Well, good morning.
So I was preparing for my message this week.
I was thinking about some of the appointments that I've had over the last couple of weeks.
As I've seen some of you come in and sit in my office and share with me the battles of your life.
I've heard some of you share as your heart pours out the pain, the heartache, the confusion, and the weariness.
Of your lives.
You've confessed to me that there are times you feel like you have no strength to go on.
There are times when you have wondered aloud why it has to be so hard.
And you wonder where does help come from?
Where can I look for help in the middle of my life that feels daily like a battle for life and not death?
For good and not evil?
Battles without and battles within.
And where is the help?
And how do we, where do we turn in those moments?
It's in light of that question that we're going to dive into our chapter today.
We're continuing in our series in Daniel.
The book of Daniel, you can turn there in your pew Bible.
We're going to be looking at Daniel 10, page 748.
But as you turn there, I want to say this.
I think Daniel would understand.
As we come to chapter 10, Daniel is near the end of his life.
He has been in exile for 70 years or so.
It was 70 years ago when he as a teenager was taken away from his homeland and brought into the capital city of Babylon.
And as we've read, he's seen remarkable things.
He's seen God deliver him.
He's seen kings change and come and go.
He's seen even kingdoms rise and fall as the Babylonian Empire fell and the Persian Empire rose with Cyrus.
And yet, I think he would understand.
For his life has always been as an exile and as a slave.
His life has always been hard.
And certainly, as we see in this chapter, there are days when his strength completely failed him.
It probably was even more profound for him than it might be for some of you who are younger and maybe have lived a few fewer years of life.
Because he has lived this for 70 years.
And now, he's on the brink of hopefully seeing something happen.
If you remember the history, the Babylonian Empire came to an end at 539.
Cyrus rose to power.
And Cyrus gave this decree that you can read about in 2 Chronicles 36 that allowed the people of God who were in exile to go back to their homeland.
To rebuild their city, Jerusalem, and their temple.
To worship their God.
And in this great decree, there was great hope.
Suddenly, the hardness will end.
Suddenly, the battle will end.
Suddenly, we'll have peace and a restoration.
And yet, if you've been here for the last couple of weeks, you know that what we've seen instead is that in the midst of all of that hope,
Daniel has also been reminded by visions over and over again that it actually won't be easy.
That in the short term, it will be harder.
And that the battles will be fiercer.
And that his life will be harder than he even imagined.
We see as we look into this chapter in the first verse, we see that Daniel has a vision.
But he has a vision not of peace and prosperity.
Not of the lion laying down with the lamb and a land flowing with milk and honey.
No, he has a vision.
But it is a vision of great conflict.
And he, I think, would ask the same question.
Where do I find the strength to go on?
Why does it have to be so hard?
Where does my help come from?
I think that Daniel will give us some hope in answering these questions today.
We'll see that in this section, Daniel is, in this section from chapter 10 through 12, this is the last part of the book.
It's one episode in three parts.
Greg, next week, is going to talk about the content of the vision of great conflict.
And he'll talk about the kings of the north and the south and all sorts of fun things,
which he will do great with.
So we're looking forward to that.
But what we do see is that this is the last episode.
And we see that God gives us a unique perspective into the battle that Daniel fought and that we fight in our lives as well.
How the Lord will meet him.
And how the Lord will strengthen him.
So let's look at Daniel chapter 10.
We're going to read it together.
And then we're going to pray and we'll continue.
In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belshazzar.
And the word was true and it was a great conflict.
And he understood the word and he had understanding of the vision.
In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks.
I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all for the full three weeks.
On the 24th day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river that is the Tigris,
I lifted up my eyes and looked.
And behold, a man clothed in linen with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz came up around his waist.
His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches,
his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze.
And the sound of his voice was like the sound of a multitude.
And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision.
For the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them
and they fled to hide themselves.
So I was left alone and saw this great vision and no strength was left in me.
My radiant appearance was fearfully changed and I retained no strength.
