The scripture passage we're reading today is taken from Ephesians 6.
We're doing verse 18b, but I'm going to read the entire of 18.
Verse 20, which is page 979 in your pew Bible.
Sorry.
So we're dealing with warfare.
We have been dealing with warfare, spiritual warfare.
Warfare is engagement in or the activities involved in a war or conflict.
There are different types of warfare.
There's a natural warfare, and here in the text we are encountering and learning about the reality of spiritual warfare.
And we are told here about what is necessary or what our strategy should be to fight and to be victorious in a spiritual war.
In fact, the natural wars that we are seeing take place on the battlefields around our world or in the hearts and minds of humanity and in our own hearts and minds, because we too are a part of humanity, are flesh and blood wars.
These wars that can be seen and even felt viscerally.
But here in the text we are told that even such wars are not the fights that we need to be distracted by.
Because the origin of our very own flesh and blood conflict, both in our beings and in the outside world, originates from a spiritual war that is raging in full effect.
A friend in Los Angeles once pointed out when we were just theologically reflecting about what we observed was going on in the madness of our world.
She said to me, she said, Evan, what you don't see is what's real.
That's what she said.
She said, what you don't see is what's real.
So if what we don't see is what's real, then somehow it behooves us or it is in our best interest to engage in this spiritual battle with a very real enemy who's not visible to us, although we are told that we can recognize his schemes.
But even though he's not visible to us, we're facing a very real enemy and we have to engage this enemy in a very unique way.
In fact, before we talk about the strategy outlined in Ephesians, we should be reminded and embrace the very real fact that this enemy is not only real, but this enemy is fully committed to our destruction.
Fully committed.
In fact, the apostle Peter in 1 Peter 5 points this out quite vividly when he warns us that our adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
So our enemy's ultimate goal is not just to irritate us or to get on our nerves or to make us sad or even oppressed.
He's ultimately trying to destroy us.
His enemy, Satan, and the forces of darkness is ultimately trying to destroy us.
Now, knowing that we are in a spiritual war and knowing that the nature and the objective of the enemy we are facing, we have to understand why this instruction to pray or communicate with heaven in this warfare context is so important.
Here's an illustration that may help.
I've never been a foot soldier.
I'm sure some people here have been in the military, but one of my best friends and one of my favorite cousins have been.
Everybody has a favorite cousin.
We used to beat them up when they were kids.
This is that cousin.
But they were both, and they were both, and one is still in the Marine, Marine grunts.
They're a Marine infantryman.
And I'm a bit of a bootleg war historian, too, because I've always found the psychology of human conflict interesting and also some of the strategy.
If you know anything, for example, about the American Civil War, what was considered one of the most pivotal battles in that war was the Battle of Gettysburg.
That took place in July 1863, and it was so pivotal that if the North would have lost that battle, then I would most likely be at Yale Divinity School on a student visa from Canada or the UK.
Now, there was a battle within that battle that occurred on the second day in the Battle of Gettysburg, which was a three-day battle.
And that battle, many historians believe, was the most significant, smaller battle within this larger Battle of Gettysburg.
It took place around a hilltop situated at the Union Army's extreme left flank called Little Round Top.
Geographic importance of Little Round Top was there because of where it was situated on the battlefield.
Now, whoever controlled that ground could dominate the countryside for miles.
But this hill represented the most vulnerable flank of the Union lines.
So losing that position would be disastrous.
But along with its geographic location, it was equally important to point out that it was on a hill or a high ground.
It was strategic not only because of its location, but more so because of how it sat in that location.
I understand, and this is from my best friend, mostly, I'm sure my cousin would concur,
that in warfare, having the high ground gives you a significant advantage.
And although in modern warfare, air power can neutralize the advantage of high ground,
it is still better to have the high ground.
Because the high ground gives you perspective or a point of view that puts you at the advantage over the enemy.
So when we pray, as the essential element of spiritual warfare,
we need to not only remember that our God rules the high ground and sits on the highest ground in this war where our enemy is not flesh and blood,
but that our God also owns the high ground on which he sits.
And therefore, has a point of view or the perspective that will give us the victory
when we have to engage the enemy and discern his destructive schemes.
So now that we find ourselves in warfare,
we pray to get instructions for the fight.
And then God begins to download his point of view from the high ground.
And here in Ephesians,
the first thing we are told to do actually in this passage of Scripture
is keep alert with all perseverance,
making supplication for all the saints,
or praying for all the saints.
Let's look at that first half of this verse.
