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  WRESTLING AGAINST POWERS AND PRINCIPALITIES
  by Keith Malcomson
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Summary: This sermon focuses on Ephesians chapter 6, emphasizing the
spiritual warfare that the church faces against powers and
principalities. It highlights the need for the church to be strong in
the Lord, put on the whole armor of God, and stand against the wiles of
the devil. The message delves into the wrestling match the church is
engaged in, not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of
darkness, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness
in high places. It warns against the deceptive strategies and influences
that seek to hinder the church and emphasizes the importance of prayer,
standing on the authority of Christ, and resisting the powers of
darkness.

Topics: "Spiritual Warfare", "The Armor of God"
Scripture References: Ephesians 6:10, Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:12, Matthew 12:25, 2 Corinthians 10:4, James 4:7, Luke 11:34, 1 Timothy 2:1, Luke 10:19

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DESCRIPTION
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This sermon focuses on Ephesians chapter 6, emphasizing the spiritual
warfare that the church faces against powers and principalities. It
highlights the need for the church to be strong in the Lord, put on the
whole armor of God, and stand against the wiles of the devil. The
message delves into the wrestling match the church is engaged in, not
against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of darkness,
rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high
places. It warns against the deceptive strategies and influences that
seek to hinder the church and emphasizes the importance of prayer,
standing on the authority of Christ, and resisting the powers of
darkness.

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CONTENT
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We're turning to Ephesians chapter 6 to our second message on this
series of spiritual warfare. I said this is where we were going last
Sunday morning and we're going to go further next Sunday morning. But
this is our second part and I want you to turn to Ephesians chapter 6
reading from verse 10.

Very important messages here. We don't want to overemphasize the devil.
That isn't our object.

It is very rare I have dealt with the devil and very rare I've said as
much about him as I have in the past month. But I assure you we need to
understand what we're dealing with here. We are in a spiritual warfare,
not natural, but spiritual.

Reading from Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 10. Ephesians chapter 6 and
verse 10. My message this morning.

Wrestling against powers and principalities. Verse 10. Finally, my
brethren, 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. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore, or because of this, 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.

Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth and having on
the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation
of the gospel of peace. Above all, take in the shield of faith wherewith
ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked or the
wicked one and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit,
which is the sword, which is the word of God. Praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints.

And for me, that is the preacher, that utterance may be given unto me
that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel
for which I am an ambassador in bonds and therein that I may speak
boldly as I ought to speak. Let's pray together as we come to this
message here this morning. Father we come Lord God by your grace and
your mercy through the precious name of Jesus Christ being mindful of
the power that is in Jesus' blood being mindful that we are seated with
Christ in heavenly places that you've called us to walk out this
Christian life in the earth in our own individual lives and here this
morning I pray that you'll show us that we are to stand and to stand
steadfast and to be unmovable in this position in Christ on the written
scriptures.

Father I pray that you'd open our minds and our hearts to see the
reality of the spiritual warfare that is against the local church that
the powers of darkness are waged against it but that you have placed us
in the person of Christ greater is he that is in me than he that is in
the world we overcome him by the blood of the lamb and the word of our
testimony my God thank you there is a victory over the evil one not by
our power but by the power of Jesus Christ we give glory to him we give
honor to him and we pray for the opening of our eyes Lord God that we
begin to see what this warfare is for the local church in Jesus mighty
name amen. Saints I'm dealing here in this second message with wrestling
against powers and principalities that statement powers and
principalities takes in an awful lot of the working of the devil and I
want you to see in a very practical real and personal way maybe in a way
you haven't seen it before that we as a local church are wrestling
against powers and principalities this is my message from Ephesians 6
again it says in verse 12 for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but
against and notice there's four things here principalities against
powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against
spiritual wickedness in high places one of the great problems in the
church of our generation and ever every generation is either to
overemphasize the place of satan in this warfare or to under emphasize
it there has to be a balance there is a danger that we see demons behind
every tree every situation we blame the devil I actually believe that
the devil is the most misaccused person by the church in our generation
I believe Christians falsely accuse the devil for things that he isn't
guilty of more than any other individual he's become the scapegoat he
has become the one that we blame for all sin for why things happen and
yet very often that is not true you know the church of our generation
they blame everything from nicotine addiction to lying on a demon spirit
and yet the bible tells me all of these sins of the flesh they are in
the flesh it's not the devil making me do it but it is the flesh it's
not binding satan that you need to do you need to repent you need to go
to the cross and to crucify the flesh if you do that to the flesh the
devil has no room to move I do believe there is a wrong over emphasis
upon satan and his wiles in the church of this generation but at the
exact same time I believe there is an over emphasis the other way a
denial of his working an ignorance of his working an absolute apathy
towards how he operates these two extremes are out of balance with the
scripture since we need to be taught of the word of god we don't want to
emphasize the devil neither do we want to so ignore him that we become a
victim of his wiles of his strategies and through ignorance that we come
under him in any sort of way it says in second corinthians chapter 2 and
11 and this is the apostle paul speaking less satan should get an
advantage of us in other words paul is saying there that you need to be
very careful that satan doesn't gain an advantage over you that he
