33 Riches of Divine Grace Sept 21, 2008 Bob Eckel 1 A New Enemy Who’s this new enemy? Satan –Why is Satan our new enemy? What was our previous relationship with him? –Col 1:13, II Cor 4:3-4, Eph 2:2 ‘Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:’ Now we’re no longer under his authority! –But what is Satan’s position before God? Satan has been judged! –Heb 2:14 ‘Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;’ »Why ‘might destroy’ – subjunctive tense?

33 Riches of Divine Grace Sept 21, 2008 Bob Eckel 2 A New Enemy –In position we are delivered from Satan’s power Eph 6:10-12 ‘Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].’ –‘may be able’ – present, passive or middle, infinitive Col 2:13-15 ‘And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [And] having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.’ –‘spoiled’ is best translated as ‘disarmed’ –Yet, Satan is still around, and a living and mighty power! II Cor 11:14 ‘And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.’

33 Riches of Divine Grace Sept 21, 2008 Bob Eckel 3 A New Enemy I Tim 3:6,7 ‘Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. I Pet 5:8 ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:’ –And even unto trials and suffering as members of the body of Christ 1 Thess 2:18 ‘Therefore we wanted to come to you - even I, Paul, time and again - but Satan hindered us.’ Rev 2:10 ‘Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast [some] of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.’ –And our response to all of this Satanic activity?

33 Riches of Divine Grace Sept 21, 2008 Bob Eckel 4 A New Enemy Eph 4:7 ‘Neither give place to the devil.’ I Pet 5:9 ‘Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.’ –Notice the response is in faith! –Notice also that the afflictions are the same that are in the world. »‘brethren’ in context is not our Christian brethren Back to Eph 6:10,11 James 4:7 ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’ Let’s look at the temptation or better interpreted testing of our Lord by Satan – Matt 4:1-11 –Let’s allow our response by faith to be one of identification! »Thus, the testing is to prove who we are In Christ!

33 Riches of Divine Grace Sept 21, 2008 Bob Eckel 5 A New Enemy Is there just one new enemy? –What about the world or world system – cosmos? Satan is its prince and rules here –John 12:31 ‘Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.’ Out of this world system the believer is rescued –Col 1:13 ‘Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:’ –John 15:19 ‘If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.’ »A metric for ‘our’ performance? Or better yet His performance in us! The world has always been there, it’s just our position and relationship to it that has changed.

33 Riches of Divine Grace Sept 21, 2008 Bob Eckel 6 A New Enemy –What about the Flesh – sarx? Here - ‘denotes mere human nature –the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence »therefore prone to sin and opposed to God’ Sourced in the ‘old man’ –In the believer it is the sin nature –Crucified, but not removed »Rom 6:3 ‘Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?’ »Rom 6:6 ‘Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.’ »Notice again ‘might be….’ Then what is our response?

33 Riches of Divine Grace Sept 21, 2008 Bob Eckel 7 A New Enemy –Rom 6:11-13 – a series of imperatives: »‘Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. »Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. »Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but »Yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God.’ So what about all of these enemies? We need to respond by faith: do we believe or not believe what God has revealed?