Tactics of Our Enemy
Life in His Name
February 1, 2026
Rev. Dr. Gabe Sylvia
The Gospel of John presents a simple yet profound message of hope that calls for repentance and faith, warns that the world and spiritual powers will increasingly oppose Christ and his church, contrasts evidential and gospel-centered approaches to unbelievers, and urges believers to respond with Courage, Competence, and Confidence—armed with the Word and prayer—while partaking of the Lord's Table as a proclamation of freedom from sin.
Summary
John's Gospel stands apart with a straightforward message of hope requiring only repentance and faith, but it also reveals how hostility toward Christ and the church will intensify—denying evidence, resorting to intimidation and violence, and using defectors to discredit the faith. The sermon highlights two kinds of people (those chosen who may not yet believe and those who persistently reject God), and contrasts two approaches to unbelievers: relying solely on abundant evidence versus trusting the Gospel to create worshipers. It warns of the enemy's two-pronged strategy to normalize sin and co-opt both those who leave and those who stay, and calls Christians to respond with the three C's—Courage, Competence (using the Word as the sword of the Spirit), and Confidence—supported by prayer. Finally, believers are invited to the Lord's Table to remember Christ's death as the defeat of sin's grip and to be strengthened by faith.
Key Points
- John's Gospel is unique: a simple, profound message of hope that requires repentance and faith
- The world and spiritual powers will increasingly oppose Christ and the church, often dismissing evidence and using intimidation or violence
- The high priest's interrogation and the officer's slap illustrate worldly tactics of intimidation
- There are two kinds of people: the elect who may not yet believe, and those who will always reject God
- Two approaches to unbelievers: rely on abundant evidence versus a reformed, gospel-centered approach that expects God to save by the Gospel alone
- The enemy's two-pronged strategy: expose and normalize sin publicly and use both defectors and insiders to portray faith as harmful
- Believers are called to respond with the three C's: Courage, Competence, and Confidence
- Our primary weapon is the Word of God (the sword of the Spirit), supported by prayer against principalities and powers
- The Lord's Table: an invitation to proclaim Christ's death, remember liberation from sin, and be strengthened by faith
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