Jesus' teaching on Spiritual Warfare Part 1

"Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;

My lovingkindness and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer;

My shield and He in whom I take refuge;" Ps. 144:1-2

"Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." 1 Peter 5: 8-9

Where do we begin when discussing the nature of spiritual warfare?  As I look straight ahead of my computer, I have a shelf full of books concerning the topic.  Many of them deal with Paul's teaching in Ephesians, as they should given the preeminence of spiritual warfare within that book and context.  We will get to Paul, but I want to start with Jesus' teaching on the subject.  I then plan to share the OT background concerning spiritual warfare and the nature of the evil one.  First, let's look at Jesus!

The first and most obvious observation concerning Jesus is that he was very aware of the reality and nature of spiritual warfare.  Just before Jesus begins his public ministry, the gospel of Matthew tells us, "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." (4:1)  In preparation for this confrontation, Jesus fasts and prays for 40 days and 40 nights.  This time of strengthening prepares Him for a direct encounter with the devil.

Matthew records that Jesus faced three direct temptations from the evil one who interestingly enough is given the name of 'the tempter' (4:3).  As the incarnate Son of God, Jesus faced the devil's temptations as a man.  In so doing, he represents a "second Adam" who faces the same temptations, as a human, that Adam and Eve faced, but he remained without sin.

The first temptation deals with both His is identity and the character of God, "If you are the Son of God;" as well as his human physical needs, "he was hungry, the tempter came to him and said, "... tell these stones to become bread."  This parallels the temptation of Adam and Eve in the garden when they were asked, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden?'" (Gen. 3:1)  With this question, a discussion begin and in the midst of the discussion, the tempter reveals to the woman, "that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye." (Gen. 3:6)

In His answer, Jesus addresses the temptations with a correct interpretation and application of the God's Word.  In contrast, Adam and Eve question the very character of God, and they begin the process of the fall.

In the second temptation, Jesus is tempted again to question God's character, but also to use His power incorrectly, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.  For it is written,..." and he quotes Ps. 91:11-12.  Again, Jesus deals with the tempter's attempt by giving a correct interpretation and application of God's Word.  This contrasts with Adam and Eve's response that changed God's direct command to say something more than God intended, "You must not touch it, or you will die."

In the third temptation, Jesus offered in a vision "all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor."  Jesus answers with another correct interpretation and application of the Word of God.  He states, "Away from me, Satan!  For it is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only" (Matt. 4:10 quoting Deut. 6:13).  In contrast, Adam and Eve took of the fruit they were forbidden to eat, and thus they did the will of Satan instead of God.  With this decision and action, they completed the process of the fall, and the consequences of their decision remain through today.

So what does this mean?

First, Jesus knows, embraces, and fights through spiritual warfare.  Jesus is "lead by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." He begins and ends his public ministry on earth with encounters against the Satan and his forces.  As we will see in future posts, He also tells His hearers that they will encounter spiritual warfare.  So why do we as modern people know about and encounter so little that we call spiritual warfare?  Do we really believe what Jesus said and did?

Many of us have been profoundly influenced by mechanistic science and its anti-supernatural bias.  We read in the bible these encounters with Satan and demons, and then we moralize the stories instead of believing the reality of the fight.  We also use modern psychology as a means of explaining away the spiritual dimensions of reality.

I do not wish to diminish the importance of modern science or psychology.  Both help us understand and gain a measure of control over the physical world.  Yet, there is a spiritual dimension that is as real and true as the physical.  We need to grow into believers who embrace a full-orbed biblical worldview that recognizes and affirms the importance of both.  If we wish to follow Jesus, we need to repent of our tendency to minimize or privatize the spiritual side of reality.  He lived with both physical and spiritual worlds in mind at all times and so should we!

Second, while Jesus recognizes and submits to Satan's temptations, He always maintains the reality that there is only One True God.  He does not doubt this fact.  From this truth, He fights His battles.  In other words, Jesus is not a dualist!  He does not believe that Satan is some sort of god equal to or fighting the true God.  This is the basis of almost all world religions.  It is not the basis of Jesus' teaching.

Many well-meaning folks have an errant worldview that the ultimate battle between good and evil is in doubt.  With Christ's victory in life and through the cross and resurrection, the victory is secure.  Satan has been defeated, even as the "mop up" operations continue.  The real question we should ask is, "In whom to do you believe?"

Finally for today, as the incarnate Son of God, Jesus deals with Satan as a man.  In fact, Jesus is tempted beyond all we could imagine when he is offered all the Kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  Yet, He was without sin.  "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who had been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet was without sin (Heb 4:15).  As a result, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Heb 4:16)

Jesus fights the battle for us throughout His life.  His next major encounter with the devil was on his way to the cross, and yet again He did not waver from His trust in God's character, goodness, mercy, and love.  We need such a high priest!  By faith, His victory is ours (Ephesians 2: 4-7).  Without Christ's victory, we would have no hope in the fight.  With His victory, we can move forward in the battle with confidence and assurance of His assistance as we ask for it.

Again, the question must be asked, "In whom do you believe?"  Do you trust yourself, your judgment, the answers of modern science, or any other form of teaching?  Or do you trust and rest in the One who fought the battle for us, the Lord Jesus Christ?