September 20, 2026 - The Final Victory | 2 Peter 3:10–13; Revelation 19–20 Baptist Bible Church, Sparta MI

This morning we finish up our series on spiritual warfare, the final sermon.

Over the course of our study on this topic, we've defined spiritual warfare as primarily the believer's fight against sin.

We've identified the three enemies of the Christian as the world, the flesh, and the devil, and we've established how Scripture teaches us to fight against sin by exploring the various strategies for victory that God equips us with.

Having done all these things, one final question does remain.

How does the war end?

Who wins when it's all said and done?

This morning, as we open up the Word of God, we will learn what the ultimate fate of the three enemies of the Christian is.

So as we do so, I hope that this series has been a help to you.

I hope it's been a benefit to you.

I hope it's been an encouragement to you.

And I hope it's been supremely practical to you as we've explored the pages of Scripture and learned how God teach us and equip us to fight sin.

And I hope this morning's final sermon is a source of encouragement to you to know that the fight that we wage against sin will come to an end someday.

And I don't know about you, but I can't wait.

Can't wait for that day.

So let's see how it all ends.

Let's open up our Bibles to the book of John this morning.

John chapter 17, verse 15.

John 17:15

We'll be looking at a few different passages today.

We'll start, though, in John chapter 17, verse 15.

John 17:15

This is taking place in the context of what's known as Jesus' high priestly prayer.

This is the prayer Jesus makes for his disciples.

And I just wanted to want us to notice one statement he makes, John chapter 17, verse 15.

John 17:15

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

Let's pray and then we will dig into the text this morning.

Heavenly Father, thanks for today.

Thankful now for this opportunity to open up your word.

Help me today as I preach to preach your word faithfully.

Help me to not be confusing up here and not preach in a way that leads to more questions or muddies the waters of your word.

But I pray, Father, that you would just work through me to clarify the text today.

Help people to better understand what your word is saying.

And I pray that it's your word that would work in our hearts and lives today.

I pray for everybody here listening to have open hearts and open minds and to receive your word today and be blessed because of it.

It's in Jesus' name I pray.

Amen.

The very first enemy that we will be examining is the world.

And the point that I want to make this morning is that the world will one day be made new.

The world will one day be made new.

If you remember, our definition for the world is that this is a system of beliefs and values that are organized in rebellion against God.

When Scripture speaks of the world as an enemy of the Christian, this is what it's referring to: a system that is organized in rebellion against God.

And according to Romans chapter 12 and verse 2, the world's objective is to conform you into this mold of rebellion.

Romans 12 · chapter mention

It's why Paul warns in Romans 12, do not be conformed by the world.

And if you think of it like a mold or a clump of play-hough being pressed into a mold, that's the idea here.

You are the Play-Ho.

And the warning is don't let the world push you and shape you and fashion you into someone who is in rebellion against God.

And in order to do that, you need to be aware of the beliefs and the values and the worldviews and culture and society and what they're trying to teach you and what they're trying to get you to believe.

And we need to be able to analyze what the world is teaching through the lens of Scripture to ensure that we aren't being conformed into that mold, to make sure that our intellect, how we think, and what we love and the things we desire, that these things aren't being shaped by what the world says you should want and love and desire and believe, but are rooted ultimately in what Scripture says.

And so we understand this morning, this is how we fight against the world, but we notice in John chapter 17 and verse 15, perhaps we read that with a little bit of discouragement this morning.

John 17 · chapter mention

Because Jesus says, What?

I'm not asking that you take them out of the world.

Maybe you're here this morning and you'd say, I wish Jesus, you'd take me out.

Jesus.

You'd say, can we be done?

We recognize that that we live in a world today that is opposed to Christ and therefore opposed to Christ's followers.

It means we'll feel the friction.

We'll feel the friction of living in a world that is opposed to God.

We'll face pressure, persuasion, and even persecution from the world to abandon Christ, to compromise on truth, to embrace sin.

This is the case because we live in a world that is in rebellion against God.

We live in a world in which what is right is so often called wrong, and what is wrong is so often called right, a warped system of morality.

We live in a world in which justice is so often perverted.

There's been a case in the news that's been making headlines recently of a woman strangling her three children.

Pretty good example of what it looks like to live in a world where justice is perverted.

A world that hates and persecutes those who are not conformed into its mold.

And if you think being a Christian, living as a Christian is hard here, try going to Nigeria today.

Try living out your Christian faith in a nation that is actively engaged in murdering and killing as much Christians as they can.

This is what a world looks like that hates Christ and mocks God.

The question we need to ask ourselves this morning is that is this world that is in rebellion, will this world in rebellion endure forever?

