Arming for Victory

An audio overview of the lesson by Raul Diaz.


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“Arming” for Victory Memory text: Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. By now we have heard a lot about the armor but very little about the victory. What is victory in Biblical terms? Victory is the overcoming of an enemy or antagonist. Who is our enemy? Some may say the Devil, and they are right. Some may say death, and they are right also. However, when Christ spoke about overcoming He mentioned the world. Jesus told His disciples, John 16: 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. What is about the world or what does it represent that needs to be overcome? In a few verses above this chapter Christ gives us a hint, John 16: 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. John 16: 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: John 16: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; Christ said to the disciples that when the Holy Spirit comes He will reprove the world of Sin, among other things. Why Sin? Because, the world – those who live in it – do not believe in Him. Why does the world do not believe in Christ? When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus He said that the condemnation of the world was “that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). So, the world is condemned because they have chosen not to believe in the “Light of the world.” This was the problem of Israel while in the wilderness. Paul says in Hebrews that they did not enter the rest – of Christ – because of their unbelief (Hebrews 3:19; 4:6). It was still a problem among Jews in Jesus’ day (Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:6). So, as we see the word chosen for their condition is unbelief. Unbelief is used for two Greek terms: one of them meaning no faith, and the other one apathy. But apathy is a compound word: a + pathy . Pathy comes from pathos. Pathos comes from peithos, of which the root word is pistis or faith. Paul uses apathy to refer to the Israelites in the wilderness. Now Paul refer to the apathy – lack of feeling or concern because of not believing – of the Israelites to warn the people of his day that they too could fall in the same trap (Hebrews 4:11). This is an ongoing battle going on in our hearts and minds. Ellen White also warns us about it. Ellen White says, “In every soul two powers are struggling earnestly for the victory. Unbelief marshals its forces, led by Satan, to cut us off from the Source of our strength. Faith marshals its forces, led by Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Hour by hour, in the sight of the heavenly universe, the conflict goes forward. This is a hand-to-hand fight, and the great question is, Which shall obtain the mastery? This question each must decide for himself. In this warfare all must take a part, fighting on one side or the other. From the conflict there is no release. . . . We are urged to prepare for this conflict. ‘Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.’ The warning is repeated, ‘Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’” -Ellen G. White, Sons and Daughters of God, p. 328. So, the implication is that those who put on the armor will overcome the wiles of the devil, of which one of the greatest weapons is unbelief. So, to put on the armor then is to be born of God, because they are the ones who overcome the world. And, they do so by faith – by hearing and believing the word of God. The Apostle John says, 1 John 5: 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John 5: 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? So, there is no need for unbelief to be part of our lives. Christ has given us His victory.

Victory Over Evil Forces

Due to extenuating there will be no audio version of the review this week.  For those interested here is the script:

Victory Over Evil Forces

Romans 8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

We read the verse for this week’s lesson and we have to ask ourselves several questions.  One of them is what does Paul means by “in all these things?”  To answer this question we have to go to the context of the passage.  Romans 8 is telling us that because of what Christ has accomplished on the cross Sin no longer has to defeat us.  We are not reading the whole of chapter 8, for lack of space and time. Yes, we will suffer and we will be afflicted.  None of that means that God does not love us.  All is been given for us to succeed as Christians.  We just have to receive it.  Paul seems to be telling us that we have no need to fear or doubt.  God loves us and He is in control.  We just have to trust Him. 

Why would Paul emphasize this? Because, in chapter 7 Paul spoke about how Sin worked internally.  When we are living by faith, Sin is still within us, striving for the mastery and control.  And, this battle continues and intensifies for as long as we live and grow in faith.  It will not stop until we die, or are translated.  So, Paul is saying that Sin attacks us from within and without, and that our greatest struggle is inside; sin after all is iniquity – a bent toward self. Paul is saying that in spite of all that we should never doubt that God loves us.  This is perhaps better said in Romans 8: 35 – 39,

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now, The Word Victory, from the title, means the overcoming of an enemy or antagonist.  So, the one that defeats or overcomes an enemy or opponent is called a victor.  This word victor comes from the Latin word vincere which means to win or to conquer – the word used in verse 37.  What do we conquer? Sin’s mastery over us.  We are no longer captive or enslaved by Sin, whether external or internal, through Christ who loved us.  Here our Victory is tied to God’s love for us.  So, just as His love is certain and constant, so is our victory in Christ. 

