Pastoral Ministry And Spiritual Warfare

So Paul says in verse 12 of Ephesians 6, he says,

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. For the last several months, We've been

considering spiritual warfare, the reality of

this warfare, this battle, what it is and what

it means and how it has implications in the life

of believers. Tonight, as we consider this again,

we're going to consider it with relation to pastoral

ministry. or with regards to ministers and pastors.

So we've just finished up a year -long pastoral

ministry cohort, and two brothers have preached

throughout the day. And so it's especially relevant

at this time, not just because they're present,

but also because there's several present who

are ministers of the gospel. There are several

present who do proclaim the truth of the Scripture,

and it's good for the people of God, not just

ministers, to hear about the relationship between

spiritual warfare and pastoral ministry, or the

minister. So we think about Paul's words in verse

12, for our struggle. is not against flesh and

blood, but against rulers and against the powers.

He's obviously including the Ephesians in this,

and himself and his co -laborers and his fellow

workers. He's including everybody he's writing

to in this. He's describing the Christian life

as warfare, as a battle. But he has to be including

himself. As a minister. Also. He has to be including

himself. And his ministry. As well. So tonight.

I want to put forth. This thesis in a sense.

That if. Christian life is warfare. If. It is

warfare for all Christians everywhere to live

the Christian life and to be faithful in this

world that they have to stand firm and resist

the devil. Then my thesis is this, and this is

what I want to show and support tonight, that

it is especially warfare for the minister, for

the pastor, for those who preach the gospel,

to do so faithfully in this world. That there

is a unique and distinct relationship between

the schemes of the devil and the faithfulness

of a ministry that a pastor carries out. There's

an intimate connection between the two. And the

two are related to each other intimately. So

much so that when we think about the pastoral

ministry and preaching and praying and ministering

and shepherding, we have to think about this

warfare as well. Now, I want to do this in three

different ways. First, we're going to consider

that ministers serve. In the days of spiritual

warfare. We're also going to consider. That ministers

serve as those distinctly qualified. Because

of this warfare. And lastly we'll consider that

ministers serve. Those who are subject to the

wiles of the devil. Just as they themselves.

Are subject to. The schemes and the wiles of

the devil. The warfare of the devil and his horrors.

These dark forces that are unseen. So turn with

me to the book of 1 Timothy. We'll consider first.

We must consider. That we minister in. The days

of spiritual warfare. In 1 Timothy chapter 4

1 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

we read these words. But the Spirit explicitly

says. That in latter times. Some will fall away

from the faith. Paying attention to deceitful

spirits. And doctrines of demons. By means of

the hypocrisy of liars. Seared in their own conscience.

a branding iron. Men who forbid marriage and

advocate abstaining from foods which God has

created to be gratefully shared in by those who

believe and know the truth. Notice in this text

that Paul is telling, he's teaching Timothy,

that the context in which you minister, the context

in which you pastor, is one of warfare. It is

one of demonic opposition. What does he say?

Paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines

of demons. Now, Paul also says in 2 Corinthians

4 .4, he calls the devil the god of this world

or the god of this age. Meaning, the context

in which ministers serve today between the work

of Christ and the return of Christ is unique.

Because the devil is actively at work in this

day, in this age, affirming and reaffirming men

in their unbelief. Seeking to bring condemnation

upon the church of... The distinct characteristic

of this age, outside of the church and a part

of the church at times, is false teaching and

error. Now why is false teaching and error and

half -truths and bad theology so prevalent today,

brothers and sisters? Why do these things run

rampant on evangelicalism? Why do these things

run rampant in churches in southeast Illinois,

in Indiana, in Missouri? Is it because men, in

their carnality, in their flesh, want to be pleasing

to their people and they don't want opposition?

Yes. But there's something deeper than that.

These false doctrines, these false truths are

being produced and published. They're finding

their source in something unseen. Something that

the eye doesn't observe. Demons. Deceitful spirits.

As long as the minister serves before the return

of the Lord Jesus Christ. You will serve in the

last days. And that means that the context of

your ministry will be that of warfare, brothers

and sisters. That means that the church will

exist in a state of warfare, brothers and sisters.

Now we think about how the devil worked preeminently

before the coming of Christ. Think about how

he worked and where he expended the majority

of his energy, where he aimed his focus. Well,

the offspring of the serpent, ever since Genesis

3, was working to thwart and stop and bring cessation

to the seed or the offspring of the woman. We

think about all the slaughters that took place

throughout the Old Covenant. Why did Pharaoh

kill so many babies? Why do we find that some

of the wicked kings in the nation of Israel tore

open the wombs of women because they were offspring

of the serpent? Why do we find that Herod, Slaughtered

children. It's because there were dark forces

at work behind these wicked men to cease, to

bring a stop or a halt to the seed of the woman.

