Ephesians 6:10-12 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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."
Our son-in-law specializes in intelligence in the United States Army and he said that the best way to fight the enemy is to first identify them. Once you have identified who the enemy is then you can set out to develop a strategy against them. As Christians, we've identified that satan is our adversary and the Bible tells us to take our stand against his schemes so let's see what that looks like.
The Bible says that we are to put on the full armor of God. This is not a suggestion, it is a command from Paul to every Believer who has now been drafted in this spiritual battle. Full is alluding to completeness telling us to cover ourselves completely with Christ not allowing any part of us to show so as to be vulnerable to the enemy. If one weapon that God has provided is lacking then we may be setting ourselves up for consequences. No opening at the head, the feet, the heart, the belly, the eye, the ear, or the tongue is to be given to satan and his cronies.
As Christians, we should be aware that we are in the midst of an extreme battle; however, many don't see it as a reality. What is even more troubling is that for those who do believe, they are not aware of the nature of satan's schemes, the tactics he uses, or the weapons that God has provided for us to use against him. It is important that we get into the Word so that we can be informed, be wise and be prepared.
Our duty as Christian soldiers is not to attack satan or defeat him, but to withstand his attacks. Our orders are to play defense, not offense. Those who speak of attacking the enemy do not understand the powers of satan or God's plan. As Christians, we will not defeat the evil one, It is Christ who will win the battle without any human help. Our job is to literally resist him, not to remove him. satan's final defeat comes not from the Christian's efforts but from the hand of God who will be sending fire from heaven. (Revelation 20:7-10)
Yes, there is a spiritual war going on between satan, his allies, and Christ and the church. It is an invisible war that is being fought by faith, not by sight. This is not a war that we can fight in our own strength but only by what God supplies. Though we may not understand, it is a war being fought for our good and for God's glory. In the end, what it all comes down to is not "Who will win?" but "Who will stand?" and resist the wiles of the devil.
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Personalize this prayer.
Dear Lord,
I know that by surrendering to you as my Lord and Savior, I have placed myself in the midst of this spiritual battle that will continue until You return. Though I don't understand all that it entails, I thank you for supplying all that I need to stand firm and resist all that comes against me. Please help me to be able to recognize the evil one's tactics and ploys so that I am not caught off guard. You are mighty and powerful and I acknowledge that You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. There is no one else beside You that can thwart the plans of the evil one. Your name is great and Your ways are pure. The evil one is a defeated foe and I am committed to cover myself with all that I need to resist him and let You do the fighting. I long for the day when the fighting will end and he is conquered once and for all.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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