The Spiritual Battle: Equipping Ourselves for Victory

The War We Need

"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." - Ephesians 6:12

The world is at war. But it is not a war we can see with our physical eyes. It is a war between the forces of good and evil, between God and Satan. This is a war that has been raging since the beginning of time, but in recent years, it has become more intense.

As Christians, we must be aware of this war and actively engage in it. We cannot sit idly by and watch as the enemy attacks our families, our communities, and our world. We must be prepared to fight and to win.

The Enemy

The Bible tells us that Satan is the enemy. He is the one who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He is a liar and a deceiver (John 8:44), and he will stop at nothing to destroy our faith and our relationship with God.

But Satan is not alone in his attacks. He has an army of demons and spiritual forces of evil at his disposal. These forces are organized, disciplined, and strategic in their attacks. They know our weaknesses and they exploit them. They know our fears and they use them against us.

But we do not have to fear them. We have a greater power on our side – God. He is the one who has already won the war. He has defeated Satan and his forces through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But even though the war has been won, the battles still rage on. And we must be prepared to fight.

The Armor of God

In Ephesians 6:10-18, we are told to put on the armor of God. This armor is not physical armor, but spiritual armor. It is the armor we need to fight the spiritual battles we face.

So what is this armor?

The Belt of Truth

The first piece of armor is the belt of truth. This represents the truth of God's Word. We must know the truth and live by it. We must be people of integrity and honesty.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). We must follow him and his truth.

The Breastplate of Righteousness

The second piece of armor is the breastplate of righteousness. This represents the righteousness we have through faith in Jesus Christ. We must be people who live holy and righteous lives.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." We have been made righteous through Christ, and we must live as such.

The Shoes of Peace

The third piece of armor is the shoes of peace. This represents the peace we have through our relationship with God. We must be people of peace, who seek to bring peace to our world.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9).

The Shield of Faith

The fourth piece of armor is the shield of faith. This represents our faith in God. We must have faith in God's promises, in his protection, and in his provision.

Paul writes in Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

The Helmet of Salvation

The fifth piece of armor is the helmet of salvation. This represents our salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. We must know that we are saved and secure in Christ.

Paul writes in Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The Sword of the Spirit

The sixth and final piece of armor is the sword of the Spirit. This represents the Word of God. We must know the Word of God and use it to defeat the enemy.

Jesus used the Word of God to defeat Satan in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). We must do the same.

The Battle

So how do we fight this war? How do we use the armor of God?

First, we must know the enemy. We must be aware of his tactics and his strategies. We must be prepared for his attacks.

Second, we must put on the armor of God. We must know the truth, live righteously, seek peace, have faith, be secure in our salvation, and know the Word of God.

Third, we must pray. Prayer is our greatest weapon in this war. We must pray for ourselves, for our families, for our communities, and for our world. We must pray for protection, for strength, for wisdom, and for victory.

Fourth, we must stand firm. We must not give in to the enemy's attacks. We must not compromise our faith. We must stand firm in the truth and in the promises of God.

Fifth, we must engage in spiritual warfare. We must use the Word of God to defeat the enemy. We must rebuke him in the name of Jesus. We must use the power of prayer to break his hold on our lives and on our world.

The Victory

We can have victory in this war. We can overcome the enemy and his forces. But we must be prepared to fight.

Paul writes in Romans 8:37, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

We are more than conquerors. We are victorious in Christ.

So let us put on the armor of God and engage in this war. Let us fight for our families, our communities, and our world. Let us stand firm in the truth and in the promises of God.

And let us remember that the victory is already ours through Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

The war we need is not a physical war. It is a spiritual war. It is a war between the forces of good and evil, between God and Satan.

But we can have victory in this war. We can overcome the enemy and his forces.

We must put on the armor of God. We must know the truth, live righteously, seek peace, have faith, be secure in our salvation, and know the Word of God.

We must pray, stand firm, and engage in spiritual warfare.

And we must remember that the victory is already ours through Jesus Christ.

So let us fight this war. Let us fight for our families, our communities, and our world.

Let us be warriors for Christ.