The Christian life has been likened to a soldier that has enlisted in the military. This soldier will fight battles with enemies to which most in the world remain oblivious.
The enemy in this war is spiritual. That's a worse foe than any human army. They don't get tired. They don't need to eat. They are constantly and consistently engaged in the battle.
Ephesians 6:10-13- Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
God isn't asking us to stand alone, though sometimes it might feel like we're fighting all alone. God is telling us to stand in the power of His might. He is mighty and He has given us strength.
Hebrews 4:16-- Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
First we're called to stand. We aren't supposed to be hiding. We aren't supposed to look like the surrounding civilians. We are supposed to stand out! We are the defensive line for our family and our community.
I Corinthians 16:13- Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
II Thessalonians 2:15-17- Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
Our enlistment isn't without cost, neither is it without help. There are tools available to the soldiers in this war, and they are listed out in the Bible. Each has a specific purpose and each has a counterfeit. Each is equipped to someone who is already a Christian.
These weapons are not available to the civilian population. Only a Christian Soldier in God's army has access to these.
Ephesians 6:14-18- Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
To put on implies that there are people who don't equip, or don't fully equip, this armor. It is given to us for use by God, but sadly there are many who leave these weapons on a shelf and attempt to walk through the fray thinking they won't become a casualty.
Remember, the enemy isn't taking any breaks, and he isn't pulling any punches.
I Peter 5:8-10- Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
How are you going to resist when you aren't prepared?
Let's look at our armor. You'll find that many of these overlap. That's because they are listed as separate pieces, but are supposed to be worn as a single unit.
Loins girt with truth. This is the belt and thigh protection. Your weapons would also attach to this area.
What is the truth that we are to gird ourselves with?
John 14:6- Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 15:26- But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Colossians 1:3-6- We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
II Timothy 2:15- Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The truth that we are to gird ourselves with is God's Word. But that isn't the only piece. It needs the Holy Spirit to guide us and the Lord Jesus Christ to reveal it to us.
Truth is not relative. That's the counterfeit of the devil. He wants you to believe that truth can change based on situation or circumstance. Truth is definitive. It doesn't change because the culture or the acceptance of societal mores change. We are to boldly stand in the knowledge and understanding of the truth.
The truth that Christ died for our sins. The truth that He rose again in victory over the penalty of sin. The truth that He will one day change our mortal bodies into sinless immortal ones.
The breastplate of righteousness. This piece of armor protects all your vital organs. Without it you wouldn't last very long!
I Thessalonians 5:8- But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
I Thessalonians 1:2-3- We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
Philemons 1:4-7- I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
This breastplate is both faith and love.
We show our faith through our works. We aren't working TO BE saved, we are working BECAUSE we are saved.
We show our love by how we treat the brethren (other Christians). It's a labor of love. Sometimes it costs us to treat others the way Christ wants them treated.
Feet shod with preparation of the gospel of peace. This is being ready to share the gospel. We are supposed to be prepared to fulfill the Great Commission to tell everyone everywhere what Jesus has accomplished.
I Corinthians 15:1-4- Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Acts 21:25- As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Galatians 1:8-9- But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Ephesians 1:13-14- In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
The gospel of peace is very simple, and yet there are many out there who try to make it very complicated. The gospel is that Christ died, was buried, and rose again the third day fulfilling the Scriptures.
The counterfeit of this is tolerance. Our love for our brethren is not to excuse blatant sin. We are to expose their sin privately to them in hopes that they will repent and get right. This generation holds tolerance as the highest standard, however overlooking evil will never be justified in the sight of God.
Shield of faith. This shield is very important, and very often misunderstood. Faith refers to a Christian believing that God will do exactly what He has said He will do in the Scriptures.
Romans 3:21-26- But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Hebrews 11:1- Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Romans 10:8-10- But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Ephesians 3:14-21- For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Colossians 1:19-23- For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
The counterfeit of this is presumption. Many Christians presume that they know God's will and never ask for His guidance or search His Word to find His opinions on the matter. Many assume that just because they want something to work out a certain way that it must be God's will, too. Our presumption to hold God accountable to our desires is not faith.
Helmet of salvation. Remember that the Christian who is already saved is the person that can avail himself of this armor. This helmet is not the salvation of the soul. It is the faith that God has promised to keep Christians from going through the Tribulation, and the hope that one day, through the rapture, our bodies will be saved from this sinful world.
I Thessalonians 5:8-10- But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Titus 2:11-15- For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
I Corinthians 15:51-58- Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
The counterfeit of this one is sneaky. It's almost liquid in that it can change for each person. For some, it's believing that they must endure the tribulation. For others, it's believing that there is no resurrection of believers. Boiled down to its finest poison, it's simply unbelief; you don’t believe that God can do what He has promised.
Sword of the spirit. This is the most important offensive weapon in the Christian arsenal. This weapon is powerful enough to fell enemies, and delicate enough to peel the layers of deceit off a well crafted lie. It is efficient for every battle and each season of life we may find ourselves in. Every Christian should be skilled in their use of this weapon!
Hebrews 4:12- For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
I Peter 1:22-25- Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
John 1:1, 14- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The counterfeit of this is religious preference, tradition, and ignorance. Each and every Christian should be able to back up what they believe with Scripture. Your answer to questions shouldn't be "well, my pastor told me" but rather "The Bible says".
Notice there are no knee pads. That's because we're suppose to be praying. Prayer is an underrated powerhouse in a Christian's life. When we pray, we tell God how we see and how we feel about certain situations.
Philippians 4:6-7- Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Colossians 4:2-4- Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Romans 12:9-13- Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
The counterfeit of this is telling God what you want and expecting Him to cater to your desires. It's a lot like presumption.
As Christians we should not only tell God about our problems, we should listen for His direction on them. We should not only intercede on the behalf of others, but we should be willing to step in when He leads and help. We should not only explain to the Lord how we are feeling, but we should also seek how He feels about things!
We have been called into one of the most epic battles of all time. A war that has been raging for over 6,000 years in the spiritual realm, and one that has spilled over into the mortal world. Throughout history, there have been a few brave people that have acted upon the call to fight.
Are you one of them?
