Ephesians: The Real Battle

Why is life so hard?  Why does it feel like we are in a battle - whether in our marriages, with our kids, on the job, and even in the church? The answer is simple: We live in a universe at war. The Bible describes how Satan fell from his place in heaven and now he and his army of demons roam the earth intent upon destroying God’s people. We must understand that we have a very real enemy. But Jesus defeated that enemy by His death on the cross. And that victory was validated by His resurrection three days later. Now we are offered a glorious salvation.Christ rescued us from bondage to sin and Satan. And He calls us to join Him in that mission. We are called to rescue others.Though the victory was won that Easter morning, we live in the “not yet.” There is a lot of fighting yet to be done before Christ rules in heaven and earth. There is a lot of ground to take back for the Kingdom.Paul reminds us that in this battle “we wrestle not with flesh and blood.” Rather our fight is against demonic spirits of various kinds and levels.However, in our battles, we are given access to powerful weapons. Primary among them is prayer. Though the battle is long and hard, we can have hope and confidence because we are promised ultimate victory. Text: Ephesians 6:10-12Originally recorded on July 10, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.