The battle is on

Sermon notes from Sunday 8 September 2019 pm

2 Corinthians 4 verses 1 – 18

The apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4 is putting up an official argument and he wants to bring some facts across.  Perhaps there are critics asking why if this gospel is so powerful then there are so few believers?  In verse 4 Paul speaks of the enemy of our souls – “the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.”  2 Corinthians 2 verse 11 “less Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices.”  This is why so many can come into meetings, sing the hymns, listen to the word of God yet turn their back on it.  Why? Because the god of this world has blinded their minds.  The battle is on.  There are people standing to preach the gospel that others might be drawn to Christ and be saved but there is a tremendous power tonight to take them away from the gospel.

The authority Satan has.  The sad and most dangerous thing is that many are blinded and deny the existence of the devil.  Many deny there is a “devil walking about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.”  Many will even deny there is a Satan.  Paul the great theologian, a deep spiritual man has no doubt that the god of this world.  He has not been created but has usurped his authority.  The God of heaven made man, breathed into him, took a rib from that man and made a woman.  God gave him authority that day.  Then we see the devil coming into the garden and he usurped the authority of man.  “As by one man sin entered into the world”.  Have you ever wondered why you are a sinner?  You have inherited it from Adam and Eve who broke God’s laws at the very beginning.  We are each born in sin no matter how good living we are.  Sinners in the eyes of God fallen short in measure.  God had to take his own beloved son and sent him into the world, mistreated and abused, placed on a cross, suffering and dying.  He did it because he loved you.  On that cross he cried “it is finished”.  It is finished for you tonight.  Will you come and accept what he has done for you?  Will you surrender to him tonight?  Was there a day in your experience when you came as a sinner to the cross?  Recognised that Christ has done this for you?  Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?  The devil usurped the authority in the Garden of Eden.  Revelation 12 verse 4 when the devil rebelled his seat in heaven he was cast out and he took a third of the angels with him.  Such was his authority.  This is the one we are speaking of – blinds the eyes of them that believe not.  A limited authority but a deadly authority.  Christ is the ultimate authority over all his creation.  Remember when Satan entered into the presence of God and discussed Job.  We see this rich man turned away from evil, loved God with all his heart, lived for him alone.  Satan came into the presence of God, tried to destroy him and bring him down.  If I could only get at him for a few minutes he will curse you.  He is only serving you because you have blessed him so much.  God gave him permission to tempt Job.  “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7 verse 14)  In Zechariah 3 verse 1 we have a picture of Joshua the High Priest standing before the angel of the Lord with Satan at his right arm to resist him.  When the message of God’s love is going forth, Satan is there to resist.  That is your dilemma tonight.  Blinded to the things of God, to his grace, mercy and sacrifice.

Paul speaks of Satan’s activity.  Satan is not idle.  He is very active.  His authority on earth is growing short.  Revelation 12 verse 12 “woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”  Satan has a limited authority.  His days are numbered in earth.  He knows the gospel can change your life so dramatically, make you a new creature in Christ.  The gospel message will change lives if we believe.  He will continue to oppose the preaching of the gospel, stirring up those to oppose him.  To the Thessalonians Paul tried to return to them.  “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.”  Satan had the barriers up as the Holy Spirit begins to deal with them, bring conviction, show them the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary for their sins.  The young man who came to Jesus one day and asked “what must I do to inherit eternal life.”  Satan knew how to hinder him, put his fingers on the riches the young man had, couldn’t go through with God as a result.  God is putting a finger on your life but Satan is hindering you, pointing something in your life that is stopping you.  Acts 26 King Agrippa was a proud man, came to Jerusalem with great pomp.  Imagine the streets lined with people acknowledging this man coming into their presence.  Satan used the very pride he had.  Paul spoke to him of his great need of salvation.  Agrippa told him “almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”  Are you going to go out and tell people that you surrendered to the voice of this pride?  Maybe it is not pride tonight, but what is it?  In Ephesus Paul came preaching the gospel, souls were getting saved.  Satan was up in arms, a riot took place in that city.  Diana was celebrated in that city.  The whole city came out for 2 hours and cried “great is the goddess Diana.”  The devil knew how to hinder.  You can be very religious tonight.  The devil will not mind your religiousity coming into the gospel meeting, reading your bible, living the best life you can, make your way to the cross and he will hinder, put up barriers for you the whole way.

Paul speaks of Satan’s ability.  Ephesians 2 man’s natural estate is “dead in trespasses walking according to the prince of the power of the air.”  What a battlefield the mind is.  Romans 12 verse 1 “be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed.”  Remember when he used the word of God against Jesus himself in the wilderness, time and time again equated scripture to Jesus.  He has that ability even today.  Perhaps there is an argument going on, failure to understand scriptures.  Like the sower the ground was hard, the birds came down and gathered up the seed.  Just like Satan does to the word of God in your heart.  Tells you you are too old or too young to be saved, too bad to be saved.    You don’t have to understand the scriptures tonight to be saved but understand Christ loved you and died for you. 

Paul gives the answer.  “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them.” (2 Corinthians 4 verse 4)  You need to allow God’s light to shine in all your life.  His ability is to keep you blinded.  2 Corinthians 2 verse 15.  A light shows up every corner.  The Lord wants you to confess the sin in your heart, the state you are in, repent, believe and trust and be saved.  Would you allow him?

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