Jesus’ Defeat of the Powers of Darkness

—Ephesians 4:7–10 (Part 11 of series)

  • Andrew Fountain – July 30, 2023

 
 
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Today: Eph 4:7–10

  • We are right in the middle of Ephesians
  • Right at the transition between:
  • Chapters 1–3: God’s Amazing plans and promises
  • Chapters 4–6: Living this out in our lives

Goal:

That each one of us will have victory over the voice of the enemy in our lives,
and experience the joy that Jesus wants us to have.

Ephesians 4:7–10

Psalm 68

  • Yahweh defeats evil powers, takes residence among his people and gives/receives gifts
  • v.1–17 Past victories over evil
  • v.18   Quoted by Paul in Eph 4:8
  • v.19–36 Future victory over evil and Gentiles saved

Ephesians 1

  1. and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe
    according to the working of the might of his strength
  2. which he worked in Christ
    raising him from the dead
    and seating him at his right hand in the heavenly places
  3. far above every ruler and authority and power and dominion

Ephesians 2

  1. And you were dead in your trespasses and sins
  2. in which you once walked
    according to the system of this world
    according to the ruler of the power of the air
    the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience

Ephesians 4 & 5

  • 4:26. Be angry and do not sin… and give no opportunity to the devil.
  • 5:11. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Ephesians 6

  1. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
  2. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
  3. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
  4. 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 firm.

Jesus’ Defeat of the Powers of Darkness

  1. Intro: Powers of Darkness in Ephesians
  2. The Argument of Col 2:8–23
  3. What is the Basis of the False Judgement?
  4. Who are the accusers and how are we to answer them?

Colossians 2:8–23

The Argument of Col 2:8–23

  • v.8 Don’t be defeated!
    • v.9–10 Christ’s full deity, over powers and authorities
      • v.11–14 Union with Christ in his death and resurrection
    • v.15 Christ’s full victory, over powers and authorities
  • v.16–23 Three specific encouragements coming out of Christ’s victory
    1. v.16 Therefore let no one judge you
    2. v.18 Let no one disqualify you
    3. v.20 Why do you submit to regulations?

Jesus’ Defeat of the Powers of Darkness

  1. Intro: Powers of Darkness in Ephesians
  2. The Argument of Col 2:8–23
  3. What is the Basis of the False Judgement?
  4. Who are the accusers and how are we to answer them?

What is the Basis of the False Judgement?

  1. v.16–17 Related to the Mosaic covenant
  2. v.18–19 Much broader, including “humility” which is always used in a positive sense by Paul except here and v.23.
  3. v.20–23 General list of regulations
    Includes food laws unrelated to the Old Testament.
    Ends with “unsparing treatment of the body”.

Warning A: v.16–17

  1. Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink,
          or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths,
  2. which are a shadow of things to come, but the reality [body] is of Christ.
  • Judaizers who want to return to the Old Testament Law
    • They are a “shadow”, with the reality being Christ.

Warning B: v.18–19

  1. Let no one disqualify you [from the prize],
    ➜insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels,
    ➜taking his stand on [visions] he’s seen,
    ➜puffed up without reason by his fleshly mind,
  2. and not :
    • ➜holding fast to the head,
      ➜from whom all the body, nourished and knit together through the joints and ligaments,
      ➜grows with a growth that is from God.
  • Christ is the head – hold fast to him

Warning C: v.20–23

  1. If you died together with Christ
          from elemental spirits of the world,
    why, as if living in the world,
          do you submit     to regulations, 21”handle not, taste not, touch not,”
  2.       (which all concern things destined to perish with use)
          according to the commandments and teachings of men?
  3. These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom
          in self-imposed religion, self-abasement,
          and unsparing treatment of the body,
    but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
  • Includes food laws unrelated to the Old Testament law.
  • Ends with “unsparing treatment of the body”.
  • Of Human origin and no value

Jesus’ Defeat of the Powers of Darkness

  1. Intro: Powers of Darkness in Ephesians
  2. The Argument of Col 2:8–23
  3. What is the Basis of the False Judgement?
  4. Who are the accusers and how are we to answer them?

Angelic Beings

  • v.10 “and you have been made full in him, who is the head of all power and authority”
  • v.15 “Having stripped powers and authorities”

Powers of Darkness: Principalities Powers in Paul’s Letters

“Finally, the word “ruler” (archon) was also part of the early Christian vocabulary for the satanic. The “prince (archon) of this world” is one of John’s most common expressions for the devil (see John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).…
Nowhere else in the New Testament is Christ’s victory over the powers of darkness given fuller expression than in Colossians 2:15”
Clinton E. Arnold (IVP, 1992)

Revelation 12 —The Accuser of the brethren

  1. …the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.
  • Satan is can only be in one place at once, but he is not alone
  • The lies of the “father of lies” can become embedded in our thinking
  • So when you have these negative inner voices, it does not mean you have a demon

Inner voices

  • You’re a failure
  • You don’t measure up to what you could be
  • Look at that mistake you made—What a loser!
  • You could do a lot better if you worked harder
  • You’re a mess
  • … fill in the blank …

Martin Luther

“I was a good monk, and I kept the rule of my order so strictly that I may say that if ever a monk got to heaven by his monkery it was I. All my brothers in the monastery who knew me will bear me out. If I had kept on any longer, I should have killed myself with vigils, prayers, reading, and other work.”

Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther Roland H. Bainton p.26

Challenge

  • Will you take to heart this command not to live in self-condemnation?
  • Instead point your accusing thoughts to Jesus on the cross: he has lifted off all my failures!

Conclusions

  • All your shortcomings were nailed to the cross
  • Consider all your imperfections as belonging to the old part of you, that died with Christ on the cross.
  • The new essential “you” has no imperfections.
  • Point the accusers to the cross, and shut them up!