Blog By Rachel Brown
We are in a fight whether you know it or not, whether you feel it or not. Sometimes life hits you when you least expect it and the knockout punch is often the one you do not see or expect.
The Bible says in I 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.”
We are living in a day where we need to be alert because when our defenses are down we can easily be knocked out. We have an enemy of our soul who would rather us become numb to our circumstances and surroundings, and to be honest that is really easy to do, but we cannot be ignorant of the devil’s devices, we need to get our fight on!
So how do we do this? The Bible says in Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV), 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 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. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.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.
We need to understand the fight facts:
1. The fight is Real
2. The fight is Personal
3. The fight is Spiritual
God has given us a full-body of armor for us to wear to stand and fight against the devil’s schemes.
The belt of truth, which ties and holds everything together. It is truth that ties everything together securing us and giving us the ability to move quickly and decisively. I find that when we are attacked by the devil or one of his cohorts, that attack is almost always against the truth.
The breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate of righteousness protects you heart and your emotions and will. Too often we fall into the devil’s traps because we make our decisions based on how we feel rather than on what is actually true and right.
The shoes, which are specially designed to give good firm footing. As followers of Christ, we must put on “gospel shoes” that will allow us to march wherever He leads. Satan will try to place obstacles in our path, but in Jesus’ strength we can walk forward, following Jesus, obeying Him, and advancing the gospel.
The shield, which is used to defend against the blows of the enemy. When Satan attacks with doubts, the shield of faith turns aside the blow. When temptations come, faith keeps us steadfast in following Jesus.
The helmet, which protects the head, which is critical to the body’s ability to function. The helmet protects the head—perhaps the most vital part of the body since it is the seat of thought. When we have a sure knowledge of our salvation, we will not be moved by deceptions.
The sword, which is an offensive weapon to make strikes of your own. The sword of the spirit is the only weapon of offense listed in the armor of God. All the other parts are defensive in nature. God’s Word—the Bible—is described as “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” Hebrews 4:12 (NIV). It brings light into the dark places. When you don’t know what to do, allow the word of God to bring illumination.
Do you sometimes feel weak? Do you find yourself giving in to temptation when you really want to overcome? Are you ever discouraged? We all face these moments. In Jesus, clothed in God’s invincible armor, you will “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” You will “be able to stand against the devils schemes” Ephesians 6:10, 11 (NIV).