Will we face this friction living in this world today for all of eternity?

We find the answer to that question in 2 Peter chapter 3.

2 Peter 3 · chapter mention

So turn with me now in your Bibles to the book of 2 Peter chapter 3.

2 Peter 3 · chapter mention

Verse 10.

2 Peter chapter 3, verse 10.

2 Peter 3:10

2 Peter chapter 3.

2 Peter 3 · chapter mention

Look with me beginning in verse 10.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.

Stop right there.

First of all, we understand this morning, Peter refers to the day of the Lord, which is a very important concept that's found throughout the pages of the Old Testament and the New Testament.

By the way, if you want to learn more about the day of the Lord, you can come to our Sunday school class on the study of the end times.

You will have just missed one lesson, so you won't be too far behind.

But notice here the day of the Lord is a reference to the day when the Lord returns to this earth.

In this context, Peter is referring to the day of the Lord as the day that Jesus comes back.

This is the day of the Lord.

And notice he describes this day like a thief.

Now, why the reference to a thief here when referring to the day that Jesus comes back?

Well, anybody that's ever watched a good heist movie knows that the thief that is attempting to steal the precious jewels never does so on a day when the owner of the jewels is aware that the thief is coming.

Why not?

Because if the owner of the jewels knows that the thief is coming, the owner of the jewels will ensure that those jewels are protected and guarded.

So when does the thief come?

When does the thief break into the home to steal the jewels?

When does he do it?

When the owner is unaware, when the owner has no idea, that's the best time to strike.

And so when we read this verse, this is the idea that's coming out of the text.

Peter's point is that when Jesus comes back, nobody will be expecting it.

In other words, it's not a day you can decipher.

It's not a day you can know.

It's not a day that you can say, Oh, I know for sure this is the day Jesus is coming back.

It's impossible.

It'll be like a thief.

We won't know that it's the day.

And so it's why in Scripture we're just commanded, just be ready.

Just be ready.

This is known as the imminence of Christ, the imminent return of Christ.

The idea that Jesus could come back at any time.

We don't know.

But Peter warns here, he says, it'll be like a thief.

We don't know when Jesus will come back.

And because it will be like this, there will be people who will not be ready for when Jesus comes back.

We see that in verse 10.

He says, The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Since all the all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn.

But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Earlier in chapter 3, Peter references the flood as God's judgment on sin.

It's interesting, after the flood, after God's judgment on sin in the days of Noah, God makes a promise.

The promise is that he will never again destroy the earth by water.

Which is interesting because here in 2 Peter 3, we notice that the earth will be destroyed.

But notice it won't be by water the second time.

It'll be by fire.

The fire itself will burn and consume the earth, the heavens.

We notice that the heat of this fire will be so intense that creation itself will melt and dissolve.

But once the current heavens and the earth are destroyed, we see here in the text that they will be remade into something new.

A new heavens and a new earth.

We may have many questions this morning about what this new heavens and new earth will be like.

I know Riot probably wonders if there will be dinosaurs in the new heavens and the new earth.

Maybe you have questions, but I want us to notice this morning that Peter highlights one thing.

One thing about the new heavens and the new earth.

Did you catch that?

What does he say at the end of verse 13?

In which righteousness dwells.

Righteousness will dwell.

Are you excited about that this morning?

The one thing Peter said, hey, there's one thing you need to know about the new heavens and the new earth.

Don't worry about anything else.

You need to know this one thing.

The one characteristic, the one overarching characteristic, the one thing that will characterize life in the new heavens and the new earth.

Get ready.

Righteousness.

Righteousness.

The perfect righteousness of God will dwell in the new heavens and the new earth.

Which is incredibly important.

Because we recognize this morning that in this new heavens and in this new earth, there will no longer be cultures, values, or beliefs arrayed in opposition to God.

There will be no more organized rebellion against God.

We will live in a kingdom that is in full submission to God, where mankind will live according to, will delight in, and will be fully satisfied in the righteousness of God.

Does that sound like a place you want to live?

We can't wait.

We can't wait.

One day this world we live in, it will pass away, and it will be replaced by something so much better.

Where the righteousness of God itself will dwell.

We notice here there will be no more organized rebellion against God.

That takes care of enemy number one.

What about enemy number two this morning?

Enemy number two, that's the flesh.

The flesh.

And of course, if you remember the flesh, this is a reference to your internal inclination toward rebellion and sin.

Also known as your sin nature.

According to Romans chapter six, the goal of the flesh is to enslave you to sin.

Your flesh wants to make you a slave to sin.

The world is the external pressure, the flesh is the internal.

