The Bible says in Ephesians 6:10-18; “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. 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 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 Lord’s people.”
As this passage teaches us, our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against demonic powers and rulers in the spiritual realm. Therefore it is impossible to fight against the devil in your own strength; you can however take up your spiritual weapons and stand against the attacks the enemy will throw your way. The attacks of the devil are inevitable and they will come; it is how you handle them when they do that makes the difference. The first step in defeating the enemy, and then walking in the safety and security of Jesus Christ is to know Him as your personal Lord and Savior; calling upon His name and asking Him to be the Lord of your life. Secondly, it is through repentance of your sins and on a daily basis coming before the Lord in humility that the attacks of the enemy will be defeated. Very often people turn to Jesus and become a Christian, but they do not take the necessary steps to change their lifestyle and walk away from sin. Sin is disobedience to God. Every time a person disobeys the Lord’s voice in their life, they sin before the Lord and open themselves up to come under attack of the enemy. Sin is a doorway and an access point for the devil to attack your life. The Bible teaches us that we need to rid ourselves of sin and walk in humility and repentance on a regular basis; and it is in this that we keep ourselves beneath the shadow of God’s wing.
The Bible teaches us to stand in God’s truth and to put the belt of truth around your waist. The belt of truth is to know Jesus Christ and understand His Word. God’s Word (Logos) is the Bible that teaches us Who God is, how to live life, and what the commandments and the precepts of the Lord are. It is important in your walk with God to read His Word and to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and to bring to life the words upon the page. It is the Holy Spirit that will give you understanding of the Scriptures and unfold them before you. When the Holy Spirit speaks revelation to you, it is also God’s Word (Rhema). You must walk in the truth. It is not enough to read the Bible, or to hear God’s voice and do nothing; you must walk in obedience to God’s Word on a daily basis. This means obeying the Lord voice and following His ways. The free gift of grace and salvation is never an excuse to sin.
Then, one must have the breastplate of righteousness in place. What is the breastplate of righteousness? This is walking in a righteous manner before the Lord and keeping purity in your life. Very often the attacks of the enemy come against a person and penetrate, having access to bring great destruction. So why is this? This is so because when a person disobeys the Lord and allows impurities in their life, they open the door to the devil’s attacks and he takes full advantage. The spiritual realm is serious and very real and it is vital to keep aware and to keep your armor in place. The Bible says; “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”(1 Peter 5:8).
Next, we must be “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” This means keeping the Gospel in your heart and through being planted in God’s Word and Presence, you will be ready for whatever the enemy brings your way. The Scripture then says; “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 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 Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:16-18).
This means having faith and keeping it in your heart. When the Lord speaks a promise to you for your life, the devil will always come behind it to lie to your mind and take you away from your focus and what God has intended for you. When you stand in faith and reject doubt, you will stand strong and be planted firmly in His promises for you. The helmet of salvation is your faith in Jesus Christ and being covered by His blood through receiving Him into your heart and accepting His sacrifice on the cross; and keeping the sword of the Spirit close to you, which is the knowledge of His Word. It is vital to read God’s Word, hear God’s Word, know His Word, speak His Word, and walk in His Word. Lastly, the Scripture teaches us to pray. To keep praying, coming before the Lord and making requests and intercession before His throne for yourself as well as for the ones around you He leads you to pray for.
Today we would like to encourage you to take on the full armor of God; to seek His Presence in your life, and to allow Him to do a deeper work of repentance and consecration in your heart. It is through your obedience and stance of faith that the enemy will be defeated in your life. You can start by praying this prayer aloud to Him;
Dear Lord Jesus,
I ask that You would forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. I welcome You into my heart to be the Lord of my life. I ask for Your guidance this day, and ask that You would help me to put on Your full armor. I commit to seek You more in my life and I ask that You would teach me Your ways. I welcome the Holy Spirit to be with me and to help me stand in You.
In Jesus Name I Pray,
Amen
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