The Lutheran Hour
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"Overcoming Life’s Spiritual Battle"
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Text: 1 Peter 5:6-11
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Christ is risen; He is risen, indeed, and by faith in Him we can face the spiritual battles that rage in life! Amen.
You know what the arrival of June means, don’t you? It means school is almost out. You can hear the cheers of both students and teachers right about now. This is the time of year when students in the United States exit their school buildings with worn-out backpacks, ink-drained pens, and tattered notebooks. The end is so close by, though some might still be making up those endless snow days of this past winter. Nonetheless, whenever they run out into the warm spring air, they breathe in the potential freedom of summer vacation. It’s oh so very close!
But, if you’re a teacher, this “Spring Fever” can really be a challenge. You see your students struggle to be attentive, cast wanting glances out the windows, and buzz with spring-fever giddiness. If you’re a parent, you may be going a little crazy too as you try to get your kids to study for tests, finish assignments well, and complete their end of the year homework. Keeping your kids cooped up when spring breezes are flowing, the sun is shining, and outdoor activities are calling, that’s no small task.
So, it’s June and your heart may be aching. You may want to get outside the four walls and breathe in the spring air. You may want to be free from what holds you back. You may want to experience love again. You may want to have some sanity in your family. You may want some peace and quiet. You may want to stop the busyness, or changes, or chaos, or workload. You want it so badly! But, your heart aches about the unfulfilled expectations. And you get frustrated, depressed, angry, and grouchy.
And, guess what? The devil laughs with glee.
That’s right. I said the devil. When because of circumstances, you get dragged into the depths of depression and despair, when you get pulled into anger and orneriness, when hope is drained from your life and you begin to feel like it’s no use at all, the devil is snickering because his goal is to crush you, and it’s working. It’s called “spiritual warfare.”
You’re not just battling spring fever right now. In fact, no matter what your struggle, whatever your battle, it isn’t merely against physical illness, or family conflict, or personal despair. The Bible says in 1 Peter, chapter five, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The Apostle Paul reinforced this truth when he said in Ephesians 6: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:10-11 NIV).
It’s a spiritual battle. Major temptations and minor problems, the crushing blows of our sin-broken world and the little things that drive you to lash out; world catastrophes, personal frustrations–it’s not just coincidence, hassle, and inconvenience. Even as the one defeated by Jesus through His death and resurrection, the devil himself still strives to pull you away from life with your Savior Jesus. He wants to steal your hope and derail your life, a life that glorifies and serves God.
But Revelation 12 paints a powerful picture of God always at work for our behalf. We hear about the devil in the form of a fierce dragon being thrown down. The blood of Jesus defeated his sabotaging efforts, once and for all. But even as Jesus waits to draw people to Himself before He comes again, Satan wants many to share in his defeat. Verse 17 says, “Then the dragon became furious…and went off to make war on…those who kept the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 12:17).
That’s a spiritual battle, my friends. That’s why Peter urged believers in Christ to be “sober-minded” and “watchful.” Nothing should numb you to the assaults of the Evil One. There should be no distraction that makes you think that this is just the way life is. There can be no haze in your thinking that makes you believe that God has abandoned you to hurt, despair, and hopelessness. It’s the devil prowling around. It’s a spiritual battle.
I’m not dismissing our part in this battle because of our sin. But when it comes to spiritual warfare, we need to realize that, in the victory of Jesus, our Savior; we’re not just fighting ourselves but one who seeks our destruction too. We need to never forget that. Through the cross and resurrection, Jesus defeated Satan too. Jesus said in John 16: “The prince of this world now stands condemned” (John 16:11 NIV).
Christ’s victory is for your forgiveness, it overcame your sin and mine, yes!
But I am reminding us both that in this life and on this side of heaven there is an enemy, a defeated one, yes, who still prowls around, seeking to devour us all. Even as the defeated one, he wants to take as many of us down with him as he can.
