Ready For Battle

Battle. Images from war movies come to mind. Men fighting and dieing for some cause. It brings with it ideas of pain and suffering. Battles are ugly. Unfortunately, they are also, at times, necessary. Another idea we have with battles is that they are distant, something we may never face. Sadly, that is not true. In reality, we are all in a battle, so the question is not whether we will be in a battle, but will we be ready?

Ephesians 6:11-12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

It is deception to believe that we are not in a war. As Christians, we are always in a battle. Satan and his forces are always looking for ways to take us down, continually trying to get us to fall. We must stand firm against them, but stand firm in what? How?

Ephesians 6:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

We are to stand firm in Christ, using His strength not our own. We cannot do it alone, we must have God’s help to fight the battle or we will fail. The battle is not physical; it is spiritual so we must battle it in the spiritual realm not in the physical. We need God’s Spirit to fight the battle.

Ephesians 6:18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints

Prayer is the most important battle plan we can have. It is the most important way to “do” battle. I heard in a sermon once that “Prayer is not preparation for the battle, it is the battle.” Nothing we do for God, no matter how good, will succeed unless it is built on the foundation of prayer.

One vital element of prayer that we need in the battle is to pray aloud. I know it feels strange to pray aloud, but when we are battling demonic forces we must. They cannot read our minds or hear our thoughts. The only way our prayers can be directly effective against them is to pray aloud so they can hear it.

We must also be alert. Any soldier will tell you that a careless or oblivious soldier is a dead soldier. Remember that satan is looking for ways to take us out, not obvious blatant plans, but sneaky, crafty, subtle ways. We must always be on the watch for it, always alert for possible danger.

1 Peter 5:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

We can never be too careful. We must never let down our guard, whether we are hanging out with other Christians, reading an “innocent” novel, or playing background music. Nothing is safe except the Bible.

Psalm 119:9,11,97 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word…

Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You…

O how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.

In order to know what is right, to recognize what is wrong, we need to stay grounded in the truth which is the Bible. It is the only way we can fight the battle, otherwise we won’t know what or where the battle is. It requires regular, consistent time not only reading but studying and applying the Bible. We need to think about it throughout the day and let it transform our minds.

Deuteronomy 6:6-8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.

God’s Word should consume us. It should ordain our every word, deed and thought. That is how we can stand firm. Without it we will be swayed by any idea that comes along. It is vital to have the foundations of prayer and scripture. It is not enough to have been raised in the church and know what the Bible says. We must be in the Bible constantly. We cannot have too much of it any more than a soldier could have too much training.

Once we have that foundation, we must put on our armor, God’s armor. Not just part of it, but the whole outfit. Next week, I will discuss the first piece of armor to put on; the Belt of Truth.

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