Do you remember back on September 11th, 2001 - United Flight 93 - the flight the passengers tried to take back from the terrorists - the plane that went down in Pennsylvania? Do you remember Todd Beamer?

Todd was the passenger that called the phone operator and told her what was happening - asked the operator to pray the Lord’s Prayer with him - then prayed asking Jesus to help him. Todd asked the operator to call his family and tell them that he loved them and then went with the other passengers to take control of the plane.

The following Tuesday Larry King interviewed Lisa - Todd’s wife. Larry asked if Lisa was surprised at anything Todd did.

Lisa said this: “[Todd] would think through decisions before he made them…he would seek wise counsel. I think he sought wise counsel…calling on Jesus and saying the Lord's Prayer and getting his heart right…that was the way he lived his life, based on faith and action…He knew this life was not all there is, and this life was just here to prepare him for his eternity in Heaven with God and with Jesus…people sometimes look at me, I think, and wonder, is she in shock, is she…unrealistic about what the situation is…But, certainly, the faith that I have is like Todd's, and it's helping me understand the bigger picture here and that God's justice will ultimately prevail and that we have more to look forward to than just what we see here around us on Earth.” (1)

Hearing a testimony like that - of Todd and Lisa - or others in recent years - missionaries Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer who spent 3 months as prisoners of the Taliban - or accounts we hear of our brothers and sisters in Jesus who are living and dying for Him around the world today. When we hear testimonies of someone’s faith being lived out powerfully under difficult circumstances - it inspires us. We wonder, could we live like that? With that amount of God’s strength in our lives?

Merced is our own little corner of the world. With its violence - gangs - ethnic issues - unemployment - declining morality. We’re called to live for Jesus here. In the midst of what’s around us we face deeper issues in our own lives and families - issues that we personally struggle with. How can we find balance and confidence and strength to live each day - to live victorious and overcoming lives - even testifying of God’s life within us?

God desires to empower us and strengthen us to live lives of victory in Him. That’s what we’re going to be looking here in Ephesians. How we can live life in God’s strength. If you’re with me at Ephesians 6 - look with me beginning at verse 10 - going through verse 12.

Ephesians 6:10-12: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

There are two major truths here we need to understand.

First, Paul begins: “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” We need to be strong in God’s strength - His strength - not ours.

After Moses died - God spoke to Joshua - choosing Joshua as the new leader for the Hebrew nation. In the Book of Joshua, chapter one, God tells Joshua - and the Hebrews - that they should be strong and courageous - the land in front of them - the Promised Land of Canaan - is theirs. It’s a done deal. God is going to give it to them. All they need to do is trust God and move forward obeying His commands.

In Joshua, chapters 3 to 5, there’s a record - a courage building - faith strengthening - inspirational recounting of how God has delivered His people from Egypt - brought them through the Red Sea - provided for them through 40 years of wandering in the desert. Then - as a sign of God’s promises to His people - the covenant between God and His people - the men are circumcised. All of this to remind the people - on the eve of entering the Promised Land - to remind them of God’s presence and power and the importance of obeying Him. God saying, “Trust Me. Move forward in My strength.”

The first battle is at Jericho. Do you remember this? Jericho - the major fortified city in the region. A major powerful military opponent. How did God tell the people to conquer the city? For six days take the army and 7 priests with rams horns and walk around the city - once each day - in silence. On the seventh day - everybody gets to march - walk around the city 7 times and then the priest get to blow the horns and the people are going to shout. (Joshua 6)

We know what happens. Everyone knows the ending. There’s even a VeggieTales video. The wall falls and God’s people are victorious. Since we know what happened this doesn’t seem all that strange. But, imagine looking at the walls of Jericho for the first time and hearing God say, “Trust Me. Move forward in My strength.”

We know the feeling. With all they knew about God - all that God had done for them - and yet, looking at those walls - the walls we face in our own lives - and wondering if they really got the instructions right. How can we trust God?

