Dear Readers
Spiritual Warfare Part 4 is the last article in a series of 4:
Part 1 Are Christians really at war?
Part 2 Know your enemy - know yourself!
Part 3 What are the enemy's tactics?
This article, Part 4 the last in the series, focuses on how we as born again Christians are empowered to fight back and overcome the enemy in Christ Jesus!
AS A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN REMEMBER THESE THINGS IN YOUR DAILY SPIRITUAL BATTLE!
Jesus defeated Satan at the cross! Through him we have the victory over sin and death, but we have to fight the battle for our souls. It is our souls that Satan wants! We have to bring our souls under submission to the Spirit! The spiritual battle is to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philppians 2:12-13 (AMP)
12 So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. 13 For it is [not your strength, but it is]God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.
In Jesus Christ we are more than conquerors.
Romans 8:37 (NIV)
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
The battle for our souls is not against people it is against the spiritual forces of darkness!
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
What are our weapons are not?
Let’s start this section by establishing what a Christian’s weapons of war are not. They are not conventional weapons that the armies of the world use today, guns, tanks, fighter planes, bombs etc. No, a Christian’s weapons are far more powerful and a lot more effective than those!2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (KJV)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
We fight a spiritual war against a spiritual enemy! A war that has already been won by Jesus on the cross. The enemy, though, refuses to believe this and continually engages us in skirmishes that will be useless if we remain fully humble, fully repentant, fully forgiving and fully obedient to the Father’s will and immersed in the Word and living our lives in the power of the Holy spirit. In others words we are to be totally submitted to God in Christ Jesus|!
1 Samuel 17:47 (NIV)
All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
Zechariah 4:6 (NLT)
Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
What are our weapons:
1. Prayer - cultivate a lifestyle of continual prayer, thankfulness and praise.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
If you're a believer who is fervently trying to live like salt and light in a dark world, you won't go for long without encountering spiritual warfare.
Obstacles and attacks will be hurled in your direction by the devil. God reminds us in His word to stay aware of Satan’s schemes, to live alert in this world, and to stay submitted close to Him.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
God arms us with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, to stand against the enemy’s lies. He equips us with strength, wisdom, and discernment through His own Spirit to stay strong in the spiritual warfare battle. He invites us to spend time in His Presence, through prayer and worship, pressing in to know Him more each and every day.
As we grow to know God’s Truth and what is real, we will also begin to know more of what is false. In prayer we are stronger to stand against the enemy in the powerful name of Jesus. He never leaves us to fend for ourselves in a dark world, but reminds us He is constantly with us through the infilling of the Holy Spirit, fighting for us, even when we cannot see.
Praying God’s words back to Him, is a powerful weapon against the forces of evil. It is Truth going out. It reminds us that God knows our ways and understands what we face today. It builds our faith and our trust in God. It guards our hearts and focuses our minds back on Him. It wins the battle.
1 Thessalonians 3:3 (NLT)
But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
Psalm 121 (NIV)
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
2. Do everything in the name of Jesus
In our spiritual battle with the enemy it is vitally important that we know Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour and do and say everything in the name of Jesus.
It is only in His name that we have the victory. Look what happened to the seven sons of Sceva who didn’t know Jesus as Lord their personal Lord and Saviour and tried invoking the power of His name.
Acts 19:13-19 (NIV)
13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
3. Retain an attitude of humility in all you do and say when engaging the enemy
We need to walk in humility and in complete submission to God in our spiritual fight with the enemy. Never be overconfident, not even the Archangel Michael, the commander of the heavenly host, stepped out of line when dealing with Satan, he invoked the name of Jesus.
Jude verse 9 (NLT)
But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.)
When we are moving in the flesh it is impossible to please God - live life in the Spirit as Paul always encourages to do, especially in Romans 8 - the whole chapter!
5. Keep the flame of the Spirit ever fervently burning inside of you.
7. Cultivate an ever repentant and ever forgiving heart.
We have already established that born again Christians do sin, King David was our example, and that this sin adversely affects our relationship with God.
It is therefore essential that Christians examine themselves daily and repent of any sin quickly and ask forgiveness in order to restore our relationship with God fully. And just as importantly we need to forgive others that sin against us.