In the military,
in the infantry in particular,
both officers and enlisted,
whether it's the army or the Marines,
you are taught that you need to fight for the man next to you,
or even the woman next to you,
depending on the country you're from,
because some women are in combat,
like with the men.
I know that happens in the Middle East.
But you have to fight for the man next to you,
the one who's standing beside you.
There's no one else that you need to worry about
in that moment of battle,
because your brother or sister in the fight
is the one who truly matters in that moment of life and death realities.
Also, while you are preparing for the fight,
or in the fight,
when you are in the field,
you're often facing or experiencing sleep deprivation,
or extreme fatigue.
I understand that this is a daily reality of the infantrymen,
when they are in the field,
and being alert,
which includes not snoring when you do sleep.
In spite of how you may feel,
you have to be alert,
no matter how you may feel,
but it's something that basically,
your life and the life of those who fight beside you
are dependent upon.
Now, when a soldier is in a battle,
one thing's always certain,
or is on the battlefield,
this is always certain,
that an ever-present threat exists.
Even if there's downtime,
or they may be back,
they may be back at the base camp,
or playing basketball,
or flag football,
or card games,
what often will underlie their thoughts,
even in their moments of rest and relaxation,
is that there is an enemy out there
whose objective is hell-bent on destroying them.
In other words,
impending danger is always lurking,
so being alert has to become a discipline.
It has to become a discipline,
and this requires all perseverance.
Perseverance implies steadfastness,
tenacity,
or staying power.
So the implication here is that
staying alert takes effort.
Staying alert in warfare requires us to
also be honest about what is going on around us,
and even in us,
so that we can be more effective for the fight.
I suggest that one way of staying alert
is being committed when we pray
of first taking a spiritual inventory
of our own lives before the Lord,
just telling the truth to God
because God already knows us,
and allowing the Holy Spirit to do the work in us
to help us grow toward wholeness and maturity,
to help us where we cannot help ourselves,
and therefore become more effective soldiers
for God's kingdom.
Staying alert involves us not only looking for the attack
of the enemy from the outside,
but allowing God to give us victory over the enemy
and the challenges of our flesh on the inside.
Paul writes in Romans 7, 18-21,
for I know that nothing good dwells in me
that is in my flesh,
but I have the desire to do what is right,
but not the ability to carry it out,
for I do not do the good I want,
but the evil I do not want
is what I keep on doing.
Now if I do what I do not want,
it is no longer I who do it,
but sin that dwells within me.
So I find it to be a law
that when I want to do right,
evil lies close in hand.
Saints, we are perpetually, sorry,
fighting a battle on the inside,
and we need the healing and gracious power
of the Holy Spirit
to lead us into victory
on a daily basis in that battle,
yet we also face the enemy on the outside.
And so does everyone else
whom we know and who we do not know
who follows Jesus Christ.
And we not only need to pray for ourselves then,
but we need to pray for them,
for all the other saints,
all around the world.
And when Hebrew says all,
in Greek and in Hebrew,
all means all.
Why is this necessary?
Because when we pray to the God of the high ground,
that God sees or has a perspective
that prioritizes community.
Here's what I mean.
Ephesians 3 gives us a clear,
clearer, a clue earlier
when it declares that for this reason
I bow my knees before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven
and on earth is named,
that according to the riches of his glory,
he may grant you to be strengthened
with power through his spirit
in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts
through faith,
that you being rooted and grounded in love
may have strength to comprehend
with all the saints
what is the breadth and length
and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ
that the past is knowledge,
that you may be filled with all
the fullness of God.
All the fullness of God.
God loves us.
And we are able to grasp
a broader sense of that fullness
of what the love of God is
through community.
For instance,
I don't know what the love of God
looks like in the context of surviving
or combating cancer.
I have friends that do.
But I do know what the love of God
looks like when you have to walk
loved ones through terminal illness
or face never-ending financial crisis,
wanting to work and you can't get arrested
for a job.
I know what the love of God
looks like in those contexts.
I don't know what the love of God
looks like when you have to live
with chronic illness.
But I know saints who do.
I don't know what the love of God
looks like when you have to serve
hard time in prison
for a bad decision.
But I know people who do.
So the fullness of God's love
is such that there is
are so many dimensions
that in order to grasp
some measure of it
beyond our own experience,
you and I need to be in community.
And this makes the health
and safety of this community
a priority of prayer
and warfare.
prayer.
Because God is continuously
pouring out expressions
of his loving kindness
in this community.
So we must pray for all the saints.
Second,
prayer gives us the courage
we need
to do our kingdom job well.
Prayer gives us
the courage we need
to do our kingdom job well.
