UNDERSTANDING THE BATTLE
EPHESIANS 6
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 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.
Christian, you are in a battle!
Some Christians seem to think that the Christian life is a daydream, that we are here on earth to eat, drink and be merry, when the opposite is true, they seem to want to let everyone else fight the battles whilst they live a life of ease, they seem to want to come to Church once on Sunday, another thing ticked off their to -do list.
What we have to understand is that we are in a battle, a wrestling match, it is hand to hand combat with an enemy, we cannot see, it is a spiritual battle fought not with earthly weapons, but with heavenly ones.
Do you really understand what you are involved in:
The environment
Today’s world is not a good place, it is a world full of sin and here’s the bad news, it’s going to get a lot worse. For the Christian, it is a place he/she is not comfortable in. If you are comfortable in this society, then I suggest you are not truly saved 1 John 2:15-17.
To be in love with the world is to be against God, you cannot be on both sides at the same time, you are on one side or the other Exodus 32：26 and Joshua24：15.
This world stinks with the stench of sin, it is everywhere, it permeates every nook and cranny, it is infectious disease, which has one answer and that is the blood of Jesus.
Christian, you need to be aware that this world is not a holiday camp, but a battleground.
Your example
You have the greatest example in the world, your precious Saviour, he came down to earth and defeated Satan through hs death, but it took all he had. Do you think it will take us anything less?
Many believers throughout history have fought against the evil devil, but again it takes all they have, it is not for the halfhearted. Look at the example of Jesus in the garden, he sweated great drops of blood, look at what the apostle Paul went through for the gospel.
Jesus was the author and finisher of our faith, he finished the devil for good, but it took everything he had, it took his life. We need to understand it may take ours. Hebrews 12:1-3 Colossians 2:11-15
Our eyes
Hebrews 12
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Our eyes need to be focused on what has gone before, before anyone goes into battle or a war, old battles are studied and analysed.
But we can look to the ones who in the bible, who actually won battles, not only that, we can focus on the Lord Jesus who won the ultimate battle at the cross and through his resurreuction, we always need to focus our eyes on Jesus.
Endurance
2 Timothy 2
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
A soldier goes through difficult training, the roman soldiers of Paul’s day, didn’t have a cosy bed to sleep in. They had to sleep under the stars.
What are you willing to give up and endure for the cause of Christ?
Energy
2 Timothy 2
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
What is your energy being spent on?
You cannot fight on the battlefield if you are constantly playing till 2am on your cell phone.
Our enemy
Satan is very powerful, but although he is, his power is limited.
Look at the example in Job chs 1 and 2, he can only as far as God allows him and no further. He is portrayed as a roaring lion, but a roaring lion, who has a very long leash, controlled by God.
After he tempted Jesus in Matthew 4, he had to leave him, he couldn’t touch him.
We need to remember that although the devil can hurt us, he can
only do to us, what God allows, God is sovereign and will only allow us to be tempted to a level we are able to stand, he will always give us a way of escape.
Our equipment
In Ephesians 6:10-18 and 2 Corinthians10:4-5, we have our equipment laid out for us.
My question is this:
Do we keep our equipment in tip top shape? Every Roman soldier, would take pride in his equipment.
His sword would be sharp and polished, are we studying and meditating on the bible every day?
Shield of faith, are you acting in faith on the promises of God every day?
Prayer, are you fervently coming before the throne of God every day?
Or are you letting your Armour go rusty?
When some Christians want to put their Armour on, they can’t, because it hasn’t been used for so long, they don’t know how to use it. They don’t know how to act on the promises of God or to use the sword of the spirit effectively.
Make sure you do!
Extraordinary God
Do you fully understand his extraordinary power?
I don’t think we do to be honest. Paul in his two great prayers in the book of Ephesians in Chs 1:15-23 and 3:14-21, tries to give us a flavor of the power of God.
When we realize a little of how all powerful God really is, we would have no fear, no doubt and we would have victory all the time, but we don’t, we are fragile humans.
We need to realize that we are filled with all the fullness of God through his Holy Spirit, the same one that raised Jesus from the dead, the same on that filled the disciples o the day of pentecost.
Let us understand these things:
Our environment is a sinful world
Our example is a wonderful Saviour
Our enemy is a defeated foe
Our equipment is made for us to to use
Our Extraordinary God has and will give us the victory
Our eyes must be focused on Jesus
Our endurance must be to the end
Our energy must be put into the right things.
Amen
God bless you
KK