When we do this, we shut the door on Satan, and he is unable to influence and manipulate us. Unconfessed sin leaves the door open for Satan to infect our souls. We all need to say sorry for the things we do in the flesh that are contrary to His Word just as we need to say sorry to others that we have wronged!
8. Be slow to anger and swift to bless in love and be full of compassion for others always.
Do everything in love!
10. Be always dressed in the full Armour of God.
In his writing of these verses I think we need to understand that Paul would have been very familiar with the Roman soldier dressed in full battle armour, after all he was escorted by Roman soldiers on more than a few occasions.
He also knew that no Roman soldier would ever dream of going into battle without putting on his full battle armour. The Roman soldier was probably the best protected soldier of the time and his armour was designed to be effective against most enemy weapons of the time.
In the table below we can examine each part of the Armour of God that Paul mentions:
Verse(s) (NIV) – 10 - 13
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Commentary:
In these four verses Paul is giving us a pre-battle pep talk. He knows what battles we’re going to face in our daily walk because he’s been there and done it. He’s been whipped, stoned, left for dead, bitten by a poisonous snake and for good measure, whipped some more.
He knows we’re facing a spiritual battle and he tells us to be prepared and make sure that we clothe ourselves in God’s protection – the Armour of God. When we do this, we will be able to stand firm and strong in the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit. We will then be fully equipped to defeat the enemy in our daily walk!
Verse 14 (KJV)
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
Commentary:
On a Roman soldier it is the belt that holds the other pieces of body armour in place and it is on the belt that the sword is hung. When a Roman soldier had finished putting on his body armour, he would gird his loins with a belt as described above. This meant that he was now ready for service and to go into battle. So what Paul is saying here is that we need to gird ourselves to do battle with the belt of truth which is our integrity and right standing (being born again) in Christ Jesus and our walking in the Spirit.
The breastplate of a soldier’s armour does as it says it covers the breast; the area between the waist and the shoulders. It protects the soldier’s vital organs and most significantly it protects the heart. For the soldier of the flesh the breastplate is made of iron. For us, the spiritual soldier, our breastplate is made of our righteousness in Christ Jesus, our righteousness protects our hearts and minds from the attack of the evil one!
We all know that the Devil constantly attacks our hearts and minds with lies, accusations and reminders of our past sin. If we do not clothe ourselves with the breastplate of righteousness the Devil’s lying arrows will penetrate our hearts and render us null and void. Be aware of who you are in Christ Jesus and come boldly into His presence and he will fill you with his Holy Spirit who will cement your righteousness in Christ Jesus.
Don’t try and take on the enemy without first praying and then being led by the Holy Spirit with all your armour on!
Verse 15 (NIV)
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
Commentary:
Now, keeping the Roman soldier in mind, what did he wear on his feet when marching and going into battle? He wore heavy duty, hobnailed boots called Caligae – no Roman soldier marched or went into battle without them! They were the strongest footwear going – military Doc Martens!
For the battle shoes of the Church, the spiritual soldier, we need to put on the peace that comes from the Good News of the Gospel in Christ Jesus so that you will be fully prepared. Our spiritual shoes (our peace in Christ Jesus) allow us to step freely and without fear while we turn our full attention to the battle at hand.
They aid in our movement and defence. The peace God gives us will propel us onward to proclaim the true peace, which is available only in Christ Jesus. The peace that surpasses all understanding. We need to prepare ourselves to follow the Lord no matter what.
Verse
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Commentary
The shield not only defends the Roman soldier’s whole body but also His armour. The shield of faith has a very specific function, which the Bible makes abundantly clear: it will quench all the fiery darts of the evil one and all his wicked followers. Not some, not most but all of them.
The shield moves with the attack no matter what direction it is coming from. This is the kind of faith that Moses had when he confronted Pharaoh to let Israel go. It is the kind of faith that Elijah had when he confronted the prophets of Baal, the faith David had when he fought Goliath, the kind of faith Jesus has and that he gives to us today through the Holy Spirit! Without faith it is impossible to please God – Heb 11:6.
Verse 17 (NIV)
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Commentary:
The Roman soldier’s helmet was made of iron and was strong enough to withstand several hefty sword or spiked battle club blows. It covered the whole head and the back of the neck with just slits for the eyes and for the mouth. It even had an iron piece to protect the bridge of the nose and the cheeks.
