Storming the Gates of Hell

One of the truisms of football is also applicable to your struggle against the attacks of Satan and his demons: the best defense is a good offense. When a soldier hears the bullets zinging and the bombs bursting overhead, his first response is to hit the ground to protect himself from injury. While such a reaction is natural and necessary, it is not sufficient to win the battle.  Eventually, the soldier must get up, move forward, and put the enemy on the defensive. 

A friend of mine had dinner at the White House with President Bush a few months after our country invaded Iraq. At that time, the Commander-in-Chief was under heavy criticism for waging a war that cost hundreds of billions of dollars and resulted in thousands of casualties.  The President explained to my friend his rationale for the war. “As long as we have the terrorists on the defensive, they are less likely to go on the offensive.”

The same truth applies in spiritual warfare. God wants you to do more than simply hunker down and do the best you can to deflect Satan’s attacks. Avoiding becoming a casualty of war is not enough. God invites you to join Him in His march against Satan and his kingdom of darkness. 

In describing the power of the church, Jesus said, “…upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18).

Notice that in Jesus’ vivid imagery, it is not the church that is hiding behind the gates trying to survive Satan’s battering ram—just the opposite.  

Jesus pictures Satan and his forces of darkness cowering behind the gates of their kingdom in fear, attempting to fight off the invading church as we reclaim the world that the devil and his demons have taken hostage. The fortress Satan has erected around this world is formidable, but it is no match for the spiritual firepower of Jesus and His followers. 

Christians today represent the “first wave” of forces God has sent to infiltrate this world and soften it up before our Commander returns for the final assault and reclamation of what is rightfully His.

Every time you lead someone to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, you have rescued someone from the enemy’s camp and released Satan’s grip on this world by just a little more.  

Every time you speak an affirming word to another Christian, you encourage one of our own troops and give him strength to continue the fight.  

Every time you give glory to God for something He has done in your life, you help break the spell the enemy has cast over those under his control.  

Every time you refuse to surrender any area of your life to Satan, you thwart his plan and throw him into chaos. 

We are here on earth to do more than survive Satan’s attacks; we are here to overthrow his kingdom.  

1. Offensive versus Defensive Christianity

• Jesus’ Description of the Church (Matthew 16:18)

I need to clarify what I mean by fighting Satan offensively. I am not suggesting that we follow the practice of some Christian zealots who advocate “binding” Satan (something Christians are never commanded to do), casting out demonic spirits, or challenging satanic forces to some kind of spiritual duel.

• Definition of Offensive Christianity (Colossians 1:9-10; Ephesians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:12)

Offensive Christianity means moving forward rather than stopping or retreating as you walk along the unique path God has designed for your life. 

The Word of God continually employs the metaphor of walking (or sometimes running when the biblical writers were feeling especially energetic) to describe our life on earth.

Walking (or running) pictures moving forward to complete God’s unique plan for your life.  However, you have an enemy who realizes that your moving forward in God’s plan will result in his moving backward in his plan! Therefore, Satan’s goal is to stop you from advancing even though he lacks any real authority to do so.

While all of the spiritual armor mentioned in Ephesians 6 will help you stand firm and defend yourself against Satan’s attacks, Paul mentions three “weapons” that will help you do more than simply hold your ground. These three pieces of armor are key to moving forward on the unique life course God has set before you. 

• The Shield of Faith
• The Helmet of Salvation
• The Sword of The Spirit

Let’s discover the first three of these offensive weapons.

2. The Shield of Faith Explained (Ephesians 6:16)

• The Importance of the Roman Shield

The Roman shield was a piece of wood 4-1/2 feet long and about 2-1/2 feet wide. The wooden shield was covered with leather soaked in water. When the enemy would shoot an arrow that had been dipped in pitch and set on fire, the “flaming missiles” or arrows would strike the water-soaked leather and immediately be extinguished. 

Obviously, the time when a soldier would “take up” the shield would be when the enemy launched a flaming arrow toward him. The closer the soldier marched toward the enemy’s front lines, the more intense the barrage of flaming arrows.  

Likewise, while we need to always be on guard against Satan’s attacks, the more progress you make in fulfilling God’s plan for your life, the more intense the barrage of “flaming missiles” you can expect. That is true for us individually and for us as a church.

• The Definition of Faith (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith is not a synonym for “hope,” “wish,” or “desire.” Faith is defined as an assurance. The word translated as assurance refers to the concrete foundation under a pillar. Faith is the absolute, concrete assurance that God will do what He has promised to do.

Here’s a simple definition of faith: Faith is believing that God will do what He has promised to do and acting accordingly.

Genuine faith is proved by obedience to God’s commands even when that obedience makes little sense.  

In relation to spiritual warfare, holding up the “shield of faith” means moving forward in obedience to God, even when Satan attempts to stop us dead in our tracks with his flaming arrows of doubt, discouragement, or disobedience.  

3. The Shield of Faith Illustrated

Consider the story of Job, a man who endured more than his fair share of Satan’s flaming missiles. In one 24-hour period, Job lost his possessions, his children, and his health—all because Satan was trying to turn Job’s allegiance away from God. Although at times Job voiced the same questions we all have about suffering, he believed in the three eternal, yet often hidden, truths about God on which we can build our lives—and he acted accordingly.

1. God is in control; trust Him. (Job 42:2)
2. God rewards the righteous; obey Him. (Job 21:17; James 5:11)
3. God’s kingdom will prevail, and serve Him. (Job 19:25-26; Hebrews 11:6)

Holding up the “shield of faith”—believing God will do what he has promised and acting accordingly—gives us the confidence that we are on the winning side and the courage to move forward by trusting, obeying, and serving God.