doesn't stretch into areas of your life that he has got no business
being in that he doesn't overstep the mark in your life it says for we
are not ignorant of his devices in other words if you're ignorant of
satan's devices he can gain advantage of you and so we don't want you to
be ignorant because when you are ignorant in other words when you don't
think about it when you don't understand when you don't know the
biblical teaching of satan's devices against you and against the church
you can actually be so ignorant or lacking an understanding of the bible
that satan gains advantage of you as soon as you know what the bible
says you can draw a line you can say this far no further i am going to
stand and fight in this hour you know it says there that less um he
gains advantage over us through his devices listen carefully that word
device means an intellectually purposed plan in other words when we deal
with the devil we are dealing with a remarkable intellect it means the
devil exercises his mind he is not ignorant he is not without knowledge
he has a mind and intellect and he uses that ancient mind of his to
actually concoct plans and purposes against the local church and against
christians the bible commands you and i be not ignorant of satan's
devices you know what he's talking about there unforgiveness in the
church when there's unforgiveness within believers amongst believers you
know what it says satan is using that to try and gain an advantage i
want to assure you when you realize that unforgiveness can be used by
the devil you suddenly begin to say i don't want it in my heart i don't
want to give any advantage to satan i don't want it in the local church
i don't want any unforgiveness any wrong attitudes in the heart because
as soon as it is the enemy moves in to use that we must recognize and
identify the strategies the plans of the devil and as soon as we
recognize unforgiveness is a thing that can be used in the local church
we're gonna be on our guard we're gonna be very careful it isn't
innocent it's not just something you can have in your heart it is
something the devil can move on since i want to understand the plans the
strategies the devices of satan not by special revelation not through a
dream or a vision or a rhema word of knowledge i want to understand his
devices from the written scriptures and i believe in ephesians 6a a
remarkable revelation of how satan comes against the local church is
written there clearly for us for our learning do you know when this gets
exposed this morning we're going to be on our guard we're going to say i
don't want that in the local church i know how the devil operates you
see we're commanded we're told that we don't wrestle against flesh and
blood but against powers and principalities there is a wrestling against
demon powers it says there in a period of two verses six times that we
are against these powers of darkness six times we are against them if
you don't know your enemy how are you going to be against it if you
can't identify his devices how do you stand against it if his devices
and plans are not exposed if you don't understand this how are you going
to resist how are you going to say no way how are you going to begin to
fight and wrestle you see we're not told that wrestling is an option
it's not something you're commanded to do but as a born again christian
and as a local church we do wrestle you may not have been aware of but
you have been wrestling this church has been wrestling not against flesh
and blood not against men not against circumstance but we have been
wrestling against powers and principalities and can i tell you i am
against them six times the apostle writes what we are against can i ask
you what are you against what are you against do you know what you are
against are you against unforgiveness or do you tolerate unforgiveness
if you're not against it i assure you you're tolerating it paul lays out
here in this wrestling against powers and principalities we are set
against in a certain direction we are against certain things you've got
to be against certain things or you're going to be overcome by powers
and principalities i i i am persuaded here that so much of the church
does not know what it is against it is against men individuals other
people family members and they don't know how to fight but you've got to
realize our battle is not against flesh and blood but against powers and
principalities we've got to know their devices we've got to know how the
enemy operates and then we set ourself against it this is something very
definite very clear very obvious and very precise there's no shadow of
darkness here we've got to be against something do you realize what
you're against reveals a lot about you if you tell me you're not against
anything that reveals an awful lot about you you see i am against some
things i am very against some things i am against what the bible is
against i am against what the enemy is trying to do i am against it i am
opposed to it i resist it i actually stand against it and since there
are some things that i hate i want to tell you do you realize that
unless you hate certain things you don't know how to love if you were to
tell me that you don't hate anything i would have to question you
biblically and spiritually if you don't know how to hate certain things
that go on in the church you don't know how to love the church to the
degree you hate you do love and you can never separate hatred from love
you see i believe one of the greatest men who hated was the lord jesus
christ but no man loved like the lord jesus christ you want a scripture
for it i'll give you a scripture hebrews chapter one and verse nine
listen carefully and this is a prophecy from the old testament
concerning the messiah the lord jesus christ listen carefully thou has
loved righteousness and hated iniquity therefore god even i god has
anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows this was the
lord jesus christ why did god anoint the lord jesus christ why did he
baptize him in the holy ghost why did the power of the holy spirit came
come upon him when he stood in the jordan you know why this was one who
loved righteousness and hated iniquity do you know christ hates certain
things he hates iniquity it's very clear what iniquity is you've got to
know what iniquity is and then you've got to hate iniquity if christ
hated iniquity you've got to hate iniquity if you if he loved
righteousness we have got to love righteousness if there's any confusion
in these concepts we have a problem we have a serious problem you know
christ was anointed with the oil of gladness a man who hates iniquity
will have great joy a man who loves righteousness will have the joy of
the lord upon him i want to tell you the most joy-filled christians i've
met in my entire life they knew what to love and they knew what to hate
it and god anointed them with the oil of gladness they weren't demure
characters but they knew what was dangerous in the body of christ listen
again in revelation chapter 209 and this is christ speaking to the
church there in that chapter it says but this thou has in other words
this is something good about the church what church was this the church
at ephesus the exact same church we're reading about in ephesians
chapter 6 that received that now listen to what he says but this thou
