128. HOW TO OVERCOME THE POWER OF SIN IN MY LIFE? – How do I protect Jesus’ life within me against Satan’s attacks? (i)

From Meditation 120 onward we have seen that the full armour of God is a divine gift to all God’s children. The apostle Paul takes the armour of a first century Roman soldier to show us how we can protect Jesus’ life within us against Satan’s attacks. We have already spoken about girding our waist with truth, putting on the breastplate of righteousness, shoeing our feet with the preparedness of the Gospel of peace, and taking up the shield of faith.

“Take (or receive) the helmet of salvation...” (Ephesians 6:17**)

The helmet was an essential piece of the Roman armour, usually made of bronze. It should protect the soldier’s head from being hit by any of the enemy's weapons. Twice in his letters, Paul uses the Roman helmet in a figurative sense as a means of protection against Satan’s assaults.

Here, in his letter to the Christians in Ephesus (Turkey), he speaks of the ‘helmet of salvation’. In his first letter to the church in Thessaloniki (Greece) he writes: “... let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” (1 Thessalonians 5:8**)

From where does the apostle take the idea to link the image of the Roman helmet with the concept of salvation?

Bible teachers are clear about the fact that Paul has taken this expression “helmet of salvation” from one of Isaiah’s prophecies. This man of God lived around the 8^th century BC in the kingdom of Judah. The prophet writes in chapter 59 verse 17*: “He (i.e., God) put on righteousness as His body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on His head. He clothed Himself with the robes of vengeance and godly fury.”

Interestingly, in this text God does not wear His armour to defend Himself. On the contrary, here God is on the move to attack all the unrighteousness of His people, Israel. Let us read the entire passage to see verse 17 in its context: “Listen! The LORD is not too weak to save you, and He is not becoming deaf. He can hear you when you call. But there is a problem-- your sins have cut you off from God. Because of your sin, He has turned away and will not listen anymore.

Your hands are the hands of murderers, and your fingers are filthy with sin. Your mouth is full of lies, and your lips are tainted with corruption. No one cares about being fair and honest. Their lawsuits are based on lies. They spend their time plotting evil deeds and then doing them. They spend their time and energy spinning evil plans that end up in deadly actions. They cheat and shortchange everyone. Nothing they do is productive; all their activity is filled with sin. Violence is their trademark. Their feet run to do evil, and they rush to commit murder. They think only about sinning. Wherever they go, misery and destruction follow them.  They do not know what true peace is or what it means to be just and good. They continually do wrong, and those who follow them cannot experience a moment's peace.

It is because of all this evil that deliverance is far from us. That is why God doesn't punish those who injure us. No wonder we are in darkness when we expected light. No wonder we are walking in the gloom. No wonder we grope like blind people and stumble along. Even at brightest noontime, we fall down as though it were dark. No wonder we are like corpses when compared to vigorous young men! We growl like hungry bears; we moan like mournful doves. We look for justice, but it is nowhere to be found. We look to be rescued, but it is far away from us.

For our sins are piled up before God and testify against us. Yes, we know what sinners we are. We know that we have rebelled against the LORD. We have turned our backs on God. We know how unfair and oppressive we have been, carefully planning our deceitful lies.

Our courts oppose people who are righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth falls dead in the streets, and fairness has been outlawed. Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who tries to live a godly life is soon attacked.

The LORD looked and was displeased to find that there was no justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So He Himself stepped in to save them with His mighty power and justice. He put on righteousness as His body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on His head. He clothed Himself with the robes of vengeance and godly fury. He will repay His enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on His foes in distant lands.

Then at last they will respect and glorify the Name of the LORD throughout the world. For He will come like a flood tide driven by the breath of the LORD. 'The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem,' says the LORD, 'to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins. And this is My covenant with them,' says the LORD. 'My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children's children forever. I, the LORD, have spoken!'" (Isaiah 59:1-21*)

God addresses through the mouth of Isaiah the desolate situation of His people. He cries out: “Your hands are the hands of murderers, and your fingers are filthy with sin. Your mouth is full of lies, and your lips are tainted with corruption.” (Isaiah 59:3*)

Without a doubt, God is able to save His people from all their sins. Yet, if they rebel against Him and don’t want to listen – He will turn His back on them: “... your sins have cut you off from God. Because of your sin, He has turned away and will not listen anymore.” (Isaiah 59:2*)

God waits for the moment His people will repent and become conscience of their despicable situation: “It is because of all this evil that deliverance is far from us. That is why God doesn't punish those who injure us. No wonder we are in darkness when we expected light. No wonder we are walking in the gloom.” (Isaiah 59:9*)

As God realizes that there is nobody to deliver His rueful people, He Himself interposes: “He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So He Himself stepped in to save them with His mighty power and justice.” (Isaiah 59:16*)

