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[134.92 --> 137.30] to people who might be interested or seeking. |
[138.22 --> 141.64] But this particular class was a bit unique because it wasn't run by our church, |
[141.70 --> 144.30] it was run by the school across the road from our church, |
[144.58 --> 146.98] and the circumstances that brought people in were unique. |
[146.98 --> 150.40] You see, you could enroll your children in this Christian school, |
[150.60 --> 154.76] but if you as parents weren't believers, you were required to take an alpha class, |
[154.82 --> 157.44] which I think was great, but that meant there were some parents |
[157.44 --> 159.96] who were very interested in Christianity and interested in learning, |
[160.12 --> 162.92] and there were some parents who were not interested in Christianity, |
[163.18 --> 166.84] but were willing to jump through the alpha hoop to get their kids in this school. |
[167.82 --> 170.46] And so on many occasions, as we were going through the material, |
[170.58 --> 172.76] talking about the Bible, I could feel that resistance, |
[172.94 --> 174.58] like, what is this Christianity stuff? |
[174.58 --> 176.18] Like, why are we talking about this? |
[176.70 --> 178.86] But I did not feel it more strongly than on the week |
[178.86 --> 182.60] where we were talking about the Holy Spirit and spiritual warfare. |
[183.34 --> 185.54] I remember just this sense of, like, when we gathered, |
[185.68 --> 187.94] I was just taking people on the train to crazy town. |
[188.04 --> 191.52] Like, here we go, we're talking about spiritual warfare and the Holy Spirit. |
[192.44 --> 196.30] The question that we started a whole evening with was this question. |
[197.18 --> 199.24] We sat around the tables, and the question was, |
[199.56 --> 203.96] have you ever had a spiritual experience that might be difficult to explain? |
[204.58 --> 208.48] And much to my surprise, the tables sort of erupted into conversation. |
[209.26 --> 212.38] A lot of people just started sharing about experiences they've had |
[212.38 --> 213.64] that maybe they hadn't shared before, |
[213.74 --> 215.24] or strange things they've experienced, |
[215.42 --> 217.38] miraculous healings that their family has known, |
[217.68 --> 222.24] and also dark stuff that they didn't know what to make sense of, |
[222.28 --> 224.78] sort of demonic activity that sort of manifested itself |
[224.78 --> 226.62] in certain people's lives or in their homes. |
[226.96 --> 228.58] And as I heard this, I was like, whoa. |
[229.42 --> 231.58] I wonder if we created this conversation more, |
[231.58 --> 234.14] we'd hear more stories, positive and struggling, |
[234.72 --> 238.04] of spiritual experiences, healing and possession, |
[239.18 --> 240.64] miracles and darkness. |
[242.64 --> 247.48] You should know that the campus chaplain that Jonathan referenced earlier, |
[247.60 --> 249.80] Todd Statham, he does work among students, |
[249.90 --> 251.14] Christian and non-Christian at UBC, |
[251.26 --> 253.26] and he said one of the most popular podcasts |
[253.26 --> 255.42] among students he's in conversation with |
[255.42 --> 258.04] is a podcast called The Exorcist Files |
[258.04 --> 260.60] by Catholic priest Carlos Martins. |
[260.94 --> 262.94] And it just reminds me that even though we might not know |
[262.94 --> 264.74] how to talk about darkness and evil, |
[265.20 --> 266.96] there's a great interest in this |
[266.96 --> 268.34] and perhaps a lot of experience |
[268.34 --> 270.58] that people are trying to figure out with this. |
[272.38 --> 275.24] Ephesians 6 has a lot to say about darkness. |
[275.50 --> 278.38] In fact, the first half of Ephesians 6 basically says, |
[278.78 --> 280.12] Satan's schemes are real, |
[280.56 --> 282.12] the powers and the principalities |
[282.12 --> 284.34] and unseen forces in our world are real, |
[284.48 --> 285.36] and the second half is, |
[285.64 --> 288.36] here's how we as Christians take our stand against them. |
[288.70 --> 290.56] So we're going to look first at what Paul says |
[290.56 --> 293.14] about the powers and the principalities and the devil, |
[293.48 --> 294.56] and then we're going to look together |
[294.56 --> 296.52] at how in the world we take our stand |
[296.52 --> 298.60] against these forces and these powers. |
[299.56 --> 302.36] Let me read for us verse 10 to 13 again. |
[302.36 --> 307.04] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. |
[307.76 --> 309.02] Put on the full armor of God |
[309.02 --> 310.76] so that you can take your stand |
[310.76 --> 312.14] against the devil's schemes. |
[312.98 --> 316.90] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, |
[317.36 --> 318.50] but against the rulers, |
[319.18 --> 320.12] the authorities, |
[320.60 --> 322.56] the powers of this dark world, |
[322.62 --> 324.68] and the spiritual forces of evil |
[324.68 --> 326.36] in the heavenly realms. |
[327.54 --> 329.10] Now I'm just going to be honest with you |
[329.10 --> 330.46] that when I was studying this passage, |
[330.46 --> 332.56] I wanted to figure out all these distinctions |
[332.56 --> 334.70] and what Paul meant with each of these lines, |
[335.08 --> 337.10] and I took some comfort because it was confusing, |
[337.30 --> 338.24] and one of the commentators, |
[338.36 --> 339.32] I don't have this on the screen, |
[339.40 --> 340.68] this is what he said about this line. |
[340.76 --> 341.02] He says, |
[341.44 --> 344.80] Paul's point is not to produce a precise list |
[344.80 --> 347.64] of species that inhabit the heavenly realms. |
[348.24 --> 351.70] His point is to signify the vast multiplicity |
[351.70 --> 354.88] of demonic forces that are allied against the church. |
[357.02 --> 358.56] Now what in the world does this mean? |
[358.56 --> 361.18] Does this mean that the car accident |
[361.18 --> 362.30] you nearly got in |
[362.30 --> 364.52] was Satan attacking you two weeks ago? |
[365.10 --> 366.54] No, you're probably just a bad driver. |
[368.14 --> 369.18] Just deal with it. |
[370.08 --> 372.98] But does this mean that there are real active forces of evil |
[372.98 --> 375.50] in our world that operate influence in our lives, |
[375.56 --> 376.06] in our city? |
[376.68 --> 378.28] Absolutely it does. |
[379.46 --> 380.74] And I'll just say honestly |
[380.74 --> 382.42] that there are two times in my life, |
[382.54 --> 383.70] actually before that I would say, |
[383.82 --> 386.06] this would have sounded crazy to my younger self, |
[386.06 --> 387.78] but there's two times now |
[387.78 --> 388.88] where I've been at gatherings |
[388.88 --> 390.78] where there is someone who had an evil spirit, |
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