Trying to stop the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But now that Christ has died, now that Christ

has gone to the cross, And suffered on behalf

of sinners. And now that he has risen and conquered

the grave. And he's been exalted above every

authority and every power. Whether it be earthly

or angelic. Where is the focus of the devil's

energy? Where does he aim his work at? Distorting

the truth. Concerning those realities. Twisting

and perverting the gospel. Producing erroneous

and false teachings. To sway and blind the minds

and the eyes of men. So this is the context in

which ministers today will serve. That is regardless

of whether or not we want that to be the case

or not. Whether or not I like it, whether or

not I want it to be the case, there is warfare

with regards to the ministry that God has entrusted

to me and my fellow pastors. That means that

we have to gird our minds and not be ignorant

of the schemes of the devil, as does every single

minister that serves in this unique context prior

to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. This

is a struggle that every minister is involved

in. whether they want to be or not. Now we also

see that we must consider that we minister as

those who are distinctly qualified because of

this warfare. If we look at 1 Timothy 3, specifically

in verses 6 -7, when Paul is giving the qualifications

for pastors and elders, In the life of the church.

He has. The devil in mind. When he gives the

qualifications. For ministers. Who are to be

overseers of the church. Who are to teach and

preach. Who are to serve the people of God. He

has. The accuser of the brethren. In the forefront

of his thinking. Brothers and sisters. In verses

6 and 7 we read these words. And not a new convert,

so that he will not become conceited and fall

into the condemnation incurred by the devil.

And he must have a good reputation with those

outside the church, so that he will not fall

into reproach and the snare of the devil. There's

two dangers that Paul has in mind as he's putting

forth the qualifications for pastor elders. The

first danger and the first reason that he has

these qualifications is because the minister

may potentially partake and fall into the same

condemnation that the devil himself experienced.

Now, the Bible is somewhat quiet with regards

to the fall of the serpent. Now, there are different

theories, and I would tend to agree with Johnson

Edwards, who has the most elaborate, and I think

clear, description of why and how the devil fell.

So we think about the fact that the covenant

of redemption takes place. There's this transaction

that takes place before creation comes into the

world. Before man is created, before angels are

created, before the spiritual realm is created,

God within himself as a triune being covenants.

that Christ will take on flesh, that he will

dwell among men, that he will redeem sinners,

that he will rise from the dead, and that he

will be exalted above all creation. So this takes

place before creation of any sort, time, or history.

But we know from the book of Job that angels

were rejoicing when God created the world. So

angels, pre -exist the creation of man and humanity.

So the theory goes like this. God covenants among

himself, or he has this agreement among the Godhead,

the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, regarding

the gospel, knowing that men would fall. They

create the spiritual realm, or the Lord creates

the spiritual realm, creates angels, and what

does the Lord do? He proclaims the gospel to

the angelic beings, to the angelic hosts. He

proclaims the reality that the Son is going to

take on flesh to redeem these lost sinners, these

people that would fall. But then the Son, who

would become a man, would be exalted above every

single creature. Now, among the angelic hosts

was one angel in particular, the Son of the Morning

Star, who is said to have more grandeur, more

excellence, more knowledge, and more glory than

any other creature. Lucifer. The devil. Now,

what's the devil's problem with the Lord's proclamation

of that pre -creation gospel? The devil's problem

is that he, this exalted being, would have to

submit to a man in the flesh, the Lord Jesus

Christ. Thus, we find the corruption of the devil,

and we find that he tempts Adam trying to thwart

the plan of God, and we see that he falls into

this grievous condemnation. Why? Because of the

pride and arrogance of his heart, he becomes

puffed up and conceited. So when Paul says in

1 Timothy 3, and not a new convert so that he

will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation

incurred by the devil, he means you have to be

a settled man of God. You have to have maturity

under your belt so that the pastorate doesn't

go to your head, and you get a big head, you

get puffed up, you get conceited and arrogant,

and you fall, and you take part in the same exact

condemnation of the devil. So he has the devil

and his fall in mind as he's giving these qualifications.

But there's another danger, and that is the danger

of the devil's snare. We see this in verse 7,

where he says, he will not fall into the reproach

and the snare of the devil. Paul knows that the

devil exploits the weaknesses and the holes in

the life and ministry of pastors. He knows their

life. He knows what's taking place in their ministry.

He knows their habits. He knows their routines.

Verse 7 presupposes that the devil has a working

knowledge of the life of the minister. He's not

omniscient. But listen, he's an old being. That

has accumulated a great deal of knowledge. And

he has a great deal of insight. Much more than

I will ever have. And much more than you will

ever possess. So the devil knows the life of

the minister. And Paul knows that he will exploit

every single hole in the minister's armor. There

is the distinct danger that the minister will

fall into disrepute and bring shame and disgrace

to Christ's church and to Christ's name. Why?