If you turn your Bibles to First Corinthians chapter fifteen, look with me beginning in verse forty-two.

This is the famous resurrection chapter in First Corinthians.

We're going to drop right into the middle of that context.

First Corinthians chapter fifteen, verse forty-two, we read, So is it with the resurrection of the dead.

What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable.

It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory.

It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.

It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

We notice here this morning that Paul lists four characteristics of the resurrection body.

The imagery of the sowing and coming back out of the ground is is meant to picture your body as it's buried in the ground at death and then it is raised, something different, something transformed, like a kernel that's planted in the ground and grows out of the ground.

And this seems to be somewhat the idea that Paul's getting across here.

But I want us to notice on one specific characteristic of these resurrection bodies, in verse 43, he says that this current body is sown in dishonor.

It's sown in dishonor.

And this dishonor is a reference to the shame of sin.

Our current bodies are marked by the shame and the dishonor of sin.

Why is that the case?

Because our current bodies are corrupted by the flesh.

Our current bodies are corrupted by that internal inclination, that internal pull, that magnetic pull we have toward sin.

And flesh operates, the flesh operates in us and it works in us, corrupting our very desires.

So that instead of desiring what is good and righteous and holy, we have an internal corrupted desire for what is unholy and unrighteous and not good.

Think of my own son.

I'd say, my goal as a father is to train my son to love the Michigan Wolverines.

It is my goal as a father to raise up my son with an uncorrupted desire and love for the Michigan Wolverines, so that anytime I can shout out, go blue, I can hear in response.

Oh I've been failed.

But you know what?

The greatest fear I have as a father, okay, tongue in cheek.

You know that tongue in cheek.

The greatest fear I have as a father is that my son's love for Michigan could be corrupted.

He could become a Michigan State fan.

Or an Ohio State fan.

Desire corrupted.

You see, he's it's not the love that's the problem.

It's not the love, it's not the affection, it's not the desire that's the problem.

You've been created with that.

The problem is the flesh corrupts it.

You've been created with a with a ability, an innate ability to desire and to love and to want God and his goodness.

But because we have been, we are fallen creatures corrupted by the flesh, that means we fight a desire for everything that is opposed to God.

Are you feeling that this morning?

I hey, I am.

It's innate, which is what makes 1 Corinthians 15 so beautiful.

Because what did he say?

That body that is that is marked by corruption and the dishonor of loving things that are wicked and unholy and opposed and in rebellion to God will one day be raised.

No longer in dishonor, but in what?

Glory.

Glory.

This is known as the doctrine of glorification.

And this is a beautiful truth.

We notice there in Galatians 5, verse 17, we notice that Paul references this fight that we face in this life.

Galatians 5:17

He says the desires of the flesh are against the spirit, and the desires of the spirit are against the flesh.

He says, for these are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

This is our fight.

This is the source of it.

You have got you have the flesh.

Paul writes in Romans chapter 7, he he describes his own fight.

Romans 7 · chapter mention

He says, For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is in my flesh.

For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

Now, if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin that dwells within me.

Can you sympathize with Paul this morning?

Can you say that?

I know I want what's good, I want what's right, I want what's holy, I want God, but I want God, but there's this fight in me to also desire this evil, this sin, this rebellion.

And we let out an exasperated sigh.

When will the fight end?

When will it end?

In glory.

It'll end in glory.

The doctrine of glorification teaches that believers will be raised from the dead free from the corrupting influence of the flesh.

Free.

Free.

Forever.

Finally, fully free from sin.

That's gonna be a wonderful day.

If you notice in verse 49, if you skip just a few verses down, he says in verse 49, just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

You're born in the image of Adam, inheriting his corrupted sin nature.

But one day, what will be true of you?

You'll discard that former image.

And take on fully the image of the man of heaven.

That's Jesus, the second Adam.

And bearing the image of Christ, being fully perfected into the image of Christ, you will no longer carry with you the flesh, which means no more corrupted desire for sin.

Imagine a state of existence in which you no longer feel any compulsion, temptation, or desire to sin.

Can you imagine that?

Imagine your intellect, your emotions, and your will totally free from sin's corruption.

This sinless existence is the destiny of every believer in glory.

Enemy number two, defeated.

We got one more to go.

The devil.

Satan's desire is to persuade you, to convince you, to persecute you, to push you into joining him in rebellion against God.

And he will use various tactics we, in our study of this third enemy, we examine the different tactics the enemy employs.

Going all the way back to Genesis chapter 3, or yeah, Genesis chapter 3 is where we are introduced to the devil for the first time.