God puts on His armour to deliver His people from their oppressors and to pass judgment on His enemies: “He put on righteousness as His body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on His head. He clothed Himself with the robes of vengeance and godly fury. He will repay His enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on His foes in distant lands.” (Isaiah 59:17-18*)

Finally, the entire world will know our Triune God. They will glorify Him as they see how God the Son, Jesus the messianic Redeemer, will come to His people and deliver all those who repent of their rebellion against God. With them God will make a new and eternal covenant. This messianic covenant entails the gift of God, the Spirit, to those who acknowledge Jesus as their personal Saviour: “Then at last they will respect and glorify the Name of the LORD throughout the world. For He will come like a flood tide driven by the breath of the LORD. 'The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem,' says the LORD, 'to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins. And this is My covenant with them,' says the LORD. 'My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children's children forever. I, the LORD, have spoken!'" (Isaiah 59:19-21*)

Isaiah’s prophesy focuses on God’s people Israel. However, the New Testament shows us that everyone in the world who trusts Messiah Jesus for deliverance from God’s righteous judgment of their sins will also be part of this new messianic covenant.

On the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter called on his Jewish audience to repent: “‘Let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!’ Peter's words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles (i.e., the nations) -- all who have been called by the Lord our God.’” (Acts 2:36-39*). Peter bases this part of his message to Israel and the nations on texts like Isaiah 32, 44 and 59, Jeremiah 32, Ezekiel 36, 37 and 39, Joel 2 and Zechariah 12.

Years later, the apostle Paul appeared before king Herod Agrippa (11 BC – 44 AD) and spoke of his ministry to Israel and the nations, saying: “I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea (i.e., the Jews), and also to the Gentiles (i.e., the nations), that all must turn from their sins and turn to God-- and prove they have changed by the good things they do.” (Acts 26:20*)

Many believe that God has rejected His people Israel forever and put the Church in its place. However, Paul declares in his letter to the Christians in Rome: “Did God's people (i.e., Israel) stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! His purpose was to make His salvation available to the Gentiles (i.e., the nations), and then the Jews would be jealous and want it for themselves. Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the Jews turned down God's offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when the Jews finally accept it.” (Romans 11:11-12*)

In Romans 11:25-27, Paul explains to the non-Jewish Christians in Rome that God’s people Israel definitely has a future in God’s plan of salvation! He bases this divine revelation on Isaiah 59:20 and the texts we referred to earlier when we quoted the apostle Peter’s Pentecost message (see the above-mentioned passage Acts 2:36-39*). The apostle Paul writes: “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written (in the above-mentioned Old Testament prophecies): ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob (i.e., Israel). And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.’” (Romans 11:25-27**)

Now let us go back to our original subject. As we said before, Isaiah 59 promises that God the Son, Jesus the messianic Redeemer, will put on righteousness as His body armour. He also will place the helmet of salvation on His head and deliver His people Israel from their rebellion against God. Moreover, He will liberate them from their oppressors. He will make a new and eternal covenant with them and give them His Spirit.

Furthermore, the apostle Peter adds that all messianic believers worldwide will also be saved from their sins and God’s judgment (see the earlier quotation of Acts 2:36-39). God will include them in the messianic covenant which He made with His people Israel. The apostle Paul writes to the Christians in Ephesus (Turkey): “God's purpose was that we (the messianic Jews) who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God. And now you (the gentile believers worldwide) also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, He identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom He promised long ago. The Spirit is God's guarantee that He will give us everything He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God.” (Ephesians 1:12-14*).

Let’s come to the point. We have tried to set Paul’s command in Ephesians 6:17 in its Old Testament perspective: our Triune God has put on the helmet of salvation to fight for our salvation and give us Jesus’ life by His Spirit. Now it is up to us to receive God’s helmet of salvation which protects Jesus’ life within us against any satanic assault.

Have you put on God’s helmet of salvation?

Translations: * New Living Translation; ** New International Version.

About “God’s messianic and eternal covenant with Israel and the nations”, see Meditation 33.

About “ Satan and our rebellious lives”, see Meditations 19-21.

About “What must I do to be saved?”, see Meditations 22-26.

About “The Holy Spirit and His ministry”, see Meditations 27-34.

About “God’s major project: transforming me and my church into the likeness of Christ”, see Meditations 45-48.

About “Do not bring sorrow to God’s Spirit”, see Meditations 49-55.

About “Personal Christlike love for the Father and His Son”, see Meditations 56-64.

About “How to overcome the power of sin in my life and in my church?” see Meditations 101-121.

127. HOW TO OVERCOME THE POWER OF SIN IN MY LIFE? – How do I protect Jesus’ life within me against Satan’s attacks? (h)

From Meditation 120 onwards we have seen that the full armour of God is a divine gift to all God’s children. The apostle Paul takes the armour of a first century Roman soldier to show us how we can protect Jesus’ life within us against Satan’s attacks. We have already spoken about girding our waist with truth, putting on the breastplate of righteousness and putting on shoes of preparedness of the Gospel of peace.

