IT'S A SPIRITUAL BATTLE

I know my biggest battle I face every day is to keep in mind that I am in a spiritual battle. If it were left up to me I wouldn't have a chance, but the truth is that we have more than a chance, we can have total victory over all the powers of the enemy.

“Greater is he who is us than he who is in the world.” ( 1John 4:4b KJV)

“ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength 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.” ( Ephesians 6: 10-12 NAS)

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” ( Colossians 1:13 )

The first thing we need to understand is that we are not in a wrestling match with a human opponent, It is a spiritual battle that we can't fight with our intellect or with with or by any physical means. It is a spiritual battle that must be conquered by with the weapons of our warfare that are mighty through God.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” ( 2Corrinthians 10:4 KJV )

Paul wrote to timothy, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” ( 2 Timothy 2: 1 )

Paul was telling him to be empowered, or enable by the divine influence( grace ) upon his heart, through Christ Jesus. So we see that it is truly a spiritual battle we are in that we can overcome not in our own strength, but through the power and authority of Jesus Christ and from his mighty strength in us.

“Finally, receive your power from the Lord and from his mighty strength. Put on all the armor that God supplies. In this way you can take a stand against the devil's strategies.” ( Ephesians 6:10-11 GWT )

What does it mean to put on the armor of God?

The answer is not to say a prayer as many assume, but it is by applying the armor to our lives. In other words the armor must be implemented and become a part to our lives.
The armor that God has supplied for us is to be able to stand in these evil days is;

The belt of truth

>“So then, take your stand! Fasten truth around your waist like a belt.” (Ephesians 6:14 NAS)

I like the thought of wrapping truth around my life like putting on a belt . The devil is the father of lies,
( John 8:44 ) but the truth sets us free from his evil influence when the lies are removed out of lives through the truth as revealed in the Word of God.

The breastplate of righteousness

The breast plate is God's approval. “Even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction.” ( Romans 3:2 )

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” ( 2 Corinthians 5:21 )

In Christ Jesus even though we are all truly guilty of the sin we were born into, yet we are now blameless before God because of His sacrifice on our behalf by Jesus Christ.

The shoes of peace

The shoes of peace represent that we are ready to spread the Good News that gives peace. It's being firm-footed in the gospel of peace. When you get your shoes on you are ready to go;
The shield of faith
The Greek word here used, “is to stand under, that is, to be a foundation.” Faith is the foundation on which all our hopes for the future are built. For us it is the promise of eternal life through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the promise of victory in this present life over all the power of the enemy.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” ( 2 Corinthians 2:14 )

The helmet of salvation

The Roman soldier wore on his head a metallic cap to protect it from blows, called a helmet.
Isaiah 59:17 says: “He put a helmet of salvation (deliverance ) on his head.”
Salvation, is the consciousness that we have a Savior able to save unto the uttermost.

“But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.” (Thessalonians5:8 )

The sword of the Spirit

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” ( Hebrews 4:12 )

Matthew Henry's concise commentary;

“The Christian amour is made to be worn; and there is no putting off our amour till we have done our warfare, and finished our course. The combat is not against human enemies, nor against our own corrupt nature only; we have to do with an enemy who has a thousand ways of beguiling unstable souls. The devils assault us in the things that belong to our souls, and labor to deface the heavenly image in our hearts. We must resolve by God's grace, not to yield to Satan. Resist him, and he will flee.”

Prayer and petition
Pray by the Spirit – That is to pray through the influence of the Holy Spirit
“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.” ( Romans 8:2 )
“Use every kind of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert. Use every kind of effort and make every kind of request for all of God's people.” (Ephesians 6:18 )

As we apply these spiritual weapons to our personal lives we will walk in victory over all the power of the enemy with the help of the Holy Spirit, and the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer
Praise you God for the victory that we have over the power enemy. Father we need to grow in our understanding of how to walk in victory that you have provided for us. You have totally freed us from the grasp of this present world and we can walk in the power that you have provided over all the power of the enemy.
Open up our understanding of the all the things you have given to us to assure our victory. Our greatest asset is you Holy Spirit who leads me to victory in this present life. You are constantly helping us, teaching us, leading us, we desire to be submitted to you, take full control of our lives.
We also overcome by the the blood of the Lamb and the word of our own testimonies of the grace that has brought to us everything we need to live a victorious Christian life. In the name of Jesus, amen

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