Let us read a couple of quoted of Ellen White in this subject,

“Jesus gained the victory through submission and faith in God, and by the apostle He says to us, ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.’ James 4:7, 8. We cannot save ourselves from the tempter’s power; he has conquered humanity, and when we try to stand in our own strength, we shall become a prey to his devices; but ‘the name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.’ Prov. 18:10. Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who finds refuge in that mighty name.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 130, 131.

“The omnipotent power of the Holy Spirit is the defense of every contrite soul. Not one that in penitence and faith has claimed His pro­tection will Christ permit to pass under the enemy’s power. The Saviour is by the side of His tempted and tried ones. With Him there can be no such thing as failure, loss, impossibility, or defeat; we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. When temptations and trials come, do not wait to adjust all the difficulties, but look to Jesus, your helper. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 490, 493.

Now, what about victory over demons?  You will notice that Ellen White does not talk about victory in terms of casting out demons.  Not all victors in the faith will be called to do that.  The fact that we do not follow their prompting is victory in itself.  Casting out demons is powerful and given by God.  However Christ tells the disciples, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Ellen White elaborates on those whose names are written in heaven,

From age to age, all who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon written against their names in the books of Heaven, and in the closing work of Judgment their sins are blotted out, and they themselves are accounted worthy of eternal life.  {Volume 4, Spirit of Prophecy 309}

Included in this list are those mentioned in Hebrews 11 (This list is called “the hall of fame of the faithful.”)  Not one of the names of people mentioned there made the list because demons were subject to them.  They were there because they believed the promise of God, and it was counted to them as righteousness.  Their victory came from believing that God loved them.  And, they died believing the promise that had not been fulfilled.  They died with the hope that one day God would fulfill this promise and they would be there to enjoy it.  They died with the joy and certainty that their names were written in Heaven.  They died with the certainty of God’s love for them.  Do we have this certainty of God’s love for us?  Do we have the victory that is ours in Christ?  

Growing in Christ

An audio overview of the lesson by Raul Diaz.

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Growing in Christ Memory Text: Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15, NKJV). While the title of the lesson is growing in Christ’ the lesson itself seems to deal more with an overarching theme that answers the question what did Christ accomplished at the Cross or with His death. In Thursday Colossians 2: 15 is quoted, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Our lesson states, Christ “spoiled” (KJV) or “disarmed” (NASB, NKJV) the “powers.” The Greek word is apekduomai, which literally means “to strip off one’s clothes.” Here it may mean that the powers were stripped of their weapons. What weapons? “Christ’s life of victory, culminating in Calvary, spelled the doom of the devil. Satan’s disguise was torn away. His methods of operation were laid open before the angels and the entire heavenly universe. He had exposed his true colors. . . . By His cross Jesus Christ stripped from the principalities and powers of darkness both their robe of office and authority as princes of this world, and their armor of strength in their warfare against right.”—The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 205. Ellen White says in Desire of Ages, “Satan saw that his disguise was torn away. His administration was laid open before the unfallen angels and before the heavenly universe. He had revealed himself as a murderer. By shedding the blood of the Son of God, he had uprooted himself from the sympathies of the heavenly beings. Henceforth his work was restricted. Whatever attitude he might assume, he could no longer await the angels as they came from the heavenly courts, and before them accuse Christ’s brethren of being clothed with the garments of blackness and the defilement of sin. The last link of sympathy between Satan and the heavenly world was broken. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 761. So, Christ exposed the Devil as a murderer and liar (john 8: 44). Christ has also exposed the devil as the one behind all the persecution and killing of believers. God says through John the revelator, Revelation 2:10 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, … Also, in Revelation 20: 10 God reveals that those in the lake of fire were deceived by the devil (or allowed themselves to be deceived by him). And, In John 8: 44 God reveals that those that murder and lie are sons of the devil. And, Paul us tells who is the one we really battle. Not men. We read in Ephesians 6: 12, Ephesians 6: 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. The Cross also revealed Sin as a power that enslaves, and keeps us in bondage. John 8: 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. Galatians 4: 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. Paul also talks about sin as a dominating power. We read in Romans, Romans 6: 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, 17 … you were slaves of sin, 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. In verse 23 Paul identifies Sin as the cause of Death: For the wages of sin is death, we could say that this is all bad. But, God did not have Christ die to just show the bad side. Christ came to fix things. We read in the following verses, 1 John 3: 8 … For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Galatians 4:4-5 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Titus 2: 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. In Christ we have eternal life (Romans 6: 23). Verse 6 tells us, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. In Romans 5, Paul writes that, Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. It is Christ ‘s death that reconciles us to God. And, in this fact we should rejoice.