Satan's favourite target is our mind. We have often heard it said that our minds are the devil’s playground. Satan's weapons are lies and false accusations. The enemy wants to make us doubt God and our salvation.
The helmet of salvation protects our minds from doubting the truth of God's saving work in us.
The Roman soldier’s sword was light and short and ideal for hand-to-hand combat where short, stabbing motions were required. It was not only a weapon of offence but was also ideal for defence as well.
The believer as a spiritual soldier needs to be prepared to go head to head and toe to toes with the devil at all times.
The sword of the Spirit – the Bible, the Word of God, is not only a weapon of offense in the armour, but also a tool for defence. Strongholds, arguments and thoughts are all weapons the enemy uses against us. With the Sword of the Spirit, God's word, the Church is equipped to deal with them all. We need to trust in the truth of God's Word.
Have confidence in the value of God's word and develop a hunger and desire to know it and study it. When Jesus went head to head with the devil in the dessert –Matt 4:10-11 – he used the Word to defeat him and resist temptation. We need to be prepared to battle the enemy in the same way. By the Word of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 18
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Commentary:
And last but not by any means least, prayer! Every believer and the Church corporately, need to be constantly in prayer. Praying in the Spirit in tongues and praying in the Spirit in our understanding.
Praying the Word into our lives and into the lives of others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, Eph 6:12, and so we always need to be in the Spirit – walking in the Spirit. The battle is won in the heavenly realms. Prayer is an integral part of our worship of God – it should never be neglected. Praying in the Spirit in our understanding and praying in the Spirit in tongues always!
11. Be available and be ready to serve others in true humility.
12. Love others as God loves you – agapê love, love that is given freely and is unconditional, love that expects nothing in return!
In Mark 12 Jesus tells us, when asked by the religious leaders, what the most important commandment is – it is love in two directions:
When we are loving God with every fibre of our being as in verse 30 above, and when we are loving our neighbour as God loves us, we are walking in the Spirit and there is nothing left in us for the enemy to get his claws into and to entice us to sin!
Love, God’s agape love, is therefore our greatest weapon of warfare against the enemy! But make no mistake he will still be turning his guns on you, so beware!
13. Our authority in Christ Jesus
This is probably the most important weapon in a Christian’s armoury. The authority given to us by God himself when we are in Christ Jesus – born-again!
The one who holds absolute authority in heaven and on earth is of course Jesus. This was given to him by the Father.
As Jesus carries all authority, he can delegate this authority to his Church. Use this authority because Jesus gave it to us and he expects us to use it!
Live life in the Spirit (Rom 8), always be led by the Holy Spirit and continually be filled with the Holy Spirit and he will guide you in all truth. Love others as Jesus loves you. Be faithful to God in all you do!
Romans 8:5-8 (NIV)
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law,
nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
James 5:16b (AMP)
The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].
5. Keep the flame of the Spirit ever fervently burning inside of you.
Ask the Lord to continually fill you with His Holy Spirit!
6. Take up your authority in Christ Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NLT)
19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.
Ephesians 5:15-18 (AMP)
18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is wickedness (corruption, stupidity), but be filled with the [Holy] Spirit and constantly guided by Him. 19 Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [offering praise by] singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21 being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
6. Take up your authority in Christ Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus gives us all power and authority to overcome the enemy byb the power of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 10:1, 8 (KJV)
1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Matthew 16:19 (NIV)
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Acts 1:8 (NLT)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
John 14:12-14 (NIV)
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
It is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to be imitators of Christ and even to do greater things. The Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us in all truth!
7. Cultivate an ever repentant and ever forgiving heart.
We have already established that born again Christians do sin, King David was our example, and that this sin adversely affects our relationship with God.
It is therefore essential that Christians examine themselves daily and repent of any sin quickly and ask forgiveness in order to restore our relationship with God fully. And just as importantly we need to forgive others that sin against us.
When we do this, we shut the door on Satan, and he is unable to influence and manipulate us. Unconfessed sin leaves the door open for Satan to infect our souls. We all need to say sorry for the things we do in the flesh that are contrary to His Word just as we need to say sorry to others that we have wronged!