Today we will reflect on the shield of faith. Paul writes:

“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16**)

This text speaks of “the shield of faith” to extinguish Satan’s “flaming arrows”. Let us first ask ourselves what Paul means with flaming arrows.

Flaming arrows

About these ancient fiery darts, Wikipedia writes: “Lit torches (burning sticks) were likely the earliest form of incendiary device. They were followed by incendiary arrows, which were used throughout the ancient and medieval periods. The simplest flaming arrows had oil- or resin-soaked tows tied just below the arrowhead and were effective against wooden structures. ... More sophisticated devices were developed by the Romans which had iron boxes and tubes which were filled with incendiary substances and attached to arrows or spears. These arrows needed to be shot from loose bows, since swift flight extinguished the flame; spears could be launched by hand or throwing machine.” (1)

In Ephesians 6:16, the apostle Paul speaks of these Roman missiles in a metaphoric way when he points to Satan’s temptations. In ancient warfare fiery darts seemed to come unforeseen ‘from nowhere’ trying to pierce the soldier’s heart or setting the enemy’s wooden fortifications on fire. In the same way Satan’s temptations might come ‘out of the blue’ to penetrate the human heart and mind. I think of the admonition of the apostle Peter: “Dear brothers and sisters ... I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls.” (1 Peter 2:11*)

The first question is why all kinds of temptations and evil desires can have a hold on us? To answer that question, God’s Word points us back to the root of temptation. It all started with man’s desire to be like God, to become his own authority. Satan seduces man with the words: “God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it (i.e., the forbidden fruit). You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5*). In disobeying God’s commandment, man has rebelled against God. From that moment man’s proud heart has been the seat of all kinds of evil desires and lustful thoughts and temptations.

The apostle Paul gives some examples of  such a rebellious life when he writes to the Christians in Galatia (Turkey): “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21*)

God’s Word shows us that true Christians are reborn by the Spirit of God. The apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Galatian followers of Jesus: “And because you ... have become His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, and now you can call God your dear Father.” (Galatians 4:6*)

Well, here is the crux of the matter. Although the Spirit of Jesus lives in the hearts of God’s children, the old sinful nature is still present. The question is whether God’s Spirit rules the life of Jesus’ followers. It is Satan’s objective to ‘revive’ man’s sinful nature by targeting his ‘former’ evil desires and lustful thoughts, dragging him away from the control of God’s Spirit over his life. The apostle James write: “... each one (of God’s children) is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” ( James 1:14-15**)

This Satanic targeting our ‘former’ evil desires and lustful thoughts are the “the flaming arrows of the evil one” about which the apostle Paul speaks in Ephesians 6:16. Practically, it means that any lingering or sudden desire or thought that runs riot against God’s commandments has the potential to let us stumble into sin.

The shield of faith     

The shield of which the apostle Paul speaks here was called in Greek the ‘thureos’. It was a large oval shield. It was made of wood covered with leather and had a spined boss. It was carried using a central handgrip. Some variants of the shield were nearly rectangular. The name thureos has its origin in the word for a door-stone or door-stop which may have been applied to it because of its size or sub-rectangular shape. (2)

In the Old Testament, and specially in the Psalms, God is often called a shield for His people or a shield for everyone who trusts in Him. Here are some examples:

-- “... the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield...’” (Genesis 15:1**)

-- “How blessed you are, O Israel! Who else is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your protecting shield and your triumphant sword!” (Deuteronomy 33:29*)

 --^“As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.” (Psalm 18:30**)

In the light of these Old Testament findings, we need to ask ourselves who or what is this shield of faith of which the apostle Paul speaks in Ephesians 6:16.

Who is the shield of faith?     

Let us not forget that this armour is God’s armour given to me! Therefore, the shield of faith cannot speak of my own strong faith that is able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. We have mentioned it before: only God’s Spirit can give me the victory over Satan’s attacks.

Well, Paul speaks here about a particular shield that can protect me from Satan’s assault. In the context of the Old Testament sayings, it seems clear that the apostle points to our Triune God as our protecting shield. He is our shield of faith!

What is the shield of faith?     

