Gateway Community

GOD created angelic beings (see Hebrews 1). One of them betrayed God and led a revolt against Him (see Revelation 12). Defeated, Satan and his angelic allies were cast out of heaven. This foe of God is our adversary. Described as a thief, murderer, and destroyer (John 10:10), the accuser of the faithful (Revelation 12:10), the devil, he is no impotent, imaginary character. Rather, he is a present and real enemy who seeks only defamation, death and destruction for believers. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, many believers do not take his existence or scriptural warnings and instructions about him seriously; thus his activity is often attributed either to God or us. To live the life God has for us demands that we deal with our enemy. In James 4:7 and 1 Peter 5:8&9, we are commanded to resist Satan. In Ephesians 6:10-18, we are told to put on the armour of God because we will be doing battle against the enemy.
by John Eldredge

James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

1Peter 5:8 – 9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like aroaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

Ephesians 6:10 – 15 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principal ties, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

Ephesians 4:1—3
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Before Paul starts to teach the Ephesian believers how to walk worthy of the calling to which we have been called in Christ Jesus, he clarifies the position which we have in Christ and the power we have been given by  His grace and spirit. And, it’s because we are cleansed by the blood of Christ, seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, have our new nature in Him, are holy and without blame before him in love, that we can be empowered to live a life which would otherwise be ‘impossible’. Once the Christian accepts and believes who they are in Christ, by His grace and finished work on the cross, they begin to realise that all things are possible to those who believe!

Ephesians 1:3—7
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of
His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence.

Yours sincerely
Pastor Sandro Schietroma