- Overcomer Literature Trust
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
THE VICTORIOUS WARRIOR.
By Ruth Paxson.
“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”
(Eph. 6 v12).
Verse 10 of Ephesians chapter 6 reads, “Finally, be strong in the Lord,” and opens up to us the truth regarding the Christian’s warfare.
No true Christian is exempt from this warfare. We who possess our inheritance in Christ (Eph. 1 v11) and are walking worthily (Eph. 4 v1) are expected to engage in the spiritual warfare going on in the heavenly places (Eph. 6 v12). God has no place for a spiritual pacifist. He calls every saint to arms.
God has a divine order which cannot be reversed. It is utter folly for a Christian to rush into warfare with the Satanic hosts, unless he can creditably pass God’s efficiency test, so clearly outlined in Ephesians 4 verses 1-6 &9.
To be at war with Satan one must be walking with the Spirit. We must therefore watch our way of life.
Paul, himself a tried and trusted warrior, warns of two vulnerable spots which open to Satan the way of victory through crippling the Christian in spiritual warfare. Then by a third he warns every Christian to be prepared for warfare. “Do not give the devil a foothold” (Eph. 4 v27) he warns.
Giving the devil a foothold gives Satan headquarters in Christ’s camp. It provides him a base from which to conduct his campaign. Giving a foothold to the devil makes a part of Christ’s army an ally of His archenemy. Giving a foothold to the devil lessens the manpower of the Lord’s host and surrenders to Satan spiritual resources which belong only to the Captain of our salvation. It compels Christ to go out to war handicapped. It weakens His warring power of omnipotence. It diminishes the working force of the supernatural.
So the devil is ceaselessly busy seeking to gain some foothold in the life of every Christian. He will start with something very small, anything so long as he gains a foothold. He knows our weak spots. He comes up on our blind side. He breaks through where the crust is thinnest. He bides his time until he can take us unawares. He tempts us at our most susceptible points. He works cleverly, arch-deceiver that he is, to beguile us. To the truly spiritual warrior he comes most often as an angel of light, even ensnaring some by claiming to be an envoy from God. He uses any method however clever or cruel, to gain access, and does his best to disguise his approach. What he seeks to gain is a foothold to begin his activities, that he may undermine the Christian warrior’s morale and render him incapable of fighting.
Paul continues “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph. 4 v30). One who might shrink with horror and fear from giving a foothold to the devil may nevertheless be making his victory in the heavenly places possible by grieving the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit dwells within us to reproduce within us the victorious life of the glorified Christ that we may be enabled to stand, and to release through us His supernatural power that we may be empowered to withstand. Whatever restrains or restricts the Holy Spirit from carrying out His work to His utmost capacity, plays into Satan’s hands to defeat Christ.
What is it in us that grieves the Holy Spirit? Anything unholy. Whatever in us that is contrary to what He is, grieves Him. He is the Spirit of truth, faith, grace, wisdom, power, love, discipline and holiness, so anything that is untruthful, unbelieving, ungracious, unwise, unfruitful, unloving, uncontrolled and unholy, grieves the Spirit of God. Therefore sin of any nature or degree, whether open or secret, whether in flesh or spirit, whether gross or refined, grieves the Holy Spirit.
In Ephesians 5 verse 18 Paul tells us to “be filled with the Spirit”.
This is the battle cry of the victorious warrior. It is the Spirit-filled warrior, and only he, who overcomes and overthrows the Satanic hosts. Filled with the Spirit’s wisdom (Eph. 1 v17) he discerns the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6 v11). Filled with the Spirit’s power (Eph. 3 v16), he stands against them. Filled with all the Spirit’s fulness (Eph. 3 v19) he is supernaturally equipped to engage in this warfare between the supernatural forces of good and evil and is supernaturally strengthened to become a victor.
“Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Eph. 6 v13), victors on the field, kept by the power of God.
“Keep up your courage, I have won the victory” (John 16 v33).