE ARE IN A WAR! Would you venture into an active battlefield without your armor and defense weapon? Would you venture into enemy territory without the skills to fight the enemy with your weapon? Would you dare not to take a communication device with you to keep in touch with your commanding officer? He will help you by alerting you to the schemes of the enemy and guiding you safely home!

This week's Quiet Times:

FORCES AT WORK AGAINST US…

 

MONDAY

“The devil controls the world, has power in the world, and is using that power effectively.  He and his angels use weapons of deception and delusion to manipulate.  And they don’t exist only in theory or theological treatise; they exist in fact.  Even if you have accepted the fact that Satan really exists, you are unequipped for spiritual combat if you think him practically powerless. Just how much power does he have? Are any limitations placed on him?” ¾Joe Beam, Seeing the Unseen.  We will examine these questions this week. Perhaps a good place to start is by examining what happened to Job, since this is a popular reference point. Read Job 1:6-12. How is Satan described in verse 6? Is he omnipresent according to verse 7? Why do you think God asks Satan where he has been? Does Satan have to report to God? Does Satan know God’s mind? Does he know everything (omniscient)? Does God know Satan’s mind? Consider verses 9-11. Who else is Satan accusing? What limitations does he have (vs. 12) ? Can he anything he wants even though he disobeys the Lord? What do you think God’s purpose is in letting Satan test Job? Write Romans 8:28 on an index card and memorize it.

 

TUESDAY

 In your notebook, take a look at the following verses and write down the verbs associated with Satan’s doings. 1 Chron 21:1 * Luke 13:16 * John 13:2 * John 13:27 * Acts 5:3 * 2 Co 4:4 * Eph 2:2 * 2 Tim 2:26.  What do these verses show about Satan’s powers and abilities? What can Satan do to you? Has he been able to do any of these things to you? Will he be able to do any of these things to you? Now look at Job 1:13-19. How did the devil operate in Job’s life to test him? Add these actions done by Satan to your list of verbs associated with Satan’s doings. So, is Satan only limited to doing things that will deceive your heart and mind? How did he discourage Job? Read the following verses: Heb 11:37 * Mat 14:10 * Acts 12:2 * Mat 24:9 * Job 2:7.  What were some of the tools Satan and his angels have used to persecute and try to destroy God’s people? Can Satan and his cohorts do these things without any outward miracle taking place? Write 1 Co 10:13 on an index card and memorize it.

 

WEDNESDAY

Do you know any person well enough to manipulate him or her? Do you know how to arrange circumstances or situations that will ensure a probable course of behavior? If a human can do it, how effective do you think an angel can be? Do you think they could make you do something, or simply entice you and convince you to do it?  What’s the difference? Can we blame our mistakes on them or are we responsible for our own decisions and actions? Consider the following passage: 1 Tim 4:1-2. What kind of people does Satan and his angels look for to do their work? What kind of things do these people do to spread the work of the devil? Do you think it is possible for these people to come to their senses after being taken captive by the devil? What must be done to accomplish this? (Read 2 Tim 2:25-26) What is the antidote to the devil’s poison? If Satan is able to manipulate nature and people to accomplish his will, do you think he can manipulate governments, cultures, and politics to do the same? Perfect case study…. THE CRUCIFIXION!!! Isn’t that why Jesus said what he said in  Luke 23:34?

 

THURSDAY

As you can see, Satan is pretty capable and able to do many things you probably weren’t aware of.  But isn’t that sly of him? The least we know about him and his schemes, the better he is able to delude you. I’m sure that even after we finish these studies he’s going to be mad and he’s going to get bad with the Long Island Church of Christ and any other church that continues to seek the face of the Lord. Just remember that he also has plenty of limitations and even more so if you seek to put on the armor of God. We mustn’t be ignorant of the devil’s position because those who have chosen to be ignorant of the devil’s power will also perish. Read on to find out why: 2 Peter 2:10-12.  What do these people despise? How are these people characterized? What do they slander? Do angels have more sense than these people? What will be the outcome of these people? Do you think Satan is included among the beings we must not disrespect or slander? Read on: Jude 8-10.  Is this passage talking about the same kind of people Peter was talking about? What must your attitude be then concerning angels and even the devil? What must your reaction to the devil’s scheme’s be? Write Mat 16:23 on an index card and memorize it.

 

FRIDAY

Satan not only uses people, he helps them do what he wants. Satan is capable of empowering the people he uses to accomplish his will. Read John 13:27. Do you think Satan entered Judas by force? Did Jesus know what had happened? Who was the devil trying to do as he empowered Judas? Why use one of Jesus’ disciples? Read 1 Chron 21:1-4. How did Satan influence David to bring punishment on Israel? What was Satan able to use from David’s position or personality to accomplish his task? Did David finally realize what he had done (vs. 8)? What does Satan use to empower us? See 1 John 2:16.  What happens if you feed on your selfish desires as opposed to filling yourself with God’s Spirit? See Romans 8:6-17. Remember, it’s a battle fought in your mind and in your spirit!