has in other words this is something good i want to encourage you about
that thou hast hated the deeds of the nicolaitans which i also hate when
jesus spoke to the church at ephesus in that written letter when he
spoke to them he says you know what there's something good you're doing
you hate certain deeds certain actions certain doctrines certain ways of
functioning in the church there are the nicolaitans have come into the
church and you know what they do they like to exalt themselves in
authority to abuse the people of god to subdue the people of god and to
bring them into bondage that is the nicolaitan doctrines you know what
jesus said you hate that doctrine you hate their deeds and you know what
you are hating the same thing i hate isn't that amazing that christ is
commending a church for hating certain things for hating the deeds of
certain people the doctrines of certain men in the church he says i
commend you you're hating what i hate i hate their deeds and you're
hating their deeds you see a church is known by what it loves and by
what it hates if you don't hate anything you're a bankrupt christian if
you don't know what you are against then you don't know what this
spiritual warfare is about true spiritual warfare is to understand what
you are set against in the church and outside of the church hear my
message this morning as i come to it and i've got three points for you
here in this message as we look at wrestling powers and principality
point number one the local church's position in jesus christ look with
me here in ephesians 6 and 10 it says finally my brethren this is the
sixth chapter for five previous chapters paul has been teaching them he
comes down to his finally brethren his very final point here but he's
already taught for five chapters what he is about to say now in this
last chapter about spiritual warfare in this letter is only the
conclusion of what he has already said in the five previous chapters do
you know there's three great things that he marks out in this letter to
the ephesians in ephesians chapter one all the way through to chapter
three he looks up sitting with christ in heavenly places that's what he
says he actually teaches on what it means to be seated in christ at the
right hand of the father in other words in a spiritual position that is
a finished position in the work of christ we are chosen in christ we are
redeemed in christ we are blessed in christ that's what he deals with
for three chapters in this letter in jesus christ this is your position
since you're saved this morning you're born again your sins have been
washed away you're forgiven of all of your sins you are a blessed man
and woman that's where he begins you're seated with jesus christ all of
these blessings in christ belong on to you that's where paul starts then
as he comes through to chapter four and chapter five he talks about our
walk how to live out the christian life he talks about walking worthy of
this call in other words you can walk unworthily he talks about your
marriage he talks about how you raised your children he talks about how
you function in the local church he says don't lie to one another don't
lie to one another this is your walk that's the second area but when we
come to ephesians 6 there is a third area not just to be seated in
christ not only to walk out the christian life in a very practical way
but when we come to ephesians 6 we see the word stand sitting walking
standing and this is my point here as we begin to look at spiritual
warfare and wrestling against powers and principalities you are in no
position to wrestle unless you are standing you've got to be sitting in
christ blessed in christ hidden in christ you've got to be walking in
christ walking in the light of his word but also standing what a
marvelous word standing this is and paul uses it here as we look at
spiritual warfare before you ever think of wrestling with the devil
you've got to know that you're standing in jesus christ standing upon
the promises of god weren't we singing it before we came uh into this
preaching here this morning standing on the promises of god what an
amazing thing that that's where i'm standing are you standing on the
promises today i i mean do you know what stan means you're not moving
around you're not trying to get in somewhere you're not just trying to
fight your way in somewhere no paul says you you you're not trying to
fight your way into a place of blessing you're simply standing the
wrestling comes against you now look what he says here be strong in the
lord finally my brethren be strong in the lord and in the power of his
might you're not asked to be strong in yourself you're not asked to be
strong in your own abilities or your own knowledge or your own
spirituality no saints look to the lord jesus christ this is a finally
of outstanding be strong in the lord another word be empowered be
enabled receive the strength of the lord jesus christ inwardly in your
spiritual life if you're going to stand be strong in the lord if you're
going to stand in this battle and play your part be strong in the lord
notice it's in the lord not in you not outside of him you've got to see
that your strength comes from the lord you might tell me i'm very weak i
don't feel i can do this i don't believe i'm able to face this battle
then i would say be strong in the lord it's not your strength it's not
your power but the power of his might it is his strength it is his power
you've got to be strong within it and so the apostle says strong in the
lord listen why the g may be able to stand you know the difference
between a christian who stands and one who doesn't stand in this
wrestling in this warfare is that one has found the strength in the lord
and so he can stand those who do not stand have not found their strength
in and yet they think it's because of them i'm not strong enough i'm not
able enough i'm not spiritual enough it's got nothing to do with that
since the reason you stand in this warfare is because you find your
strength is in the lord that he is your mic that he is your power that
he is your ability that is why you stand show me a christian who's
standing i mean standing through everything and i'll tell you it's not
by their mind it's not by their power but it is by the power of the lord
they've found that he is their strength he is their mind he is their
power they're hiding in him the g may be able to stand stand you're not
fighting your way into the victory you already have the victory you
already have the strength you're not trying to win this fight you
actually stand in a position of the finished work of the cross of the
precious blood of the lamb of the written scriptures of the the full
provision of the lord jesus christ since standing up you actually fight
from a position of victory you fight your way out of a position of
blessing and of his full his provision and it says that you might be
able have the ability to stand against the wiles of the devil now let me
notice uh point something out to you this is my first point the local
church's position in christ do you know ephesians 6 isn't about the
individual christian the armor isn't about the individual christian the
wrestling is not about the individual christian all of the things
mentioned in this chapter are about the local church the church at
ephesus in other words when they are seated they're seated as a church