Another interpretation of the earlier mentioned text would be that Paul speaks here of ‘shielding faith’. But again, let’s not forget that this is divine armour that God has given to His children! If I were to produce this shielding faith against Satan’s onslaught by myself, would it then be a piece of God’s armour? And how could I ever produce such strong faith knowing my own selfishness and weaknesses? No, God’s Word is clear about the fact that true faith is a gift from God:

-- “Jesus answered and said to them (i.e., the crowd), ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” (John 6:29***)

-- “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author (lit. originator, founder, initiator) and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2**)

-- “God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” (Ephesians 2:8*)

-- “May God give you peace, dear brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 6:23*)

If faith were not a gift from God, we should be proud of our contribution to our salvation! Yet, the apostle Paul claims: “God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and He gave Himself to purchase our freedom. As the Scriptures say, ‘The person who wishes to boast should boast only of what the Lord has done.’” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31*)

No, if Ephesians 6:16 speaks of shielding faith - or the shield of faith – then this faith is God’s gift to us. It is the faith of Christ granted to us by God’s Spirit. Let me give you two verses from God’s Word that shows us that true faith comes from God:

-- The apostle Paul writes to his co-worker Timothy: “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1:14**).

-- To the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul speaks about the Spirit of faith: “It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same Spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak...” (2 Corinthians 4:13**)

What a privilege to know that God gave us the shield of faith as a piece of His armour to extinguish all Satan’s “flaming arrows”. It is God Spirit who is well able to protect us against Satan’s assaults if we let Him rule our lives.

Let me close this meditation with two joyful acclamations. The apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian Christians: “How we thank God, who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (1 Corinthians 15:57*)

The apostle John declares that “every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory.” (1 John 5:4*)

Do you use God’s shield of faith in your daily struggle against sin and temptation?

Translations: * New Living Translation; ** New International Version; *** New King James Version.

(1)  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_thermal_weapons#Flaming_arrows.2C_bolts.2C_spears_and_rockets

(2) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thureos

About “ Satan and our rebellious lives”, see meditations 19-21.

About “What must I do to be saved?”, see meditations 22-26.

About “The Holy Spirit and His ministry”, see meditations 27-34.

About “God’s major project: transforming me and my church into the likeness of Christ”, see meditations 45-48.

About “Do not bring sorrow to God’s Spirit”, see meditations 49-55.

About “Personal Christlike love for the Father and His Son”, see meditations 56-64.

About “How to overcome the power of sin in my life and in my church?” see meditations 101-121.

126. HOW TO OVERCOME THE POWER OF SIN IN MY LIFE? – How do I protect Jesus’ life within me against Satan’s attacks? (g)

In Meditation 123 we learned that all followers of Jesus need to act according to the apostle Paul’s instructions if they want to learn how to defy Satan’s powerful attacks on Jesus’ life within them. We saw that Paul began his orders with the command: “Put on all of God's armor...” ( Ephesians 6:11*)

In Meditation 124 Paul starts with the specific order: “Stand therefore (or: stand your ground) having girded your waist with truth.” (Ephesians 6:14***) I said that this means nothing else than to remain in Jesus’ presence and to be filled with (or: controlled by) His Spirit.

In Meditation 125 we saw that the apostle’s second charge is: “Stand therefore (or: stand your ground) ... having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” ( Ephesians 6:14***) We learned that it means to live and act like Jesus by the power of God’s Spirit.

In this Meditation we want to think about Paul’s third command:

“Stand therefore, ... having shod your feet with the preparation (or: preparedness) of the Gospel of peace...” ( Ephesians 6:14-15***)

From a superficial reading of this verse, the command seems to indicate that we prepare ourselves to share the Gospel of peace with everyone we meet. On closer examination of the text in its context many Bible teachers come to another viewpoint.

First of all, the entire divine armour is for defence, not for action. (In a later Meditation we will ask ourselves if “the sword of the Spirit” in verse 17 is an exception.)  The command is ‘to stand our ground” against Satan’s assaults, not to attack.

Secondly, the divine armour is a characterization of Jesus’ life (see Meditation 124). Therefore, the call cannot be to get ourselves ready for outreach.

So, how do the sandals of the Roman soldiers speak of Jesus’ life?

The Roman military boots speak of Jesus’ standing in the Gospel of peace

The heavy-soled, hobnailed military boots (Latin: caligae) of the Roman soldiers gave a secure foothold to stand firm, even on sloping or slippery ground. Such a firm stand helped them to remain steadfast even during the fiercest attack.

How could the firm stance of the Roman soldier, caused by his hobnailed boots, speak of Christ’s unshakable stance in the Gospel of peace? When God’s Word refers to the “Gospel of peace”, it points to the Good News of having peace with God or of possessing the peace of God (or: of Christ)!

When Jesus testifies about the peace He has with His heavenly Father, He points to His intimate relationship with Him. Here are some examples:

-- “I am in the Father and the Father is in Me.”  (John 14:10-11*)

-- “The Father loves the Son.” (John 5:20*)

-- “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father.” (John 10:15***)

-- “The One who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.” (John 8:29**)

It is only at the cross, when Jesus was punished for our rebellion to God, that He lost His Father’s presence and peace. He cried out: “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani? which means, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34*)

The Roman military boots and our standing in the Gospel of peace

Like Jesus, we need to stand firm when Satan assaults us. Therefore, we cannot be without Christ’s unshakable footing in the Gospel of peace. We know that Satan aims at destroying our intimate relationship with God. He wants to topple us so that we lose out footing in the Gospel of peace.

