Does it feel like you are at war today? Not that there isn’t a war happening somewhere, but that we are living in a war torn land? Sometimes it is hard to remember the spiritual battle that is real and raging all around us.
The NFL season kicked off this past weekend so all the players on pro football teams will spend a good portion of this week preparing to face the opponent on the schedule next week. They will study film of the other team, and work on special plays and defensive formations designed to exploit the weaknesses and prepare for the strengths of the players they will face. Christ followers never have an off season.
Revelation 12:17 reads, “Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.”
Our enemy wars against us.
But how much time do you and I take preparing to fight this battle?
Paul emphasized that this battle is not physical, “not against flesh and blood” in Eph 6:10-18 and he encouraged believers to armor up in the fight against the enemy’s lies. He describes armor that protects and prepares believers for battle. Armor that helps believers “be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then with the belt of truth…breastplate of righteousness…gospel of peace…shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one…helmet of salvation…and sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The armor helps believers stand against the evil one’s battle plans and protects their mind, reputation, and character, helping them stay on track in faith and walk in partnership with the gospel. And the one weapon believers have to fight back with in this battle is God’s Word. I’m sure the enemy would love it if we went off to battle everyday unequipped and unprepared.
Pastor John Riley