"Preparing For Battle"

“Preparing For Battle”

 

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.     Ephesians 6:10-12

 

The Apostle Paul is instructing the TRUE BELIEVERS to gear-up for BATTLE.  We are in a SPIRITUAL WAR, and our enemy is NOT mortal man, but it is against the rulers, the authorities, the powers and the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms.  In order to FIGHT and be VICTORIOUS in this BATTLE, we MUST be STRONG in the Lord and in His MIGHTY POWER.  How do we accomplish this?

 

First of all, we NEED to make sure that our RELATIONSHIP with God is what it should be.  PRAYER is our line of communication, REMEMBER, if there is SIN in your HEART, God will NOT hear your prayer, unless it is the PRAYER of REPENTANCE.  (Ps. 66:18)  So we NEED to make sure our line of communication is open and working correctly. 

 

Then make sure your ARMOR is READY for BATTLE.  Check out each piece carefully.  First check out the BELT of TRUTH.  One of the things that Satan uses to defeat the Believer is DECEIT, of which he is the master.  He will use it to bring shame to the Believer.  DECEIT is, the act of LYING.  So the TRUE BELIEVER, who KNOWS the TRUTH, for it is the TRUTH that has set them FREE, SHOULD buckle the BELT of TRUTH around their waist, making sure it is secure.

 

The BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS, is the next piece of armor to put on.  We, as TRUE BELIEVERS, need to consistently live our daily lives in the LIGHT. LIVING as God’s Children, being OBEDIENT to our Heavenly Father.   This will keep the accusations of Satan null and void, and will give Satan NO OPPORTUNITY to attack, because we can stand in the RIGHTEOUSNESS of Jesus Christ.

 

Our feet should be shod with the preparation of the GOSPEL of PEACE, This helps the TRUE BELIEVER to STAND FIRM and SUREFOOTED in the GOSPEL.  KNOWING and EXPERIENCING the PEACE that comes to us from the GOSPEL MESSAGE.  We are able to STAND upon the WORD of the Living God and be VICTORIOUS over our ENEMY.

Above ALL else we MUST take up the SHIELD of FAITH, in order to thwart off the fiery darts of UNBELIEF and DOUBTS, keeping them away, so that our FAITH remains STRONG, STEADFAST and UNSHAKEABLE, throughout the BATTLE.   And then put on the HELMET of SALVATION, which PROTECTS our minds and our thoughts.  When our minds are set on JESUS CHRIST and His imminent RETURN, we are less likely to fall into Satan’s traps.  These pieces of ARMOR are for the PROTECTION of the TRUE BELIEVER. 

 

The SWORD of the SPIRIT, and PRAYING are used for ATTACKING SATAN, TEARING DOWN his STRONGHOLDS and DEFEATING him.  The WORD of GOD is the SWORD, and what we NEED to OVERCOME SATAN and his attacks.  READ IT, MEMORIZE IT, and OBEY IT.  This is what will WIN the BATTLE.  BE READY, by doing ALL of the ABOVE.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you have LOST this BATTLE and are headed to an ETERNITY in Hell with all of its HORRORS.  But you can still be VICTORIOUS over SATAN and change your DESTINATION from Hell to Heaven, by TURNING AWAY from your sinful lifestyle and TURNING TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of  SALVATION, and be ABLE to STAND STRONG, STEADFAST, and VICTORIOUS in the BATTLE.  Don’t FORGET your ARMOR!  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!