Simple Church Minute--spiritual war

69—spiritual war

My name is Tom; this is Simple Church Minute.

            Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  To understand a scripture properly, we need to understand what it meant to the original hearers.  When the church of Ephasus received this letter, and heard the word “wrestle,” what would have come to mind was wrestling as practiced by professionals in the Roman Empire, which might be best compared to a back alley fight without weapons.  In that context, how can one possibly help but lose to a supernatural force second only to God?  From the context of Job chapters 1 and 2, with chapter 1 verse 12 and chapter 2 verse 6 being the key verses, the degree that Satan and his demonic angels can attack us is only by God’s permission.  Further, in First Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13, we are told, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.”  While the latter promise can be assuring, there is an implication I have never heard taught that we who are in a free country are not so much blessed as being protected by God because of our spiritual weakness.  The greater the degree to which we have had opportunity to volunteer to stand with our fellow believers and have excused ourselves for one reason or another, without regard to how acceptable that excuse might be to those around us, the more we, and I’m talking to myself as I say this, must ask myself in my spirit, is my lot a blessing or the residue of not accepting the boldness the Spirit wishes to put in my spirit.

            You can email me at simplechurchminute@gmail.com.  For more information on organic church*, visit http://www.simplechurch.com/ or locally, (local website).

On the recording, at this time, it says, “house churches.”  While that phrasing is OK, to say “organic church” is better.  I comment on that in blip 94.