Pastor Rob Bray | 3-8-2026
We are in the midst of a spiritual war, whether we realize it or not. This battle isn’t just about our eternal destiny – it’s about whether we’ll bring heaven or hell to earth through our daily choices and obedience.
What Does It Mean to Be Dead in Sin?
According to Ephesians 2:1-3, before Christ, we were “dead in trespasses and sins.” This isn’t just about making occasional mistakes – we were spiritually dead, unable to save ourselves.
As Martin Lloyd Jones explains: “The sinner is not merely weak, he is spiritually dead. He does not merely need assistance, he needs resurrection.”
Christianity isn’t about trying harder or white-knuckling your way to righteousness. Apart from Christ, you were dead. But because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, His resurrection power can now come into you and help you resist temptation.
Who Are We Fighting Against? The Unholy Trinity
Scripture reveals three forces working against us – what we can call the “unholy trinity”:
1. The World – Cultural Pressure
The world teaches a value system opposed to God. While God says to crucify your desires and follow His truth, the world says to follow your desires and define your own truth.
There’s a “course of this world” – a current trying to carry you somewhere. Your social media feed, your coworkers, the news, and entertainment are all trying to pressure you toward worldly values.
The four main patterns the world promotes are:
- Pleasure – Offering fleeting escape through drugs, alcohol, pornography, and endless entertainment
- Sex – Distorted intimacy that turns covenant into consumption
- Money – False security that promises to solve all problems
- Power – Elusive control through manipulation, politics, or domination
2. The Devil – Spiritual Influence
Satan is called “the prince of the power of the air” – operating in the unseen atmosphere of influence. He works through systems, ideas, desires, and temptations.
When we disobey God, we’re submitting to Satan’s work in our lives. Sin isn’t just psychological – it’s spiritual warfare. Satan accomplishes his objectives through people, just as God accomplishes His mission through believers.
3. The Flesh – Internal Cravings
We have a fallen nature that’s naturally bent toward disobeying God. This includes both physical and psychological desires – what Paul calls “the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind.”
We must be careful not to assume every desire we have is good just because we want it. Mature Christians filter their wants through God’s standards.
How Does God Respond to This Threefold Attack?
God has a threefold answer to the enemy’s threefold attack. According to Ephesians 2:4-6, He:
1. Makes Us Alive
Even when we were dead in sin, God made us alive together with Christ. This resurrection power became available 2,000 years ago when Jesus rose from the dead, and it’s still available today through the Holy Spirit.
2. Raises Us Up
You’re not just forgiven – you’re empowered and authorized. God doesn’t just make you alive and say “good luck.” He raises you up to new life and gives you power to resist temptation.
3. Seats Us With Christ
This is the language of authority and power. You’re not just in the atmosphere like Satan – you’re seated in heavenly places, far above the atmosphere. You have authority over Satan and demons.
When you’re seated, you’re at rest because Christ’s finished work on the cross is complete. You can strategize with God about good works rather than just barely surviving spiritual attacks.
What Role Do Good Works Play in Salvation?
Ephesians 2:8-10 clarifies this beautifully: “For by grace you have been saved through faith… For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.”
The equation is not: Work + Earn Grace = Salvation
The equation is: Grace ? Salvation ? Good Works
You’re saved by grace, but empowered for good works. Good works don’t produce salvation, but they result from salvation. God has prepared specific good works for you to walk in.
Why Is Sobriety Crucial in Spiritual Warfare?
Addiction has a unique way of numbing you to all the realities of God. It’s difficult to resist other sins when your mind is being warped and you’re not in your right, sober state.
As 1 Thessalonians 5 reminds us, in light of Christ’s return, we need to “be sober” and “armor up” for spiritual battle. Sobriety is a supernatural power that helps you resist the devil and apply God’s grace in your life.
From Death to the Throne: Two Destinies
Before Christ, we were headed toward death – controlled by the world, manipulated by the devil, and enslaved by our flesh. But God wants to raise His royal sons and daughters from death to the throne, freeing us to live with clear minds, confident in resisting the devil.
This transformation changes legacies. Instead of chasing pleasure, sex, money, and power, we live as God’s workmanship, empowered for the good works He’s prepared for us.
Life Application
The battle for your soul is real, but Christ has already won the war. This week, take these three practical steps:
1. Throw away what’s causing disobedience and death. If you have something that’s keeping you in bondage – whether it’s substances, devices, or habits – get rid of it today. Don’t wait.
2. Take authority over Satan by choosing to obey God. When you obey Satan through sin, you energize negative spiritual forces. When you obey God, you energize positive spiritual forces and gain momentum in your spiritual life.
3. Ask God what good works He has for you. Don’t just survive spiritual attacks – thrive in the good works God has prepared. Journal and pray, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal what He wants you to do in this season.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What patterns of this world am I most susceptible to – pleasure, sex, money, or power?
- Where am I giving in to cultural pressure instead of swimming upstream with God’s values?
- What specific thing do I need to throw away that’s causing disobedience in my life?
- How can I move from barely surviving spiritual attacks to thriving in the good works God has prepared for me?
Remember: you’re saved by grace, but empowered for good works. The resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead is available to you today to live the victorious life God intended.