This is hard for us. We wrestle with our natural inclinations. We find ourselves struggling through things - focused on our own issues - our ideas - our fears - our depression - all the things happening around us and to us - often in anger and bitterness and weakness - struggling to respond with our wisdom - to somehow muddle through with our own shear determination - struggling as God never intends for His children to struggle. And yet, we know if we’re trusting in our own wisdom and understanding and ability - even just a little bit - we’re just that much weaker. That much more open to discouragement - defeat - disaster.

Over and over in Scripture God shows us something better. Like before the walls of Jericho - over and over we see God doing things God’s way - God saying, “Trust Me. Move forward in My strength.”

Moses - a man with trouble speaking - standing with a stick in the court of Pharaoh and the most powerful nation on earth is brought to its knees. Gideon - the timid and fearful - Gideon with 300 men armed with only trumpets, clay pots, and torches - routing a combined Midian and Amalekite army so large they’re described as locusts covering the valley. On and on it goes - account after account - life after life. Even to the cross and God Himself dying through the actions of those He came to save.

God trying to get His point across so we’ll hear it and trust Him. Victory coming as God’s people learn to trust God and follow His direction - even if it doesn’t make sense to us - learning to follow God’s direction for our lives. If we’re to live in God’s strength then when God says, “Trust Me” we need to trust Him - to put our entire lives into His hands. Same God. Same strength. Same victory.

First truth: His strength - not ours. Trust Him. Say that together. “His Strength - not ours. Trust Him.”

Second truth. Paul writes, Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. We need to be strong in God’s strength because only in Him are we victorious.

The armor of God is how we live trusting God. In coming Sundays we’re going to look at the Armor of God. Paul is going to come back to the Armor in more detail in verse 13. But, this morning we want to stay focused on the two main truths in 10 to 12.

Why we need this armor - the urgency of living trusting God - being strong in His might. Paul writes in verse 11 - we need God’s strength - His armor - so that we will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Two years ago the United States declared war on terrorists. Speaking at the prayer service at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., President Bush said this, “Our responsibility to history is already clear - to answer these attacks and rid the world of evil.” (2) The evil President Bush spoke of deals with the actions of terrorists and governments. But there’s an evil that runs deeper.

For all the centuries of human history - leaders of nations - peoples - have cried out, “Why can’t we solve the basic problems of human kind? Why can’t we change human nature? Why is it that each generation seems to struggle - to fight - the battles of the previous generation?”

Billy Graham - writing in this month’s Decision Magazine - Billy Graham writes this: “We live in a world of unending conflict. U.S. troops and their allies are in the midst of daily conflict in Iraq even though major combat operations ended May 1. But this is only one of the many kinds of conflict in the world today. Lawlessness is in conflict with the lawful. Intrigue and dishonesty are in conflict with truth and honesty. Intolerance is at odds with tolerance and human understanding. Lust and pleasure are in conflict with propriety and purity. Godlessness is at odds with righteousness. Disorder is at war with decency and order. As long as sin exists conflict will continue to rage.” (3)

In Luke 8, there’s a record of a time Jesus and His disciples came to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. When they got out of the boat they were met by a man who was possessed by demons. This man - because he was so violent - this man had been chained up and kept under guard. Yet, time and time again with the strength coming from the demons he’d broken free and ran away. Controlled by the demons he lived in the local cemetery and ran around naked.

When Jesus arrives this tormented - pitiful - man comes - falling at Jesus’ feet. He screams out, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.”

Jesus asks, “What is your name?” The man - under the control of the demons - the man said, “Legion” - because there were so many demons possessing him. (Luke 8:26-39)

I read in an evangelical church publication - an article where the writer gave an interpretation of this scene that implied that this man was not possessed of demons but he was physically sick. (4) There are some people don’t believe that Satan is a real being and that his demons are working evil in this world. Some people would rather just avoid the topic all together. Some think that discussing Satan and demons is only something that wacko “charismaniacs” do.

To believe that is to miss the teaching of Jesus and Scripture that explains the struggle we’re all engaged in and the strength and victory that’s ours in Jesus Christ.