when they walk they walk as a church when they stand and wrestle against
powers and principalities they're doing that as the church aren't you
glad you're not alone in this battle since let us stand together you
know the old roman armies they stood shoulder to shoulder side by side
all of their shields lifted not just one man with a shield but my shield
beside your shield my shield covering your head or covering your back
you know the roman army when they went into battle some of them lifted
their shields above some of them had their shields in front some of them
had their shields to the left or to the right the apostle paul says
spiritually about the armor of god spiritually on the left and on the
right what was he talking about that we all join together our shield of
faith to stand together since we're in this together in the spiritual
battle you're not alone in this fight you're not wrestling alone but we
as a local church i i want to assure you that the local church has to
find its position in the lord jesus christ we as a church in limerick we
are not fighting from a position of defeat we're not trying to fight our
way into the victory we are standing at calvary it's because of the
blood i'm born again by the grace of god he showed me mercy and forgave
all my sin that's why i'm standing in the battle here this morning and
he actually says there that we might stand against the wiles of the
devil he's talking about the church to stand you know what stand means
i'm on a bit of ground and i'm not for moving you're not going to move
me out of the way you're not going to push me back you're not going to
cast me to the ground my feet are on this position i'm not moving off
this position i'm standing on redemption ground i know what you are able
here this morning as a church i want to encourage you you are able to
stand against the wiles of the devil to stand against it to absolutely
stand what are the wiles of the devil what are these arrows that he
fires the greek word here is methodea where the methodist got their name
from methodea if you're standing in the finished work of the cross you
can stand against the wiles of the devil this word methodea means
methods it's where we get our word method from it means strategies
secretive schemes cleverly hatched plans are tricky strategies it is a
remarkable work you see the devil comes against the local church the
gathering of god's people individually and cooperatively together the
devil actually has methods listen the word methods means cunningly
hatched methods of guile or deception it means well thought out tailor-
made plans the devil doesn't just attack a church he thinks about it
every attack against a local church is well thought out and planned
specifically for that local church the attacks of satan come first from
a plan he thinks about it he plans it he decides it then he attacks the
local church and you know what if we're standing if we're standing
strong in god those wiles of satan will have no effect methodea also
means regularly well used in other words there's nothing new in the
devil's arsenal anything he throws at the church has been used for 6 000
years we have seen it in previous years there's nothing new under the
sun they are regularly well used systematic ways in other words a
pathway regularly used by the devil the devil's plans and attacks are
well thought out chosen carefully their use is carefully timed against
the church they are secretive and deceptive that's what this word
methodea means it means that they come from a supernatural ancient
intelligence and they come against the church since we are not wrestling
against flesh and blood in this local church we never have been for
seven years and we won't be in the future every attack against this
church it is deceptive it comes secretly there is a plan behind it and
you know what if we're not ignorant of satan's devices if we simply
shine the light upon it it is exposed and loses its power we are able to
stand against these things we are able to gain the victory we will
overcome the devil has his methods of coming against the church but you
know what we're commanded to stand verse 13 wherefore take on to you the
whole armor of god that ye may be able to stand next sunday morning i'm
going to deal with the armor of god this is going to be our message but
i want you to see the enemy i want you to see the danger i want you to
see the methods of hell because you know what next week i'm going to
show you how to wear the armor what it means to wear the armor and how
you overcome all the attacks of the devil it says take on to you the
armor of god that you may be able to withstand not only stand that's one
thing but it says to withstand everything that comes against you that
means to oppose to resist you see if the enemy comes against you you
better come against the enemy if the devil is bringing unforgiveness or
something else into the church you better be against that i mean if he
comes against this church we better rise up as one and say we are
against this thing that's the beauty of unity that's the beauty of being
led by the written scriptures of god in verse 13 here it says that
you'll be able to withstand in the evil day that means a hurtful day a
day of decay this is an actual title of a certain period of time every
day every year in church history is not an evil day you see this evil
day is a period that is notorious these are famous days of iniquity when
sin abounds in the world it is a notable day when the devil comes
against the local church when satan is coming to fight and there is a
great wrestling between local churches and the power of darkness it is a
very real thing the spiritual warfare it says in james four and seven
submit yourself there to god resist the devil and he will flee from you
what a promise if i resist the devil he will flee powers and
principalities will have to flee but make sure you submit if you're not
submitted to god to god's word to god's commands how will you resist you
say as you submit to god you are able to resist the devil and he will
flee from you or what about on peter five and nine whom resist steadfast
in the faith how do you resist the devil is it by proclaiming something
it is by steadfastly resisting him on the basis of the faith whom resist
steadfast in the faith not with faith it's not talking about your faith
that you believe but that faith is the body of doctrine what the bible
says when you resist the devil on the basis of the word of god his power
is broken and he's gotta flee he cannot stand before you again in verse
13 and says having done all to stand again it says here in these verses
stand stand and having done all in this warfare just stand some churches
think they're not doing much when they just stand but i want to tell you
it is a supernatural thing for a local church to stand on the word of
god to stand in the victory of christ to be unmoved by the wiles of hell
it is a miraculous thing you know what to stand means i'm going to stay
here enough for moving i'm going to continue i'm going to be established
i'm going to stand straight we don't need churches that are falling on
the floors in this hour we need churches that are standing their ground
unmovable so that's my first point this morning is the local church's
position in jesus christ it is essential and we're going to come back to
