Putting on the armor of God is a figure of speech. We don't actually put any physical protection on us nor do we use any real weapons. Every day in this world we are in a battle against the things ungodly. Some days the war is more like a little disagreement and on others it can be an all out blood bath. The problem is we don't always look at it as a war to prepare ourselves for. We don't understand the fight satan wages everyday trying to get us to disobey God, win our souls if we aren't yet believers, and keep us from winning more souls for Christ. He sets out to discourage us and he will do almost anything to split us christians apart, causing division between us so that we are less affective for God. I have broken down Ehpesians 6:10-18 verse for verse and I will share with you over the next few days the importance of preparing for battle.
A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power.
To be strong, in this sentence, means not easily affected by hardship and not easily disturbed or upset. It also refers to showing determination and self control. When we have confidence in God and the things we can do with Him on our side we are “strong” in Him. When we trust that God is in control of our life we can be intimidated by satan’s lies without freaking out and worrying too much. But, without that confidence, satan is able to discourage us. He can manipulate us, make us worry or feel ashamed. We can fall in a hurry when we believe satan’s lies and we don’t trust in The Lords’ mighty power to hold us up.
When dealing with satan we must have a solid foundation in God and know that He can do anything we need. We must recall the stories from the bible when he saved the Israelites from Egypt or flooded the whole earth but saved Noah and his family. We need to be able to recall all of the times that He saved people and certainly never forget the power in the story of creation. Stories of God’s power planted on our heart will enable us to stay strong when trouble comes our way. It will give us confidence when satan is forcing lies into our thoughts. A firm foundation will keep us determined and we won’t be able to give up easily. Make every effort to read the bible and especially remember the promises He has for every one who believes in His son, Jesus Christ.
Every day we have to make the choice to believe in God’s power and favor in us. Several times a day we may need to recall His promise of love and His will for good in our life. Being strong in The Lord is having trust. It takes faith to trust in a God who we can’t necessarily see, but the proof of His existence lies in the provision He gives us along the way and the good that comes from every situation we are faced with. Confidence in God’s promises gives us strength in Him.
11) Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the devil.
Most of us think of a metal covering or a shield when we think of armor but in this case armor is just another word for defense. Verse 11 is telling us to put on God as our defense, handling our circumstance the way God would. Defense is needed when we are up against someone or something that is attacking us. It is a means of protecting ourselves......in this case, against an attack from the devil himself. So put it all together and God is telling us to use Him as our defense against all of the strategies satan will use to attack our minds.
12) For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
When difficult circumstances arise or when someone accuses us or attacks us it is a Christians’ responsibility to see this situation from God’s point of view. Satan is behind all evil in this world. We need to remind ourselves, over and over that when bad things occur it isn’t the person we should be getting mad at. We can’t fight the circumstance that is occurring......we have to fight the manipulation and lies that satan will put into our minds regarding our circumstance. Jesus was able to endure horrible suffering without pointing one finger. He was beaten and ridiculed but He never lifted a hand in defense. He knew that satan was behind the evil that was taking His life and He knew not to blame the people who were hurting Him. Yes they made the choice but Jesus knew that satan had a stronghold on them. Stephen was stoned to death and before He lost consciousness He was able to cry out to God asking His forgiveness for the people stoning Him.....”Lord, don’t charge them with this sin” (Acts 7:60). The Holy Spirit gave both Jesus and Stephen the strength to stand against their enemies but these two men understood what many today do not. They weren’t consumed by the circumstance and their suffering by the hands of people. They understood that the people were controlled by a higher power that had them tricked into believing they were doing the right thing. They felt compassion for the very people that were killing them because they understood the stronghold that satan had on them. They were determined to live a Godly life to the end and prove to the world that God is the higher power and He would win in the end. Our fight is not with people. Our fight is against satan and the power he holds over people who have not chosen God’s way for their own. Our fight is against satan’s lies that he tries to plant in our head and the temptations he places before us.
Sometimes our fight is strictly with the lies that satan tries to discourage us with. There may not be any one circumstance occurring nor are we fighting with someone but satan will still try to get us doubting. He knows our weakness and he preys on the things that we struggle with. Satan attacks our insecurities head on and if we aren’t prepared and fully armored he will get into our head.
Dear God help me to realize the importance of preparing for battle every day. I want to choose your way of handling war waged against me. Make me aware of satan's lies and the evil that is lurking around me. I want to be able to stand firm when satan tries everything in his power to discourage me and get me to act out in an ungodly way. I don't want to stand alone, show me how to be strong in Your power. Amen and Amen
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