FIGHTING THE ARCHAYS

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

When I was praying for a word for the year to share with the congregation, one of the key words that came to me was that of Ephesians 6:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
If a soldier is in a war but doesn’t realize he’s in a war, he will be defeated. In the same way, if you are a child of God, you’re in a war. If you don’t realize it and act accordingly, you’ll live in defeat. Therefore, the Word of God tells us to fight.
The first thing we are instructed to do is to be strong. Think about that. You don’t tell someone who is naturally strong to be strong – they just are. That is good news because it doesn’t matter whether or not you are naturally a strong person. You have a choice to become strong. The key is to live not by your strength, but by the power of His might.
The admonition of Ephesians 6 contains another key, one that you wouldn’t see in the translation, but is there in the original language. It is written, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against rulers…” Behind the word “rulers” or “principalities” is the Greek word “archay.” Even if you don’t know Greek, you’ve seen the word in other words – archaeology – archetype – archangel – etc. Archay means ‘first’ – ‘first in order,’ ‘ first in rank.’ In an army, privates fight privates, sergeants battle sergeants, and generals war against generals. So in spiritual warfare, if you are called to fight against those who are ‘archays,’ principalities that are first in rank, it can only mean that you’ve been entrusted with great authority and great power.
But ‘archay’ means, ‘the first in time,’ ‘the beginning,’ and ‘the commencement’ as well. In this is one of the most important keys to have victory in your life in God. The key is to fight the archay. In other words, don’t fight sin when it’s been given room in your life, fight them in the very beginning, at the very first trace of its very first appearance. Don’t fight adultery when it’s taken root in your heart and life and brought about destruction, fight its archay— the very first suggestion of it. Don’t fight bitterness once it’s become ingrained in your heart, fight its archar, fight the very first thought.
Which is easier - to move a tree or to move a seed? Obviously it’s the seed. The one who deals with seeds will never have to deal with trees. So it is written, “Give the devil no room…” If you give sin room, you’ll be living your life on the defense. But if you fight the archay, you will be living on the offense. And you will be victorious.
This month, don’t live on the defensive, but turn it around. Take the offense. Take new ground. Fight the archay! And may God greatly bless you as you do.
Your brother and co-laborer
in His love and service,


Jonathan

See Message: The Keys of Your Warfare