this next week our position in jesus christ to gain a victory but i want
to emphasize here this morning and my second point the local church's
enemy in the fight the local church's enemy in the fight i don't want
you just to think of spirits out there somewhere in the heavenlies i
want to bring this fight in very practically that you begin to
understand what it means about wrestling with powers and principalities
the local church's enemy in the fight i want to expose the enemy that
comes against limerick city church and we have four clear points here
under this the local church's enemy in the fight and as i show you
you're going to suddenly see the strategies of satan against the church
of what we are wrestling against it is a hand-to-hand fight for we it
says in verse 12 we wrestle not against flesh and blood but we do
wrestle against powers and principalities our fight is not individuals
in the church or outside the church are sinners in society our fight is
with spiritual powers of darkness the word wrestle means a hand-to-hand
combat it's not a distant fight it is face-to-face hand-to-hand two
sweaty wrestlers that's the picture here two men in a wrestling match in
the city of ephesus when they wrestled do you know how they wrestled
they wrestled to the point where one pushed the other opponent into the
ground and he gouged out his eyes that was wrestling in the first
century that's how they wrestled that man's gonna lose his eyes if he
loses this wrestle match he won't be able to see by the end of it i'll
take your eyes or you'll take the eyes of me it was a wrestling match
that was very intensive and it was whoever could hold that other person
down do you realize the fight against the local church is a wrestling
match against spiritual powers of darkness we see this all through the
bible in the old testament we read of a lying spirit being sent into the
mouth of 400 prophets there were false prophets who prophesied good
things they spoke smooth words and it was all blessing blessing blessing
do you know what the source of that was it was lying spirits demonic
powers that come in amongst those that claim the name of god claim to be
prophets of god and yet an entire spiritual movement in an entire
generation in an entire nation it was a lying spirit and there was only
one prophet stood against them who had the true word of god since i'm
showing you about a very real warfare that goes on or what about king
saul anointed of god chosen by god in a position of authority and yet
the spirit of god could lift off him and another evil spirit would come
upon him that would torment his mind you know in his heart he was angry
he was suspicious there was murder and hatred in his heart that's what
was in saul's heart no wonder the devil came in on that king no wonder
the issues in his heart left him wide open you had a man a king on the
throne throwing a spear at young david do you know what was behind it
the devil was behind it or what about philip the prophet he gave lots of
great prophecies to god's people accurate prophecies and yet we're told
he used necromancy necromancy sorcery that's what he was involved in
when we come over to the new testament we see that satan puts betrayal
in the heart of judas he's an apostle he's walked with christ he's had
his feet washed he's seen the love of christ but you know what as soon
as he's seen it wasn't gonna make him money the devil put betrayal in
the heart of judas right in the heart of that church betrayal in the
heart fired from satan since this is a wrestling match you better know
betrayal as a sin if you don't know betrayal as a sin you're gonna lie
in your heart and i'll destroy you betrayal is unfaithfulness what about
the apostle paul with his thorn in the flesh it was actually a messenger
from satan every time he went to every city there was a demon spirit was
there before him or thereafter him and stirred up trouble in the church
opposition you know where that opposition came from a messenger of satan
paul once writes he said i would have come on to you but satan hindered
me satan hindered me it is very real you see paul even writes about the
local church that satan disguises himself as an angel of light in other
words he comes in the appearance of being an angel of god of being a
spiritual influence for good and yet he comes to deceive do you remember
when jesus even had a rebuke peter said get thee behind me peter get me
behind get thee behind me satan he wasn't dealing with a man peter said
you don't need to go to the cross you don't need to suffer you don't
need to die you know what he just moved away from the message of the
gospel and jesus said i know who is using peter i know that the spirit
of god would never change this message of the way of the cross you know
what he said get thee behind me satan there's a lot of sympathy and
sentiment in the church it comes from hell it comes from the devil it
looks smooth it looks nice and yet it's the devil in it it's against
scripture it's against the cross and it's very dangerous i'm just
showing you in the bible this battle is a wrestling match it comes in
really close or what about ananas and sephara wasn't it the devil who
conceived in their heart to lie to the holy spirit to lie to peter about
selling that money they they did give money but they lied about it we
don't think anything of that now in today's church you know what
happened then they died they died in a church meeting how serious is it
i assure you it is serious the warfare we are involved in let me give
you the four points here and explain them in verse 12 it says we wrestle
against principalities not against flesh and blood but against
principalities this word principality is the greek word archie it means
chief ruler it means a prince or a king in other words the first one
it's where we get the word arch attack it's archie or the word monarch a
king that's where we get this word archie in other words there are
spiritual powers called archies they are the first the highest in
authority they make the decisions they make commands they rule over the
kingdom of satan they are the source of all methods against the church
they are the highest power they are the first and the top and priority
you see we're told and paul teaches here we the local church wrestle
against principalities it's not men and women walking out of the church
it's not false brethren primarily it's not false teachers coming against
the church in behind that are principalities and that's who we are
wrestling against jesus and in the gospel of john talks about satan
himself being a prince or anarchy three times in the gospel of john that
letter of love he warns about the devil you know satan is often exposed
by christ christ many times preaches about the devil exposes the devil
and he warns about the devil we ought to do the same in john 12 31 he
actually says the prince of this world will be cast out who's the prince
of this world it's the devil he is a prince a principality jesus is
saying he's going to be cast out or in john 14 30 it says the prince of
this world he cometh and he has nothing in me there's nothing in my life
that he can get a hold of he is the prince of this world and you know
what this great prince this great leader of the kingdom of darkness he
did come against christ he did tempt him he he come against him with