Then I heard the sound of his words and as I heard the sound of his words,
I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.
And behold, a hand touched me and sent me trembling on my hands and knees.
And he said to me, oh, Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you
and stand upright for now I have been sent to you.
And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.
Then he said to me, fear not, Daniel, for from this day that you set your heart to understand
and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard and I have come because of your words.
The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days.
But Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me for I was left there with the kings of Persia
and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days.
For the vision is for days yet to come.
When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute.
And behold, one in the likeness of the children of men touched my lips.
Then I opened my mouth and I spoke.
I said to him who stood before me, oh, my Lord, by reason of this vision, pains have come upon me
and I retain no strength.
How can my Lord's servant talk with my Lord?
For now no strength remains in me and no breath is left in me.
Again, one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me.
And he said, oh, man, greatly loved.
Fear not.
Peace be with you.
Be strong and of good courage.
And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened.
And I said, and said, let my Lord speak for you have strengthened me.
And then he said, do you know why I have come to you?
But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia.
And when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come.
But I tell you, but I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth.
There is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.
And as for me in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.
Did you get all that?
Let's pray.
Lord, thank you for this passage.
Thank you for your word that you have given to us to reveal to us you and your world and your kingdom.
Lord, help us as we seek to understand what you have to say to us this morning through this passage.
Lord, open our eyes that we might see, Lord, the unseen reality of the spiritual world.
Open our hearts that we might believe and hope in you as the one who rules over all.
And Lord, may we find in the midst of this passage strength to carry on.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
So this is not a normal story.
But I think that, in fact, it is a gift to us.
Because I think that in it, God helps us see things that we don't often get to see very clearly.
And that we often don't talk about in our modern world.
We're going to see two things in this passage this morning.
The first is that the battle that we are in is greater than we think.
And the second thing we're going to see is that the help that we have is greater than we hope.
So the battle is greater, but the hope is also greater.
So first of all, let's just think through what this passage has to tell us about the battle that we are in.
And it feels like what happens in this passage is that Daniel pulls back the curtain.
Or God meets Daniel and pulls back the curtain for Daniel.
And he's just passing it along to us.
About what is going on in the world in a very profound way.
Specifically, what he's pulling back and helping us see is that the spiritual reality in our world,
just as much as the physical reality or the material reality of our world,
both of these things are at play in our lives and in the very conflicts and the battles that we are facing every day.
Now, Daniel was not ignorant of this.
You see this in the opening couple of verses, starting in verse 2,
because he was fasting and praying.
He was already engaging in a battle for his people.
Because the return from exile had begun.
The remnant had started to go back to Jerusalem.
And they had found it hard.
And it seems to me that what Daniel was praying for is for help for his people.
It might have been a help in light of his recognition of their sin,
like the prayer in chapter 9 that Nick preached on last week.
It might have been a prayer because Daniel knew that the return to exile wasn't going to be all peaches and roses,
but it was going to be a hard road full of battle.
And so he was praying for them for that.
It might be that he was praying because though Persia had delivered God's people from the rule of the Babylonians,
they had replaced the Babylonians as a ruling power over his people.
And God's people continued to be under another rule in this physical world.
We don't know exactly why Daniel was fasting and praying,
but he was already engaging in this spiritual,
in this intersection between the spiritual and the physical realm.
But we see far more clearly in this chapter than many places in Scripture
as God meets Daniel and pulls back that curtain.
So he meets Daniel.
In the midst of this fasting, he meets Daniel first of all in a vision.
He has a vision of this man coming.
It's a vision of a strong warrior.
All of these images have to do with strength and power and judgment.
And it's a vision of a strong warrior.
And then you see further on as you keep going
that this warrior or perhaps another,
it's not completely clear whether we have one person,
two people, or maybe even three people who meet with Daniel.
But they're all heavenly beings and they all have the same function in his life.
We see in 13 and 14,
again,
that there is a vision of,
or that there is a message that comes along with this vision.