James 5:16 (AMP)
Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].
Matthew 18:21-22 (AMP)
21 Then Peter came to Him and asked, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered him, “I say to you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven.
8. Be slow to anger and swift to bless in love and be full of compassion for others always.
Do everything in love!
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV)
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
James 1:19 (NLT)
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
Psalm 103:8 (NIV)
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9. Be in humble obedience to and under submission to Jesus and His Word.
Don’t be a people pleaser – be a Jesus pleaser!
2 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV)
3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.
James 4:7
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
1 Peter 5:6 (AMP)
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time
10. Be always dressed in the full Armour of God.
Ephesians 6:10-17
This is a key passage of scripture that is essential for all born again believers to know and implement in order to be a relevant and an effective spiritual warrior in the Kingdom of God. It is important for us to examine the verses in some detail.
In his writing of these verses I think we need to understand that Paul would have been very familiar with the Roman soldier dressed in full battle armour, after all he was escorted by Roman soldiers on more than a few occasions.
He also knew that no Roman soldier would ever dream of going into battle without putting on his full battle armour. The Roman soldier was probably the best protected soldier of the time and his armour was designed to be effective against most enemy weapons of the time.
In the table below we can examine each part of the Armour of God that Paul mentions:
Verse(s) (NIV) – 10 - 13
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Commentary:
In these four verses Paul is giving us a pre-battle pep talk. He knows what battles we’re going to face in our daily walk because he’s been there and done it. He’s been whipped, stoned, left for dead, bitten by a poisonous snake and for good measure, whipped some more.
He knows we’re facing a spiritual battle and he tells us to be prepared and make sure that we clothe ourselves in God’s protection – the Armour of God. When we do this, we will be able to stand firm and strong in the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit. We will then be fully equipped to defeat the enemy in our daily walk!
Verse 14 (KJV)
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
Commentary:
On a Roman soldier it is the belt that holds the other pieces of body armour in place and it is on the belt that the sword is hung. When a Roman soldier had finished putting on his body armour, he would gird his loins with a belt as described above. This meant that he was now ready for service and to go into battle. So what Paul is saying here is that we need to gird ourselves to do battle with the belt of truth which is our integrity and right standing (being born again) in Christ Jesus and our walking in the Spirit.
The breastplate of a soldier’s armour does as it says it covers the breast; the area between the waist and the shoulders. It protects the soldier’s vital organs and most significantly it protects the heart. For the soldier of the flesh the breastplate is made of iron. For us, the spiritual soldier, our breastplate is made of our righteousness in Christ Jesus, our righteousness protects our hearts and minds from the attack of the evil one!
We all know that the Devil constantly attacks our hearts and minds with lies, accusations and reminders of our past sin. If we do not clothe ourselves with the breastplate of righteousness the Devil’s lying arrows will penetrate our hearts and render us null and void. Be aware of who you are in Christ Jesus and come boldly into His presence and he will fill you with his Holy Spirit who will cement your righteousness in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Don’t try and take on the enemy without first praying and then being led by the Holy Spirit with all your armour on!
Verse 15 (NIV)
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
Commentary:
Now, keeping the Roman soldier in mind, what did he wear on his feet when marching and going into battle? He wore heavy duty, hobnailed boots called Caligae – no Roman soldier marched or went into battle without them! They were the strongest footwear going – military Doc Martens!
For the battle shoes of the Church, the spiritual soldier, we need to put on the peace that comes from the Good News of the Gospel in Christ Jesus so that you will be fully prepared. Our spiritual shoes (our peace in Christ Jesus) allow us to step freely and without fear while we turn our full attention to the battle at hand.
They aid in our movement and defence. The peace God gives us will propel us onward to proclaim the true peace, which is available only in Christ Jesus. The peace that surpasses all understanding. We need to prepare ourselves to follow the Lord no matter what.
Verse
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Commentary
The shield not only defends the Roman soldier’s whole body but also His armour. The shield of faith has a very specific function, which the Bible makes abundantly clear: it will quench all the fiery darts of the evil one and all his wicked followers. Not some, not most but all of them.