much provocation in chapter 14 30 it says that he has nothing in me in
chapter 16 and 8 it says because the prince of this world is judged the
holy spirit judges him so we see that satan lucifer is on this higher
echelon of the kingdom of satan he is the archie the highest the command
giver the one who rules over we know that the jews accused jesus of
being bells above the prince of the devils they said you have power to
cast out demons you are of the devil you see the church has often been
accused of being of the devil men who are righteous who are holy who
hate sin and they're accused wrongly jesus was accused of being the
prince of all the powers of hell since this first realm of archie is
what the church has to contend with we don't see them we may never feel
them and yet we are wrestling against the archie the highest powers of
darkness we've already looked at daniel chapter 10 and as we read there
daniel is in prayer for 21 days he is praying and no answer comes he is
fasting and it seems that heaven is silent and yet all the time there is
a spiritual warfare going on daniel's in a warfare and he doesn't know
it's the powers of darkness there is an archie there is a prince of
darkness there is a high authority a principality and you know what that
21 days of fasting and prayer he is wrestling with god he is wrestling
he's not buying the demons he's not rebuking satan he is praying unto
god he has said oh god restore your people again and it seems there's a
resistance when we come to daniel 9 we see what the resistance was the
prince of the kingdom of persia withstood the angel coming with an
answer to prayer daniel was hindered an angel from god who had the
answer was hindered who was the hinder it was the prince of the kingdom
of persia persia was a natural kingdom a real country daniel was there
in that empire at the heart of it and we see this wrestling against
powers and principalities since i'm showing you where the wrestling it
is it is in our prayer life of this church limerick city church do you
realize we are wrestling against principalities they are trying to
hinder our prayers do you hear me this morning do you realize we are in
a vicious battle you know last night i went to prayer i went to prayer i
know i'm wrestling against something 12 o'clock last night i went i
can't go to bed until i get a victory in prayer there is a fight going
on i am wrestling against more than feelings emotions and thoughts of
the mind there is a spiritual warfare and you know what it's only one in
the place of prayer there are spiritual weapons we're not wrestling
against flesh and blood men systems organizations we are wrestling
against principalities you see there was a power of darkness wanted to
affect the kingdom of persia in other words affect its laws its
regulations and there was a great warfare one saint in the city of
babylon wrestling in prayer in the unseen realm the powers of darkness a
principality is trying to stop the prayer but there is a man of god
wrestling in prayer for 21 day saints of god i'm talking about a real
spiritual warfare do you know this church has encountered that you you
may have said i i just don't know why i can get through i am so
discouraged don't you realize there is a warfare behind all opposition
when something isn't natural when some darkness comes on you and it's
not natural i tell you you need to stand there was also a prince of
greecia that was yet going to come in the days ahead since we are seeing
in daniel chapter 10 a real warfare that goes on behind the scenes in
our generation in the church of our generation the church of the 21st
century is wrestling against principalities princes of darkness that are
trying to stop the prayers of the saints and you know what they want to
affect the governments of america and of ireland and of the eu and of
the un don't you know there's spirits of darkness that are coming to
affect legislation and laws and they are against the church and there's
going to be a church that knows how to wrestle face-to-face combat on
our knees in prayer since i am going to war or aren't you going to war
let us as a church go to war on our knees we're not fighting with words
we're not fighting with natural weapons but we are fighting
principalities of darkness it's very real the bible says in 1 timothy 2
and 1 i exhort you that first of all supplications prayers intercessions
and giving of thanks be made for all men for kings and for all that are
in authority that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all
godliness and honesty there is a warfare against principalities it is
very real saints and you know what we need to pray for kings and prime
ministers and presidents and leaders and political parties this is where
we fight since not on your facebook page not in just a demonstration the
church doesn't as a citizen you can do that as a good citizen of any
nation go and demonstrate but not as a church of jesus christ we fight
on our knees we prevail in prayer we are against principalities i know
the devil is affecting nations at this time our entire world is changing
our entire world is going to go in a direction and yet the church
doesn't realize we're wrestling against principalities not men not
systems second of all against powers not only principalities but powers
this word powers is the greek word exousia it means authority those
given some right to rule now i want you to know that exousia is
different than dunamis authority is different than power let me give you
an example there was an official from the irish government came to a
farmer just outside of limerick and he said to him i've got a letter
here from the government and it says i've got authority and he says i've
got authority from the government to say you've got to move that ball
out of the field the farmer looked at it and he said well um i see you
do have the authority now let's see if you have the power to move that
ball out of that field many people claim authority who have no power to
do what they're called to do i'm going to show you there are powers of
darkness that we the church wrestle against they are called exousia they
have authority they have rights to rule they have a legal right to come
against the church and you know what if they're like an army of lawyers
coming against the church they know every loophole they know every
clause they know every commandment and they come against the church the
devil knows the bible a lot better than you i can assure you they know
their legal rights responsibilities how to wield power they are
delegated authorities principalities have given authority to these
powers it is a delegated authority they have been sent they serve their
messengers in this work of darkness do you realize the church is
wrestling against powers against authorities they actually know their
rights they know there's an authority they come waving their authority
since you better know your authority in christ you better know how to
stand you better know how to stand against them and resist them in
cautions 1 and 13 it says concerning christ who hath delivered us the
act of deliverance means he snatched us he dragged us he rescued us from
terrible danger if you see a child run out into the road you grab them
you rescue them that's the word here he delivered us from the powers of
darkness the exousia do you realize when you are saved and born again