Because of warfare. Because the devil will tempt

and the devil will lay a snare. To allure and

to play on the holes in the minister's life.

This is why Paul says that the minister must

be above reproach. Later on, Paul says this in

1 Timothy 4. And we know why. Based on what he

has been saying. We read this in verses 6 -8.

And pointing out these things. To the brethren,

you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly

nourished on the words of the faith. And of sound

doctrine, which you have been following. But

I have nothing to do with worldly fables fit

for old women. On the other hand, discipline

yourself for the purpose of godliness. For bodily

discipline is only of little profit, but godliness

is profitable for all things, since it holds

promise. for the present life, and also for the

life to come. He says a little bit later in verses

15 -16, Take pains with these things. Be absorbed

in them, so that your progress will be evident

to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to

your teaching. Persevere in these things, for

as you do this, you will ensure salvation both

for yourself and for those who hear you. We hear

that, and we have to think of that in light of

what he's been saying about the devil. There's

good reason that Paul says, be absorbed in these

things. Give yourselves to these things. Discipline

yourself in these ways, because there is an enemy

that hates you. There is a very real spiritual

enemy that is out to get every single faithful

minister of the word of God. Because the devil

knows that if you can bring down the pastor,

bring down the minister, you can bring great

disrepute and great disgrace on the name of Christ.

And you take that and you multiply it because

of social media. Have we seen this take place

in our day and our age, brothers and sisters?

We have examples, modern day examples of men

who have been caught in the trap of Satan. And

it's been plastered all over the world to see.

This is why Paul exhorts Timothy in this way.

Because he doesn't want this to be true of Timothy.

He wants Timothy to have a faithful ministry

that honors the Lord, one that is above reproach.

One that the Lord blesses and one that the Lord

uses, not just for a few years, but for the long

haul, brothers and sisters. With a long view.

We have to consider that we minister as those

who are distinctly and there's a reason for that.

But we have to also consider that the pastor

ministers to those who are also subject to the

attacks of Satan. Now, this is important, I believe,

because it informs The pastor ought to inform

the pastor and the minister with regards to their

character, their conduct, and the manner in which

they conduct their ministries. We know the struggles

that come because of spiritual attack. The minister

knows temptation and the trials of heart. the

great struggle and battle within yourself. The

minister of all people ought to know the fickleness

of the human heart and its ability to be allured

and to be drawn outside of itself to a place

where it's nearly disgusted because of the things

that have taken place inside of it. We know the

trial. We know the temptation. We know the onslaught

of the devil. So that ought to inform us with

regards to patience and kindness and the treatment

of those to whom we minister when they are experiencing

the same. The devil actively tempts those who

are in. The church. Not just the pastors. But

everybody in here. Who is a professing believer.

The devil is out to get you. If you are in a

saving union. With the Lord Jesus Christ. You

in the pew. Have an enemy. That hates you. That

despises you. That wants to bring disrepute.

And condemnation. Into your life. And shame on

the name of Jesus Christ. And he knows your life.

He knows your habits. He knows your routines.

He knows your habits on the computer. He knows

your habits with your relationships. He knows

your friendships. He knows your speech. He knows

who's watching and who's not. called the schemes

of the devil for a reason. There's method. There's

strategy. He knows when and how to lay the trap.

So he's not just out to get the pastor or the

pastors, but he's out to get those who are faithful

in the pew to bring condemnation. on the glorious

name of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we were to

look at 1 Timothy 5, verses 11 through 16, we

1 Timothy 5:11–16

would see this very thing takes place in the

life of widows. In 1 Timothy 5, we won't read

all of it. We read these words. In verse 14,

Therefore I want younger widows to get married.

Bear children, keep house, and give the enemy

no occasion for reproach. For some have already

turned aside to follow Satan. Who's tempting

the widows? Who's out to get the women who have

lost their husbands? Who's working in the life

of the women of the church who have just gone

through a traumatic loss in their life? The devil.

He wants to bring disreproach on Christ through

the pew. Not just through the pulpit, brothers

and sisters. The devil actively tempts and allures

the members of a Christian church. Not just head

down, but the whole thing. Because he hates all

of God's children who love the Lord Jesus Christ.

The devil acts in opposition to Christ through

unbelievers who are in the church. We read this

in 2 Timothy chapter 2. We read this in verses

2 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

25 and 26. With gentleness correcting those who

are in opposition. This is Paul speaking to Timothy.

With gentleness correcting those who are in opposition.