The shield moves with the attack no matter what direction it is coming from. This is the kind of faith that Moses had when he confronted Pharaoh to let Israel go. It is the kind of faith that Elijah had when he confronted the prophets of Baal, the faith David had when he fought Goliath, the kind of faith Jesus has and that he gives to us today through the Holy Spirit! Without faith it is impossible to please God – Heb 11:6.
Verse 17 (NIV)
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Commentary:
The Roman soldier’s helmet was made of iron and was strong enough to withstand several hefty sword or spiked battle club blows. It covered the whole head and the back of the neck with just slits for the eyes and for the mouth. It even had an iron piece to protect the bridge of the nose and the cheeks.
Satan's favourite target is our mind. We have often heard it said that our minds are the devil’s playground. Satan's weapons are lies and false accusations. The enemy wants to make us doubt God and our salvation.
The helmet of salvation protects our minds from doubting the truth of God's saving work in us.
1 Thessalonians 5:8 (NIV)
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
The Roman soldier’s sword was light and short and ideal for hand-to-hand combat where short, stabbing motions were required. It was not only a weapon of offence but was also ideal for defence as well.
The believer as a spiritual soldier needs to be prepared to go head to head and toe to toes with the devil at all times.
The sword of the Spirit – the Bible, the Word of God, is not only a weapon of offense in the armour, but also a tool for defence. Strongholds, arguments and thoughts are all weapons the enemy uses against us. With the Sword of the Spirit, God's word, the Church is equipped to deal with them all. We need to trust in the truth of God's Word.
Have confidence in the value of God's word and develop a hunger and desire to know it and study it. When Jesus went head to head with the devil in the dessert –Matt 4:10-11 – he used the Word to defeat him and resist temptation. We need to be prepared to battle the enemy in the same way. By the Word of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 4:10-11
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Heb 4:12 (KJV)
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Verse 18
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Commentary:
And last but not by any means least, prayer! Every believer and the Church corporately, need to be constantly in prayer. Praying in the Spirit in tongues and praying in the Spirit in our understanding.
Praying the Word into our lives and into the lives of others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, Eph 6:12, and so we always need to be in the Spirit – walking in the Spirit. The battle is won in the heavenly realms. Prayer is an integral part of our worship of God – it should never be neglected. Praying in the Spirit in our understanding and praying in the Spirit in tongues always!
Matt 18:18 (KJV)
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
11. Be available and be ready to serve others in true humility.
Isaiah 6:8 (NIV)
Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”
I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
Matthew 20:26-28
25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
12. Love others as God loves you – agapê love, love that is given freely and is unconditional, love that expects nothing in return!
1 Corinthians 16:14 (NLT)
Do everything in love.
1 John 4:8-10 (NIV)
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:20-21 (NLT)
20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers
In Mark 12 Jesus tells us, when asked by the religious leaders, what the most important commandment is – it is love in two directions:
Mark 12:28-31 (NIV)
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
When we are loving God with every fibre of our being as in verse 30 above, and when we are loving our neighbour as God loves us, we are walking in the Spirit and there is nothing left in us for the enemy to get his claws into and to entice us to sin!
Love, God’s agape love, is therefore our greatest weapon of warfare against the enemy! But make no mistake he will still be turning his guns on you, so beware!
13. Our authority in Christ Jesus
This is probably the most important weapon in a Christian’s armoury. The authority given to us by God himself when we are in Christ Jesus – born-again!
The one who holds absolute authority in heaven and on earth is of course Jesus. This was given to him by the Father.
Matthew 28:18 (NLT)
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
As Jesus carries all authority, he can delegate this authority to his Church. Use this authority because Jesus gave it to us and he expects us to use it!
Luke 9:1-2 (NLT)
One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. 2 Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Mark 16:17-18
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Live life in the Spirit (Rom 8), always be led by the Holy Spirit and continually be filled with the Holy Spirit and he will guide you in all truth. Love others as Jesus loves you. Be faithful to God in all you do!
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
I pray in Jesus' name that you would give me wisdom to know and understand the enemy. I thank you that Jesus on the cross gave me victory over the evil one. Help me, Lord, to always be dressed in the Armour of God to ward off the fiery darts of the enemy. I declare this day that in Christ Jesus I have the victory over the spiritual forces of darkness. Jesus is light of my salvation! Amen.
To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!
Jesus the Name above all names!
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!
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