The Biblical Teaching on Demonology by Dr. Merrill F. Unger
PART II
T h e p h e n o m e n a observed in the natural world concerning the prevention of physical disease offer instructive and suggestive parallels to the prevention of ills in the spiritual realm. As those who are robust in body may be infested with mil lions of bacilli, and yet enjoy immunity from their mischief, so those whose spiritual health is guarded and kept hale and vigorous will escape any spirit ual liability that the Devil and all the demons may attempt. This does not signify, however, that spir itual robustness exempts its possessor from Satanic and demonic assault and temptation. Rather the opposite is true. Genuine spirituality is ever the target of incessant demonic attack in this world, and it is maintained only through continuous con tact with Christ. In a magnificent passage which fittingly closes the Ephesian letter, containing lofty truth ad dressed to the spiritual man, the Apostle Paul de scribes the warfare of the Spirit-filled believer against the powers of darkness (Eph. 6:10-20). He mentions first what is of primary importance— the believer’s strength for the conflict. “Be strong in the Lord” (v. 10). He does not say “ from the Lord,” but “ in vital union with the Lord.” “ Strong in the position which is ours in Him, just as the hand or the foot has its strength in the body to which it belongs.” As S. D. F. Salmond says, the strengthening is such “as can take effect only in union with Christ.” Realizing we are what we are “ in Christ” (Rom. 6:1-10) and reckoning upon our wondrous posi tion of union (Rom. 6:11) is the ground and the source o f our power over the devil and his hosts. Just as the reckoning in Romans 6:11 is a present tense and must be continuous, so the strengthening in Ephesians 6:10 is a present tense and is to be continuous. H. C. G. Moule thus renders the pas sage: “Strengthen yourselves always in the Lord” ; and he adds “your one possible Sphere and Maga
zine of inexhaustible resource, to be drawn upon by obedient trust.” It is important to note the term “Lord” is employed—His family deity name. He is now our Master (John 13:13) and is coming as Lord over all (Rev. 19:16). Here, then, we are bidden to be strong in our victorious Lord, in Him who gained the victory for us and is coming to complete it in ultimate triumph. The Apostle, after describing the believer’s strength for the conflict, indicates his equipment against the foe-full armor provided by God (6:11- 17). The necessity for the armor is emphasized by a description of the spiritual nature o f the war fare and the power and subtlety o f the foe (6:12). “Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God” (6:13). “Take” not “make” is the divine direction. Pitiable indeed is man’s perennial at tempt to make his own armor. For the nature of the enemy proves how foolhardy this is. God has made the panoply, a perfect product of His re demptive grace. We have only to put it on to “ be able to stand successfully against our foe and hav ing done all, to stand.” “ Stand, therefore!” That is what God asks of the believer. Stand as the victors we are—stand in the victory of Calvary. It is the grand note sounded throughout the Ephesian letter. We are “ in Christ.” We stand victors in Him. Our armor is significantly defensive rather than offensive. God has provided the panoply primarily to protect what is nearest His heart on earth, as His Son is nearest His hearts in heaven—the Church, “which in his [Christ’s] body, the fulness o f him that fill- eth all in all” (Eph. 1:23). The Apostle, having set forth the Christian warrior’s strength and equipment aga inst the enemy, lastly describes the full use o f these re sources—constant prayer in the Spirit (6:8-20). “ Praying always with all prayer and supplication
JANUARY, 1968
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