Losing our peace with God

Satan wants to cast doubts on our salvation and to undermine the peace we have with God. The Bible speaks a lot about the peace that Jesus’ followers have with God through Christ’s sacrifice. Here are some examples:

-- “He (Jesus Messiah) was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace (with God) was upon Him...” (Isaiah 53:5**)

-- “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news (i.e. the Gospel) of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” (Acts 10:36**)

-- “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...” (Romans 5:1**)

Indeed, Satan would love to sow doubt in our hearts concerning our salvation. We need to remain grounded in the Gospel (i.e. the Good News) that assures us of peace with God once we have accepted Jesus as our Saviour. If Satan succeeds to sow doubt in our hearts with regard to our salvation, we lose the battle completely. Questioning our salvation disrupts our intimate relationship with our Triune God.  

Losing the peace of God

We said that the second thing Satan wants to undermine is the peace of God we have through Jesus Christ. There are many Bible verses that speak of the assurance of God’s peace that Jesus gives to His followers. For example:

-- “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27**)

-- “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33**)

-- “If the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6*)

-- “I (Paul) pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in Him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13*)

-- “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace...” (Galatians 5:22*)

-- “If you do this (i.e., not worry but telling God what you need), you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7*)

-- “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15**)

-- “May the Lord of peace Himself always give you His peace no matter what happens. The Lord be with you all. (2 Thessalonians 3:16*)

As God’s children, we should remain firmly grounded in the Gospel of peace through the power of God’s Spirit. If we believe what God’s Word says about our salvation (having peace with God) and our intimate fellowship with God (possessing the peace of God), Satan has no chance to topple us from our sure foundation! Indeed, that is the way to obey Paul’s command: “Stand therefore, ... having shod your feet with the preparation (or: preparedness) of the Gospel of peace...”
( Ephesians 6:14-15***)

Translation: * New Living Translation; ** New International Version; *** New King James Version.

About “ Satan and our rebellious lives”, see Meditations 19-21.

About “What must I do to be saved?”, see Meditations 22-26.

About “The Holy Spirit and His ministry”, see Meditations 27-34.

About “God’s major project: transforming me and my church into the likeness of Christ”, see Meditations 45-48.

About “Do not bring sorrow to God’s Spirit”, see Meditations 49-55.

About “Personal Christlike love for the Father and His Son”, see Meditations 56-64.

About “How to overcome the power of sin in my life and in my church", see Meditations 101-121.

125. HOW TO OVERCOME THE POWER OF SIN IN MY LIFE? – How do I protect Jesus’ life within me against Satan’s attacks? (f)

In the last Meditation we read Paul’s command to “put on the full armour of God”. We realized that it means nothing less than clothing ourselves with Jesus Christ (see Romans 13:14** “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”).

Speaking in detail about God’s full armour, the apostle first urges us to “gird our waist with truth” which means that we need to remain in Jesus’ presence. This implies that we are filled with (or controlled by) His Spirit. We noticed that if we want to protect Jesus’ life within us against Satan’s attacks, we need to allow God’s Spirit to shield us. Without His control over us, we are utterly lost to our ‘old self’ and his unrighteous and immoral behaviour.

“... having put on the breastplate of righteousness” ( Ephesians 6:14***)

The second item we need is the “breastplate of righteousness”. As this entire defensive armour is a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ, we need to ask ourselves first of all what God’s Word says about Jesus’ breastplate of righteousness.

The prophet Isaiah (8^th century BC) foresaw the coming of the divine Messiah to bring salvation to God’s people. In Isaiah 59:17** we read that He will clothe Himself in full armour to fight injustice. Isaiah writes that “He put on righteousness as His breastplate...”

The apostle Paul speaks elsewhere of the need for Christians to wear a defensive “breastplate”. In his first letter to the Christians in Thessaloniki (Greece) he writes: “Let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate...” (1 Thessalonians 5:8**)

It is interesting to notice that this defensive armour against Satan’s assaults exists in outgoing, active behaviour: righteousness, faith and love! It seems that Paul says that we are not called to lock ourselves in an impenetrable castle against our fiercest enemy. On the contrary, we protect ourselves against Satan’s onslaught by acting positively in righteousness, faith and love. I think of Paul’s advice to the Christians in Rome: “Don't let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good” (Romans 12:21*). And what about Jesus’ words: “But if you are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for the happiness of those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other cheek. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give what you have to anyone who asks you for it; and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back.” (Luke 6:27-30*)

In this Meditation we are especially interested in the questions: (a.) What does God’s Word mean when it speaks about being ‘righteous’? (b.) What do Isaiah and Paul mean when they write about “the breastplate of righteousness”? Here follow some thoughts to ponder:

Our Triune God is righteous

When the prophet Isaiah speaks about the divine Messiah’s breastplate of righteousness, he actually speaks about our Triune God who Himself is the norm of righteous living and action since He created human life.