you were saved from the authority from the exousia from the legal right
of the power of satan when you were in the world as a sinner the devil
had rights over your life he could accuse you he could resist you he
could lead you but you know what because you're born again you've been
rescued from the authority you know the devil come and tell you you
deserve to be depressed you deserve to be guilty you deserve that i
would come against you you deserve to be defeated in holiness the devil
actually comes no one is legal right you haven't done this you've done
this what sort of voices do you listen to are you listening to the
exousia authorities of the kingdom of satan are they preaching to you
from the bible telling you that they have rights in your life and that
you should tolerate certain things in your family are they arguing you
out of the blessing of heaven in your life you see we've been delivered
from the power of darkness if you're born again washed in the blood that
satan has no more power no authority no legal right you can be like that
old irish farmer saying uh you work away if you can get that bull out of
that field then work away but i assure you you may have a bit of paper
you may threaten me with authority but you've got no power you can't
enforce it do you know where all the power is with the lord jesus christ
i have been delivered out of the kingdom of satan and have been
translated into the kingdom of his dear son what a marvelous thing i've
been translated i come out of under the authority of satan and i'm under
the authority of jesus christ aren't you glad this morning that as we
wrestle we have thoughts the legal lawyers of hell are coming telling
you why you should remain defeated but i rise up and say no i've been
delivered by the lord jesus christ i've been translated the word
translated there means to change your position your place or your
condition the greek word means to transfer from one place to another
place to change your situation to change sides or to change country it
also means to change your citizenship from being under the authority the
influence and the impact of satan's kingdom and now i am a citizen of
heaven you can't be under both authorities you can't be in both kingdoms
i have been translated and made a citizen of the kingdom of heaven one
who has changed countries and who has therefore come under a new entire
system of authority and dominion it is the authority of christ and you
know what he says i gave you authority over all the power of the devil
in fact it's the aorist tense which means it was an immediate transfer
not gradual it happened once your citizenship was changed you you were
translated over it didn't take me months or years in one moment christ
put me under his authority it is a different authority it is his
dominion it is a different kingdom i am wrestling against you know when
the accuser of the brethren comes against you this is who you're dealing
with it's not flesh and blood it's not your own thoughts it's the
accuser of the brethren and you are wrestling authority third of all
says in verse 12 against the rulers of the darkness of this world we are
wrestling against the rulers of the darkness of this world that term
rulers in the greek is aeon it means world rulers or powers in other
words those who exert strength to gain positions of power and authority
it's talking about rulers who desire to dominate seize control those who
want to have the command in the church over the church over your life to
determine to steer this word was often used in the greek world for gods
those with authority those you've got to serve that's how world rulers
are there are demonic spirits that are world rulers that the local
church has to wrestle against they are seeking to gain power to gain
influence to give commands i'm never going to let the devil tell us what
to do as a church there is no way these are world powers you know when i
look at a man in the last century like he was a man who wanted to be a
world ruler hitler wanted to be a world ruler napoleon wanted to be a
world ruler don't you realize there was powers of darkness behind these
men wanting to dominate to control to take over but also the local
church wrestles against rulers of darkness these rulers of darkness want
to exert an influence over the local church it says they're rulers of
darkness that's the word scotus it means to operate in the shade in the
shadow in obscurity i'm talking about the warfare of a local church of
real christians there are there are spirit rulers of darkness and they
want to operate in the realm of deception lies untruth lack of clarity
where there's no light where it's not black and white where the
scripture doesn't draw a line and say this is what the bible says do you
know there's spiritual powers working to bring us into a realm of
darkness in the church it is very shadowy obscure things aren't clear
anymore do you know what you're in a dangerous position if that's where
you are as a christian the bible is light the word of god is truth the
preaching of the word should be clear and you know what you have there
you have the spiritual warfare to bring us into the darkness jesus even
said in matthew 6 he said if your eye be evil your whole body will be
filled with darkness if your eye isn't clear and looking in the right
direction your entire body you know what the eye represents intelligence
the mind if your mind your intelligence is looking in the wrong
direction isn't clear you know what your whole body is filled with
darkness if therefore the light that is in you is darkness how great is
that darkness do you realize your mind if you are not renewed in your
mind by the light of god the word of god you could dwell in a place of
shadow of darkness half light half darkness the absence of clear light
and as you dwell there you you don't know what is right and wrong
anymore it says rulers of the darkness of this world that word world
aeon means the contemporary age i define this as the term culture the
word aeon means an age a period of time the age we live in a specific
period a generation or what we call the contemporary you know every
generation the young people rise up and they grow their hair in a
different way they dress differently they act differently and they think
nobody for 2 000 years every ever done this no every young generation
when they come along say we're the new generation we're the contemporary
generation nobody's ever dressed like us sure all of them are doing it
all of them are doing it you know what that is that is this world it is
the contemporary world paul constantly had to fight against the wisdom
of this world now notice carefully here in corinthians he talks about
the wisdom of this world it looks wise it's the wisdom of the greeks but
it's of this world of this contemporary world and you know what the
bible says here concerning the church that we wrestle against rulers of
the darkness of this world in other words we're wrestling against
spiritual forces that hide in the shadows that try to bring us into the
shadows of deception where nothing is clear where nothing is right or
wrong anymore and you know what that is the mark of this world of this
contemporary generation and paul says the wisdom of the greeks it
sounded wise it sounded right but you know what it was the wisdom of
