Paul gives us a detailed description of the armour we need to wage spiritual warfare. He warns us that we have an enemy who will attack at every opportunity, so we need to understand his tactics. We need to make the spiritual preparations to be able to take our stand in battle and be victorious.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [a]wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [b]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Ephesians 6
Spiritual Warfare: Forewarned is Forearmed
It is challenging to be a Christian in 2020! Do we have the armour of God to help us? We live in a world that, as Paul said, has been enslaved to a dark lord for millennia…And yet, there was hope, because Christ will return and his kingdom will finally be established. And how will the evil empire be defeated? …God will have his Christian soldiers, but their warfare is not on the battlefield.
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Spiritual Warfare: Gird with the Truth
Are We Prepared for Battle? Our spiritual enemy is powerful and relentless, so scripture tells us that we need to gird our loins with truth. Jesus having done battle with the Adversary, knew we needed to stay alert and be prepared… Jesus in his example prayer reminded us to pray that the Father would rescue us from the evil one, the Father would not fail to do his part. So are we preparing and doing our part?
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Spiritual Warfare: Breastplate of Righteousness
In our spiritual battle, knowing and doing what is right gives us confidence to stand and face our accuser. We can face our adversary knowing that our actions and motives are pure. Doing what is right will protect our heart from the emotional slings and barbs hurled at us. Because we know we are in a right relationship with our Father. and have trust that he will protect our back.
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Spiritual Warfare: Helmet of Salvation
Everyone who believes Christ’s message is engaged in spiritual warfare. Yet, too many Christians are losing the battle by playing old worn-out scripts in their heads… And these messages, the “I will nevers” prove to be a stumbling block to spiritual engagement… Do we have a strategy to combat them? Are we able to put on the helmet of salvation and overcome our cultural scripts, negative mindsets, and destructive thoughts?
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Spiritual Warfare: The Shield of Faith
Considering the nature of society, God wants his people prepared to do spiritual battle. He tells us that we have an adversary whose goal is to destroy us. This evil mastermind is s master of propaganda disseminating his clever lies and half-truths. And his minions perform his work. Using his arsenal, he attacks our hearts and minds, to make us fearful, discouraged, or complacent. But God encourages us to have faith and stand our ground.
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Spiritual Warfare: Disciples with a Mission
Christians are disciples with a mission, and must be equipped with the spiritual “footgear” that will help them fulfill their role. There is a spiritual war being waged and our Master has prepared us to fight our battles. As spiritual warriors, part of being prepared is wearing the footgear, that will give us stability when facing the enemy. So what must we wear? Paul says the footwear is an understanding that we are disciples with a mission. And, we are prepared and ready to move forward and perform our mission.
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Spiritual Warfare: Sword of the Spirit
!t was daunting at times to live as followers of Christ in a pagan society. It was tough being constantly in conflict with the cultural norms of their time. And they understood the spiritual battle they fought daily. So besides the defensive armour of breastplate, helmet, and shield, God provides our one offensive weapon. Are we making a daily effort to take the sword of the spirit that God is offering us?
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