The Bible makes it very clear that the devil wants to bring you and me down. Jesus called him a “murderer” and the “father of lies” in John chapter eight. He said about the devil: “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44-45).
The Bible lets you know that the devil is sneaky, cunning. 2 Corinthians 11 says, “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
Add to his devious and deceiving work our own sinful vulnerabilities and it can spell disaster. So, the traps of Satan, the landmines of the Evil One that destroy your hope in Jesus and derail your walk of faith and service for Him, they need to be identified and removed. They need to be dealt with so that the carnage of the devil’s defeat doesn’t cast its destructive shadow into the lives that Jesus has redeemed and restored.
Have you ever heard of the Halo Trust? It’s a charitable organization that specializes in the removal of landmines and other hazardous debris of war. You may remember that Princess Diana was a champion for the cause. Even today, her children speak for the important work of making people’s homelands safe again. Many people who live in war zones and in lands where war once raged fall victim to leftover explosives. People are maimed and lives are lost every year. The Halo Trust efforts have destroyed millions of landmines and explosives since 1986. They have cleared thousands of minefields and made hundreds of thousands of acres of land safe again. Their motto is simple: “Getting mines out of the ground, now.”
God is as serious about removing the spiritual landmines that threaten His beloved children. He’s the Ultimate getting-the-mines-out-of-your-life Savior. Just look at the cross. Shouldering every sin that would destroy us and every accusation of Satan that would separate us from God, Jesus suffered and He died. He paid the price for our sin and guilt. The proverbial “landmine” of eternal death exploded in the life of the Son of God as He bled and died in our place. And then, when Jesus rose from the dead, He neutralized the power of sin and death. He cleared the minefield of our imperfection and failure. Cleansed in the waters of baptism, we now walk in new life with our Savior–all the way to life everlasting. Yes, God is very serious about removing the landmines of the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh. The Bible’s motto is not far off the Halo Trust’s slogan. God’s Word says, “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV).
So God speaks to us. Yes, God gives us His Word of life–the sword of the Spirit for spiritual battle. Martin Luther said, “Before an untried and inexperienced Christian has learned his lesson, the devil has so disturbed him that he must fear and tremble and does not know which way to turn. Therefore we must learn to cling to Christ’s Word and comfort alone…”
This is the key to winning the spiritual battle: our God fights for us. He won the victory through Jesus Christ and He leads us through each step of life. We are given life, hope, and strength in His Word.
But what are you up against, what am I up against? In 1 John 2, it summarizes three key battlegrounds. The verse says: “For all that is in the world-the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and the pride of life-it is not from the Father but it is from the world” (1 John 2:16).
The desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life; these sum up key areas where the devil will seek to trip you and me up. They are temptations to feel good all the time, to have everything you desire, and to be adored by everyone. Jesus suffered similar temptations in the wilderness and the devil still uses these schemes today.
You know how they work, don’t you? When you’re tired, your when life is demanding, when people aren’t cooperating with you, or when circumstances are beyond your control, you want to feel better. It’s okay to want to feel better, to be free from pain and to have peace and joy in your life; but, too often, the strong desire to feel better can lead to the desires of the flesh: lashing out in anger at someone who is frustrating you, seeking solace in drugs or alcohol or overeating, escaping in pornography, being unfaithful and unkind to the people in your life–even hurting yourself trying to end your own life.
Can’t you see what the devil is doing, what he is offering up when you feel terrible? He offers escape and hurt. It’s not meant to help you, it is meant to destroy you and the people in your life. These alleged fixes from the devil are only temporary and destructive measures. Once the feelings fade, regret and pain come rushing in. That’s why we need the clarity of what the Savior provides. Jesus doesn’t call you to escape; He calls you to peace in the midst of the struggle. He doesn’t call you to despair; He calls you to real hope! He says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-29). Jesus provides rest, restoration, peace, and hope. Jesus gives comfort, healing, strength–yes, even growth through times of adversity.