We already know
that we are in a war,
a fight.
And a fight,
and in a fight,
we need courage.
Even if we think
we got some courage.
If we're honest,
we can admit to times
in our lives
where our courage
has faltered.
And we're not even referring
to spiritual warfare per se.
Just basic courage
we need to have
even hard conversations
that need to be had.
But here it's interesting
that Paul in the context
of spiritual war
is asking that
prayer be offered up
so that he will first
know what to say
in relation to the mystery
of the gospel.
And that once he knows
what to say
that he will say it
with courage.
Now Paul was a communicator.
He was a leader
but in a
but an additional gift
that he possessed
was his ability
to communicate
clearly
and to argue
or reason
when presenting
the gospel
to those
outside of the faith.
We see a number
of instances of this
not only in his writing
but we see it
in actions being
described to us
that he does.
For example,
it can be pointed out
in Acts 17,
16 through 34
when he's speaking
to the men of Athens.
First he's reasoning
in the synagogue
with the Jews
and devout persons
and then he's out
in the street
with the philosophers
who love to philosophize
as scripture points out
and then it
as scripture points out
and then it culminates
with his sermon
on Mars Hill
or Mars Hill.
I'm going to strip over
the Greek word of it
beyond that word of it
but it's Mars Hill
it's also called Mars Hill
where he contends
for God
who these Athenians
sought to label
as the unknown God.
He proclaims,
he proclaims
that this God
is truly the God
who made the world
and everything in it.
So Paul was a proclaimer.
Now using military terms
since we are dealing
with warfare,
proclaiming
in the context
of leadership
which was his MOS
or his military
occupational specialty.
In the military,
the military,
the MOS
is one's job description
basically.
If there's a war
or battle
then everyone is
counting on you
to do your job.
The job,
that job
and to do it
with a reasonable degree
of proficiency
and definitely courage
in order to bring
about the victory
for your unit,
your military force,
your country
or the kingdom
that you've pledged
your allegiance to.
Interesting that
although Paul
was gifted,
a gifted
and brilliant communicator,
we see his humility
and his dependence
on God here
because he did not say,
hey, this is what
I want to say.
No, he wanted to know
what the God
of the high ground
wanted him to say
in order that the mystery
of the gospel
be communicated
and done so
with effectiveness.
You see,
God knew the proper context
in which Paul
needed to speak.
God was intimately
familiar with the audience
of Paul's message
whenever or wherever
he would find himself
delivering it.
It is believed
that the context
in which he was to speak
was one where he had
to defend this new faith
before Nero,
the Caesar in Rome,
to allay any suspicion
that Christianity
was a threat to the empire
as some new Jewish sect
or heretical group
as far as many of their
fellow Jews
had categorized them,
but instead,
it was a new community
of both Jews
and Gentiles.
Paul wanted to be clear
in his message
given the subject matter
and bold
given the audience
and what could have
been at stake
when declaring
that Christ had,
when declaring
what Christ had done
in merging Jews
and Gentiles
into this new humanity.
And how was it
this mystery
was also good news
for all?
Boldness
was also required
because,
as he points out
in verse 19,
he was in chains.
He was a prisoner.
He needed courage
in this battle
from the God
of the high ground.
Similarly,
similarly,
God knows
the context
of our battles
individually
and as a community.
our battles
are always
couched
in specific
contexts.
You and I
cannot always
fight every
spiritual battle
the same
because the next
battle may be
surrounded
by totally
different contexts.
For instance,
when Winston Churchill
made his famous speech
in the House of Commons
in World War II,
it wasn't World War II
for us yet,
but it was World War II
going on,
June 4, 1940,
when the United Kingdom
was under assault
from Nazi Germany's
Blitzkrieg
or lightning war
from the air,
he sought to encourage
the people of the UK
to persevere
when he declared
we shall fight in France,
we shall fight
on the seas
and on the oceans,
we shall fight
with growing confidence
and growing strength
in the air.
He goes on to say
we shall fight
on the beaches,
we shall fight
on the landing grounds,
we shall fight
in the fields
and in the streets,
we shall fight
in the hills,
we shall never surrender.
Now what Churchill
understood about warfare
is that battles
have different
contextual frameworks
that require
the proper equipment,
intelligence,
training,
and personnel
who are operating
in their military
occupational specialty
with a strong degree
of competency
and in unity
with one another
in order to be victorious.
In spiritual warfare,
each of us has
a spiritual MOS
as it were,
military occupational
specialty.
