Spiritual Warfare in History

Upon the Holy Scripture, we are going to base our study of the spiritual warfare in the past.  This is a battle between God and Satan, the spiritual and the flesh.  By learning this endless struggle, we can understand better the treachery of the Devil and the Christian way to defend the Truth and to attack evil, darkness, and sin.  The true believers must especially equip themselves with the full armor of God and become valiant Christian soldiers.  The following will be useful to every individual's spiritual cultivation and Bible study.  May the Lord edify us by His Words of life and strengthen us all the more for a victorious life in this world.

The Battle between Satan and Eve

A.     The Offensive Satan

1.        The serpent as the vehicle of Satan's strategy (Gen3:1,cf.Gen 3:14, 15).

2.        Satan's tactic in the offensive:

 a.      Satan makes Eve doubt the words of God (Gen 3:1).

 b.      He changes the word of God (Gen 3:4). God's word that “you shall die" (Gen 2:17) was changed into "you will not die.'

 c.      He lied to Eve (Gen 3:4). He did not speak the truth (Jn 8:44).

 d.      He aroused her lust (Gen 3:5). Satan enticed Eve with the opening of the eyes and to be like God (Gen 3:5, cf.  I Jn 2:16).

B.     Eve Was Defeated

1.        Eve did not insist on the word of God (Gen 3:2, 3, cf. 2:17).

2.        She changed the word of God (Gen 3:3).

3.        She believed in Satan's word (Gen 3:4, 5).

4.        She could not control the flesh (I Jn 2:16).

 a.      The forbidden fruit can be delicious - lust of the flesh (Gen 3:6).

 b.      It delights one's eyes - the lust of the eye (Gen 3:6).

 c.      It makes one wise - the pride of this world (Gen 3:6).

C.     The Consequences of Eve's Defeat

1.        The first parents were cursed by God (Gen 3:16-19).

2.        They were expelled from the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:22-24).

3.        They would have both spiritual and physical death (Gen 2:17, 3:19).

4.        All their offspring would suffer (Rom 5:12-14).

D.     Teaching

1.        We must guard against Satan's change or alteration of the words of God  (2 Cor 11:2-4, Gal 1:6-9).

2.        We must keep and defend the sound pattern of God's words - the teachings of Jesus and the               apostles (2 Tim 1:13-14, Jude 3).

3.        By the Holy Spirit, we must put to death all kinds of lusts and carnal desires (Rom 8:13, Jn 2:16)

II.    The Battle between Cain and Abel

Cain an archetype of the wandering Jew, killed Abel out of jealousy and malice.  On the    surface it appears that Cain defeated Abel, but he was in fact a failure.

A.     Cain, the Failure              

1.        He became Satan's vehicle.  His act reveals the diabolical nature of the Devil. (cf I Jn 3:12,       Jn 8:44).

2.        He did not confess his own sin (Gen 4:3-7). Instead he was jealous of Abel and had hatred (Gen 4:4,5,8).

3.        He killed Abel and wanted to declare himself guiltless (Gen 4:8,9).

B.     Abel Was Acceptable to God.

1.        Everything he did was in faith (Heb 11:4).

2.        He offered the best offering to God (Heb 4:4).

3.        He pleased God in his walks (cf . Gen 4:6 , 7; 1 Jn 3:12)

4.        He was a righteous man (Mt 22:35).

5.        His innocent blood received divine approval (cf Gen 4:10, Heb 12:24).     

C.     Teaching

1.        Never allow sin to rule over you (Rom 6:12, 13)     

2.        He who hates his brother is not of God but of the Devil (I Jn 3:15, 12).             

3.        Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness (I Pet 2:19-21).