this world it was the contemporary cutting-edge wisdom of this hour and
generation in the church in the church you know all through the church
of our generation is the wisdom of this world and there's a spiritual
power behind it it is darkness it's not the bible it's the wisdom of man
it comes out of the heart of man it's got nothing to do with the clarity
of god's word so many in the church have moved to the shadows where
nothing is right or wrong nothing is clear it's a place of deception and
they don't realize in the church you you are actually being affected by
powers of darkness and you know what we as a church we need the armor of
light on and we need to wrestle against this i'm not for abiding in the
shadows i'm not for the wisdom of this world you see god's wisdom often
looks foolish or old-fashioned or out of step with the world thank god i
am out of step with this world we may seem out of step with the latest
teachings in the church strategies kindness of great wisdom and yet it's
not biblical you know what it is it is the shadows satan is the god of
this world of aeon the god of this generation of this world culture he
is behind the fashion trends he is behind all of the the media that is
molding our world i want to warn you it's a serious battle we are but he
also gives us a fourth thing here against spiritual wickedness in high
places spiritual wickedness in high places it's the word pornea it means
depravity malice mischief plots are sins it also means any type of
inequity are damaged under someone else evil purposes and desires now
this is the fourth thing so we have principalities we have powers we
then third of all have rulers of darkness of this generation the latest
things that come through you know all the teachings that come through
like a wind of doctrine it's the devil in it paul the apostle writes
about this to ephesians about the winds of doctrine we're also told in
paul's letters about doctrines of demons are teaching demons in other
words devils that teach they get inside the church like jezebel they
begin to prophesy and yet it's a demonic power behind it since we are
wrestling against all these things you may wonder why is it that we're
in a fight why is it as a preacher i'm a fighter i'm not having a
holiday i'm not having a picnic i'm here in this meeting preaching i'm
i'm in a war i'm in a war for souls for some young lady who's caught up
in lesbianism i i'm after a christian that's discouraged this morning i
want to help him and show him it's not a natural fight he's in i i'm
here wrestling for the church of god to come out of the shadows and to
stand in the brilliant light of the authority of scripture we are in a
real intensive warfare but this last one against spiritual wickedness in
high places since this word for spiritual wickedness is used six times
in the new testament twice by christ four times by paul one time in
connection with this spirit that the church wrestles with five of the
other times it said the word wickedness is a sin of the heart of man
it's wickedness in the flesh or that comes out of the heart of man jesus
twice says the wickedness is in the heart of man he says in matthew 22
and 18 jesus perceived their wickedness and said why tempt ye me you
hypocrites you know all the pharisees they come with smooth words asking
questions trying to catch out in doctrine do you know what jesus said he
said there's wickedness behind this you're trying to tempt me and you're
hypocrites i assure you religion stinks to high heaven and jesus will
expose it every time do you know when i see that wickedness in the
church of motives of agendas of arguments i assure you there's a
spiritual power very often behind it jesus also says in luke 11 and the
lord said unto him now do you pharisees may cling the outside of the cup
and the platter but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness
you know what jesus is saying here he's saying you look good on outside
you sound good you're very religious but see inside there's wickedness
what is wickedness it is a sin of the flesh it will do damage to others
it plans it plots it is against but it's hidden within the heart of man
it's evil purposes and desires within the heart you know what paul is
saying as a local church in ephesus you need to wrestle not against
flesh and blood not against people you're in a fight there in that
church i assure you you are wrestling against spiritual wickedness in
high places don't think of high places think of high places when we
think of high places we think it's very high out there somewhere do you
know what the bible shows us about this wickedness it's in the heart of
men it's in the heart of men and when that gets into the church we've
got a problem when that gets into the pulpits of the church there is a
spiritual influence behind it i'm showing you four realms of the enemy
of methodologies since the latest trend going through the church isn't
innocent it's not innocent wickedness in the heart of individuals it's
not innocent false teachers are not innocent the warfare against our
prayers is not innocent it's not just you the darkness that engulfs us
at times there's something behind that and i'm telling you as the church
of jesus christ we are in a real warfare for the for the very hearts of
men praise god i've got more to say here this morning but i want you to
be prepared for what i'm going to deal with next week i want you to be
aware there is a warfare don't underestimate it don't make too much of
the enemy but never underestimate that a lot of the things that come
marching into the church that look like men women individuals that look
like teachers are popular opinions or ideology or wisdom actually has a
power of darkness behind it and you know what the only thing that
reveals it is the word of god i'm not living in the shadows i'm living
in the light i want my whole being to be filled with the word of god
pray with me here this morning father we call on you we realize that we
wrestle not against flesh and blood but against powers and
principalities my god i pray waken us up to realize that we as a church
are right in the midst of the fire we're in a spiritual warfare for
truth and righteousness we want a holy church we want a soul-saving
church we want a missionary church we want to pray in church and father
i know through the preaching of the word and the prayers of the saints
we are involved in this every time i preach there is a warfare every
time we go to prayer there is a warfare every time we gather together we
there's opposition but lord god thank you that we're standing thank you
there's a victory this morning thank you we overcome by the precious
blood of the lamb thank you i'm standing on the word of god i resist the
devil and he must flee from me i overcome by the written scriptures this
morning and lord god thank you there is authority you've given us
authority we're in a new kingdom we have power over all the power of
satan and lord god we are looking to reign and to rule with you when
jesus comes hallelujah hallelujah god bless you here this morning

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Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/mt4MHycgJm8.mp4
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/keith-malcomson/wrestling-against-powers-and-principalities/
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