This vision is not just something in Daniel's head,
but there's suddenly someone there
and they're speaking real words to him.
They're actually physically touching him.
And these heavenly beings are recounting what's going on in the spiritual realm.
That there's a battle.
That there are these powers at war.
There's a battle between the power of those on God's side
and what he describes the princes of Persia and Greece,
or the kings of Persia and Greece.
We see this in 13 and 14 and in verse 20 and following.
We see that Michael is called your prince,
meaning that in some way he was particularly protecting Daniel and God's people.
We see that this battle is a fierce one
where even angelic beings fighting on behalf of the Almighty need help.
And so Michael helped this other person who may have been Gabriel,
if you go back to chapter 9.
That might be him, but we don't know.
But that similarly you see in 11.1
that this one who is talking to Daniel
went and helped Michael, it seems.
And that's what chapter 11 verse 1 is about.
That he stood with Michael
in the transition of power from the Babylonians to the Persians.
This is kind of heady stuff.
I'm sure you don't think about this on a daily basis.
But we shouldn't be surprised by this.
The Bible actually,
if we read it with the eyes to see it,
reminds us over and over and over and over again
that in fact this is true,
that the physical and the spiritual realities
are both at work all the time.
Think of Elisha
and his servant
when the king of Syria came
against
the king of Judah.
Elisha
when they were surrounded
and had no hope
and no army,
Elisha prayed
and said,
God, open my servant's eyes
because he was afraid.
And in 2 Kings 6
we see the story
of how God opened his eyes
and he saw
that in fact
there was a whole host
of heavenly warriors
ready to fight
for God's people
and to deliver them
from that
very physical army
on the other side.
We see the same thing
when Snakarib
brings his Assyrian army
to the very gates
of Jerusalem
ready to sack
the capital
of God's people
and take
the holy city.
And we see in 2 Chronicles 32
that Hezekiah
cries out to the Lord
and the Lord
sends an angel
and suddenly
the entire
encircling army
is gone.
They turn back
and they forsake
the battlefield
even though they had
the upper hand
and all the power
in the world.
The spiritual forces
influence
the physical
geopolitical reality
in those moments.
Jesus
reminds us of this
in the Garden of Gethsemane
when Peter
pulls out his sword
to defend him
against the ones
who had come
to arrest him.
And Jesus
looks at him
and says
don't you know
I have legions
of angels
I could snap
my fingers
and they would be
here to deliver us
but that's not
the way
that we're going
to play this out
because that's not
what God is doing
right now.
But don't you know
I could be delivered
in an instant.
We see it in the letters
over and over again
maybe one of the most
profound ones
is in 1 Peter 5
verse 8.
Peter is writing
to a group of Christians
who are being persecuted
within the context
of the Roman Empire.
Their persecution
is real
it is physical
it is political
and it is harsh.
Describes it
as a fiery trial.
And yet
Peter reminds them
that they have
an adversary
the devil
who prowls around
like a roaring lion
seeking to devour.
And so we see
throughout scripture
that this picture
that is being
unveiled for us
in the book of Daniel
chapter 10
that this is actually
an ongoing reality.
Let me
take a side note
for just a minute.
There are some
who have taken
this picture
of the intersection
between spiritual
and political
or physical powers
and made it
a very specific
ministry strategy
and a very specific plan.
They have called it
spiritual mapping
and identifying
territorial powers.
and friends
I'll tell you
that I think
that there's not
enough evidence
in this chapter
or in other parts
of scripture
to justify it
with the kind
of specificity
that it is presented
by some.
There are some
who think
the only way
that renewal
revival
or the kingdom
of God
will ever come
is if we engage
with specific knowledge
about the specific
spiritual powers
that are oppressing
specific places
to set them free
and that's the only way
that we are going
to do it.
They identify this
with the rulers
the authorities
and the cosmic powers
of this present darkness
in Ephesians 6
and say
we need to identify them
and overcome them
by prayer.