Moses (13^th century BC?) declares that “His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4**).

King David (11^th century BC) rejoices in Psalm 145:17* saying that “the LORD is righteous in everything He does...”

God’s Word and Will are righteous

Because God is righteous, His Word and Will are righteous. Psalm 119 speaks of God’s righteous ways: “May my tongue sing of Your Word, for all Your commands are righteous” (Psalm 119:172**). The apostle Paul tells the Christians of Rome that“the Law (of God) is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good” (Romans 7:12**).

Whoever obeys God’s will is righteous

Moses told God’s people: “If we are careful to obey all this Law before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us, that will be our righteousness" (Deuteronomy 6:25**). And the apostle Paul writes: “It is not those who hear the Law (of God) who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the Law who will be declared righteous” (Romans 2:13**)

So, a person who lives and acts righteously reflects God’s righteous living and action. Job testifies about his righteous life when he says: “I helped the poor in their need and the orphans who had no one to help them.  I helped those who had lost hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows' hearts to sing for joy. All I did was just and honest. Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a turban.  I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.  I was a father to the poor and made sure that even strangers received a fair trial.  I broke the jaws of godless oppressors and made them release their victims.” (Job 29:12-17*)

It is the prophet Isaiah who attested that actually no one can obey God’s righteous commands perfectly: “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away” (Isaiah 64:6*).

God’s Messiah, Jesus Christ, displays God’s righteousness perfectly

Through His prophet Isaiah, God promises the coming of the righteous Messiah: “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him -- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -- and He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what He sees with his eyes, or decide by what He hears with His ears; but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be His belt and faithfulness the sash round His waist.” (Isaiah 11:2-5**)

Furthermore we read of Him: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon Me, because the LORD has appointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to comfort the brokenhearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent Me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD's favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, He will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the LORD has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for His own glory.” (Isaiah 61:1-3*)

About seven hundred years later, Jesus showed that He is this promised Messaiah: “The scroll containing the messages of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Him (Jesus), and He unrolled the scroll to the place where it says: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has appointed Me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord's favor has come.’ He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue stared at Him intently. Then He said, ‘This Scripture has come true today before your very eyes!’” (Luke 4:17-21*)

Indeed, the four Gospels tell us that Jesus lived and acted righteously according to God’s righteous will. Just like Book of the Hebrews tells us: “The Son reflects God's own glory, and everything about Him represents God exactly.” (Hebrews 1:3*) and Paul writes to the Colossian Christians: “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.” (Colossians 1:15*)

We now understand that when Isaiah speaks about the Messiah’s “breastplate of righteousness”, he is saying that the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, will display God’s nature and will in the way He will live and rescue God’s people. His saving intervention will be a display of God’s love, compassion and righteousness.

To put on the breastplate of righteousness means to live and act like Jesus

What then does Paul mean when he urges us to put on ‘the breastplate of righteousness’? I think that it is clear by now that Paul does not expect us to resist Satan in a ‘self-made’ righteousness. We just read in Isaiah 64:6 that nobody is able to live and act sinlessly and in accordance with God’s will. So, the ‘breastplate of righteousness’ which Paul mentions in Romans 6:14 must come from elsewhere!

We said at the beginning of this Meditation that Paul urges us to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14). He lives in all His followers by His Spirit, as Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome: “You ... are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (Romans 8:9**)

Indeed, it is Christ’s Spirit who gives us the power to obey God’s Word and Will. He wants to empower us to oppose Satan’s attacks with Christlike love, compassion and righteousness. Therefore, we need Him to clothe us with the breastplate of Christ’s righteousness. That is the way to overcome any attack of our fiercest enemy.  

Translation: * New Living Translation; ** New International Version; *** New King James Version.

About “ Satan and our rebellious lives”, see Meditations 19-21.

About “The Holy Spirit and His ministry”, see Meditations 27-34.

About “God’s major project: transforming me and my church into the likeness of Christ”, see Meditations 45-48.

About “Do not bring sorrow to God’s Spirit”, see Meditations 49-55.

About “Personal Christlike love for the Father and His Son”, see Meditations 56-64.

About “How to overcome the power of sin in my life and in my church?” see Meditations 101-121.

