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.
Ephesians 6:10-13 NIV
My oldest son loves battles. So whenever we play his battle games, he is always aware of each player’s pieces. He memorizes their strengths and weaknesses and crafts strategies to win the game. He makes note of when the player doesn’t play each piece to its full potential and waits for the perfect opportunity to attack. As someone on the other side of the game, it doesn’t feel very fair, but neither is a battle against the devil.
Jesus is clear that the devil came to kill, steal, and destroy. Satan doesn’t play fair in spiritual warfare. In Ephesians, Paul is acutely aware that certain challenges we face are really the result of dark spiritual forces. But God doesn’t leave us unprepared or ill-equipped for battle; He has given us spiritual armor. Paul goes on to describe the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace fitted about the feet, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. Each piece provides protection, but you have to know how to use them.
Spiritual battles require spiritual strategies.
Christians are called to be alert and prayerful. That’s the strategy for battle. We’re supposed to be aware of what’s happening on the battlefield and communicate with our Heavenly Father. The devil will always look for opportunities to attack us, but we know that God will release a word to help us overcome whatever we’re facing. Yet we have to assume a position of continuously praying… And not just for ourselves, but for those around us too. We should be quick to pray for others as they seek to do God’s will.
Whether you realize it or not, you are right in the middle of a spiritual battle. The devil loves to catch Christians uncovered and ill-prepared, and if you’re not mindful, you will wind up as the perfect target. The challenging part of this battle is that it’s unseen and the rules are unlike anything in this world. As a child of God, you have access to armor and protection. Use it to stand strong against the enemy. Today, I encourage you to not only put on the full armor of God but use the spiritual strategies you’ve learned from the word of God. Your victory lives in Jesus Christ. Arm up and embrace the win.
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Amen