Friends,
let me say this.
There may be
some truth in it.
I have lived
in places
where it seems
that there are
particular spiritual battles
that people fight
over and over
and over again.
New people
who come in
old people
who have lived there
for a long time
they fight the same
spiritual battles.
So I don't want
to discount it
as being completely
wacky or crazy
because I don't think
that it is
at one level
and yet I also think
that we must not see
that this is the strategy
the missing strategy
that's going to bring
in God's kingdom.
If it were
God could have been
far clearer
in his word
to help us know
how to fight
this battle.
It may be helpful
for us to pray
about the spiritual
influences
and dynamics
of the place
that we live
or the people
that we're praying for
but do you see
that even when
in a place
like this
where God
was almost
as clear
as he could be
about that
possibility
he didn't give
a prescription
Daniel therefore
you need to fight
the battle
against Persia
by praying
in these particular
ways against
this demon.
That's actually
not what the passage
says.
The passage says
there is a battle
in the spiritual realm.
It is real.
you engage
with it
by prayer
but you're
not the one
actually ultimately
fighting that battle
are you?
It is not up
to you
or to me
to bring in
the kingdom
by how we do
this
because ultimately
the witness
of scripture
is that it's
God who triumphs
over those powers
and principalities.
In Colossians 2
and in 1 Peter 3
it is explicit
that it is Christ
and through his death
and resurrection
and his exaltation
that he is now
seated at the right
hand of God
and he has disarmed
those rulers
and powers
and principalities.
It is he
who has done it
not us.
That's my little
excursus on that.
Let's go back
to the passage.
Think about
how about you?
How about you?
Have you ever seen
or experienced
a time
where God's
pulled back
the curtain
and you've seen
some kind of
divine intervention
that doesn't seem
to have any
physical reason
or rationale?
I was thinking
about
back in 1987
I was a new
Christian.
I was on a
missions trip
to India.
We had flown
in
to
Delhi
and
had a
tight
series
of
connections
to be able
to get
to the
place
that we
were going
in the
middle
of the
country
and
arrived
and the
plane
was
gone.
Cancelled.
And if you've
ever been in
these situations
you realize
that you
have no
ability to
engage with
that
helpfully.
You are
outside of
your language
you are
outside of
your culture
you have
it's 11
o'clock
at night
you're bleary
from a
14 hour
plane ride
and you're
thinking
what in
the world
and how
do I
do this?
So our
team sat
down and we
prayed
God help
us.
And then our
leader went
and got in
some line
that he
thought might
be the right
line to get
some sort of
information about
how possibly to
find a rebooked
flight somewhere
at some point
and thinking about
all the dominoes
that needed to
be reshuffled
because of it.
And behind
him a man
named George
came up.
And George
became our
guide through
that process.
He was a
local, he
was a
Christian, but
we wonder if
he was also an
angel.
Again, I
don't know.
I have no
idea.
But it sure
felt like God
came to our
aid in a
very supernatural
way, in a
way that we
could have no
control over and
has no reason
to expect except
that God
intervened into
our lives.
How about
you?
Do you
believe that your
reality includes
unseen spiritual
forces at work?
Do you think
there's a
connection between
what goes on in
your material
physical world
every day and
the spiritual
life?
C.S.
Lewis, in
the opening of
his great book,
The Screwtape
Letters, says
this,
there are two
equal and
opposite errors
into which our
race can fall
about the
devils.
One is to
disbelieve in
their existence.
The other is to
believe and to
feel an excessive
and unhealthy
interest in them.
They themselves
are equally
pleased by both
errors and
hail a
materialist or
a magician
with the same
delight.
Some of us
may fall into
the danger of
seeing a demon
behind every
parking ticket
and be constantly
casting out demons
from your broken
down jalopy,
your difficult
workplace
relationships,
or your
disobedient child.
my guess is,
here at
Trinity,
more of us
would fall
on the other
side.