124. HOW TO OVERCOME THE POWER OF SIN IN MY LIFE? – How do I protect Jesus’ life within me against Satan’s attacks? (e)

In our last meditation we saw that the apostle Paul wants God’s children to be prepared for Satan’s assaults. That’s why he gives us the necessary instructions on how to protect ourselves against the devil’s scheming. The apostle urges us to:

“... 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.” (Ephesians 6:13**)

Interestingly, Paul appeals to the Christians in Rome to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ...” (Romans 13:14***)

He encourages the believers in Ephesus (Turkey) to “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24**)

To God’s children in Colossae (Turkey) he writes about: “... having put on the new self, which is being renewed ..... in the image of its Creator.” (Colossians 3:10**)

 

I think that the expression ‘putting on the full armour of God’ has the same meaning as ‘putting on the Lord Jesus Christ’ and ‘putting on the new self’. It seems that the reason for the different phrasing is related to the distinct pastoral situations. In Romans 13:14, Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10, the apostle gives voice to his desire that the Christians in those cities will grow strong in Christlike maturity, whereas in Ephesians 6:13 he instructs the followers of Christ in Ephesus and us on how to protect that transformation process against Satan’s destructive attacks.

Today we want to start looking into the practicalities of the question: How can I use God’s armour to protect Jesus’ life within me against Satan’s relentless onslaught?

“Stand your ground...” (Ephesians 6:14*)

Paul begins his instruction with the command: “Stand firm”(*) or “Stand your ground” (**) (Ephesians 6:14). He used this expression already in the verses 11 and 13. Empowered by God’s Spirit, we are able to offer resistance to Satan’s attacks. For the apostle, victory over the enemy is a real option!

“...having girded your waist with truth...” (Ephesians 6:14***)

It seems that Paul bases this verse on the saying of the prophet Isaiah (8^th century BC) with regard to the coming Messiah: “Righteousness will be His belt and faithfulness (or: truth) the sash round His waist.” (Isaiah 11:5**). The New Testament shows that Jesus is the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies and the personification of God’s truth. Here are some examples:  

-- “So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness (or: truth**). And we have seen His glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.” (John 1:14*)

-- “Jesus told him (Philip), "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6*)

-- “Since you have heard all about Him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:21*)

-- “For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body.” (Colossians 2:9*)

Moreover, in the New Testament, God’s Spirit is often called the Spirit of truth:

-- “I (Jesus) will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever -- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17**)

-- "But I will send you the Counselor-- the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will tell you all about Me.” (John 15:26*)

-- “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting His own ideas; He will be telling you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future.” (John 16:13*)

-- “We belong to God; that is why those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.” (1 John 4:6*)

I think that “having girded your waist with truth” means nothing else than remaining in Jesus’ presence or being filled with (or: controlled by) Jesus’ Spirit:

“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from Me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” ( John 15:4-5*)

“When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23*)

“Let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.” (Ephesians 5:18*)

So, “putting on the full armour of God”, presupposes that my life is controlled by the presence and power of God’s Spirit! If that would not be the case, all Paul’s further commands would prompt self-righteous actions.  

I think that the further description of the armour of God is a characterization of Jesus’ life. Therefore, one also could say: “putting on the full armour of God” means nothing less than clothing yourself with Jesus Christ.

Notably, it follows that if I want to protect Jesus’ life within me against Satan’s attacks, I need to allow God’s Spirit to shield me. Without His control over me, I am utterly lost to my ‘old self’ and his unrighteous and immoral behaviour.

Translation: * New Living Translation; ** New International Version; *** New King James Version.

About “ Satan and our rebellious lives”, see Meditations 19-21.

About “The Holy Spirit and His ministry”, see Meditations 27-34.

About “God’s major project: transforming me and my church into the likeness of Christ”, see Meditations 45-48.

About “Do not bring sorrow to God’s Spirit”, see Meditations 49-55.

About “Personal Christlike love for the Father and His Son”, see Meditations 56-64.

About “How to overcome the power of sin in my life and in my church?” see Meditations 101-121.

123. HOW TO OVERCOME THE POWER OF SIN IN MY LIFE? – How do I protect Jesus’ life within me against Satan’s attacks? (d)

In our last meditation we saw that the apostle Paul instructs all God’s children: “Put on the full armour of God so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil.” ( Ephesians 6:11*). In the next verse the apostle further explains why this full armour of God is imperative.

“We are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood...” (Ephesians 6:12*)

In Ephesians 6:12 Paul tells the Christians in Ephesus (Turkey) that God doesn’t want us to fight against fellow human beings even if they hate us. Jesus Himself teaches us: “Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” (Matthew 5:44*)

The literal rendering of the originally Greek text says: “Our wrestling is not with flesh and blood...” Wrestling in Paul’s time was a one-on-one encounter with an adversary either in sport or in war. However, the personal wrestling of Jesus’ followers is not with humans, but with demonic powers. During our entire Christian life these powers keep launching attacks on our ‘old’ sinful nature aiming at hindering, blocking and if possible even at destroying Christ’s life within us.       