Genesis 3 · chapter mention Genesis 3 · chapter mention

And in Genesis chapter 3, we read the account of the fall where he deceives Eve, and Adam partakes of the apple.

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

Nobody's gonna call me out on that.

I wrote apple in my notes, isn't that kind of funny?

The fruit, we don't know, maybe it was an apple, maybe not.

I figured in Sparta people would get up in arms about me calling the fruit of sin the apple.

Partakes of the fruit and plunges mankind into sin and rebellion as a result.

It's not really the fruit that matters, it's the disobedience.

God predicts in Genesis chapter 3 that the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent would be locked in conflict.

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

And indeed, as you trace the storyline of Scripture, you see this conflict play itself out, don't you?

Throughout the pages of the scriptures, you see the serpent and the seed of the serpent fighting against God and the seed of Eve.

That includes the people of God in the Old Testament, Israel, the church, and Christ Himself.

But within this passage, God also predicts that there would come a day when this serpent's head would be crushed.

We recognize this morning that the devil was defeated at the cross, but his final crushing is yet to come.

So turn with me to Revelation chapter 19, where we read of the final destiny of the devil.

Revelation 19 · chapter mention

Revelation chapter 19, look with me in verse 11.

Revelation 19 · chapter mention

Then I saw a heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.

The one sitting on it is called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems or crowns, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.

He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is the word of God.

And the armies of heaven of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.

From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.

He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

These verses here describe the second coming of Jesus.

And if you'll notice, the second coming is not like the first.

The first coming, Jesus entered into humanity, a humble baby, in a manger.

Notice at the second coming, he comes as a conquering king, ready to judge the enemies of God with great fury and vengeance.

We notice in verse 17 the enemies of God array themselves in opposition to Christ, but they're defeated.

In verse 17, we read, Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army.

And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet, who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast, and those who worshipped its image.

These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur, and the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

A gruesome image of the final fate and destiny of the enemies of God.

But what about Satan?

What about the devil?

Look in ver chapter 20 and verse 1.

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain.

And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended, and after that he must be released for a little while.

So we notice here, part one, the devil will be bound at the second coming of Christ.

When Jesus returns in glory here to this earth, he will take the devil, the serpent, referred to here.

The terminology of the serpent is meant to be a callback to Genesis chapter three, where we notice that connection to the devil all the way back at the beginning of humanity.

Here at the end, he's taken and he's bound, chained into this bottomless pit where he will be unable to deceive mankind.

We recognize this morning that ancient serpent has been deceiving mankind since Genesis chapter three.

At work, influencing the world today, seeking to draw people away from God.

But during this period of a thousand years, he won't be able to any longer.

He'll be bound, held captive in this pit.

But we do notice here he will be released for one final time.

And then comes the end in verse 7.

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle.

Their number is like the sand of the sea.

And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city.

But fire came down from heaven and consumed them.

And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever.

That great deceiver will one day be thrown into the lake of fire, where he will be tormented under God's judgment for all of eternity.

The enemy of God, the serpent of old, will be fully and finally defeated, no longer free to oppose God, to deceive man, to foment rebellion against God.

Enemy number three, defeated.

So how does spiritual warfare end?

It's simple.

Spiritual warfare ends with the enemy's absolute and unconditional defeat.

God wins, the enemy loses.

Amen to that.

So, in the words of the Apostle Paul, as we close out this series on spiritual warfare, as we look ahead to the final defeat of these enemies, fight the good fight.

Fight the good fight.

Choose each day to submit to God.

Employ the means of sanctification that God has equipped us with to daily fight against sin.

Fight against these enemies of the Christian.

Walk with the Lord, and look ahead to that day when we will see him fully.

We behold him in all of his glory and all of his splendor.

And as John says in 1 John chapter 3, we will be like him because and we will be as he is because we will see him as he is.

1 John 3 · chapter mention

So let's pray, and then we'll close with a final song.

Father, thanks for today.

Thanks for this opportunity to open up your word and to reflect on the fate, the destiny of the three enemies of the Christian.

We're thankful that your word is clear.

This fight will end one day.

This fight we wage against sin, and maybe we feel frustrated like the Apostle Paul in our fight against the flesh, our fight against sin, and we struggle in this fight at times.

But Father, reassure our hearts this morning with your word to know that one day that this struggle will be over.

One day the fight against sin will end completely, and we will be fully and finally free.

We will live in a new heavens and a new earth that is filled with your righteousness.

We will live free from the corrupting influence of the flesh, and we'll no longer have an opponent, an enemy that roams about seeking to devour us, but who will fully and finally be defeated.

We're thankful that day is coming.

Lord, we ask, come, even so come.

It's in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.