Though we would
never deny it in
our formal
theology, we
practically live as
if the only
reality in our
world is the
material and the
natural one,
the measurable
and the visible
one.
And just to make
sure we balance
this right,
we know that
there are three
enemies of our
soul in the
world, right?
The world, the
flesh, and the
devil.
The world, meaning
the world in
rebellion, the
patterns of the
cultures and
societies that we
live in and the
way that they lead
us away from
faith and trust in
God.
The flesh, the
sinful nature that
when we are apart
from Christ, we are
enslaved to and have
no power over, and
even when we are in
Christ, how it
continues to cling
and to seek to
exert its influence
in our lives away
from godliness and
worship and love and
trusting faith and
persevering faith, and
instead exerting
itself in selfishness,
in self-dependence,
in disbelief.
So we have the
world and the
flesh, but we also
have the devil.
that there are
spiritual forces that
are seeking to trip
us up, that are
seeking to push our
buttons, that are
seeking to influence
us away from godly
living and from a
knowledge of Christ.
What we're being
encouraged to today is
to see how real that
is.
Now look, we can't
blame our sin on the
devil, and we
can't excuse the sin
in our world by
saying, well, that's
what the devil does.
We are meant to
fight those battles
and to be responsible
for our own lives, and
yet, we must recognize
that there is this
spiritual battle that
is real, and there
are spiritual forces that
seek to influence us.
Let me try to unpack
this a little more for
you so you can think
about it.
In your workplace, you
have a boss who's
taken a dislike to you,
and despite every
effort to work hard,
every effort to
understand his
expectations and to
fulfill them, every
initiative to address
unknown offenses, you've
done every human thing
you can to repair this
relationship.
Have you ever
considered that there
may be a spiritual force
at work seeking to
poison your workplace
and your relationship?
How about your last
fight with your spouse?
Yes, you were both
tired and stressed, of
course.
Yes, it was the
hundredth time you've
talked about that thing,
a hundredth time you
failed to address it
well.
And even though you
both wanted to be
different, you find
yourselves acting in
ways that you hate.
And even in the
moment where you know
you want to turn and be
gracious towards one
another, you end up
attacking.
Has it ever occurred to
you that there's a
spiritual influence in
that interaction that you
need to be aware of,
that you need to know
about?
Parents, children,
you've tried to be
patient with one
another and to be
gracious.
You've tried to
respect boundaries,
to follow through on
discipline as parents.
You've tried to trust
and obey as a child.
You've tried to build
closeness and yet it
feels like there's this
impenetrable distance.
Some might call it
teenagerdom, but others
would see it as a real
problem, a real distance
and distrust, even anger
or hatred.
You don't understand where
it's coming from.
You go through the list.
Is it new friends at
school?
Is it puberty?
Is it that we were bad
parents?
You wrestle through all of
these things.
Maybe can you acknowledge
that there's a spiritual
aspect to that as well?
That there's a battle.
That there are those who,
that there are spiritual
forces that are
whispering lies,
that are pushing
ungodly agendas,
that are fueling
ungodly emotions
in all of these things.
Friends,
let us recognize that
even today in our
political climate,
in the midst of
real disagreement,
and in the midst of
real issues that need
to be addressed well,
can we not see
that violence
and hatred
and fear
are the very things
that the enemy of our
soul
take gleeful joy in?
That these things,
that there may be
spiritual forces at work
driving
our country,
yes,
even our church,
away from the kind
of godly living
as compassionate
and righteous human
beings in this world.
That we may be tempted
to fall into attitudes
and actions
that compromise
the very gospel
of grace
that God has called us
to believe
and to proclaim.
Let us not be unaware,
brothers and sisters,
let us not be unaware
of these things.
Daniel 10
wants to remind us
that the battle
is fierce
and the battle
is real
and it's not
just physical
and social
and sociopolitical
and geopolitical
but it is spiritual
as well.
but the good news is
this passage tells us
not only is that true,
not only are we
to see our lives
through this lens
of this integrated
vision of reality
where spiritual
and physical
are not separate
but are actually
overlapping
and intertwined
but we see
that the help
and the hope
that we have
is greater as well
because of that.