The apostle Paul continues describing these manifold demonic beings that we might face during those one-on-one encounters. Let’s have a look at how Paul portrays them:

“We are ... fighting ... against the evil rulers ⁽¹⁾ and authorities 2 ⁽²⁾ of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world ⁽³⁾, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms ⁽⁴⁾.” ( Ephesians 6:12*)

In this text Paul specifies what Satan’s infernal army is made of:

(1) The evil rulers (Greek: the ‘archontes’). It seems that the apostle points here to the supernatural commanders-in-chief of the demonic armies. Jesus speaks of Satan as the ‘supreme commander-in-chief’ who will be judged at Christ’s cross: “The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince (Greek: archon) of this world will be cast out.” (John 12:31*)

(2) The authorities (Greek: the ‘exousias’). They might be the diabolic ‘authorities’ in rank below the commanders-in-chief. Some commentators think that Paul points here to a system of hierarchical relationships in Satan’s infernal army. We find the same sequence of these two words (i.e., rulers and authorities) in Paul’s letter to the Christians in Ephesus when he writes: “I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of His power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come.” (Ephesians 1:19-21*). Again, Paul uses this sequence in his letter to the believers in Colossae (Turkey): “... God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross of Christ.” (Colossians 2:15*).

Finally, Paul utilizes the term ‘exousia’ also when he speaks about Satan: “You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince (Greek: ‘exousia’) of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.” (Ephesians 2:2*)

(3) The mighty powers of darkness who rule this world (Greek: the ‘kosmokratoras’). This is the only verse in the Bible where this Greek term is used. It is known in the world outside the Holy Scriptures and might point to evil powers who hold sway over our world (Greek: ‘kosmos’).

(4) The wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. These are the spirit-forces of evil, Satan’s host of demons, who attack and seduce men.  

As I said before, some Bible commentators think that Paul points here to a system of hierarchical relationships in Satan’s infernal army. Others believe that Paul does not speak of different groups but uses synonymous descriptions of the diabolic powers that control humankind. Whatever our opinion might be, it is clear that the apostle sees behind humanity and its civilizations the demonic forces of Satan and his hosts. Paul explains to the Christians in Corinth that “Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don't understand the message we preach about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4*)

In the days before His death, Jesus also points to the fact that Satan tries to manipulate men into speaking and acting against God’s will. Matthew writes: “From then on Jesus began to tell His disciples plainly that He had to go to Jerusalem, and He told them what would happen to Him there. He would suffer at the hands of the leaders and the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, and He would be raised on the third day. But Peter took Him aside and corrected Him. ‘Heaven forbid, Lord,’ he said. ‘This will never happen to You!’ Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get away from Me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to Me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God's.’” (Matthew 16:21-23*)

Another classical illustration of Satan’s assault on man, we find in the Book of Job. Here God allows Satan to attack Job in various ways so that Job can prove his faithfulness to the Lord. It is another example of Satan’s intervention in the physical world. However, in reading this Book of Job it is important to note that Satan’s power solely depends on God’s allowance. We can find the same testimony in the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelations.

The apostle John writes: “The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” (Revelation 12:9**). The New Living Translation renders: “This great dragon-- the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world-- was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.” (Revelation 12:9*)

Then John continues lamenting: “... terror will come on the earth and the sea. For the Devil has come down to you in great anger, and he knows that he has little time." (Revelation 12:12*)

Yet, in spite of Satan’s scheming, the apostle Paul is convinced that he has no claim anymore on the children of God! The apostle rejoices over the fact that “God has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and He has brought us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.” (Colossians 1:13*)

Furthermore, Paul exclaims: “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39*)

The apostle Jude finalizes his letter by using these remarkable and comforting words: “All glory to God, who is able to keep you from stumbling, and who will bring you into His glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy.” (Jude 1:24*)

Paul’s awareness of the demonic presence of Satan and his armed forces might lead some to suspect Satanic attacks in every day-to-day situation. Others might totally reject the idea of any diabolical activity behind human actions. I think that both opinions are incorrect in the light of God’s Word. The Old and New Testament testify frequently to the possible influence of the demonic in human life. Yet, nowhere do we read that man is simply a puppet on a string in a diabolical drama. In God’s eyes we remain responsible for our actions and allegiances.

The apostle Paul wants God’s children to be prepared for Satan’s possible assaults. That’s why he gives us the necessary instructions how to protect ourselves against the devil’s evil scheming. The apostle urges:

    

“Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.” ( Ephesians 6:13*)

In the next meditation we will see how I can use every piece of God’s armor to protect Jesus’ life within me in the battles with Satan’s infernal army. 

Translation: * New Living Translation; ** New International Version.

About the questions “Who is Satan?” and “Can we blame Satan for all our wrongdoings?” see meditations 19-21.

About “How to overcome the power of sin in my life and in my church?” see meditations 101-121.