And even though
we may be familiar
with our gifting
to the point
where we think
we know
what the specific
battle requires,
the example
being given here
should encourage us
to seek
God's instruction
in prayer.
in spite of what
we think we know
and doing so,
we'll be doing,
think we know
and doing so,
we'll be better positioned
to discern
when we pray
to defer in the context
of our battles
because the God
of the high ground
knows what we need
from him
in order to win.
finally prayer
is necessary
not only because
we are soldiers
in a fight
but we are also
ambassadors
with a message.
We are soldiers
in a fight
but we are also
ambassadors
with a message.
Paul describes
himself here
as an ambassador.
2 Corinthians 5.20
when he addresses
the Corinthian church
he declares
we
are ambassadors
of Christ.
Then he tells us
that as ambassadors
God is
making his appeal
through us.
How does this work?
This appeal thing
or this ambassador thing.
Now ambassadors
in our modern context
are diplomats.
These diplomats
are envoys
or persons
designated
to represent
one government
in its dealings
with another.
Now they are typically
four central duties
of ambassadors
when we think about them
in a modern sense.
These duties
are representation
policy
protecting citizens
and management.
And management
typically happens
at the embassy
where the diplomat
is assigned.
However
for the sake
of what we're seeing
in this text
I want to look
at two of the duties.
The duty of representation
and the duty of policy.
First
who do we represent?
We are ambassadors.
Scripture tells us
that we are ambassadors
for Christ
just like Paul.
It says
Paul is in chains
which is not necessarily
the image
or the context
we imagine
when we think
of ambassadors
because being an ambassador
should carry
a more polished image.
But maybe the point
is that the context
of our battle
or the framework
of our fight
does not change
the role
that we are given
as Christ's ambassadors.
And in our representation
of Christ
we are representing
God's kingdom
and God's kingdom
quoting Dr. Tony Evans
originates
from God's realm
which is spiritual.
He goes on
to clarify
when he says
he does not
deny that the whole
universe constitute
the realm
of God's kingdom
which means
that God's kingdom
is all embracing
or it is God's
comprehensive rule
of all creation.
It is just that
the origin of God's kingdom
is from above
not from the earth.
So we are representatives
of a heavenly kingdom
here on earth
and here on earth
and it is something
that we can never
relinquish
or get away from
and need to always
be mindful of.
Now I don't say this
to put pressure
on you and myself.
It's just reality
of the situation.
But I want to
encourage you
by saying that
God gives us grace
to do our duty
in spite of ourselves.
Please remember
there is grace
that abounds in Christ.
And I cannot
emphasize enough
how incredibly kind
God's grace is
in relation to humanity
but particularly
to his church.
1 John 3 declares
so see what love
the father has given us
that we shall be called
children of God.
And then he writes
and that is what we are.
So we are representatives
for Christ
and God's kingdom
but our duty
is also
to convey
the policy
of the kingdom.
Now in order
to carry out policy
aptly defined
as a deliberate
system of principles
to guide decisions
and achieve
rational outcomes
the ambassador
has to consult
with the president
the head of state
or the sovereign
about what the policy is.
So as ambassadors
of Christ
we receive our policy
and directives
in the midst
of the battle
from the Lord God
from the God
of the high ground.
In other words
even in the midst
of our roles
as soldiers
fighting the enemy
through prayer
we are also able
to receive
instructions from God
who rules the high ground
on how to carry out
kingdom policy
as his ambassadors.
As soldiers
we fight against
the forces
of the enemy
of our souls
but as ambassadors
with a message
God is making
an appeal
through us
to the world.
Now this message
is one of reconciliation
and this is reconciliation
that begins
with salvation.
Theologian
Paul Fidesz
when speaking
of one dimension
of how God's
salvation works
he writes
in our world
how God's salvation
works in our world
I'm sorry
he writes
that God
acts to heal
and reconcile
entering a great
cost
into the disruption
of human lives
in order to
share our predicament
and release us
from it.
God embraces us
as fragile humanity
he embraces us
in our predicament
through Christ Jesus
and we
carry that message
of reconciliation
to the world
as his ambassadors.
It is kingdom policy
that God so loved
the world
that he gave
his only begotten son
that whosoever
believes in him
should not perish
but have everlasting life.
Let us by God's grace
continually look
to God
to the God
of the high ground
in prayer
with the goal
to be bold
effective ambassadors
of that message
of reconciliation
and bold effective
soldiers
fighting the forces
of the enemy
of our souls
who seek to distort
that message.
Prayer
in the context
of spiritual warfare
is what will give us
perspective
that we need
but it also provides us
with the strength
we need
for the fight.
God bless you.