Because look at
what happens
to Daniel
in the midst
of this passage
where he is
clearly weary,
worn out.
How many times
as I read through
does he say
my strength failed me
when he fell down
into a deep sleep
because he was
so overwhelmed,
when he turned
his face to the ground
and was mute,
all of these things.
What did God do?
God sent him.
God sent him
his messengers.
His people,
his,
these spiritual beings
to come
and what did they do
over and over again?
They reminded Daniel
that he was not alone.
They reminded Daniel
that there were others
fighting for him.
They reminded Daniel
that in God
and with God's people
there can be strength
strength given,
strength found
for us to stand
and to not fall,
to continue to
in our,
in our battle
to find that there
is a help
and a hope for us
that is good.
Just run back
through the passage
with me.
Look at verse 10.
As he has fallen,
prostrate,
because of this vision,
the angel touches him
and gets him
to his hands and knees.
Isn't it encouraging
that it doesn't all
happen at once?
Because that's how
we feel, right?
We get touched
when we feel
God's presence
helping us.
We sometimes think,
well,
why can't it just be easy
and have it be overcome?
But instead,
Daniel gives us
a very realistic picture.
No,
that help was simply
to get up off the ground
onto his hands and knees,
trembling.
And then verse 11,
the touch came first,
then the words,
stand and be strong.
And these words
strengthened him,
so he stood up,
yet still trembling.
And that trembling
may have just been,
it's consistent
throughout scripture
that whenever we encounter
heavenly beings,
we fall on our faces
and we're afraid.
It's the only thing
that angels seem to say,
don't be afraid.
afraid.
And he has to say it
all the time
because of course,
every time we see one,
we're afraid.
But having said,
don't be afraid.
He touches him
to remind them,
you are not alone.
And then the words
that he speaks,
look in verse 11.
Oh man of God,
you are greatly loved.
Isn't this an interesting thing?
He didn't come
and exhort him,
Daniel,
buck up.
Pull up your bootstraps.
You can do this.
What does he say?
He says,
you are dearly loved.
Have you ever thought
about that?
That the greatest power
that we have
in the battle,
in these spiritual battles,
is to know
that there is a loving God
who is fighting for us
and who is with us.
That he has set
his love on us.
What an incredible thing.
Not only
does God remind him
that he is deeply loved,
but he's also,
in verse 12,
he says,
you've not been ignored.
Your prayers
have been heard.
Your cries for help
have been heard.
Isn't that encouraging
when we feel
in the midst
of those times
when we just think,
God,
how can we ever
keep going?
where I don't have
the strength
to keep going,
to know
that God hears
our cries.
And in verse 19,
he expands the words
even more.
Fear not.
Peace be with you.
And here he does say it.
Be strong
and of good courage.
And he goes on
to explain why.
Not,
I'm going to give you
the victory.
Not,
these troubles
are going to go away.
not,
why you're so afraid.
If you weren't so afraid,
this wouldn't be
such a problem.
But he goes on
to say,
be strong
and of good courage
because I
have been fighting
for you
and I will continue
to be fighting
for you.
What a remarkable thing
that God sends
this kind of help.
Heavenly beings
to come
to meet with Daniel,
to touch him,
to speak words
to him
so that he may be helped
in his time of trouble.
How encouraging
it might be for us
similarly
if we remember
how God
has sent
the greatest
spiritual being
to us
who says things like,
behold,
I am with you
to the ends
of the age.
Who says to us,
I will never
leave you
or forsake you.
Whose servants
write reminding us
that there is nothing
that can separate us
from the love
of God
in Jesus Christ
for his people.
The one who said
to his disciples
even while he walked
the earth,
I have said
these things to you
that you might have peace.
In this world
you will have
tribulation.
but take heart.
I have overcome
the world.
