Dear Christian friends:

The hymn we just sang agrees with our text that a Christian has many enemies, spiritual enemies or devils which try to draw us from God and heaven. If we hope to win the fight against these spiritual enemies we must have the right defense. These enemies are very strong and tricky.

In our text Jesus tells of these enemies and what kind of defense we need to win against them. So I ask you:


Some people think they can overcome evil with evil. But that is not the right defense. We can't use the devil to fight the evil spirits. The Jews said that Jesus did that. A man could not talk because an evil spirit was bothering him. Jesus forced the evil spirit out of the man and then he could speak well again. Some of the Jews who were jealous of Jesus' power said He used Beelzebub, the chief devil, to force out the lower devil. But Jesus said that was foolish because Satan would never do that, fight against his helpers. If he did that his kingdom would collapse.

We can't use the devil's ways or power to fight our enemies, only God's power. Jesus says in Romans 12:20, "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head." Don't let evil overcome you, but overcome evil with good.

We Christians must not try to get revenge against our enemy. Revenge and hatred is the devil's way not God's. Anytime we cooperate with the devil and multiply evil trouble spreads. We see that happen often in families, churches, cities and among nations, war. Only by loving our enemies, by kindness and patience, by offering forgiveness can we make them ashamed and sorry and conquer the evil spirit in them. Jesus told the Jews that He forced out evil spirits by using God's power. So let us do like that. That's the right defense.

When fighting against spiritual enemies we often try to use our own strength rather than trusting in God's power. We do not pray for patience, love and kindness. We are proud, and do not admit our weaknesses. So when temptation comes we quickly fall like Peter did on Maundy Thursday.

In our text Jesus tells about a king who had many soldiers to guard his palace and for a long time he was well protected and safe. But then later a stranger king came with his soldiers and conquered him. So we may think we have a strong faith and that we do not need God's help and that we are safe, but later someone stronger will tempt us and conquer us.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
stand in his strength alone;
the arm of flesh will fail you,
ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the gospel armor,
each piece put on with prayer;
where duty calls or danger,
be never wanting there.
Hymn 451, V.3, "Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus"

Stand in His strength alone. Put on the Gospel armor: Confess your weaknesses and sins. Don't be serf-righteous and proud! Trust in God that He loves you and forgives you for Jesus' sake. That He is your dear Father and you are His dear children. Ask Him to help you and give you wisdom and courage and good judgement. Ask Him to protect you. That is the right defense, but you must trust in Him all your life, not only once or twice.

The devil does not give us rest. We may win one or two fights against him, but he will come back later with seven other devils worse than the first time. Jesus warns us in our text. And if we think we can rest and fail to pray and use His Word and Lord's Supper or forget our Baptism he will easily conquer us. Then we will be worse and more stubborn against God than the first time when we began to believe and fight.

So we must use God's defense all our life every day and hour as we heard in the hymn, TLH 449, "My Soul, Be On Thy Guard"

V.2 Oh, watch and fight and pray,
The battle ne'er give o'er;
Renew it boldly ev'ry day
And help divine implore.

V3. Ne'er think the vict'ry won
Nor lay thine armor down;
Thine arduous work will not be done
Till thou obtain the crown.

Do you have the right defense? You do if you do not trust in yourself, but in God, and if you trust Him every day all your life. But remember, if you trust in God you will learn and know His Word and find comfort, support and hope in it and you will pray without stopping as the Bible admonishes us. Do you?

Amen.