Who are we fighting and how?

Have you ever been really annoyed at, argued with or hurt by someone?. I have and it’s not always been someone I don’t get along with, sometimes it’s been those closest to me. Why? We love these people in our lives so why do we get irritated by them? Maybe your first thought is sin and yes, you would be right but let’s dig a little deeper.

I love the book of Ephesians and I’m just beginning to study it again using a preview of Sarah Koontz study guide that begins on October 16th. But today I decided to go to the end of the book and look again at my favorite part in chapter six where Paul speaks of the armour of God,

Verse ten begins with Paul telling us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Not to be strong in ourselves, not to try harder, not to work harder at controlling our sinful nature but to be strong in the Lord. How?. In the power of His might, NOT in our own might, power our wisdom but in the Lord’s.

Then we are instructed to put on the whole armour of God. Every…. Single…. Piece! So that we can stand against the wiles of the devil. Friends, the devil has so many schemes and tricks and lies to use against us and the only hope we have of prevailing against him is as we stand in Christ, covered from head to toe with the whole armour of God.

Now we get to verse twelve and this is what I particularly wanted to share with you. Remember how I started, talking about getting annoyed and the cause of it. Well maybe you and your husband disagree on something, or one of your little ones is constantly being naughty, you’re exhausted and it’s just making you so cross. Think….are they your enemy? Is your dear husband, or your precious child your enemy? Or even that person who has always been unkind to you? No, of course not, then who is?

Let’s look at verse 12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,

So, we see that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, not against people, whoever they may be, but against the devil and all the forces of evil seeking to create havoc in the world and discord in our lives and in particular the lives of God’s children.. A force that WE can never overcome ‘But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ 1 Cor 15:57

This is what I really wanted to share with you all. So many things may feel to be against us BUT… God’s children are assured of victory through Jesus Christ as they fight, not with anything of themselves but in and through Christ with the whole armour of God.

The Christian has six (or seven if you include v18,) items in their Armory. Five of these are for our protection and two to fight with. For our protection, truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith and salvation . vs 14-17 And our weapons? The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God v17 and prayer v18. It would take too long to write about all that I learnt here but let’s take a quick look at our weapons, how are we to fight? Our sword is the wonderful truths, commands and precious promises that we find in our Bible and our other weapon is prayer, but not just prayer, it’s praying always.

Do we have our armour on? Are we daily protected from the assaults of the devil and the powers of darkness and are we carrying our weapons about with us in our hearts everywhere we go? Are we keeping our armour bright by reading our Bible or is our armour gathering dust along with our Bible? Are we always standing alert in prayer. God doesn’t just give us these commands for certain times and seasons, they’re for every day!

How far short I know that I fall friends. What grace and help we need each and every day to even be ready to stand. BUT…’My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’ 2 Cor 12:9.