Friends,
this is the good news
of the gospel
for us
in the midst
of the spiritual battle
that we fight.
And this is
a remarkable thing
because at the end
of the day
it's not our battle.
Oh,
we are to engage in it.
We see in Ephesians
that we are to engage
in it
but how do we engage
in it?
We are to take hold
of all that God
has done for us
in Christ.
Putting on the armor
is simply to believe
and entrust in
the grace of God,
the truth of God,
the righteousness of God
that is expressed
most fully
in Christ.
For friends,
we know
that it is Christ
who ultimately
has won the victory.
When he came,
when he left heaven
and came to earth,
it was God's greatest
divine messenger,
God's greatest
divine being
because it was
his very self
coming and taking
on human form
and invading
this world
and as he went
to the cross,
the greatest battle
that has ever been
fought
in the spiritual realms
and in our world
was fought
and Jesus
defeated
sin and death
by,
not by conquering
and raising
an army
to sweep over
the powers
of the enemy,
but by offering
up his very
own life.
He achieved
victory
by loving
self-sacrifice
and having
risen from
the dead,
he defeated
sin
and death
and indeed
the power
of the devil
himself.
And friends,
we know,
we know this,
right?
This battle
is not over.
You know
the analogy,
we are between
in the spiritual realms,
in the sweep
of human history,
we are between
D-Day
when the decisive
battle has been won
and V-E-Day
when the victory
is complete.
We know that we live
in this in-between time
of the now
and the not yet.
Jesus has disarmed
those powers
and rulers
and authorities
and yet they are
still at war
with us
in this world
and we are called
to stand firm
in the midst
of them.
And so we live
as exiles
and yes,
as warriors,
but not the warriors
the way we so often
think.
We are warriors
who fight a battle
by following
in the footsteps
of the one
who has already
won the victory,
by being steadfast
in endurance,
by persevering
in faith,
by continuing
to love
our enemies
and to pray
for them,
to bless
and not curse.
We fight
this battle
in prayer,
calling upon God
that his kingdom
would come
and his will
would be done
on earth
as it is
in heaven.
But at the end
of the day,
we fight this battle
most clearly
by trusting
in him
who has won
the battle
and who will
one day return
and he will come
and if you want
to read Revelation
12 through 14,
you can see
all the echoes
of the imagery
of Daniel in it
where we see
that these
spiritual forces
will one day
be overcome.
Where the warrior,
the great warrior,
Jesus,
will come
and like one
riding on a horse,
he will overthrow
the enemies forever
and he will restore
this land
by making it
a new heavens
and a new earth
and suddenly
the physical
and the spiritual
that feel so separate
to us sometimes
right now
will be brought together
and God's dwelling
will be with his people
and there will be peace
and that is our hope.
That is the hope
of the gospel
in the midst
of this spiritual battle
that we face.
So friends,
as you go home today
and you have a spat
with your spouse
on the way home
or you fight
with your friend,
you go home
and realize
that you've got
a really difficult
workplace
to go back to tomorrow,
you interact
with someone
who disagreed
with you
about the outcome
of the election,
whatever it is,
friends,
be aware
of the spiritual battle
and look to Christ
who has won it
for you.
Let's pray.
Oh Lord,
we need you.
We need you
to be our champion
and our warrior.
Lord,
to fight for us
when we have no strength.
Lord,
to come and remind us
of your presence
and of your love.
Lord,
and that you are the one
who will fight for us.
Lord,
that you,
we need to be reminded,
Lord,
that you will never let go
your people.
And Lord,
though this world
with devils filled
should threaten
to undo us,
Lord,
may we be those
who do not fear
because we know
that you,
God,
have won the victory
already
and that our lives
are in your hands
and that one day
we will rise
with you victorious
forever.
Help us,
Lord.
Help us,
Lord,
each day
to see
and to trust
in Jesus.
And Lord,
to fight
the good fight
of faith,
Lord,
under him.
And we pray this
in Jesus' name.
Amen.