If perhaps God may grant them repentance leading

to the knowledge of the truth. And they may come

to their senses and escape from the snare of

the devil. Having been held captive by him to

do his will. Now this is kind of a confusing

text because it seems. Like he's talking about

believers because he's talking about the context

of the church. But it's clear that these individuals

are in bondage and captivity to Satan. So he's

talking about unbelievers who are around, in,

and near the community of Christ's people. The

devil works through. unbelievers in the midst

of God's people. We could think about 2 Corinthians

2, we won't turn there, where Paul exhorts the

Corinthians to reaffirm their love for the brother

that was disciplined and removed, to reaffirm

their love and to bring him back into the flock

and to forgive him. And Paul says, for we are

not ignorant of the devil's schemes. And what's

he talking about? He's talking about the fact

that the devil works in the life of the church

through unforgiveness and hardness of heart.

That's one of the schemes of the devil. That's

one of the ways, that's one of the doors that

he gets inside Christ's church. It's through

unforgiveness and hardness of heart. The devil

doesn't just work on the pulpit. He works on

the pew, brothers and sisters. So the devil and

these unseen, spiritual, wicked, dark forces

are characteristic of the day and age in which

we minister. But that is also one of the reasons

that we must be distinctly qualified as ministers

of the gospel. And we must never forget that

ministers serve those who suffer the onslaught

of the devil just as we, as ministers of the

gospel, do. All of this, brothers and sisters,

should encourage the minister to vigilance and

watchfulness in their lives. This should be over

their life, their heart, and their doctrine.

Ministers ought to be those who look beyond the

surface. Who look beyond merely the situation.

Do you watch what's taking place behind the situation?

Underneath it? Beneath it? The ultimate cause,

in a sense, that's producing and working these

realities? But it also ought to cause us to have

a vigilance and a watchfulness in the life of

our ministries. In the life of God's people that

we've been entrusted to watch over. This should

encourage the church and the members of the Christian

church to support prayerfully their ministers.

knowing the great threat and danger that they

face as the leaders of God's people. Spurgeon,

it wasn't in the context of spiritual warfare,

but Spurgeon said something along the lines of,

he was saying this to his people, the day you

cease to pray for me, tell me, because that's

the day my ministry will come to an end. Why

did he say that? Because he knew that he couldn't

survive. He couldn't thrive. He couldn't preach.

He would have no success. He would have no blessing.

He would have no power. He would have no ability

to do anything if his people weren't praying

for him. So the people of God, you here today,

are exhorted to pray for your ministers. To pray

for your pastors. Whoever they might be. to lift

them up and to intercede for them at the throne

of God, knowing the great threat and the great

danger and the great enemy that is out to get

them. When was the last time you prayed for your

pastors? When was the last time you lifted up

your ministers? And brought them to the throne

of God. But we ought to turn that around as well,

oughtn't we? Shouldn't we? Ministers and pastors,

when is the last time you interceded and you

pled for the people of God? When is the last

time you came to God's throne with the burden

of God's people on your heart? We must give ourselves

to prayer for one another. Pilgrim didn't make

it to the celestial city alone. He had many friends

along the way. One of the ways that he made it

was by his friends, their encouragement, their

strength, and their prayer. I am not ashamed

as a minister of the gospel. To stand here and

say, I want you to pray for me. I covet and long

for the prayers of Grace Fellowship Church. I

know the other ministers of GFC do the same.

Why? Because we desperately need those prayers.

And we know. That you need those prayers. Let's

pray for one another. That we would be watchful

and vigilant in our lives. And even watchful

and vigilant in our prayers. Now this ought to

also encourage the people and the minister alike.

To rejoice. And to be encouraged. Because as

we think about spiritual warfare and we think

about difficulties and trials and temptations

and the onslaught and this warfare that we're

in, it's a reminder of what is to come. There

would be no warfare if glory was not ahead of

us, brothers and sisters. There would be no difficulty

if the day was not coming when Christ is going

to return. So it ought to remind us, it's a sign

of the glory that is to come. But we also ought

to remember that all of these things are limited

and restrained by the hand of God. We think about

the book of Job. No matter the hardship, no matter

the failures or the lack of success in your life

with regards to the armor of God, No matter the

struggles or the difficulties, the great promise

of the gospel in providence is that yes, we have

struggle in this life. Yes, we will fail. Yes,

we will have weakness. Yes, we will have good

days. And yes, we will have bad days. But the

promise of providence that comes forth from the

cross is that even those weaknesses, even those

failures, the Lord will... superintend for your

good and for his glory. Every single one of them.

The book of Job teaches us that there are limits

to the devil's warfare in the life of God's ministers

and in the life of God's people and that he redeems

those things for the good of his people and the

glory of his name. So don't be discouraged. Be

hopeful. Be emboldened. Be strengthened. Be bolstered

to put on the full armor of God as Paul exhorts

the Ephesians. Ministers, especially, let us

lead with that armor. Let us lead in putting

on the armor and keeping on the armor. That we

might be an example to the flock.