Ephesians 6:12
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

2 Corinthians 2:10-11(ESV)
10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

• We’re in a

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  Battle
  …Eph. 6:12 “not against flesh and blood”

• Against a Spiritual

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  …Eph. 6:12 - 3/4 of these words refer specifically to demonic entities

• God’s

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  is upon His people (Job 1:10)

• There are

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  to what the enemy can do (Job 1:10)

• But that doesn’t mean the enemy can’t

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  us
  …For example:

  • The enemy can’t

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    a Christian (1 Cor. 6:19)
    …Daimonizomai: total direct control as seen in Mark 5:15

  • But the Enemy can

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    a Christian
    …Sunechow: hold together, to squeeze, compressed, press on every side, a besieged city, a narrow waterway that forces a ship into a narrow channel, a cattle squeeze that pushes on each side forces the cow into a position where is cannot move (farmers still use this today)

  …Another Example:

  • 1 John 5:19 says the enemy can’t touch you like this:
    …Haptomai: The intimate touch, of agreement, mutual participation, cohabitation with an enemy, and impurity.
  • But Ephesians 6:12 say the enemy can touch you like this:
    …Paleh: a wrestling contest in which 2 opponents endeavor to throw the other down, and win by pin their opponent down with their hand upon his neck.

• The first way the enemy gains access to attack is through

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  . (2 Cor. 6:14-16, 1 Cor. 10:20-22)
  …Don’t let fear make you think your enemy has total right to destroy you the second you make a mistake.
  …It just means that agreement with him creates opportunity for him that he didn’t have before
  • Eph. 4:27 - give no opportunity (foothold) to the devil

• The enemy is opportunistic, and will try to both

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  and
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  footholds.
  2 Corinthians 2:10-11(ESV)
  10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.
  • Outwit: Pleonekteo: to defraud into granting him gain that is an overreach. The idea is like a con-man, tricking you into giving him more than he has the right to.
    

• The second way the enemy gains access to attack is through

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  . (Job 1:12)
  • Why would God allow this?
    1) Refinement of our Faith/Personal Transformation (1 Pet. 1:7, James 1:2-3)
    2) Kingdom Victory (Philippians 1:12, 28)
    3) To teach his people to contend with the enemy (Acts 16:16-18, Luke 10:19-20, Eph. 6:12)
    
    • 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
      The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
      

• We are always

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  against the enemy when we fight in the power of the Lord!
  …1 John 5:4 - for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
  …Romans 8:37 - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
  …2 Cor. 2:14 - But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads and makes evident everywhere the sweet fragrance of the knowledge of Him.