Are You Prepared for Battle?
The Armor of God
Are you prepared for battle? Then, advisedly, get ready because those who have the light of Christ see the darkness spreading across their land and the world. They know that when enough people reject God, cities and then states become godless, followed by nations. And this happens because those without the knowledge of God are easy prey for Satan, God’s enemy and the enemy of all mankind. Thus, it is essential to be alert and armed with faith because the battle belongs to the Lord.
We know that we are children of God and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 1 John 5:19
Surely, believers would lose the battle of good and evil had God not revealed His salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, God strategically placed His church on earth’s battlefield to preach the Word of God, equip the saints, and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Indeed, the church is God’s lighthouse that engages the world and points people to Christ.
Thus, the battle lines are clear. So, rely on the Lord Jesus Christ to battle sin in yourself and shine His light of righteousness in a dark world. But, importantly, persevere by faith because when enough Christians compromise and live like the world, churches become ineffective, and Satan gains ground.
Prepare for Battle by Knowing Your Enemy
Military leaders know they cannot go into battle without knowing their enemy, and neither should you. Therefore, preparation for spiritual warfare includes knowing your mission from God and being mindful of your adversary, the devil. Because Satan is a liar, those who follow him are also deceptive. By their fruits, you will know them.
Jesus said to them, you belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44
The devil is powerful and wicked as well as lawless, a pathological liar, and he never plays by the rules. In addition, he is cunning, so you need God’s discernment to perceive the enemy’s schemes. However, God is greater than Satan, so rely on the Holy Spirit and the Word of God while engaged in spiritual warfare. Then, you will have the insight you need to see through the schemes of the evil one and his followers.
Satan Pretends to be Righteous
Satan often cloaks himself in religion to hide his evil intent, so he easily deceives the unsuspecting.
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15
The religious leaders of Israel thought they followed God, but Jesus told them their attitudes and actions revealed that they were doing the devil’s work. And they proved it by plotting to kill Jesus. Thus, in every generation, unbelievers carry out Satan’s plans to destroy God’s followers, so do not be surprised when they oppose you.
Prepare for Battle and Remain Vigilant
The military fights a war to win and lose as few soldiers as possible, so they are always on alert. Likewise, governments repeatedly warn civilians to be on guard for potential dangers. And when people believe their warnings, they prepare and remain vigilant. So, should we do any less when God commands us to take His Word seriously and remain watchful? Therefore, don’t be a casualty of spiritual warfare. Rather, resist the devil by faith, and he will flee from you.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:8-9
Don’t Be a Battle Casualty
Who are the captives taken to do Satan’s will? •Those who do not take God’s Word seriously are casual about sin. And because they disengaged from the spiritual battle raging around them, they unknowingly do the devil’s work. •Those who stop following Jesus because they love this world and all the things in the world more than they love Jesus. •Those who prefer the approval of man rather than doing the will of God. Warning: Those who never have time for God are in grave danger.
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:4
How does one become a casualty? Those who are too busy for spiritual things seldom have time to pray, read the Bible, or attend Bible study. As a result, they forget about God, live for themselves, and easily conform to popular opinion that opposes God’s Word. So, it is the casual who become casualties.
Warning: The Bible says that without faith, it is impossible to please God. So, if you trust in yourself and look like the world, be deceived no longer. Instead, repent and turn to God. He is the only one who can free you from captivity to sin and the lies that keep you there.
Repentance Prepares You for Battle
So much is on the line in the battle between good and evil, yet the enemy captured many deserters without a fight. Because in war, there is no neutral ground, so you must decide whose side you are on. How about you? Have you wandered from the truth, and now your life no longer reflects the Bible’s teachings?
Then now is the time to repent and turn back to God because believing and obeying the Word of God is the only evidence of genuine faith. So, if you are a Christian and out of fellowship with God, admit your rebellion, and ask God to forgive you. God loves you and is waiting with open arms to receive you.
The Battle Belongs to the Lord
There should be no equivocation as to who is in charge. God is Your Commander in Chief, and He alone has the battle plan found in Ephesians 6:10-18.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Ephesians 6:10
The Lord Jesus Christ is your strength, so always keep your eyes on Him and put no confidence in the flesh. Because God never calls you to fight spiritual enemies with human effort. Now, as a soldier under God’s command, prepare to engage the enemy with the weapons of faith He has provided. And remember, the battle belongs to the Lord.
Prepare for Spiritual Warfare
Put On the Armor of God
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:11
Is your spiritual armor in the closet? Then, by faith, put on the Lord Jesus Christ and stand firm against the devil’s deceptions. Otherwise, you will doubt God and lose confidence. But God’s Word will help you see the battle lines, and the mission is clear. Importantly, don’t give in, and don’t give up! Instead, by faith, keep your focus on the Lord and be strong and courageous.
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. Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. Ephesians 6:12-13
Stand Firm in Truth and Righteousness
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist and with the breastplate of righteousness in place. Ephesians 6:14
Jesus resisted the temptations of the evil one by quoting the Word of God. But is this a weak area in your armor? If so, ask God to help you make Bible study a priority because knowing and believing the Word of God is essential for God’s protecting grace. God is truth, and His Word is truth.
Your word, O Lord, is eternal; It stands firm in the heavens. All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. Psalm 119: 89, 160
Believer, by faith, you have been declared righteous in Christ, and the perfect life of Jesus now lives in you. So, rely on Him and not on yourself to live a Christian life. Notably, Satan has no grounds to attack when you believe that Christ is your righteousness.
