Outline
Ⅱ
As we live with Christ in His ascension as a new creation in resurrection, we engage in spiritual warfare for the kingdom of God—S. S. 4:8; 6:4, 10; Eph. 2:6; 6:10-12:
A
In ascension we look with Christ “from the lions’ dens, / From the leopards’ mountains”—S. S. 4:8b:
１
The lions’ dens and the leopards’ mountains signify the heavenlies, where Satan and his subordinates are.
２
The victory has been gained, but Satan and his evil forces are still in the heavenlies; we must have our living in ascension, far above the evil powers—Eph. 3:10; 6:12.
３
Here we fight with Satan and his power of darkness by being empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength, and by putting on the whole armor of God (vv. 12-20); this is the reality of living in the ascension of Christ.
B
Spiritual warfare is necessary because Satan’s will is set against God’s will; our fighting is to subdue the satanic will and defeat God’s enemy—Matt. 6:10:
１
We need to understand what the will of the Lord is—Eph. 5:17; Col. 1:9.
２
God’s will is what He wants and what He intends to accomplish—Eph. 1:5, 9, 11:
ａ
God has an eternal will, which is the source of His eternal purpose—v. 11; 3:11.
ｂ
Since God is eternal, without beginning or ending, His will is also eternal; it lies at the heart of the origin of the universe—Rev. 4:11.
ｃ
God created all things for His will so that He might accomplish and fulfill His purpose—Eph. 3:11.
ｄ
The will of God is concentrated in Christ and is for Christ to have the first place in all things; Christ is everything in God’s eternal will—Col. 1:15-18; 3:4, 10-11.
ｅ
God wants to have Christ with the church; the will of God is to obtain the church as the Body of Christ—Eph. 5:32; 1:9, 22-23; 2:21-22; 4:16.
C
In order to engage in spiritual warfare, we must maintain the position of ascension—S. S. 4:8; Eph. 2:6:
１
The spiritual warfare mentioned in Ephesians 6:10-12 is based upon the position of ascension in 2:6.
２
The position of ascension causes us to be victorious in battle because only in the position of ascension can we have heavenly authority and pray with authority to deal with God’s enemy.
D
Spiritual warfare is based on the victory of Christ; through death the Lord Jesus destroyed the devil, bringing him to nothing—Matt. 27:51-54; Heb. 2:14.
Morning Nourishment
Matt. 6:10 Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth.Eph. 2:6 And raised us up together with Him and seated us together with Him in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus.
In Song of Songs 4:7-8 the Lord calls His lover to live in ascension as a new creation in resurrection…He calls her to come with Him to a high mountain, which is the top of resurrection—ascension. Christ died, rose, and then ascended. In Christ’s ascension is His victory. There is no more fighting, for the enemy has been destroyed.
Verse 8 speaks of looking from the lions’ dens and from the leopards’ mountains. The victory has been gained, but the lions and the leopards, which signify Satan and his evil forces, are still there…in the heavenlies (Eph. 6:12). Christ calls His lover to look from this, indicating that we must have our living in ascension…The war is over, and victory has been gained. (Life-study of Song of Songs, pp. 35-36)
Today’s Reading
In the universe there are three wills: the divine will, the satanic will, and the human will. If we would know how the church can be God’s warrior to engage in spiritual warfare, we must know these three wills, these three intentions. God’s will, being self-existing, is eternal, uncreated. As created beings, the angels also have a will. One of these angels, an archangel, was appointed by God to rule the universe that existed before the creation of Adam. Because of his high position and his beauty, this archangel became proud. This pride gave rise to an evil intention, which became the satanic will. Therefore, in addition to God’s intention, God’s will, there is a second intention, a second will, for now the satanic will is set against God’s will.God’s enemy must be defeated…Therefore,…we fight to subdue the satanic will…Our fighting is for the defeat of God’s enemy. (Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 515, 517)
There is only one kind of people who can engage in spiritual warfare—those who have received salvation, have been raised from death, and are now sitting with Christ in the heavens…If we really desire to deliver men out of Satan’s power so that they are not only saved but completely delivered from the hands of Satan, we who are preaching the gospel must be men who are sitting in the heavens and keeping the ascended position.
Since many of us have not yet reached the realm of ascension in our experience, why then is it possible that we can lead people to be saved and love the Lord? This is due to the fact that, after all, there is still a part in us that is heavenly or bears the heavenly condition; therefore, through that portion we are able to help others and edify them. Although we are defiled with sin, love the world, and mind the flesh, yet part of our condition is still heavenly; thus, we are able to chase away part of the power of darkness in men and cause them to turn to the Lord and love Him. Hence, the principle remains the same. Only those who live in the realm of the heavens can deal with the power of darkness in the air and chase the devil out…The extent to which we chase out the power of darkness is directly dependent on our heavenly condition. If we have more element of the heavens, we can engage more in spiritual warfare. If we have only a little element of the heavens, we can by no means have much element of spiritual warfare. The two are in direct proportion to one another. When a man has utterly reached the heavenly realm, his whole being, living, works, and actions are spiritual warfare. He is able to chase out the power of darkness from every place to which he comes and from all the people whom he meets. Therefore, when we in our experience have reached the position of ascension and are able to reign, that will be the time we can fight for the kingdom of God, recover the lost earth for God, and bring in the kingdom of God. (CWWL, 1953, vol. 3, “The Experience of Life,” pp. 525-526)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1953, vol. 3, “The Experience of Life,” ch. 18