In Christ, then, let me say it as plainly as I can, you can face whatever you’re up against. You can deal with whatever struggles you’re enduring. So be careful when the desires of your flesh invite you to escape. Instead, hear the call of your Savior who invites you to face the challenge in His rest and in His peace.
And then there are the desires of your eyes. It’s so easy to want more and more. When you get bored with what you have and where you’re at, and you’re ready to find something else to break up the monotony. When you feel stressed and overworked, you get tempted to get something else so you can feel better. These days we shop–for a new car, a new phone, a new giant television for every room, a new wardrobe, new accessories, new shoes. The list can go on and on and on. Get, get, get. The devil wants you to believe that happiness can be found in the accumulation of things; that your identity is found in what you own and in what you’ve acquired. But that is an empty lie. True joy is not about accumulation. The Apostle Paul expressed this truth when he said, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and in every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13).
Here’s the truth, ready? Take it to heart! While Satan wants you to be preoccupied with acquiring things, God calls you to be filled with Jesus’ love and occupied with giving that love to all. Be careful when the desires of your eyes tempt you to accumulation. Be careful when stuff gets in the way of what matters, your relationship to God and to each other. True joy comes through generosity–God’s generosity to you and His generosity through you. Open your eyes to that and you’ll be even more prepared to deal with the challenges and temptations of the evil one.
But there is also a third spiritual battleground, and it may be the toughest of all, it is the pride of life. This is the temptation to be adored by everyone, to be in front and in control of all things. What can start out as a sincere desire to make a difference in the world can turn into an unhealthy arrogance that your way is the best or the only way. The pride of life can cause constant comparison with everyone else. It can put you on the endless treadmill of never being satisfied. It can send you into the sinful behavior of putting others down in order to lift yourself up. This is the sin of the Garden of Eden as Adam and Eve sought to take the place of God. The devil would much rather have you believe that you’re the savior than to rely on the real Savior, Jesus Christ. But you’ve heard the saying articulated in Proverbs, chapter 16, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
Jesus doesn’t call you and me to arrogance and self-promotion. Instead, Jesus said, “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28).
The battle against pride is won through selflessness and service. Beware of temptation to power up and lift yourself up. True joy comes through Jesus’ sacrifice for you and showing that love as you sacrifice for others.
So with eyes wide open, with a heart filled with God’s gracious love, and with a mind that is empowered by God’s powerful Word, fight the good fight of faith. As people who are already conquerors by faith in Jesus, we still fight the battles of this life with boldness in Him alone, as 1Timothy 6 says. For though life this side of heaven is full of spiritual battles, you’re not in it alone. Your Savior is with you, He even fights for you.
The Apostle Peter knew this very well. He stumbled many times as he tried to use his own strength to make his way through life. He fell to many temptations. So, as a battle-experienced believer, he said, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).
It’s a spiritual battle. But God fights for you. It’s a spiritual battle, but God doesn’t have you fighting alone. You are with fellow believers, loved and defended by the risen Savior Jesus, certain of His strength and victory. That’s why Peter went on to say, “Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood all throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be dominion forever and ever.” (1 Peter 5:9-11).
That is not only a hope for spring fever; it’s also the key to winning the spiritual battle of life. God fights for you. No need to fear or be distracted. In fact, in this spiritual battle you can keep your eyes and heart on Jesus, the One who loves you and protects you. You can live a life immersed in His gracious Word, and yes, even when the battle rages, you can flex your muscles of faith in Him so that others might get to know and trust in the strength of His grace for them! May God grant this to us all!
Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for June 1, 2014
Topic: Comfort at Funerals?ANNOUNCER: It’s time once again for Questions and Answers with Pastor Gregory Seltz. I’m Mark Eischer. Pastor, in John 14, Jesus says “He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Him;” that scripture is often read at funerals, also the part where Jesus says He’s gone to prepare a place for us in heaven. Many find that to be a comforting promise.