A few years ago I read of a story that Billy Graham tells when he hears this idea that Satan doesn’t exist. It’s a story about a boxer who was in a boxing match and was being badly beaten. Battered and bruised, he leaned over the ropes and said to his trainer, “Please throw in the towel! This guy is killing me!” The trainer said, “Oh no, he’s not. He’s not even hitting you. He hasn’t laid a glove on you!” And the boxer said, “Well then, I wish you’d watch that referee - somebody is sure hitting me!” (5)

In 1 Peter 5:8, the Apostle Peter writes, “Your adversary - Satan - prowls around like a roaring lion, - scheming - plotting - deceiving - seeking someone to devour.” Behind the scenes of life is Satan who is looking for people he can get to - to place under his power - to ruin - to destroy - a malicious enemy who is looking for any opportunity to lead us away from God and to destruction.

Paul - here in verse 12 - puts the supernatural and our struggles into perspective: our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

The demonic army arrayed against us is powerful. It has authority. Its wicked. Its cunning. It seeks to distort truth and lead us into darkness. Only the strength - the power - of God can deliver us from the power and cunning of Satan and his legions.

His strength. His victory. Trust Him. Say that together, “His strength. His victory. Trust Him.”

Thinking this through for us today. There are two thoughts of application I’d like to share. Two questions for us to ask ourselves.

First: Against which enemy are you struggling?

One of the great tactics of deception that Satan uses is to get us to buy into the idea that our struggle is against people or even ourselves and not him - to forget him and attack each other. To see our husbands and wives and parents and siblings and co-workers and our brothers and sisters in Jesus and those who don’t yet know Him - to see them as the enemy. Satan loves for us to feel bad about ourselves - to lead us into depression - to forget the value and worth and dignity and forgiveness that God - through Jesus Christ - has blessed each one of us with.

To get us so caught up in activity and circumstances and problems - to forget that there’s a spiritual battle going on. As a church - to get us distracted by budgets and buildings and attendance and the stuff of ministry and loose sight of the spiritual battle - even to struggle against each other for these things and not against Satan.

What we should be focused on - together - is to encourage each other to grow closer to Jesus - to be built up in Jesus Christ and our oneness in Him. To be in prayer together pleading for each other and the community around us - for His protection and the moving of the Holy Spirit. To encourage the teaching and study and application of God’s word - so that we can draw closer together in service and love and cooperation. To share our faith with others to encourage them to trust in Jesus as their Savior and to mature spiritually with Him as their Lord.

Turn to person next to you and tell them, “You’re not the enemy. And, neither am I.”

Second application question: In whose strength are you struggling?

The Apostle Paul had a tremendous ministry in Ephesus. In Acts 19 we read that God was doing extraordinary miracles through Paul. Through the miracles God was telling the people that Paul was His man - His spokesperson - to tell them about Jesus and His Gospel. In the name of Jesus people were healed of diseases. Demons were being cast out. Satan was on the run.

Some Jewish exorcists - seven sons of the local high priest - were traveling around from town to town casting out demons. They saw what Paul was doing in the name of Jesus. So, they thought they’d try it too. They came to a demon possessed man and said, “I command you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!”

The demon replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul. But who are you?” The demon possessed man jumped on them - attacked them and started violently beating them up - so that they had to run for their lives. (Acts 19:11-16)

On the cross Jesus died for each of us - taking our sins on Himself - paying the penalty for our disobedience against God. When Jesus rose from death - He brought victory over Satan and sin and death and the powers and forces of spiritual darkness. That’s one reason why Jesus’ name is so powerful. It caries with it the authority of the One who is victorious over all of the evil around us in this world.

We have a choice. We can try to imitate God’s strength - trying to live the Christian life - struggling along trying to work all of this out on our own. Or, we can trust in what Jesus has already done for us on the cross and with the empty tomb. That’s the beginning of living life in God’s strength.

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1. CNN, Larry King Live Transcript, 09.18.01
2. CNN Transcript, President Bush, Washington National Cathedral, 09.14.01
3. Billy Graham, Decision Magazine, October 2003
4. Rev. Dr. Peter Doghramji, AEUNA Forum, September 2001
5. Ray Stedman, from the sermon “The Forces We Face”