Share the Gospel
And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:15
Sadly, this armor piece is missing for many Christians, so Satan has been victorious. But have you thought about the kind of person you might be if someone had not shared Christ with you? Then, don’t be missing in action! Instead, be willing to cross enemy lines to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so sin’s captives can be set free.
And then, focus on the power of the gospel to save and not your weakness as a messenger. So, the next time God opens an opportunity to share the gospel, be ready by faith to rely on Him and not yourself.
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1 Peter 3:15
Faith is Your Shield in Battle
Believing God’s commands, warnings, and promises deflect and quench the flaming darts of accusations and condemnation that Satan designs to bring you down. Indeed, the righteous live by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16
The Word of God Prepares You for Battle
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Ephesians 6:17
Your mind is a battlefield, and the outcome determines the course of your life. So, believing in the assurance of your salvation is your impenetrable defense for anything the enemy throws at you.
In addition, the Bible is the only way to know God and His will for you. Yet, Bible illiteracy is increasing, leaving too many believers defenseless. But don’t let Satan win this battle! It is never too late to study and obey the Word of God. Hence, ask God to help you prioritize your spiritual life and stick to a plan to make it happen.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of Truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
Prayer is Essential for Battle Victory
Prayer is essential before and during the battle, so don’t leave home without it.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18
A lack of prayer reveals a chink in your armor and leaves you vulnerable to enemy attack. Because when you disconnect from God, you have no spiritual power. Then, you prioritize the wrong things, and as a result, you are too busy to pray.
So, like an engine light in your car, an inconsistent prayer life warns you that you are trusting yourself, not God. Consequently, when you consistently neglect the things of God, you cease to walk by faith, and sin gains power. But God will transform your prayer life when you ask for His help and then depend on the Holy Spirit to pray according to His will.
Faith in Jesus Christ Wins the Battle
Praise God! Because of the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection, Satan no longer has any hold on those who walk by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus will prepare and strengthen you for every battle, so trust Him alone to lead and fight for you. Godspeed, and may the Lord bless you and keep you by faith.
For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:4-5
The Battle Belongs to the Lord
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Bible study for “Prepare for Battle”
Week 1: Deuteronomy 1:29-31; 20:1-4; Joshua 1:8-9; 23:9-11; 2 Kings 6:15-17; 2 Chronicles 20:4-17; Psalms 1:1-6; 3:1-8; 10:4; 12:1-8; 18:1-3, 28-35; 20:6-7; 24:1-10; 25:1-22; 27:1-8, 13-14; 33:4, 10-22; 34:4-7, 17-20; 56:3-4, 9-11; 73:23-26; Psalms 86:5-7, 11
Week 2: Psalms 91:1-16; 97:10; 107:10-22, 43; 119:89, 105, 101-105, 114, 132-133, 142; 147-148, 160; 140:1-13; Proverbs 8:13; 16:17-20, 25, 32; 25:21-22; 29:22-23, 25, 27; 30:5; Isaiah 40:29-31; 41:10-13; 42:13; 45:22-24; 54:17; Zechariah 4:6; Matthew 4:1-11; 7:12-29
Week 3: Matthew 10:16-40; 16:18, 21-28; 26:41; Luke 18:1-8; John 3:16-21; 8:12, 42-47; 10:10; 12:30-33, 44-50; 14:12-31; 15:4-8, 18-25; 16:7-16, 33; 17:3, 6, 14-19; Romans 1:16-18; 2:5-13; 3:21-28; 4:1-8,18-25; 5:1-11; 6:8-14, 22-23; 8:1-39; 10:1-4; 12:1-3, 21; 13:12-14; 16:20
Prepare for Battle Bible Study Weeks 4 Through 6
Week 4: 1 Corinthians 1:4-9, 18-31; 10:13; 15:20-26, 32-34; 56-58; 16:13; 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, 14-17; 4:4-18; 5:15-21; 10:3-5; 11:13-15; 12:7-10; Galatians 1:3-10; 5:16-26; Ephesians 2:1-10; 4:17-32; 5:8-21; 6:10-20; Philippians 1:3-6, 20-21; 2:3-16; 3:2-3, 7-20; 4:6-7, 13, 19-20
Week 5: Colossians 1:9-14; 2:6-10, 13-15, 20-23; 3:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 2:17-18; 3:5; 5:4-8, 16; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-12; 3:1-5; 1 Timothy 6:12-19; 2 Timothy 1:7; 2:15, 19, 22-26; 3:12, 16-17; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:12-16; 11:6; 12:1-12; 13:5-8, 20-21; James 1:12-27; 2:14-26; 4:1-10
Week 6: James 5:13-20;1 Peter 1: 3-9, 13-17, 24-25; 2:1-3, 9-12, 19-25; 3:15-18; 4:1-2, 12-19; 5:8-11; 2 Peter 1:1-11, 20-21; 1 John 1:1-10; 2:1-6, 12-17, 20-29; 3:1-10; 4:1-6, 13; 5:1-5; 11-15, 18-21; Jude 24-25; Revelation 3:11-13, 21-22; 14:6-7; 17:14; 19:11-16; 20:11-15; 22:16, 20-21
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Gods Spirit is alive! As I read the verses you refer to it is no coincidence that I have memorized many of the same “words of God” in this constant Spiritual battle. Thank you for “standing firm”.
Bart
Now more than ever, we must stand on the Word of God by faith and trust God’s plans for us. I love that you memorize God’s Word, which is so important. Suzanne
Excellent, thank you