SELTZ: It is. It’s both comforting and a promise. That’s because it addresses one of mankind’s most profound fears – what happens after death.
ANNOUNCER: So, what would you say to someone who’s confused and troubled about what happens after death?
SELTZ: Well, first I would point them to Christ’s death and what happened after that. It’s pretty incredible that in Christ we can actually say that God died on the cross. And when God dies for us, incredible things can happen.
ANNOUNCER: How so?
SELTZ: Well, think about what the Bible says. Christ is God in the flesh. So, when Christ died on the cross, paying the full price for all of humanity’s sins, we can say that God, the Son of God in the flesh, died literally for the whole world. So, not only is Christ God in the flesh, but it took Christ being both God and Man to take our place so that we might have eternal life based on His work in our place.
ANNOUNCER: But it wasn’t just that He died for us; He was also raised again to life for us.
SELTZ: Absolutely, the good, comforting news of the Bible is that the crucified God/Man is no longer dead; He is risen and He lives and reigns for all eternity. What He accomplished through His life and death is now confirmed through His resurrection; and boy, that offers real hope to all who believe in Him.
ANNOUNCER: Because that’s the good news concerning what happens to us when we die.
SELTZ: It sure is! If there is a resurrection from the dead, you bet. The Apostle Paul said that if Christ rose from the dead, so will you.
ANNOUNCER: What will that be like? Will we have bodies? And, if so, what kind of body would it be?
SELTZ: In short, yes, we will have a body. And it will be the same, yet different.
ANNOUNCER: Could you explain that?
SELTZ: Sure. Our bodies in the resurrection will be the same in that they will still be our bodies. They will be the same in that sense that a body casts a shadow in the sunlight and makes noise when moving. But our bodies will also be different. They will be immortal – not able to die. They will be glorious and strong. Maybe the best figure that we have is Christ, Christ and His resurrected Body. That Body was the same in that it was recognizable. Yet, it was different, gloriously different, as will be ours.
ANNOUNCER: But maybe you could clear this up. In 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, St. Paul refers to that resurrected body as a ‘spiritual’ body. Does that mean it won’t be a physical body?
SELTZ: Well, that word ‘spiritual’ may cause some confusion. Today when we think of something spiritual, we often think of something with no “fleshly or bodily” substance.
ANNOUNCER: And, is that how Paul is using it?
SELTZ: I don’t think so. Notice his grammar. He calls the resurrected body a ‘spiritual’ body. ‘Spiritual’ is the modifier while ‘body’ is the noun. So, the reason Paul refers to the resurrected body as a spiritual body is to show us that the resurrected body is not one that is both good and bad, but one that is altogether good. Right now our bodies are good and bad, sanctified and fleshly. But, a body with fleshly lusts and sins cannot enter heaven. But, a Spirit-filled body can. It will still be a body, but one that is altogether good – one that is minus limitations like mortality, fatigue, hunger, thirst, and so on.
ANNOUNCER: All right. So, that’s how our resurrected bodies can be the same and yet different.
SELTZ: That’s right. We will have a body in the resurrection. It will be the same, yet different. It will be spiritual – altogether good. But, it will be a body (our body) none the less.
ANNOUNCER: And we’ll finally be the human beings that God intended for us to be when He created us.
SELTZ: That’s a great way to put it, Mark. Yes, we’ll finally get a chance to live as human beings, created and redeemed by God, loving each other the way that God, in Christ, loves us!
ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Pastor Seltz. So, through faith in Christ, then, we can look forward to that real life ‘in the body’ for all eternity as God intended us to be and as Christ redeemed us to be.
SELTZ: Absolutely.
ANNOUNCER: This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music Selections for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.
“Give Me Jesus” by David von Kampen. From Hymns for All Saints: Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs (© 2011 Concordia Publishing House)
“See, the Lord Ascends in Triumph” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)
“Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)